Caramelized Onion and White Bean Dip

I collect recipes.

As we speak, there are 128 "must try" recipes in my inbox, patiently waiting to be selected, all neatly filed in folders like chicken, crockpot, and chocolate cake. Because really, who doesn't need four chocolate cake recipes?  (Should I mention I'm not really big on chocolate and don't really like baking?)

I really like to cook and I try to fix new dishes often. It's hard not to fall back on the old stand-bys, though, especially during the week. So, when we had some friends over this past weekend, I vowed to make all new recipes - like the edamame salad I posted yesterday.

At first, everyone thought this Caramelized Onion and White Bean Dip was hummus. And while it had a similar texture, the beans have a much more subtle flavor than chick peas and the onions were silky and sweet. It paired perfectly with potato chips - salty and sweet, anyone??

One down, 127 to go!

Ingredients:

• 6 large sweet yellow onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 T butter 
• 1/2 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1 can (15 oz.) white beans, lightly drained
• olive oil and black pepper for serving

Method:

1. Heat olive oil and butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat - choose one with a lid.
2. Add sliced onions and 1/2 tsp salt. Shake pan lightly to mix.
3. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until onions begin giving up their liquid and soften slightly.
4. Stir.
5. Re-cover and cook an additional 10 minutes, until onions have reduced in volume by about one-third.
6. Remove cover and cook for 1 hour – 1 hour 15 mins., until onions are very reduced and toffee colored, stirring every 10 minutes and scraping any browned bits into the mixture as you go.
7. Set aside to cool slightly.
8. Meanwhile, add drained white beans to a food processor and pulse until almost smooth. Add 3/4 cup of the caramelized onions and process until combined. Season to taste with additional sea salt and pepper. Dice an additional 1/4 cup of the caramelized onions and scatter over the top of the dip. Reserve the rest of the onions for another batch or recipe.
9. Remove dip to serving bowl and drizzle with good olive oil and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper. Serve with veggies, pita chips, or - best of all - potato chips.

The six onions barely fit in my largest skillet.

After 5 minutes, they had given off much of their liquid and were already reducing.

Ten minutes more, and they were on their way to caramelized goodness.

They cooked down to about two cups of sweet, sticky deliciousness.

Would it be wrong to just dig in and eat these with a spoon?

I made some grilled cheese and ham sandwiches for lunch while the onions were caramelizing, so I snuck a few and added them to our sandwiches. The sweetness went really well with the ham and Swiss. Some thinly sliced Granny Smith apple and mustard would have put them over the top. Unfortunately, that didn't occur to me until after lunch.

Source: The Pig and The Quill

Spanakopita Cups

The first time I wrote about this recipe, the entire plate of appetizers was gone before I could snap a picture. I made them again recently for a girls' happy hour recently and Brian and I had the last few the other night before dinner.

It's a great appetizer to have on hand. The filling comes together really quickly with little effort - a little chopping, one sauté pan - you don't even have to drain the thawed spinach. Once cooked and cooled, the filling keeps for about a week in the fridge. And the boxes of filo cups take up very little room in the freezer (and are so versatile).

They are a great cocktail party finger food. A nice mix of crispy filo dough and creamy, slightly salty filling.

If I make it in advance, I warm the filling for a minute or two in the microwave before filling and baking the filo shells. Otherwise, the filo shells gets too crisp before the filling has warmed through.

Get the recipe here if you missed it the first time around.

Opa!

Roasted Garlic and Sriracha Hummus {My 100th post!}

It took me a little longer to get to this point than I expected it would, but I'm so excited to publish my 100th post!

This recipe nearly leapt off the screen when I saw it on Zite (the news aggregator app anyone with a smart phone or tablet should check out).

Roasted garlic? Sriacha? Hummus?  Yes, yes, and yes! Super easy to put together and so fresh tasting. I may never buy hummus again!

Ingredients:

• 2 whole heads of garlic, cloves separated but not peeled
• 2/3 cup olive oil, divided
• pinch of salt
• 28 oz.  can of chickpeas, drained and well-rinsed
• 1/4 cup tahini (I found this in the international aisle at the grocery store)
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp. sriracha

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375. Place the garlic bulbs in a small glass casserole dish. Add1/3 cup of the olive oil and a pinch of salt. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir and place back into the oven for 15 minutes more, uncovered. Let the bulbs cool completely for about an hour. Reserve any of the leftover oil that may remain in the casserole dish.
2. Rinse and drain chickpeas very well and transfer directly to a food processor.
3. Once the garlic bulbs are completely cooled, remove the skins and discard them. Place the garlic, any leftover olive oil, plus the 1/3 cup remaining olive oil into the food processor with the chickpeas. Pulse until very smooth, about a minute.
4. Add in the tahini, salt and sriracha. Pulse for about a minute more. If not using immediately, refrigerate and allow to sit out at room temperature for about an hour before serving. Hummus is tastiest when served at room temperature. 

Source: Olives for Dinner

Caprese Skewers

I sometimes hesitate to post "recipes" like this one. Ones I'm sure everyone must already know how to make.

Well, I made these last night for a girls' happy hour. I wanted something cool and summery, and super quick and easy - since the girls would arrive shortly after I got home from work. They were gone in no time and at one point my friend Lynn said, "I never would have thought of doing that."

And so here's the recipe for anyone else who loves a traditional Caprese salad, but is looking for something more cocktail party friendly.

Ingredients:

• 18 boccacini (small mozzarella balls - I got mine at the deli counter)
• 18 grape or cherry tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 18 pieces of fresh, torn basil
• toothpicks
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

Method:

1. Combine cheese, tomatoes, vinegar, oil, and pepper in a bowl; toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. Thread onto each toothpick a piece of cheese, then a  piece of basil, then a tomato. I alternated the order just so it looked a little prettier.
3. Sprinkle with the salt.

Herb Shrimp Scampi

Shrimp scampi is one of my favorite dishes. And I love the way I make it so much that I rarely order it out. I have no problem with sun dried tomatoes, artichokes, or capers - but they have no place in my scampi!

Last Friday, my friend Sue served delicious grilled herb shrimp at a girls' night cocktail party she hosted. They were a delicious appetizer - light but really flavorful, and they were gone in no time. Sue followed the recipe's instructions and grilled them. They were so good that I decided to depart from tradition and saute them as a scampi for dinner last night. Huge success!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
• 1/4 C fresh parsley, minced
• 1/4 C fresh basil, minced
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 C olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 tsp olive oil
• About 1 C white wine

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients except wine and 1 tsp olive oil in a large zip lock bag and allow to marinate at room temperature for 1 hour or in the fridge for up to 2 days.
2. When ready to cook, heat 1 tsp olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat.
3. When oil is hot, dump in shrimp and marinade.
4. Saute until shrimp are cooked through and most of the marinading liquid has cooked down, about 5 - 6 minutes.
5. Stir in wine and stir to de-glaze pan.
6. Simmer until wine reduces and sauces thickens.
7. Toss with hot, drained angel hair pasta and serve.

Creamy Mushroom and Goat Cheese Tarts

I hesitate to refer to it as a New Year's resolution, but I do intend to be better about two things...starting now.

1. eating better
2. throwing away far less food

A menu, once-weekly grocery shop, and a renewed committment to bring left overs for lunch each day will help with the second.

Being just a little thoughtful about that menu and shopping list will help immensely with the first.

So, I bought the latest edition of Cooking Light magazine. I found a number of recipes I was interested in trying, and made this appetizer for dinner with Brian's parents a few nights ago. If only all "light" recipes tasted this good.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 C chopped shallots (about 2 large)
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lb. mushrooms (such as portobello, oyster, shitake, etc.)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 C dry white wine
• 1 tsp. lower sodium soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp. light sour cream
• 3 Tbsp. fat free half and half
• 2 oz. goat cheese
• 2 boxes (30 cups) Athens mini filo cups
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives

Method:

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat.
2. Add shallots, and sauté 1 minute.
3. Add sage, 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper, and mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes.
4. Add garlic, and sauté until mushrooms are lightly browned and liquid almost evaporates (about 5 minutes).
5. Stir in sherry and soy sauce; cook for 30 seconds or until liquid almost evaporates.
6. Remove skillet from  heat.
7. Stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, sour cream, half-and-half, and goat cheese.
8. Spoon about 2 teaspoons mushroom mixture into each phyllo shell.
9. Garnish with fresh chives.

Source: Cooking Light

Sausage Squares

Last week, I had some girlfriends over for drinks and appetizers after work. Not only was it a great chance to catch up, laugh, have some wine, and laugh a little more, knowing they were coming over helped ensure we finished all the decorating for Christmas. Can't beat that.

In addition to antipasto squares, I made these delicious sausage squares. They are entirely decadent - there is absolutely nothing about them that's the least bit figure friendly. And they are soooo very good. If you can't indulge during the holidays with good friends, when can  you?!

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg. Jones sausage, thawed (12 oz.)
• 1/4 C very finely minced onion
• Pinch black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 lb. Velveeta cheese, cut in small cubes
• 1 pkg. cocktail rye bread (sm. squares)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Fry sausage and onion in saute pan, then drain well.
3. Stir in pepper and garlic powder, stir to combine.
4. Continue to cook on low heat while slowly adding small cubes of cheese. Cook and stir until smooth.
5. Spread on cocktail rye squares and bake for 10 minutes.

Antipasto Squares

This super easy appetizer is both delicious and filling. They're a huge hit whenever I make them, and it is perfect for a crowd. My friend Collette has even served them for dinner with a salad.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 lb. each ham, pepperoni, and salami
• 1/4 lb. each American, Swiss, and provolone cheese
• 12 oz. jar roasted red peppers, well drained
• 4 tubes crescent rolls
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• Sesame seeds

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Press two tubes of crescent rolls into bottom of 9x13 baking dish.
3. Layer meat and cheese, using all of each kind before next layer.
4. Layer drained peppers on top.
5. Pour over all but 2 T of the beaten egg over peppers.
6. Cover with remaining two tubes of crescent rolls. Brush with remaining egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cover with foil.
7. Bake for 30 minutes; remove foil and bake for 30 minutes longer.
8. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing. Can be served hot, at room temperature, or cold.

Start with a meat layer...

 

...then cheese. Repeat until each of the three meats and cheeses have been layered.

 

Top with a layer of the drained peppers, then pour over all but 2 T of the beaten egg.

 

Finish with remaining crescent rolls, brush with remaining egg, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

 

 

 

Jalapeno Popper Dip with Bacon Breadcrumbs

This dip is similar to another that I've made a few times, but is so much better in so many ways! Fresh roasted jalapenos, bacon, three kinds of cheese, creamy filling, crunchy topping...what's not to love?!

It is spicy as written, but you can adjust the heat level easily by removing all the seeds or using fewer peppers. It was a huge hit at a get together this weekend and has definitely made it into the "make again" folder.

Fortunately, I thought to prepare a small dish with enough for just Brian and me, which we had tonight. Nice way to start a festive week!

To roast the peppers, toss them with a little olive oil and roast at 425 until they begin to char and soften, about 15 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 10 slices bacon, diced and crisp cooked
• 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 T bacon grease, slightly cooled
• 2 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup shredded mexican blend cheese
• 1 cup plus 3 T grated parmesan cheese, divided
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 10 large jalapenos, roasted and diced (seeds removed from all but one)

 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Add bacon, panko and bacon grease to a food processor. Process until bacon is approximately the size of the breadcrumbs. Stir in 3T of parmesan and set aside.
3. Mix together all other ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Place in a pie plate. Sprinkle with bacon breadcrumbs and bake for 20 minutes, or until breadcrumbs are golden brown and dip is heated through.

Source: The Wicked Noodle

Holy Guacamole

One of my favorite things about cooking is preparing things that other people love. Things that, when they see it on the table, they ask something like, "Is that your bolognese?"  (Ok, people aren't saying that about my bolognese yet, but they will - I'm sure of it!)

My Holy Guacamole is exactly that kind of recipe.  This is the first time I've ever made note of what went into it - I usually just eye ball it. It's a very forgiving recipe that you can adapt as you see fit. I have to say, though, it's pretty amazing just as written!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium tomato, seeds removed, chopped finely
• 2 - 3 shallots, chopped finely
• 1 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, chopped finely
• juice and zest of one (or two, depending how juicy the fruit is) lime
• 1 large handful of fresh cilantro leaves, chopped finely
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• 4 ripe Haas avocados

Method:

1. Combine tomato, shallot, jalapeno, cilantro, and lime zest in a small bowl.
2. Split avocados, remove pits, and scoop flesh in a medium bowl.
3. Mash avocados to your desired texture with a potato masher or fork. I keep mine a little chunky.
4. Immediately squeeze lime juice over avocado then mix gently. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Fold in veggies, mixing gently to combine but being careful not to mash the avocados any further.
6. Serve immediately with tortilla or pita chips, veggies, etc.

Although you're likely not to have any leftovers with this recipe, you can store prepared guacamole in the fridge for a couple of days. The citrus juice will help keep it from turning brown as it's stored, and you should also cover it with plastic wrap so that the wrap is directly covering the dip (it's exposure to air that turns the avocado brown).  Some people also say if you reserve a pit and nestle that in the guacamole, it'll keep it fresher-looking longer.

Grilled Oysters with Crispy Pancetta-Tomato-Basil Mignonette

With the exception of scallops and mussels, I'm not a huge fan of shell fish. I don't care for clams - even when prepared with cream and potatoes - and oysters are just generally unappealing.

Then we saw Bobby Flay prepare this recipe on Food Network and it sounded sooo good to me.  And it was!  It will easily become a beach staple...easy and delicious.

Ingredients
1/2 inch thick piece pancetta, finely diced
1/2 C red wine vinegar
2 T finely diced shallot
1/2 t coarsely ground black peppercorns
8 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
Kosher salt
24 oysters, soaked in water and scrubbed well, shucked
Fresh parsley leaves, for garnish
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Method

1. Cook the pancetta in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until crisp and the fat has rendered. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
2. While the pancetta cooks, combine the vinegar, shallots, peppercorns, basil, tomatoes and season with salt.
3. Grill the shucked oysters over direct medium-high heat until the juices start to bubble and the edges of the oysters curl, 2 - 4 minutes.
4. Remove oysters from grill and top each with some of the mignonette, a few cubes of pancetta and some parsley leaves. Drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil.

A couple of notes, as always....
The original recipe calls for grilling these over charcoal; we used the gas grill.
We had never shucked oysters before, but the instructions in the original recipe were easy to follow (and only required one band-aid!)

Would you like some cheese with that wine?

Why, yes, I think I would! And some crunchy bread and maybe some olives...and doesn't the Lobster Cavatappi look delish...

Name of Restaurant: Uncorked
Location: Blue Back Square, West Hartford
Day / Date / Time: Saturday, July 9, 4 p.m.
Type of food: Wine and charcuterie
Occasion / Event: Catch up with a good friend
Dined with: Jean
Ambiance / Entertainment: Great company and really good people watching
Wine / Cocktails: Wine, wine, wine!
Appetizers: Charcuterie: cheese and meat - both served with a crunchy sliced baguette as well as marinated vegetables
Entrees: Very limited but fun menu - very reasonably priced (clearly their menu changes, because what was on our menu today is different than what's on the menu)
Desserts: Chocolate!
Average price range: Charcuterie and chocolate are $8, dinner starters are in the $12 range, entrees range from $16 - $25, wine has too big of a range to describe here...see below, or their menu.
House favorites / Signature dishes to reorder: My very first deal from Groupon, with many thanks to Pelly, was a $50 gift certificate to Uncorked that I got for $25. I was so looking forward to trying it and knew that Jean was the perfect partner. Neither of us was disappointed! In fact, we're both looking for a reason to go back. Twist my arm...

The premise is this: Uncorked offers more than 70 different wines, and offers tastes (1 oz.), half glasses (3 oz.), and full glasses (6 oz.) of wine. They serve wines and from regions I am completely unfamiliar with, so it's a nice way to try something new.

We decided to stick with reds, of which full glasses range from $7.50 to $35.50, with tastes and half glasses a little more than 1/6 and 1/2 the cost of a full glass, respectively...clearly, if you find a wine you like, a full glass is the most cost effective way to go.  This is what we tried...

We eased in with a few "tastes"...
#32 - Jean tried a taste of this Chianti...sadly, I cannot remember exactly what she said about it.  But I know she liked it!
#33 - My "good friend" Rachael Ray raves about Brunello di Montalcino, so we both tried a taste. It was outstanding...crisp, mild flavor with no after taste.  It was also the priciest, at $35.50 a glass!  We settled for a taste and moved on.
#53 - I tried Chakalaka from South Africa because a) I've never had South African wine and b) I love the name!  It was very tasty!

Our waitress then recommended her favorite - I jumped in and got a full glass, Jean started with a half glass:
#48 - Oltre…, Pio Cesare a Nebbiolo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend from Italy . It was outstanding!  Fruity but not sweet, oaky but not tree-y...nearly perfect.  And it was $12.75 a glass - reasonable in comparison. (Needless to say, we both had a second glass.) The hunt for a bottle will begin tomorrow!
We also enjoyed the Roaring 40s Blue cheese with crusty bread and a bowl of marinated olives. There was so much cheese that we had ask for more bread.  Each appetizer is $8, or you can get 4 for $28.  Two people could easily make a meal of 4 apps.

The total bill was $88.  Minus the Groupon and inclusive of a tip on the original amount, we each put in about $28. Not bad for a lovely Saturday afternoon!

You Devil, You!

Whenever we see deviled eggs on a buffet or someone mentions them - and sometimes out of the clear blue - Brian insists, "Jimmy makes the best deviled eggs!"

As we were planning the menu for Sue's birthday party, I quickly realized that there was no rhyme nor reason to the apps we had chosen, no theme. It was some of Sue's favorites, some of ours. So I decided the least I could do was ensure we had a good balance of hot and cold apps. That's when I thought of deviled eggs. And just as quickly realized I had never made them!

I promised Jimmy a shout out if he would be so kind as to share his recipe. He graciously agreed, and so "the week of Sue" continues with...

Jimbo's Deviled Eggs
1 dozen hard boiled large eggs
4 T Hellman's mayonnaise
3 T French's yellow mustard
2 T sweet pickle relish
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Split eggs the long way and remove yolks to a bowl.
2. Rinse egg whites and place cut side down on paper towel to dry.
3. Add mayo to yolks, and mash with a potato masher.
4. Add the mustard to the yolks and mash some more. (At this point, Jimmy's recipe said to add additional mayo and mustard to taste, but I found these measurements to be perfect.)
5. Add relish and pepper and mix with a fork.
6. Dry egg whites with paper towel.
7. Pipe or spoon egg yolk mixture into egg white wells. Sprinkle with paprika.



They were so good that I didn't even get to the table before two disappeared!



Spanakopita Cups

I am kind of ambivalent about my birthday: I don't go crazy for it, but nor does it really bother me. I like to celebrate, and once it's over, I'm good with that, too.

Sue - and I promise I am not telling tales out of school - absolutely l-o-v-e loves her birthday! We joke about April and May being the "Month of Sue," with her birthday, then Mother's Day, then her (and Kevin's) wedding anniversary. She takes it all in good fun (and I think she really does enjoy it!).

Therefore, in the spirit of Sue's birthday enthusiasm, I am declaring this week on Thyme Well Spent to be the "Week of Sue," with all the recipes we made for her party. Enjoy!

Spanakopita Cups
1 t olive oil
1/2 C chopped green onion
2 - 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 t fresh dill (or 1/2 t dried)
1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed but not drained
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 oz. crumbled feta
2 T Parmesan cheese
1 t black pepper
2 boxes (15 count each) frozen filo cups, thawed on counter 10 minutes

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Saute onion and garlic in oil over medium heat until softened. Stir in dill and cook one minute.
3. Fold in undrained spinach and cook until liquid evaporates.
4. Stir in cream cheese. Remove from heat and continue stirring to combine. Stir in feta, then Parmesan and pepper.
5. Fill 30 filo cups and bake for 5 minutes until heated through.

These can be made ahead through step 4. Refrigerator until ready to bake. Adjust baking time accordingly, 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

There's no picture of these tasty bites because well, I forgot them. Put them in the oven. Someone turned the oven off. I kept checking them and couldn't figure out why they weren't getting warm. Finally turned the oven back on and by the time they came out, they were scarfed down before I could snap a picture. They are good - think the delectable spanakopita triangles you get in a Greek restaurant, only way easier to make!

Poker's Jalapeno Poppers

So, we had our second throw down last night. Russ and Hil were up against Rick and Anne in battle meatloaf. Both were delicious and with the help of Russ's bro-in-law Tom, we deemed Rick and Anne to be the winners. Their meatloaf - their first ever attempt! - was moist, a little spicy, and very light texture wise. Along side some cheesy risotto and garlic mashed potatoes, the combo of the meat loaves made for a great meal.

Brian and I were in charge of apps and agreed early on to make jalapeno poppers. What should have been a simple recipe turned into a blog-worthy sit com... 

I got a call while I was out doing errands: don't ask any questions but please stop and get 8 more jalapenos. When I got home, assuming he just had extra filling left over, Brian proudly showed me a plate of poppers...then pointed out that he had halved them and dredged them in the egg and corn flake mixtures - but had forgotten to fill them with cheese. He was cleaning up and found the bowl of filling that he had made and set aside!  So, he made the 8 new ones as normal, and added cheese to the others then redredged them.

When we left the house, we had a beautiful plate full of 36 poppers ready to be baked, neatly and securely wrapped in plastic wrap. Brian put them on the back seat, I put my jacket over them, and he let Sambucca in the car on his side.

A little bit later, Brian glances back and says "Is Poker sitting ON the poppers?!" Sure enough, Sambucca was lounging on the back seat, squarely on the jacket-covered plate of appetizers. I got him to move over, and peeked under my jacket: what started as a six-inch high plate of goodies was now a flattened mess under plastic wrap. Thankfully, when we arrived at Russ and Hil's, Brian was able to reshape each of them from pancakes to jalapeno halves, and they baked up just fine!

I wish you better luck with your attempt!

Poker's Jalapeno Poppers
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 8-oz. package shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 C mayonnaise
15 fresh jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise (seeded or not, to your liking*)
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 T milk
1 1/2 C crushed corn flake cereal
1/4 C bacon bits

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a medium baking sheet.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together cheeses and mayo. Stuff pepper halves with the mixture.
3. Whisk together eggs and milk in a small bowl. Place crushed cereal and bacon bits in a separate small bowl.
4. Dip each jalapeno half in egg and milk mixture, then roll in corn flake mixture to coat.
5. Arrange in a single layer on a prepared baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven 30 minutes, or until filling is bubbly and lightly browned.

*We have tried removing all seeds and they were too mild. So yesterday, Brian left all the seeds in - and they were way too hot, even for us. Next time, we'll take half the seeds out and hopefully that will be perfect.

Lawson Family Christmas

We celebrated Christmas with the B's family yesterday. His brother and his family were in from South Boston, and his aunt was here from New Jersey. We got to his parents' in time to visit with Gramp - I was especially glad, as my cold had kept me from visiting him for a few weeks.

The day got off to a rough start when we temporarily "misplaced" Sambucca. We had let him out shortly after we arrived and about a half hour later, B asked if someone could let him in. His dad came into the living room a short time later and mouthed to me, "Bucca is missing." I didn't give it much thought, as Sambucca NEVER wanders...we went out and called him. Nothing. With my heart in my throat I walked up to the main street, afraid but not really believing he had ventured that far and had been hit. Nothing. B went out in his car, his sister-in-law took her dog in another direction, and I was walking up and down the street calling for him.

I was starting to think someone must have taken him, because - as anyone who knows him knows - Bucca's herding instinct and attachment to B would prohibit him from just walking off.  Then, just as his dad was heading out in his car and as he passed B coming back in his, I thought again "Poker would NEVER wander away. He HAS to be here." I turned back to the house and spotted the garage...sure enough, there he was, right inside the door! Someone must have gone in and closed the door without realizing Bucca was in there.

You have never seen happier people than we were. Buc was nervous and thought he was in trouble, since we all had been shouting his name (with increasing panic and urgency) for about 5 minutes - the longest 5 minutes. The poor pup!!  That would have taken Christmas in a whole new direction...

I starting drinking wine right after that!

Thankfully, my appetite wasn't terribly affected by the dog-hunting drama. B & I were in charge of appetizers and decided to make two new ones. I made this crab dip from Allrecipes.com, one of my favorite places to search for recipes. I love that most of the recipes are posted by home cooks like me, with normal ingredients, and I love to read the reviews. People are really specific about what changes they made, how it worked out, etc. So, never one to make a recipe exactly as written, I pieced together some info from the reviews and used a little more mayo, added sour cream, sauteed the onion w/ some garlic, and added some Cholula hot sauce and finely shredded Monterey Jack cheese, and served with toasted baguette slices. Everyone else loved it, but I wasn't crazy about the texture...I will definitely continue to saute the onion and garlic, but next time I think I'll use less cream cheese and mayo, more Cholula, and will skip the sour cream and cheese. Might add a little cheese and some Panko to the top.

B picked a Swedish meatball recipe from Penzeys Spice. His dad proclaimed they were the best meatballs he's ever had! They were delicious - definitely a keeper!

Christmas Eve Swedish Meatballs

Meatballs:
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
1 lb. ground veal
1 C minced onion (1 large)
1 1/2 C bread crumbs
2 T minced fresh parsley
2 - 3 t salt
1/4 t ground black pepper
2 t Worcestershire sauce
2 eggs
2/3 C milk
1/2 C vegetable oil

Gravy:
1/2 C all purpose flour
2 t smoked Spanish paprika
1 t salt
1/4 t ground black pepper
4 C boiling water
1 1/2 C sour cream
2 whole bay leaves

1. In a large bowl, combine all of the meatball ingredients except the vegetable oil and mix thoroughly.
2. Shape into walnut-sized balls.
3. Heat the oil to medium-high in a wide, deep pan.
4. Brown the meatballs in batches so they aren't overcrowded.  Use tongs to flip them. Figure about 6 minutes per batch, flipping them after 3 minutes.
5. Remove each batch from the oil after browning and set aside. (B drained them on paper towel.)
6. When all the meatballs are browned and removed from the pan, make the gravy.
7. Add the flour, paprika, salt and pepper to the drippings in the skillet. Stir and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
8. Whisk in the boiling water. Whisk well, reduce heat to low, then whisk in sour cream. Add bay leaves.
9. Return the meatballs to the grave and simmer for at least 20 minutes.
10. To keep warm for serving, place the meatballs and the gravy in a slow cooker on low setting.

B followed the recipe almost to the letter with a few exceptions: He used regular paprika (since we didn't have smoke Spanish) and left out the bay leaves (again, none in the house) - would try to use both next time just to see what difference it makes.  Also, since we were in  a rush to get to his parents', we never simmered the meatballs and gravy on the stove top - we transferred both finished products directly to the crock pot and let them warm for about two hours before we served them.  They got better and better as they warmed!!

Hope your holiday season is going well. Next weekend we celebrate with the Martins...always fodder for a good story!