Category: Appetizer

Margaritas

Appetizer, Lime

Bon Appetit

  • 1 ½ cups gold tequia
  • 3/4 cup triple sec
  • 3/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 4 T. sugar
  • 8 cups crushed ice-
  • 2 T kosher salt
  • 6 lime wedges
  • Combine tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and 2 T sugar in large pitcher,

Stirring to dissolve sugar.  Add crushed ice.  Mix salt and remaining
2 T sugar in shallow bowl.  Moisten rim of 6 Margarita glasses with
lime wedge.  Holding each glass upside down, dip rim into sugar-salt
mixture.  Pour Margaritas into glasses.  Garnish with lime wedges.

Miniature Crab Cakes

Appetizer, Crab

Gourmet

We always use the canned crab at Costco and it tastes great.

For Crab Mixture:

  • ½ c minced red bell pepper (about 1 small)
  • 1 t vegetable oil
  • 1/3 c mayonnaise
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 ½ T stone ground mustard
  • 1 to 2 t fresh lemon juice
  • ¾ t dried tarragon, crumbled
  • 1 pound jumbo lump crab meat, picked over
  • 1 ½ c panko crumbs
  • ½ stick butter, melted

Saute bell pepper in oil over moderately high heat, stirring, 2 minutes or until

soft and golden.  In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, yolk, mustard, lemon
juice, tarragon, and bell pepper.  Gently but thoroughly stir in crab, salt and
Pepper to taste.  Chill mixture, covered, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 350F

In a large, shallow baking pan spread panko crumbs evenly.
Toast panko stirring occasionally, until golden brown, approx. 10 min.
Cool. (May be done up to 1 week ahead and stored airtight at room temp)

Form rounded tablespoons of crab mixture into slightly flattened 1 inch rounds .
Gently coat with panko and transfer to baking dish.

Chill at least 2 hours, and up to 4 hours before baking.

To bake: Preheat oven to 450F. Drizzle a scant amount (1/4 t) melted butter
onto each crab cake. Bake in middle of oven until crisp, approx. 15 minutes.

Serve with mustard mayonnaise (1/4 c mayonnaise, 2 1/2t mustard, ¼ t lemon juice)

Reuben Rolls

Appetizer
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 T. Dijon mustard
  • ½ t. caraway seeds
  • 1 cup (4 oz.) Cooked, corned beef, finely chopped
  • 1 cup (4 oz.) Swiss cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup Sauerkraut, rinsed and drained well
  • 1 pkg. 10 oz Refrigerated pizza crust dough

In medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, mustard and caraway seeds.  Add corned beef, cheese and sauerkraut and toss to blend.  Unroll dough onto large ungreased cookie sheet.  Gently stretch to 14 x 12 inch rectangle then cut dough lengthwise in half.  Spoon half of the filling onto each piece, spreading to within 1 inch of edges.  From long side, roll each jellyroll style and pinch to seal edges.  Arrange rolls, seam-side down, 3 inches apart.
Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Let stand 5 minutes before cutting into slices.

Stuffed Mushrooms

Appetizer, Bacon, Goat Cheese, Spinach
  • 4 T. plus 2 t. bacon grease or olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  •  ¾ t. salt; ½ t. pepper
  • 8 oz. goat cheese, at room temperature
  • 2 T. heavy cream
  • ¼ t. ground nutmeg
  • 1 10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed
  • ½ lb. bacon, cooked and finely chopped
  • 36 white mushrooms, uniform in size, stems removed

Prehead oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the 2 t. ob bacon grease in a medium nonstick skillet over med. Heat.  Add the onion and seaon with salt and pepper.  Cook until onion is tender, 5-7 mins.  Transfer to a medium bowl and let cool.  When cool, add the goat cheese, cream, and nutmeg, and 1/8 t. of the pepper. Stir until well mixed.
Squeeze the spinach to remove all liquid.  Add spinach to bacon and onion mixture.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Heat 2 more tablespoons of the bacon grease in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add half of the mushrooms and seadon with ¼ t. salt and 1/8 t. pepper.  Cook the mushrooms until brown and tender, about 4 minutes per side.  Transfer to a paper towel lined baking sheet, top side up.  Do same with remaining mushrooms.

To Assemble: Place 1 heaping t. of spinach filling in the center of the bottom of each mushroom.  Bake until warm, 5 to 7 minutes; serve warm.

Makes 36 stuffed mushroom