Appetizers

CROSTINI DI POMADORO

1 1/2  cups seeded and chopped tomatoes

2 crushed garlic cloves

1 Tbsp. fresh torn basil leaves

1/2 Tbsp. olive oil

 salt & pepper to taste

Slice a French baguette into rounds and toast in a frying pan with a little olive oil. 

Turn and top with the above and serve immediately.

ANASTASIA’S EGGPLANT CAVIAR

1 large eggplant

1 large onion, minced

1 tsp. olive oil

1 medium carrot, finely grated

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

2 large chopped tomatoes

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper

Pierce and bake eggplant in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes, or until soft. 

Wait for eggplant to cool, peel, skin, chop into small cubes and set aside. 

Fry onion in 1 tsp. of oil, add the carrot after a few minutes. 

Add eggplant and simmer for 10 minutes.

 Add fresh tomatoes, sugar, salt, pepper and simmer for a few more minutes. 

Add a tsp. more oil if needed. Stir in the pressed garlic, lemon juice, and mix well.

 Season to taste.  When cool, or barely warm (or even warm!) serve on freshly sliced French bread, or pumpernickel or crisp bread crackers.

STUFFED PECAN ENDIVE APPETIZERS

2 belgian endives

Pecan filling:

1 large peeled tangerine chopped into small pieces

1/3 cup ground pecans

1/3 cup pitted black olives sliced lengthwise

2 thinly sliced green onions

2 tsp. grape seed oil

dash of ground black pepper to taste

salt to taste

Cut thin slice from base of endives.

Separate leaves and wash and dry carefully.

Refrigerate until ready to use.

Mix ingredients for filling.

Spoon filling onto the leaves.

STUFFED CRAB ENDIVE APPETIZERS

2 belgian endives

Crab and Ginger filling:

1 chilled can crab meat drained and flaked

1/2 cup diced chilled English cucumber

2 Tbsp. finely diced sweet red or orange pepper

2 tsp. lime juice

2 tsp. chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

pepper and salt to taste

Cut thins slice from base of endives.

Separate leaves and wash and dry carefully.

Refrigerate until ready to use. In a medium bowl mix lime juice, cilantro, ginger, and pepper to taste.

Drain and flake crab meat with fork and add to mixture.

Spoon filling onto the leaves.

 

AIOLI

1 large or 2 small peeled and boiled red, white or yellow potato

3 cloves fresh garlic, chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

1/4 cup blanched ground almonds

3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 cup oil

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Mash the boiled potato Place 2/3 cup mashed potato in a bowl.

 Place garlic, parsley, almonds, and part of potato mixture in blender (do not use a food processor or it will turn into cement). 

Add vinegar and 1/2 cup oil and blend to a paste. 

Slowly add more potato and blend again, alternating with remaining oil until mixture is the consistency of a thick mayonnaise. 

If mixture becomes too thick, thin with water or dry white wine. 

Add salt and pepper to taste, and if desired, a few more drops of wine vinegar. 

Serve with crackers.

Yields about 2 cups.

 

MARINATED MUSHROOMS

2/3 cup olive oil

1/2 cup water

juice of 2 lemons

1 bay leaf

2 garlic cloves, bruised with flat of knife

6 whole peppercorns

1/2 tsp. salt

1 lb small whole fresh mushrooms

Combine all the ingredients, except the mushrooms in a 10-12” stainless steel skillet and bring to a boil over moderate heat.

Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. 

Strain garlic, peppercorns and bay leaf out of the skillet.

Bring to a simmer over low heat and drop the mushrooms into the marinade and simmer, turning them over from time to time, for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat. Let the mushrooms cool in the marinade. 

Serve at room temperature, or, after they have cooled, refrigerate and serve cold. 

They will keep in the refrigerator at least 2 days. 

Before serving, lift the mushrooms from the marinade with a slotted spoon and arrange on a platter with chopped fresh parsley for garnish.

Would go well with stuffed endives.

SALSA

10-12 tins of diced tomatoes

2-3 green peppers

2 red peppers

4-6 jalapeno peppers

1 large bunch cilantro (use only the leaves)

5-6 cloves garlic

1 large onion

3/4 C white vinegar

2 Tbsp. pepper flakes

Tabasco sauce, as you like

1/2 tsp. salt

Mince all fresh ingredients, and simmer all ingredients 2-3 hours, reserving the cilantro until the last half hour of cooking. 

Pour into sterilized preserving jars, and seal. 

Yummy with Tortilla chips. Great for giving away as gifts.

 

MANGO SALSA

3 tomatoes, chopped fine

1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped fine

2 jalapenos, seeded and  minced

juice of 1 lime

1 seeded, skinned & chopped mango

1 minced clove of garlic

Mix well in bowl.  Serve with tortilla chips.

It’s also a great accompaniment with barbequed salmon.

SUNNY’S POPPYCOCK

This makes a nice gift (fill an ice-cream bucket and decorate the lid!)

9 cups popped corn

2 cups nuts (peanuts, almonds, etc.)

1 cup margarine

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1/3 cup corn syrup

1/6 cup molasses (add enough to bring it and the corn syrup up to 1/2 cup)

In a large bowl mix together popped corn, being sure that there are no unpopped kernels, and nuts.

 In a 2- to 3-quart saucepan combine margarine, sugar, corn syrup, and molasses.

 Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and boil for 5 minutes exactly. Pour over popcorn mixture.

 Mix well. Sauce is very hot, so be careful! 

Spread mixture onto a greased cookie sheet to cool.

Break up into pieces.

Makes enough to fill a large ice-cream bucket.

NANA’S NUTS & BOLTS

1/4 cup margarine, melted

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 tsp. celery salt

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. onion salt

2 cups pretzel sticks

1 1/2 cups peanuts

2 1/2 cups cheerios

1 1/2 cups shreddies

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. 

In a small bowl blend melted margarine and seasonings.

In a  9”x 13”x 2” oven-proof pan, (or turkey roasting pan if you double the amount) combine pretzel sticks, peanuts, cheerios and shreddies. 

Pour margarine mixture over cereals, and bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, stirring carefully with a wooden spoon every 15 minutes.

STUFFED MUSHROOM CAPS

18 large fresh mushrooms

2 to 3 green onions, chopped fine

1 tomato, chopped

2 minced garlic cloves

3/4 cup fine bread crumbs

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, or parsley, or cilantro, or combo

1 Tbsp. olive oil or vegetable oil

2 Tbsp. ground pecans (optional)

1 Tbsp. white wine (optional)

black pepper to taste

1 Tbsp. lemon or lime juice

1/4 cup fresh cooked crab or cooked shrimp, mixed with 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon or lime juice.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

Remove stems from mushroom caps and discard.

 Mix green onions, tomato, olives, crumbs, herbs, and oil and crab or shrimp mixture.

Add wine if wanted. The mixture should be thick and sticky. 

Divide the filling evenly between the mushroom caps and bake, filling side up, on a lightly greased baking sheet in a preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until filling is lightly browned and caps are cooked.

PECAN MUSHROOM PATÉ

2 Tbsp margarine

8 ounces fresh mushrooms chopped fine

2 Tbsp. minced onion

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8  tsp. ground black pepper

1 cup coarsely chopped, pre-toasted pecans

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1Tbsp. minced parsley

In a large frying pan over medium heat, melt margarine and cook mushrooms, parsley, and onion, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender and liquid has evaporated.

Remove from heat and stir in salt and pepper.

 Reserve 1 tbsp. pecans and blend remaining pecans in a blender until reduced to a paste.

Add mushroom mixture, and lemon juice, blending until smooth.

Spoon pâté into a 2-cup serving dish and garnish with reserved pecans.

Cover and chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Serve with crackers.

Makes about 1 1/3 cups.

GUACAMOLOSHKA DIP

4 small ripe avocados

1/2 tomato, diced

1/4 cup chopped green onion

2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

2 Tbsp. lemon juice or lime juice

1/3 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

Mash the avocados in a large bowl.

Add tomato, green onion, cilantro, lemon or lime juice, cayenne pepper and salt.

 Mix well and serve with tortilla chips or french fries, or as a topping for baked potatoes.

ZEE BEST HUMMUS

19 oz tin chick peas, washed and drained

juice of 2 lemons

3 Tbsp. olive oil

½ cup tahini

½ cup parsley

¼ cup any kind of fresh garden herb

1 clove garlic (optional)

salt to taste

pepper to taste

dash of Tobasco sauce

Put all ingredients into food processor and blend.

Serve with pita bread or crackers, or use as a high protein sandwich filler or veggie dip!

Serves 10

Per Serving: 312 Calories; 15g Fat (40.9% calories from fat); 12g Protein; 36g Carbohydrate; 10g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 16mg Sodium