Cherry Tomato Salads

Basil and Mozzarella

Greek

Rating: 5 of 5

Ingredients:

Greek
    2 pints cherry tomatoes , ripe, quartered (about 4 cups) (see note)
    Table salt
    1/2 teaspoon sugar
    2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
    1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
    1 medium shallot , minced (about 3 tablespoons)
    1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
    2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    Ground black pepper
    1 small cucumber , peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
    1/2 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
    4 ounces feta cheese , crumbled (about 1 cup)
    3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Mozzarella and Basil
    2 pints cherry tomatoes , ripe, quartered (about 4 cups) (see note)
    Table salt
    1/2 teaspoon sugar
    1 medium shallot , minced (about 3 tablespoons)
    1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
    2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    Ground black pepper
    1 1/2 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves , roughly torn
    8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese , cut into 1/2-inch cubes and patted dry with paper towels

Directions:

    1. Toss tomatoes, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and sugar in medium bowl; let stand for 30 minutes. Transfer tomatoes to salad spinner and spin until seeds and excess liquid have been removed, 45 to 60 seconds, stirring to redistribute tomatoes several times during spinning. Return tomatoes to bowl and set aside. Strain tomato liquid through fine-mesh strainer into liquid measuring cup, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible.

    2. Bring 1/2 cup tomato liquid (discard any extra), garlic, oregano, shallot, and vinegar to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until reduced to 3 tablespoons, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer mixture to small bowl and cool to room temperature, about 5 minutes. Whisk in oil and pepper to taste until combined. Taste and season with up to 1/8 teaspoon table salt.

    3. For Greek: Add cucumber, olives, feta, dressing, and parsley to bowl with tomatoes; toss gently and serve. For Mozzarella and Basil: Add basil, cheese, and dressing to bowl with tomatoes; toss gently and serve.

Grandma's Shrimp Cocktail Sauce

Rating: 5 of 5

Note: I grew up eating shrimp by the pound and I would never have it without this cocktail sauce. Thanks grandma for sharing it with me.


Ingredients:

1 bottle (12 oz.) Chili Sauce

1 bottle (14 oz.) Ketchup

1 bottle (8z.) Prepared Horseradish

2 TBSP. Worcestershire sauce

4 TBSP. Lemon Juice

3 drops Tobasco Sauce, (optional)

Directions:

Mix together & let rest in refrigerator at least 12 hours before use.

Spicy Beef (Nacho Condiment)

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons corn oil or vegetable oil
1 small onion , chopped fine
1 large clove garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon table salt
1/2 pound 90% lean ground beef (or leaner)

Directions:
Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat until hot and shimmering, but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, spices, and salt; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and combined with onions, about 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon and scraping pan bottom to prevent scorching, until beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

One-Minute Salsa

Ingredients:
1/2 small jalapeño chile or 1/2 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced
1/4 small red onion , peeled and root end removed
1 small clove garlic , minced or pressed
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 teaspoon table salt
pinch ground black pepper
2 teaspoons lime juice from 1 lime
2  small tomatoes (about 3/4 pound), ripe, each cored and cut into eighths, or one (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained

Directions:
Pulse all ingredients except tomatoes in food processor until minced, about five 1-second pulses, scraping sides of bowl as necessary. Add tomatoes and pulse until roughly chopped, about two 1-second pulses.

Crispy Smoked Mozzarella with Honey and Figs

Rating: 5 of 5

Notes: Another one of my favorites.

I'd like to give another shout-out to Shelby. She also did a majority of the work on these. I doubt I could have had her patience when dealing with the phyllo dough.

Phyllo dough is a PAIN to work with. Try to keep it in a humid environment and make sure it is thoroughly defrosted... it kept crumbling for us.

Ingredients:
     6 sheets phyllo dough
     6 ounces smoked mozzarella, cut into 6 equal pieces
     Vegetable oil, for frying
     8 ounces dried figs, stemmed and quartered
     3/4 cup honey, plus more for drizzling
     3 teaspoons black sesame seeds

Directions:
In a large pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat to 350 degrees F.

Place 1 sheet of phyllo on a dry work surface. Place one slice of cheese about 5 inches from the top of the narrow end of the sheet. Fold the top of the narrow end over the cheese, leaving 1 inch between the fold and the cheese. Next fold over 1 of the long sides then the other, again leaving 1-inch between the folds and the cheese. Then fold the cheese over, again leaving 1-inch between the fold and the cheese. Continue folding to make a package about 3 1/2 by 4-inches. Continue with the remaining pieces of cheese and phyllo.

Fry the phyllo and cheese packages, 2 or 3 at a time, in the oil until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on a baking sheet lined with paper towels.

Meanwhile, heat the figs and honey in a small saucepan over low heat until the honey is warm. Set aside until the cheese packages have finished frying.

To serve, place 1 cheese package on a plate. Spoon some figs and drizzle some honey over the top of each cheese package. Sprinkle with black sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Goat Cheese and Sun Dired Tomato Profiteroles with Herb Oil

Rating: (I haven't tried it yet, I will get back about it though... from popular opinion these are fantastic.)

Notes: This recipe makes WAY too much herb oil. You do not need that much.

Ingredients:
Profiteroles:
     1/2 cup water
     1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
     Pinch salt
     1/2 cup all-purpose flour
     3 large eggs
     3 tablespoons grated Parmesan
     Pinch freshly ground black pepper
   
Filling:
     8 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
     1/4 cup cream
     1/2 cup diced sun dried tomatoes
     Pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper
   
Herb Oil:
     3/4 cup fresh mint leaves
     3/4 cup fresh basil leaves
     1 cup olive oil
     Pinch salt
     Freshly ground black pepper
     1 cup chopped toasted walnuts, for garnish
   

 Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a heavy large baking sheet with a silicon pad or parchment paper. Combine the water, butter, and salt in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring until the butter melts. Add the flour and stir over medium heat for 1 minute. Cool for 5 minutes. Crack the eggs into a measuring cup. Use a wooden spoon to beat the eggs into the dough, 1 at a time. Stir in the Parmesan and pepper. Spoon 18 mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until the profiteroles are puffed and golden, about 45 minutes. Allow the profiteroles to cool completely.
For the Filling:

Combine the goat cheese and cream in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, whip together the cheese and the cream. Stir in the tomatoes, salt and pepper. Set aside.
For the Herb Oil:

Combine the herbs in a food processor and pulse to chop the herbs. With the machine running add the oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside.


Using a serrated knife, cut off the top of the profiteroles. Fill each profiterole with a spoonful of the goat cheese mixture and return the top of the pastry. Place a few profiteroles on a serving plate, drizzle with herb oil, and sprinkle with walnuts. Serve.

Brie En Croute

Rating: 5 of 5


Notes: Wow... Just wow...

(I actually made this in our toaster oven... I had run out of room in the oven...)

Ingredients:

     1 sheet frozen puff pastry, pre-packaged
     1 tablespoon unsalted butter
     1/2 cup walnuts
     1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
     1 (8-ounce) wheel Brie
     1/4 cup brown sugar
     1 egg, beaten
     Crackers, for serving

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Defrost puff pastry for approximately 15 to 20 minutes and unfold.

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Saute the walnuts in the butter until golden brown, approximately 5 minutes. Add the cinnamon and stir until walnuts are coated well. Place the walnut mixture on top of the Brie and sprinkle the brown sugar over the mixture. Lay the puff pastry out on a flat surface. Place the brie in the center of the pastry. Gather up the edges of the brie, pressing around the brie and gather at the top. Gently squeeze together the excess dough and tie together with a piece of kitchen twine. Brush the beaten egg over top and side of Brie. Place Brie on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes until pastry is golden brown.

Serve with crackers.

Buffalo Chicken Wings

Rating: 5 of 5

Ingredients:

•      oil for deep frying
•      1/4 cup butter
•      1/4 cup hot sauce
•      1 dash ground black pepper
•      1 dash garlic powder
•      1/2 cup all-purpose flour
•      1/4 teaspoon paprika
•      1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
•      1/4 teaspoon salt
•      10 chicken wings

Directions:
   1. Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). The oil should be just enough to cover wings entirely, an inch or so deep. Combine the butter, hot sauce, pepper and garlic powder in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir together and heat until butter is melted and mixture is well blended. Remove from heat and reserve for serving.
   2. In a small bowl mix together the flour, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt. Place chicken wings in a large nonporous glass dish or bowl and sprinkle flour mixture over them until they are evenly coated. Cover dish or bowl and refrigerate for 60 to 90 minutes.
   3. Fry coated wings in hot oil for 10 to 15 minutes, or until parts of wings begin to turn brown. Remove from heat, place wings in serving bowl, add hot sauce mixture and stir together. Serve.

Jalapeno Poppers

Rating: 5 of 5

Tips: I used chopsticks to bread the jalapeno. Due to the waxy skin, the breading comes off very easily. Chopsticks provide minimum contact.

Ingredients:

•      12 ounces cream cheese, softened
•      1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese
•      1 tablespoon bacon bits
•      12 ounces jalapeno peppers, seeded and halved
•      1 cup milk
•      1 cup all-purpose flour
•      1 cup dry bread crumbs
•      2 quarts oil for frying

Directions:
   1. In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, Cheddar cheese and bacon bits. Spoon this mixture into the jalapeno pepper halves.
   2. Put the milk and flour into two separate small bowls. Dip the stuffed jalapenos first into the milk then into the flour, making sure they are well coated with each. Allow the coated jalapenos to dry for about 10 minutes.
   3. Dip the jalapenos in milk again and roll them through the breadcrumbs. Allow them to dry, then repeat to ensure the entire surface of the jalapeno is coated.
   4. In a medium skillet, heat the oil to 365 degrees F ( 180 degrees C). Deep fry the coated jalapenos 2 to 3 minutes each, until golden brown. Remove and let drain on a paper towel.