Sweet & Spicy Meatballs

Let me just first say there is NOTHING like homemade meatballs!  But if you insist you just don't have time, lalalala then just go buy some premade.  But know you will be sorry!

Meatballs:
3 lbs ground round (or whatever you like)
1 cup Italian bread crumbs (please don't use plain)
3 large eggs, beaten
1 large onion, minced
1/2 cup chopped parsley
4 garlic cloves, pushed through garlic press
1 tsp freshly ground pepper

Sweet & Spicy Sauce
2 tbls extra virgin olive oil
1 med onion, finely chopped
1 (8oz) jar jalapeno jelly
1 (12oz) bottle chili sauce (go easy if you don't like a lot of spice)
1/2 cup grape jelly
2 tbls soy sauce
1 tbls Dijon Mustard

To make meatballs, combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Roll into good size balls (approx 1 tbls ea) and put on baking sheet.  Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 20 min or until browned. 
***The meatballs can be made and then cooled, stored in a plastic bags and refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.  If frozen, thaw before cooking in sauce)

To make sauce,  heat oil in large saucepan over med heat.  Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 min.  Stir in all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low.  Stir in meatballs and cover.  Cook stirring often until meatballs are heated through, about 10 min or 20 if meatballs are chilled.

To serve transfer meatballs to chafing dish or crock pot.  Enjoy!
from Essentially Lilly Holidays

Mike Anderson's Spinach & Artichoke Dip

Just had this last night at Markus' friend Blake's wedding. Their reception was on the side porch at Mike Anderson's Restaurant. I forgot how much I love their version. So here it is!

3 ½ tsp Fresh Minced Garlic
1 cup Half and Half

1 ¼ cup Olive Oil
1 cup Chopped Artichoke Hearts
6 slices Jalapeño Slices (Chopped), pickled
1 1/2 tbsp Jalapeño Juice
1 lb Velveeta Cheese (cubes)
1 and 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
2 ¾ tbsp Light Roux
¼ lb Spinach, frozen/chopped
½ lb Boiled Shrimp
3 ½ cups Yellow Onions (Chopped)

PROCEDURE

• Sauté garlic in oil until golden brown.
• Add onions. Cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes over low heat.
• Add artichoke hearts, jalapenos, jalapeno juice and black pepper.
• After the artichoke hearts start to break apart, add light roux. Stir well.
• Add spinach.
• Gradually stir in half-and-half. Slowly heat.
• Add Velveeta cheese and stir until melted.
• Add chopped shrimp and stir.
• Serve with chips or toast points.

Spicy Fried Shrimp /AKA: Bang Bang Shrimp

This is almost verbatim to the Bang Bang Shrimp at Bonefish Grill which I so dearly love!

Sauce:
1/2 cup mayo
1 tbls plus 1 tsp Asian chili sauce
2 tsp honey

Shrimp:
Vegetable oil, for frying
2 Large eggs
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
Salt & pepper
1-3/4 lb small shrimp, peeled and deveined
Green onions for garnish

Make sauce, mix mayo, chili sauce, honey, 1/4 tsp salt and 1 tsls water in a large bowl; set aside.

Prepare shirmp. Heat 2-in oil in a dutch oven (or heavy pot) on med heat until deep fry thermometer registers 350 degrees. Meanwhile, whisk eggs in shallow bowl. Whisk the flour, cornstarch and 1 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of pepper in another shallow bowl.

Working in batches, dredge the shrimp in flour mixture, shake off excess, dip in the beaten eggs, then return to flour mixture, turning to form a thick crust. Fry the shrimp in hot oil until lightly golden (1-2 min) adjusting the heat to maintain needed oil temp. Put on paper-towel- lined plate.

Toss shrimp with the prepared sauce. Top shrimp with green onions for garnish.
from Food Network Magazine April 2010

**I tried this (without frying the shrimp) and it tastes JUST like the Bang Bang Shrimp. Great either fried or plain with sauce!!

Grape Salsa

Lady at work told me this was awesome! Can't wait to try it! Enjoy!

1 bunch seedless green grapes, cut into halves
1 bunch seedless red grapes, cut into halves
1 pint grape tomatoes
1/2-1 purple onion, chopped
1/2 green bell peppers, chopped
1/2 red, yellow or orange bell pepper, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, stems removed and chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 jalapeno chile, seeded and chopped
Juice of 3 limes
Olive oil to taste

Combine the grapes, tomatoes, onion, bell peppers, cilantro, garlic and jalapeno chile in a bowl and mix well. Add the lime juice and olive oil and toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Serve as an appetizer with corn chips or as a side salad.
River Road Recipes IV

Chicken Pockets

I've got to try these. They sound so yummy. Thought I would share as I was going through this cookbook for some ideas for Easter @ Moms. Enjoy!

3 oz low fat cream cheese, softened
2 tbls unsalted butter, softened
2 tbls milk or chicken broth
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
Chopped chives or minced onion to taste
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 (8 count) cans reduced fat crescent rolls

Beat the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Add the milk and beat until blended. Stir in the chicken, chives, salt and pepper.

Unroll the roll of dough from 1 can onto a baking sheet. Separate into 4 rectangles and press the perforations to seal. Spoon 1/8 of the chicken mixture in the center of each rectangle. Bring the corners of each rectangle together over the center of the filling. Twist and pinch to resemble a hobo's bundle. Repeat the process with the remaining can of crescent rolls and remaining chicken mixture.

Arrange the packets on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake @ 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Makes 8 chicken pockets
From River Recipes IV: Warm Welcomes

Pinwheels- Turkey

More party food recipes. This one was a big hit at the party too. I forgot to post it a while back. So yummy!

8 oz sour cream
8 oz cream cheese
4 oz diced green chilies, well drained
4 oz chopped black olives, well drained
1 c grated Cheddar Cheese
1/2 c chopped green onion
a few drops of hot sauce
2 pkgs turkey (container w/red top)
10 (10-in) flour tortillas
Salsa, to serve on side

Mix all ingredients together, except turkey. Divide the filling and spread evenly over the tortillas; add turkey to each one covering the tortilla evenly and then roll up tortillas. cover tightly with plastic wrap, twisting ends; refrigerate for several hours.

Unwrap; cut in slices 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick. Discard ends. Lay pinwheels flat on serving platter. Leave space in center for salsa.

Zesty Italian BBQ Meatballs

I just love to make these for pretty much anything. They are so easy and taste great. One day I will try them with ground turkey.

Meatballs:

2lbs. ground beef
1 med onion, chopped (finely)
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
2 eggs, beaten

Sauce:

1-1/2 cups bottled BBQ sauce
3/4 cup tomato paste (1 6oz can)
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cups water, as needed
1 tsp liquid smoke

Combine the meatballs ingredients. Form into walnut sized balls. Bake the meatballs in a shallow baking dish at 350 degrees for 20 min or until browned. Drain off any fat. Transfer meatballs to crock pot. Combine all sauce ingredients in bowl and mix thoroughly. Pour over meatballs. Cover and cool on low for 4 hrs or on high for 2 hours. Stir once in the middle of cooking to baste meatballs with sauce.
From my Crock Pot Cookbook

* I experiment with the sauce but this is something to go by til you find something you like :)

Sugar and Spice Pecans

I love these around the holidays. Package these coated pecans in little gift bags, or set them out as hors d'oeurves at a holiday gathering.

1 cup sugar
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp grated orange rind
1/4 tsp salt
2 egg whites
1/4 cup butter, melted
4 cups pecan halves

Stir together first 4 ingredients. Beat egg whites at high speed with mixer until foamy. Gradually add sugar mixture, beating at high speed until soft peaks form. Fold in melted butter and pecan halves. Spread coated nuts in a single layer on a large jellyroll pan lined with nonstick aluminum foil or parchment paper.

Bake @ 250 for 45min or until nuts are toasted, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool completely on pan. Remove from pan. Store in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.
Yield: 4 cups.
from Christmas with Southern Living 2005

Mushroom Canapes

1/2 c mayo
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
2 oz canned mushrooms/ drained
1/2 of an 8oz can of french fried onions
1 loaf (8oz) party rye bread, sliced

In a bowl stir together mayo, parmesan cheese, mushrooms & onion rings. Spread on lightly toasted party rye or pumpernickel. Place canapes on baking sheet & broil until bubbly.

These are awesome right out of the oven and are easy and perfect for parties.
From Paula Deen's Home-Cooking Show

Spanokopita

This takes a while, but I think it is worth your time. It's sooo good if you love spinach & cheese, lik me.

1/2 c olive oil
1 bunch chopped scallions, white & green parts
2 (10-oz) boxes frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
2 tbls chopped fresh dill
3 xlarge eggs, lightly beaten
7 oz feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
40 sheets (1 box) frozen phyllo dough (Pepperidge Farm), defrosted overnight in the refrigerator
1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 c plain dry breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan and add the scallions. Cook for 5 min or until soft. Meanwhile, squeeze most of the water out of the spinach and place in a bowl. Add the scallions, dill, eggs, feta, salt and pepper and mix together.

Keep phyllo dough sheets covered with a damp kitchen towel. Unfold 1 sheet of the phyllo dough. Brush the sheet with melted butter and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Repeat the process by laying a second sheet of phyllo dough over the first sheet, brush it with melted butter and sprinkle with bread crumbs until all sheets have been used. Spoon 3/4 cup of spinach mixture into a sausage shape along one edge of the phyllo dough. Roll it up. brush the top with butter and score the roll into 1-in rounds. Place it on an oiled baking sheet. Repeat until all the pastry and filling have been used.

Place in the oven and bake fore 12 min or until the edges are lightly browned. Serve warm.

from Barefoot Contessa

Stuffed Mushrooms

These came from my best friends MIL.

2 lbs. mushrooms
1 chub Jimmy Deans sausage
6 oz. cream cheese

Remove stems from mushrooms and chop. Brown sausage. Add mushroom stems & cream cheese. Stuff mixture in mushrooms. Bake @ 400 degrees for 10-15min.

Spinach Balls

My new favorite appetizer to make, courtesy of my husband looking in the newspaper. Gotta love it!

2 (10oz pkgs) chopped spinach, drained well
6 eggs
2-1/2 to 3 c Italian bread crumbs
1 Large onion chopped
¾ c melted butter
½ c Parmesan cheese
1 ½ tsp garlic salt

Mix all ingredients, cover and refrigerate overnight. Form into small bals 1-1/2 in balls. Pre heat 325 degrees for about 15 min or lightly browned.
The Advocate: Best of 2007

Mr. Ronnie's Snack Crackers

These by far are one of my favorite things to eat out at tailgating on Saturdays. A nice kick to ordinary saltines.

3 sleeves regular saltine crackers
1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch Mix
1 tbls red pepper flakes
1/3 c canola oil

Mix ingredients together & pour over crackers. Let sit for 24hrs or so. I usually pour my mixture over the crackers in a gallon ziploc bag and make sure all the crackers have the mixture on them and store them in the bag too.

Spinach Madeleine: A Classic

2 pkgs frozen chopped spinach

4 tbls butter

2 tbls flour

2 tbls chopped onion

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup vegetable liquor

1/2 tsp black pepper

3/4 tsp celery salt

3/4 tsp garlic salt

salt to taste

6 oz jalapenos cheese

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Red Pepper to taste

Cook spinach according to directions of pkg.  Drain and reserve liquor.  Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat.  Add flour, stirring unitl blended, but not brown.  Add onion and cook until soft but not brown.  Add liquid slowly, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.  Cook until smooth and thick; continue stirring.  Add seasonings and cheese which has been cut into small pieces.  Stir until melted.  Combine with cooked spinach.  This may be served immediately or put into a casserole and topped with butter bread crumbs.  The flavor is improved if latter is done and kept in refrig overnight.  This may also be frozen.   Serves 5 to 6.

*I of course alter this to fit whatever crowd I'm making it for.  But this is a good base to go by.  From River Road Recipes