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.

Broccoli and Cheese Calzone

I decided to try something different for dinner last night and stumbled across this recipe I had printed out from a Food Network Show I used to watch. I'm so glad I tried it. It was AWESOME!

• 1 (15-ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
  
• 8 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1 (10-ounce) package broccoli florets, thawed and drained
• salt
  
• Black pepper
• 1 pound bread or pizza dough, thawed
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella and broccoli. Mix well. Season with salt and black pepper.

Roll dough out to a 12-inch circle. Spread cheese filling over 1 side of circle, to within 1-inch of the edge. Lift 1 side of dough and fold over so that it meets the other side, forming a half moon, and pinch the edges together to seal.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Transfer calzone to a large baking sheet sprinkle the top with cheese. Bake 15 minutes, until puffed up golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.

**The only thing I added is italian sausage and some italian seasonings I just got from Paul Prudhomme (my fav).**

Robin Miller of Food Network

Potato Chowder

YUMMY!!! I tried this for dinner tonight and I knew it would be good, but it was awesome instead. Definitely a keeper. Thought I'd share

1 lb potatoes, cubed and divided (about 3 med)
1-1/2 cups chicken broth (1 can)
1 cup thinly sliced carrots (I had baby carrots and they were perfect)
1 (11oz) can corn, drained
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 tbls flour
1 cup half and half, divided (I ended up using more)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 cups grated Swiss or Monterey Jack cheese

Combine half of potatoes with broth in a saucepan with tight fitting lid. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer about 10 min or until tender.

Mash potatoes with fork; stir in remaining potatoes, carrots, corn, celery, onions and next 3 ingredients. Cover, simmer until vegetables are tender.

Dissolve flour in 1/4 cup half and half; stir into chowder with remaining half and half and parsley. Cook, stirring constantly over medium heat until thickened slightly. Serve topped with grated cheese.
Makes 1-1/2 quarts
From Paula Deen Magazine Jan/Feb 2007

Egg rolls

Holy cow I think these are the ones me and my sister made at her place. I didn't realize I had this recipe. Markus begs me to make these for him, but I didn't think I had this. Very good. We made them for the first time and we couldn't stop eating them :)

1 tbls sesame seeds
1 tbls dark sesame oil
2 green onions with tops, sliced
1 tbl minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups shredded napa cabbage
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
4 oz fresh or canned bean sprouts, rinsed
1 can (15-oz) chick peas, rinsed and drained
1-1/2 tsp low sodium soy sauce
Black pepper (optional)
1 egg, beaten
12 egg roll wrappers
peanut or vegetable oil
Plum Dipping sauce (recipe follows)

Combine sesame seeds and sesame oil in large skillet. Cook and stir over low heat 2-3 min or until sesame seeds begin to brown. Add green onions, ginger and garlic; cook and stir 1-2 min. Add cabbage, carrots, celery, mushrooms and bean sprouts; cover. cook 8 min or until cabbage is wilted. Stir in chick peas and soy sauce; season to taste with pepper, if desired. Cool 10 min; stir in egg.

Place 1/3 cup vegetable mixture near one corner of egg roll wrapper. Brush edges of egg roll wrapper with water. fold bottom corner of egg roll wrapper up over filling; fold sides in and roll up. Repeat with remaining filling and egg roll wrappers.

Heat 1-inch peanut oil in large, heavy saucepan over med-high heat until oil is 375 degrees; adjust heat to maintain temperature. Fry egg rolls 3-5 min or until golden. Drain on paper towels; serve hot with plum dipping sauce.
makes 12 servings

Plum Dipping Sauce

2/3 cup plum sauce
2 green onions with tops, sliced
3 tbls low-sodium soy sauce
2 tbls rice wine vinegar or cider vinegar
1 tbls grated fresh ginger
1 tbls honey
3-4 drops hot chili oil (optional)

Combine all ingredients in med bowl; mix well. Cover; refrigerate until ready to serve.

*we never tried the dipping sauce, so if anyone does, let me know what you think

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.

Shrimp and Corn Soup

I can't believe I'm sharing this one, but since someone I love dearly was nice enough to share it with me I guess it's not a secret.  Thanks Kay-Kay for sharing, I'm not always the best at sharing a good thing.

2 cans cream style corn

1 can whole kernel corn

1 can rotel tomatoes

1/2 bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup chopped parsley, (has to be fresh)

1 (8oz.) can tomato sauce

2 stalks celery, chopped

4 cups water

1 can cream of celery soup

2 tbls Worchestershire sauce

Tony's to taste (I never use this spice, I use something diffferent)

1-1/2 lbs. shrimp, peeled

1 bunch of green onions

Put all ingredients in slow cooker, EXCEPT the shrimp and green onions.  Cook on low for 8 hours.  Add shrimp during last hour of cooking and put slow cooker on high for the last hour.  Garnish with green onions.  It's just that easy!

*This makes soooo much soup and it's wonderful to freeze.  Don't make the mistake however of cutting the cooking time.  I wouldn't suggest that.

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

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