CAMBOZOLA ONION TARTS

 

I had another sleeve of puff pastry, and I had seen a version of this on Instagrm, so I decided I would make it as the appetizer for dinner with our neighbors.  OMG, this took 10 minutes to assemble, and it was delicious!  Cambozola cheese is is triple cream cheese with a hint of blue cheese.  Any melting cheese would work, and I have bought Brie to try next time for my friends who don't like blue cheese, but the blue with the onion and hot honey paired so well together that it will be hard to make it any other way.  It is essentially puff pastry with a slice of red onion, topped with a yummy melting cheese and drizzled with hot honey.  So head to Trader Joe's and stock up on their puff pastry before they are gone and make this easy but impressive and extremely yummy appetizer.   (Need I remind you that TJ's puff pastry is one of the few out there made with butter and at less than half the price of the others -- and it is seasonal.  Luckily this Christmas they overstocked in Austin, so I was able to buy more yesterday.  I now have a dozen in my freezer and only hope they last me now that I have discovered what easy and wonderful recipes I can make with it!)

6 slices red onion, cut in half

Olive oil

Kosher salt and fresh black pepper

1 sleeve puff pastry, thawed but cold

Cambozola cheese *

1/4 c Honey

Aleppo Pepper

Fresh thyme, optiional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  On a baking sheet, lined with parchment, place the onion as pictured above.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

On a floured board roll out the puff pastry into a 10" square.  Cut it in half and then cut each half into 3 equal rectangles, giving you 6 pieces of pastry.  Poke each one with a fork, making lots of holes so that the pastry won't puff too much.  Lay each rectangle over a slice of the onion on the baking sheet and press the sides down so that the outside edges and the area around the onion are flat.  Bake for 20 minutes or until the crust is golden.

Meanwhile put the cheese in the freezer for the first 15 minutes the pastry is in the oven.  This will make it easier to slice.  Before you take the pastry out of the oven, slice the cheese into enough slices to cover the onion.  I cut 6 slices but didn't really use all of them.  Immediately when the pastry comes out of the oven lay the cheese on top of the onions and press slightly so it will begin to melt the cheese a litte.

Heat the honey in the microwave with a small amount of Aleppo Pepper, depending on how much spice you like.  I had Mike's Hot Honey so I used that, but it didn't have enough spice, so I have now bought Aleppo pepper to use next time.  I will probably start out with about 1/2 t pepper and then adjust it according to our taste.  Drizzle over the pastry.  Sprinkle with a little fresh thyme if you prefer and serve. I forgot to do it and didn't miss it at all but will try to remember next time!

*Any melting cheese will work.  Brie would be another good choice.

MUSHROOM AND LEEK GALETTE

Our family loves everything mushrooms, and the holiday season is the time of the year that Trader Joe's has their puff pastry so I knew I wanted to try something savory with one so I combined several recipes I read online.  (BTW TJ's sells one of the few puff pastries that is made with butter, so I stock up on them the short time they have them available.)  I made this for our holiday celebration with our neighbors, and they loved it so Cathy asked me to blog it.  I have a stack of recipes I have been needing to blog, so I am happy to have a nudge to get back to blogging.  Hopefully this will be the first of many more coming. Don't be deterred if the picture doesn't make you want to try it.  If you love mushroons, this is a definitely winner.  Update:  Our son Logan loved this so much that he made one himself to take to his friends' house for the football playoff game.  They moaned; and when he brought me a piece home, and I heated it in the microwave, I moaned.  It brings out the mushroom flavor unlike anything I have eaten. He added a third mushroom, King Oyster Mushrooms, but made sure the total mushroom amount was about 1-1/4 lbs.  

1/2 pkg puff pastry, thawed but still cold

1 lb. baby bella mushrooms, stems removed*

4-5 oz. pkg shitake mushrooms, stems removed*

Olive oil

1 lb leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced thin and washed thoroughly (3 cups)

1 t. fresh minced thyme

2 TB creme fraiche** 

1 TB Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper

4 oz. Gruyere cheese, grated ***

Kosher salt

2 TB minced fresh parsley, optional

In your largest skillet (I used a 12" black cast iron) heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute the baby bellas until they are soft.  Don't stir too often or you will cause them to release too much liquid.  Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Once they are soft set aside and if there is any liquid drain it off and discard.   Do the same with the shitakes.  Dice both mushrooms finely and gently stir together in a bowl.*  Set aside.

In the same skillet heat a little more olive oil and add the leeks and thyme, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are tender and beginning to brown, 5-7 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir into the bowl with the mushrooms.   Gently stir in the creme fraiche and Dijon mustard. Set aside.

The mushroom filling may be done earlier in the day but wait to assemble and bake until just before serving.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  On a lightly floured surface roll out the puff pastry to approximately 1/8" thickness.  If you are good with a roller, roll it into a circle.  It is one of my least favorite aspects of cooking/baking, so mine was a somewhat misshapen rectangle.  Gently transfer the pastry to a baking sheet lined with parchment. Brush lightly with a little olive oil. (If you prefer to use a pizza stone heat it in the oven at 400 degrees and then reduce the temp to 375, but wait until the galette is assembled before transferring it onto the pizza stone.)

To assemble the galette, spread half of the mushroom filling onto the dough, leaving about 2" of the dough exposed around the entire circumference.  Sprinkle with half of the cheese.  Cover with the remaining filling and top with the remaining cheese.  Drizzle about a teaspoon oil over the filling.  

Grasp the edge of the dough and fold up outer 2 inches over filling.  Repeat around circumference of the tart, overlapping the dough over the filling.  Gently press dough to secure but do not press dough into filling.  Brush dough with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt.

Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is beginning to brown, checking it at about 35 minutes.  Cool the galette on the baking sheet on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Using offset or wide metal spatula loosen the galette from the parchment paper and carefully slide onto a cutting board.  Sprinkle with parsley, if using, cut into wedges and serve warm.

*Any variety of mushrooms will work, but since shitakes are so pricey I opted for mixing baby bellas with them. My HEB sells a package of shitakes in a 5 oz container, but by the time I removed all the stems I'm sure it was only 4 oz of actual mushrooms.  If you want to splurge use a variety of unique mushrooms, just be sure and drain any liquid off them once they are sauteed.

The second time I made it I diced the mushrooms before sauteing them.  If you choose to do that be sure and watch them carefully because it won't take long for them to soften.  It is imperative that they are very finely diced or they won't all fit in the puff pastry.

**You may substitute sour cream if you don't have a use for the remainder of the creme fraiche, but we were having caviar (thanks to our generous son Eric) for Christmas Day so I bought creme fraiche.

***One of the recipes called for Gorgonzola cheese, and I think that or even fontina would be good.  We love Gruyere so I opted for it.

SALSA VERDE

 

Normally I am a red salsa gal, but I was having a girls' night this week and decided I wanted some variety.  I looked at several recipes online and decided to do my own thing based on years of enjoying and cooking Mexican dishes.  I love the extra layer of flavor chile de arbols add so I knew I wanted to include them even though I didn't find any salsa verde recipes that included them.  They do add a little heat, but what is interesting about this salsa is the first bite or two tastes really hot.  After a few more bites the heat isn't that noticeable because the flavor is the frontrunner.  I had to stop myself from eating it all.  When I took the leftovers to Lauren's for a canasta night she asked me to blog it.  When my picky-eater daughter asks me to blog something I know it's good, so here I go!  It's quick and easy too which is also a plus.

2 chile de arbols, stems removed

1-1/2 lbs tomatillo tomatoes, husks removed and washed

2 lg. whole garlic cloves, peeled 

1/2 medium to large onion left intact

1 whole large fresh jalapeno, stem removed (add a second one if you want even more heat)

2 - 3 TB fresh lime juice *

1/4 c. fresh cilantro leaves

Heaping 1/2 t. table salt (or more to your taste)

1-2 diced avocadoes, optional**

Set the oven to broil.

In a small sauce pan bring salted water to a boil; add the chile de arbols.  Put a lid on and remove them from the heat.  Let this steep at least 15 minutes to soften the chiles.  Set aside.

Spray a cookie sheet with Pam.  Set the tomatillos, garlic, onion, and jalapeno on the cookie sheet and put it in the oven.  Broil 5-7 minutes, checking it every few minutes, until the tops of the tomatillos are somewhat charred.  Flip all the veggies over and broil until that side is also charred, which should take about 5 minutes.  

Remove the chile de arbols from the water and put in your blender; add the cilantro leaves.  Scrape all the veggies, including any juice on the cookie sheet, into the blender.  It's not necessary to peel the tomatillos or jalapeno.  Add the lime juice and salt and blend until smooth.  The best way to judge when it is smooth enough is when the red chile de arbols are finely ground.  Refrigerate a few hours to let the flavors meld before serving.  Refrigerate leftovers.

*The first time I made it I used 3 TB lime juice, and the second time I used 2 TB.  Experiment and see which flavor you prefer.

** I haven't tried it with diced avocadoes but I will add them the next time I am having company and expect it to all be eaten.  The salsa won't keep as long with them in it, so I regularly make it without them.  However, I think they will take this salsa to another level of creaminess with them in it.

CREAMY PARMESAN BROCCOLI DIP

This is a Weight Watchers dip that I made for Super Bowl Sunday (Yay Chiefs!)  Lauren requested that I blog it because it was very tasty, and she is my finicky eater in the family!  I agree with her that it is very enjoyable, especially if you are trying to eat healthier.  It is a baked, rather thick dip so you will need a sturdy cracker or chip when you eat it.  A stiff vegetable will also work.

4 c. uncooked, finely chopped broccoli

½ c. + 2 TB shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

2 oz. low fat cream cheese, softened

¼ c light mayo (I prefer Hellman’s)

¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese

¼ c. finely minced onion

2 medium garlic cloves, finely minced

½ t. salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Coat a 1 qt casserole dish with cooking spray.

Combine all ingredients except 2 TB mozzarella cheese in a large bowl.  Spoon mixture into prepared dish and smooth into an even layer.  Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.  Bake until top is lightly browned and dip is bubbly, about 20-25 minutes.  Serve warm. (Serving size ¼ cup if you are watching your weight; otherwise, just enjoy it!)

CHILE DE ARBOL SALSA

When I was visiting Eric in LA a couple weeks ago he bought a salsa from Super King, the Armenian grocery store near his house.  They also have other Ethnic foods there as well, and we fell in love with this salsa!  I brought a couple containers home in a small insulated bag with a blue ice pack, because I was so determined to try and duplicate it.  JT loves it as well, so I read the ingredients on the container and got to work.  We sampled both the bought version and mine with tortilla chips and decided this was a pretty close duplicate.  This only makes about 12 oz. so you might prefer to double it.  I will cut back on the chiles because it is too hot for JT again (Sissy), but it hasn’t stopped him from eating it!

3 Roma tomatoes

3 lg. garlic cloves
5 chiles de arbol (dried in a package)
½ t. kosher salt
1 t. apple cider vinegar
¼ c. water

Wrap the tomatoes and garlic cloves loosely in foil, making sure to seal the foil so the veggies will steam.  Set them on a comal (or black skillet) over low heat for about 20 minutes.  About every 5 minutes unseal the foil and turn the veggies as they begin to blacken on the bottom; reseal the foil.  After about 15 or so minutes set the chiles on top of the tomatoes so they can steam and soften a bit.  You don’t want them to get black so don’t let them come into direct contact with the pan.  Once everything has softened a bit, take them off the stove.  Cut off the ends of the chiles and shake out the seeds.  Put all the ingredients into a blender, including any juice that might have been created from the tomatoes.  It's not necessary to peel the tomatoes.  Add salt, vinegar and water and barely blend until all ingredients are well blended.  Refrigerate until ready to eat and store in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.

ROSVELIA'S SALSA

Frequently when Rosvelia is here cleaning I pick her brain on Mexican food.  Remember when she taught me how to make corn tortillas?  For JT’s big 60^th bday party I wanted a variety of salsas so she made one for me, and I watched and took notes.  It’s really yummy and authentic-tasting, but her version was super hot.  I will list it exactly as she made it, but you will probably want to cut back on the number of Serrano peppers and maybe even the jalapeno peppers like I will do when I make it.  As it is, it is not for the average Texan – JT couldn’t eat very much of it.  Sissy… Actually if I'm being honest it was too hot for me too, but I will never admit that to him!

7 Roma tomatoes
5 Tomatillos, rinsed well after husks have been removed
3 fresh jalapeno peppers (maybe less)
3 fresh serrano peppers (probably less)
3 garlic cloves
Salt

Loosely wrap the tomatoes, tomatillos and peppers in foil and set them on the comal over low heat.  Be sure to seal the foil so the veggies will steam inside it.  About 5 minutes unwrap and turn the veggies as they blacken on the bottoms.  Reseal the foil.  Do this for about 20 minutes, checking to be sure everything has softened a bit.  Pour everything into a blender, including juices that might have been created from the tomatoes.  Add the raw garlic and season with salt.  Barely blend just until all ingredients have been blended.  Taste and probably add more salt. 

SUSIE’S JALAPENO RANCH DIP

This recipe is totally addictive.  It makes a lot so if you want to put your math skills to test you can cut it down.  I usually make it for a crowd and then enjoy the leftovers for a couple of weeks.  Once you start eating it, you will have a difficult time stopping.  It is supposedly the recipe from Chuy’s, an Austin Mexican restaurant.  The dip is not at all spicy so if you are wanting some heat you might want to switch a few of the jalapenos out for serranos.  The flavor is superb, and I have never made it that it wasn’t the favorite appetizer of the party.  Thanks Susie for sharing!  Now that I have it on the blog I can quit asking you to send me the recipe again!

1 Qt mayo (I use Hellmann’s)

1 c. buttermilk
1 c. chopped fresh jalapenos
1 c. green tomatillo sauce (I use Herdez green salsa)
½ bunch cilantro, chopped
3 – 1 oz. packets dry ranch dressing mix

Mix the first 5 ingredients in a blender until smooth.  Stir in the ranch mix with a whisk.  Chill before serving and keep refrigerated. 

MUSHROOM BRUSCHETTA

For our 36^th anniversary I decided to make a nice meal at home and have our kids join us since this is the first year Lauren has lived in Austin since 2005.  We love mushrooms so I found this recipe in my Weber’s grilling book since I am all about grilling this summer.  I cheated and bought jar roasted red peppers rather than grilling them, but other than that I followed the recipe.  With shitakes, pine nuts and goat cheese I knew we would love it – and we did!  It was a superb appetizer with our cocktails to begin our celebratory evening.

½ c. dry white wine

1//4 c. extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
2 t. minced garlic
2 t. finely chopped fresh rosemary
½ t. kosher salt
¼ t. freshly ground black pepper
 ½ lb. large shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
2 roasted red bell peppers
20 slices good-quality French bread, each about ¼” thick
EVOO
¼ c. pine nuts
2 TB finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
4 oz. goat cheese

To make the marinade whisk together the first 6 ingredients.  Place the mushrooms in a large ziplock bag and pour in the marinade.  Press the air out of the bag and turn it several times to distribute the ingredients.  Allow the mushrooms to marinate at room temperature for 1-2 hours, turning the bag occasionally.

Shake any excess moisture from the mushrooms and grill over Direct Medium heat (350-450 degrees) until tender, about 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally.  Lightly brush or spray the slices of bread on both sides with olive oil.  Grill over Direct Medium heat until lightly toasted, 1-2 minutes, turning once.

In a medium pan over medium heat, cook the pine nuts until lightly toasted, 5-10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally.  Very finely chop the peppers, mushrooms and pine nuts and combine all of them in a bowl.  Add the parsley and stir.  Spread a thin layer of goat cheese on one side of each slice of bread.  Arrange about 1 TB of the mushroom mixture on top of each and serve at room temperature.

PATSY’S DEVILED EGGS

In our neighborhood Patsy is known for her deviled eggs.  Her sweet husband Bob helps her peel them, which of course is the least fun part and why most of us don’t make deviled eggs more often.  BTW I have tried every single suggestion on the internet on how to get the eggs to peel easily and nothing works consistently.  Have you ever known a man who could pass by a platter of them without popping one in his mouth?  I have made them my whole life, but now they are always compared to Patsy’s – even my friend Scott tells me Patsy’s are the best.  SO, I got the exact brands she uses and tried measuring amounts hoping to duplicate hers.  It’s a simple recipe, nothing out of the ordinary, but I have hopes of some day my guys eating them and saying “Yes, you finally can make them as tasty as Patsy does!”

12 large eggs, boiled and peeled

3 TB Vlasic sweet pickle relish*
3 TB Kraft mayo
1 TB French’s yellow mustard
Salt and pepper
Paprika, optional

Slice the eggs in half and pop out the yolk into a separate bowl.  Arrange the whites on a serving platter.  Into the yolks mash in the pickle relish, mayo, mustard, and salt and pepper until the yolks are smooth.  Spoon the filling into the egg whites.  If desired sprinkle lightly with paprika.  (Patsy only does it when she is trying to be “fancy”.)

*Sometimes I like to use sweet jalapeno relish instead of pickles for a little kick – my idea, not Patsy’s.  Yep I’m a rebel!

CORN DIP

Always a lover of corn I saw several recipes and combined them to come up with this dip.  It’s not necessarily very healthy, but it is tasty and a great treat when you want something a little different and are willing to splurge on calories.  Fritoes Scoops or tortilla chips are the best choice for it so of course you have to be in the splurge mode to have it.  Everyone who tried it sure did enjoy it though!

3 – 11 oz. cans Mexican corn

1 – 4 oz. can diced green chiles, drained

5 green onions, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (or more if you like things spicy)

1 c. sour cream

¾ c. mayonnaise

10 oz. shredded cheese (I used half Cotija and half sharp cheddar)

Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

REUBEN PIGS IN BLANKETS

Eric gave me fermenting crock to make fresh sauerkraut, and I made my first batch.  It is SO much better than store-bought.  In fact it tastes so fresh that we love it as a condiment – Eric even puts it on his nachos.  I was looking for different ways to use it and found this recipe in the Food Network magazine.  With football season in full force it is a great appetizer and a tasty twist on a pig in blanket.  His recipe for sauerkraut made without a crock is in the blog; of course you can also use store bought sauerkraut.

½ c. sauerkraut, drained and roughly chopped

3 TB pickle relish

1 – 8 oz tube crescent roll dough

2 oz. Swiss cheese, shredded (about ½ c.)

24 beef cocktail wieners

1 lg. egg, lightly beaten

Caraway seeds, for topping

Spicy mustard for dipping

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Combine the sauerkraut and relish in a small bowl and set aside.

Unroll the crescent dough and pinch the seams together.  Cut the dough in half lengthwise, then slice each half crosswise into 12 strips.  Spread about 1 t. of the sauerkraut-relish mixture on each strip of dough, leaving a ½” border on one short end.  Sprinkle with the cheese.  Place 1 weiner on each strip of dough and roll the dough around the frank, pressing lightly to seal.

Transfer to the baking sheet seam-side down; brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle with caraway seeds.  Bake until the dough is golden brown, about 15 minutes.  Serve with the mustard.

SHRIMP BRUSCHETTA

Eric introduced us to this magnificent appetizer at one of his favorite bars in LA – The York.  He then duplicated it for our family when we were celebrating Justin and his twin sister Joni’s birthdays a few years ago.  When he sat the cookie sheet down they were all devoured in about 20 seconds.  Every time I go to LA we have to go to The York to have it, but honestly Eric has done a fabulous job making his own recipe of it. I copied it out of his blog (Thehushpuppie.blogspot.com) so the print is different -- please excuse my laziness on not re-typing this one.  If you like shrimp, tomato bruschetta, and a white wine butter sauce, you will go bonkers for this dish – we all do!!

Ingredients:

French bread or baguette (sliced)
canola oil
1 lb. shrimp (peeled and deveined)
Eric’s seafood seasoning (on the blog under Seasonings)
1 bunch/pkg. micro greens or arugula

for Tomato Bruschetta:
3-4 large ripe tomatoes, diced (more if smaller)
1/2-1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, diced
3-4 basil leaves, diced
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
black pepper to taste

for White Wine Butter Sauce:
3 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. flour
1/2 c. white wine
3/4 c. chicken broth

First, prepare the tomato bruschetta: combine diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and black pepper in bowl or tupperware and refrigerate. This may be made in advance (or I suppose you could get pre-made bruschetta, but it won't be as good).

Next, prepare toast: preheat oven to 450 degrees, slice toast and arrange onto cookie sheet. Do not place in oven yet.

Then, season and prepare shrimp.  Also, to spread the measly one pound of shrimp over the whole appetizer slice each shrimp down the middle lengthwise to create two halves. Set aside in fridge.

Now the next ten or so minutes is gonna happen fast and be kind of busy. The more kitchen help you can get the better. Toast bread for about 3-4 minutes and remove to cool slightly. Move on to sauce.

White wine sauce: whisk together butter with flour in a small saucepan on low-medium heat. Once smooth add white wine and broth. Stir until blended and continue to cook on medium heat until begins to bubble, then reduce heat to let thicken.

But wait! While you or someone else in the kitchen stirs the white wine sauce until it bubbles you must cook the shrimp.

Heat a heavy skillet with several tablespoons of canola oil on medium-high heat. Once fully heated toss in shrimp and spread evenly over the skillet. After about one minute (assuming your heat is high enough) flip shrimp with metal spatula. After about one more minute gently flip shrimp again and continue to toss and flip them for another 45 seconds to a minute until shrimp appear to have been cooked thoroughly. Be careful not to overcook them.

Finally, layer greens over toast then bruschetta, then shrimp, then drizzle with wine sauce. Serve immediately.

JEANA’S POT STICKERS

These are so good you will never be able to buy them at the store again!  Make up a bunch and freeze them so you can pull them out any time you want a quick appetizer.  Scrumptious!!

3 c. minced Napa cabbage

12 oz. ground pork

4 minced scallions

4 t. soy

1-1/2 t. grated ginger

1 grated garlic clove

2 egg whites

¾ t. salt

1/8 t. pepper

24 wonton wrappers*

Combine all of the ingredients except wrappers in a bowl.  To assemble put about 1 TB of the pork mixture into the center of each wrapper.  Using your finger, rub the edges of the wrappers with water.  Fold the dough over the filling and pinch the edges to seal. (May be frozen at this point.)

Heat 2 TB oil in skillet over medium heat.  Cook potstickers about 5 minutes or until brown on both sides.   Reduce heat to low, add ½ c. water, cover pan and steam about 10 minutes or until water evaporates.  Serve with dipping sauce.

*You can also buy round wonton wrappers which will make the half-moon shaped potstickers.

DIPPING SAUCE:

¼ c. soy sauce

2 TB rice vinegar

2 TB mirin

2 TB water

2 t. chili garlic paste

Splash of sesame oil

Drizzle of honey

Finely diced scallion

Stir all together and refrigerate until ready to serve.