Category Archives: Starters

October 11, 2022 · 11:34 am

Taco Spaghetti Squash Nests

INGREDIENTS: (4 servings)

2 Tbs Cilantro, chopped

4 ea Eggs

1 Tbs Olive Oil, extra virgin

2 cups Green Pepper, finely diced

1 lb Ground Turkey, 99% lean

1 tsp Lime juice

3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, reduced fat

1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese, reduced-fat shredded

1/2 tsp Salt

1 ea Spaghetti Squash

1 1/2 tsp Taco Seasoning

DIRECTIONS:

Cut the spaghetti squash in half lenthwise and scooop out the seeds. Bake spaghetti squash halves with cut side down on a sheet pan at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, until the flesh of the squash can be shredded with a fork.

Remove the squash from the oven, allow to cool, and shred the flesh with a fork into a bowl. Measure out 4 cups, savng any leftovers for another meal.

Combine the spaghetti squash with the salt, parmesan and eggs; mix well.

Fill 12 indentions of a silicone muffin pan or muffin pan lined with parchment baking cups with spaghetti squash mixture, leaving a well in the center of each for the filling.

Bake the spaghetti squash nets at 400 degrees for 12 minutes until they begin to brown.

In a non-stick skillet, cook the diced pepper in oil for about 2 minutes.

Add the turkey, taco seasonings, and lime juice; cook for about 2 minutes.

Mix in the cilantro, and fill each nest with an equal amount of the turkey mixture.

Top with cheese, and bake at 425 for 8 minutes.

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Filed under Fall/Winter Favorites, Holiday Menus, Party Picks, Starters, What's for Dinner?

March 11, 2022 · 9:00 pm

Sweet Potato Nachos

INGREDIENTS:

2-3 Ea Sweet Potatoes

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

tt Dash of Cayenne

tt Dash of Chili Powder

3 Ea Mini Sweet Bell Peppers (red, orange), sliced

1/4 Ea White Onion, sliced

1/2 cup Black Beans

2+ Tbs Jalapenos, diced

1/2 Ea Avocado, cubed

Sprinkle of desired cheese or Daiya (non-dairy alternative)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Using a sharp knife or mandolin, slice sweet potatoes thinly and lay flat on a lined baking sheet.

Drizzle lightly with olive oil, and toss with cayenne pepper and chili powder.

Roast for 10-15 minutes depending on the thickness of your potato slices.

While potatoes are roasting, add peppers and onion to a saucepan over medium heat and cook until softened.

Remove potatoes from oven, arrange them together as you would nachos potato chips, and top with salsa, black beans, roasted peppers, jalapenos, cheese and avocado.

Put back into the oven for about 5 more minutes, top with cilantro and enjoy!

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Filed under Healthy Lunches, Party Picks, Salsas and Chutneys, Starters, Summer Favorites, Vegetarian Fare

December 27, 2019 · 12:09 pm

Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad

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INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup               Fresh Lemon Juice

2 Tbs                  Mustard, Dijon

1 Tbs                  Shallot, minced

1 sm                   Garlic Clove, finely grated

1/4 tsp                Kosher Salt, plus more

tt                         Black Pepper, freshly ground

2 Lg Bunches    Kale, Tuscan (1 1/2 lb) center stem discarded, leaves thinly sliced

12 oz                  Brussels Sprouts, trimmed, finely grated or shredded with a knife

1/2 cup               Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided

1/3 cup               Almonds with Skins, coarsely chopped

1 cup                  Pecorino, finely grated

DIRECTIONS:

Combine lemon juice, Dijon mustard, shallot, garlic, 1/2 tsp. salt, and a pinch of pepper in a small bowl. Stir to blend, set aside to let flavors meld. Mix thinly sliced kale and shredded brussels sprouts in a large bowl.

Measure 1/2 cup oil into a cup. Spoon 1 Tbsp oil from cup into a small skillet; heat oil from cup into a small skillet; heat oil over medium-high heat. Add almonds to skillet and stir frequently until golden brown in spots, about 2 minutes.

Transfer nuts to paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle almonds lightly with salt.

Slowly whisk remaining olive oil in cup into lemon-juice mixture. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

Add dressing and cheese to kale mixture; toss to coat. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Garnish with almonds.

Do Ahead: Dressing, kale mixture, and tossed almonds can be prepared 8 hours ahead. cover dressing and kale mixture separately and chill. Cover almonds and let stand at room temperature.

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Filed under Healthy Lunches, Holiday Menus, Sensational Salads, Starters, Summer Favorites, Vegetarian Fare, What's for Dinner?

December 29, 2018 · 6:28 pm

Artichoke and Pablano Chile Dip

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INGREDIENTS:

1 cup          Mayonnaise, homemade

1 cup          Parmesan Cheese, fresh grated

8 oz.           Anaheim or Pablano Chiles, roasted

7-8 oz.       Artichoke Hearts, canned and drained well

24 ea         Wonton Skins or Restaurant Tortilla Chips

1/4 cup      Oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel the roasted chiles on the stovetop. Seed them and chop them roughly,

While roasting the chilies, take the wonton skins and brush one side lightly with oil. Place one skin into an mini muffin tin. Repeat with the remaining skins. Bake until the skins are golden brown and crispy, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

Next, combine the mayo, cheese and artichokes in a bowl and mix well. Add Chiles. Season to taste.

Place mixture in a casserole dish and bake for 45-50 minutes until golden brown. Serve in the casserole dish with crackers or tortilla chips,. Or spoon out a small amount and immediately serve in wonton cups.

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Filed under Holiday Menus, Party Picks, Starters, Vegetarian Fare

December 29, 2018 · 1:56 pm

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

31432882-2565-4641-AC0E-4ABCFCDBC075INGREDIENTS:

2 sm          Sweet Potato, diced

1/2 md      Red Onion, thinly sliced

1/4 tsp      Black Pepper, ground

1/2 tsp     Cinnamon, ground and divided

1/2 cup    Balsamic Vinegar

1/4 cup    Honey

2 Tbs       Fresh Chives, finely chopped

4 cups     Baby arugula (or power greens mix)

3 md       Radishes, sliced paper thin

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium bowl toss together the sweet potatoes, onion, pepper and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon. Transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and roast until tender, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together vinegar, honey, remaining 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and chives in a medium bowl. Toss together arugula/greens and radishes in another medium bowl. To serve, arrange arugula/greens mixture on plates. Toss sweet potato mixture in balsamic mixture and spoon over arugula/greens.

 

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Filed under Fall/Winter Favorites, Holiday Menus, Sensational Salads, Starters, Vegetarian Fare

January 5, 2017 · 1:08 pm

Original Hummus

CFCED56E-0438-48A3-9DEE-20C7F576B451INGREDIENTS:

1 can (15 oz)          Chickpeas (or 1 1/2 cups cooked)

1/4 cup                    Lemon Juice (one large lemon)

1/4 cup                    Tahini, well-stirred

1 clove                     Garlic, minced

2 Tbs                       Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for serving

1/2 tsp                     Cumin, ground

tt                               Salt

2-3 Tbs                    Water

Dash                         Paprika, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

In a bowl of a food processor, combine the tahini and lemon juice and process for 1 minute, scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl then process for 30 seconds more. This extra time helps “whip” or “cream” the tahini, making the hummus smooth and creamy.

Add the olive oil, minced garlic, cumin and a 1/2 tsp of salt to the whipped tahini and lemon juice. Process for 30 seconds or until well blended.

Open, drain and rinse the chickpeas. Add half of the chickpeas to the food processor and process for 1 minute. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl, then add remaining chickpeas and process until thick and quite smooth; 1 to 2 minutes.

Most likely the hummus will be too thick or still have tiny bits of chickpea. To fix this, with the food processor turned on, slowly add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water until you reach the perfect consistency.

Taste for salt and adjust as needed. Serve hummus with a drizzle of olive oil and a dash of paprika. Store homemade hummus in an airtight container and refrigerate up to one week.

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Filed under Blender Bests, Healthy Lunches, Party Picks, Starters, Vegetarian Fare

November 17, 2016 · 4:55 pm

Quacamole Nirvana

FC9A8E3C-B636-4552-9B5F-56322EE09A37.jpegINGREDIENTS:

3 ea            Hass Avocados

1 clove       Garlic, finely grated

1 ea             Serrano Pepper, finely chopped

1 qtr           White Onion, finely chopped

1-2 Tbs      Lime juice, freshly squeezed

tt                 Kosher Salt

DIRECTIONS:

Smash three ripe avocados with a potato masher, fork or molcajete (Mexican mortar and pestle) until very coarsely mashed. It’s okay if there are some chunks of avocado as it will continue to break down as you mix in the other ingredients. Stir in the other ingredients and season liberally with about a teaspoon of kosher salt.

A word on cilantro: while it’s traditional to add it to quac, there are some times when it is best not used. If served as an appetizer with corn chips or corn fried tortillas, definitely throw some in. If putting out as a condiment with a taco, put it on the side so guests can build the tacos to their own tastes.

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Filed under Blender Bests, Holiday Menus, International Inspirations, Party Picks, Starters, Summer Favorites, Vegetarian Fare

November 9, 2016 · 2:47 pm

Caprese Zucchini Noodle Salad

INGREDIENTS:

2 ea           Zucchinis, Blade A

tt                Salt and Pepper

1/2 cup     Fresh Basil Leaves

3/4 cup     Cherry Tomatoes, halved

12 sm         Mozzarella Balls, halved

For the marinade:

1 Tbs         Lemon Juice, squeezed from a lemon

3 Tbs        Balsamic Vinegar

2 Tbs         Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 clove      Garlic, minced

tt                Salt and Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Lay the zucchini ribbons out. With a scissor, make sure no ribbons are longer than 6 inches long. Once done, place in a bowl.

Combine all of the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl and whisk to combine.

Place the marinade over the zucchini and place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.

After ten minutes, add in the tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and season with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly to combine.

Serve in a platter as a pasta salad or side dish.

 

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Filed under Inspiralized, Party Picks, Sensational Salads, Starters, Vegetarian Fare

August 10, 2010 · 5:13 pm

Crab, Corn and Tomato Salad with Lemon-Basil Dressing

 

INGREDIENTS:

1 tbs               Lemon Rind, grated

5 tbs               Fresh Lemon Juice, divided

1 tbs               Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp               Honey

1/2 tsp            Dijon Mustard

1/4 tsp            Salt

1/8 tsp            Black Pepper, freshly ground

1 cup               Fresh Corn Kernals (about 2 ears)

1/4 cup            Basil Leaves, thinly sliced

1/4 cup            Red Bell Pepper, chopped

2 tbs                Red Onion, finely chopped

1 lb                  Lump Crabmeat, shell pieces removed

8                       Ripe Beefsteak Tomato Slices, (1/4 in thick)

2 cups             Cherry Tomatoes, halved

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine rind, 3 tbs juice, and next 5 ingredients (through black pepper) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk.   Reserve 1 1/2 tbs juice mixture.  Add remaining 2 tbs juice, corn, and next 4 ingredients (through crab) to remaining juice mixture; toss gently to coat.

Arrange 2 tomato slices and 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes on each of 4 plates.  Drizzle about 1 tsp reserved juice mixture over each serving.  Top each serving with 1 cup corn and crab mixture.

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Filed under Fish Favorites, Sensational Salads, Starters, Summer Favorites, What's for Dinner?

July 27, 2010 · 11:28 am

Sliders with Shallot-Dijon Relish

2 1/2" Beef Slider with Shallot-Dijon Relish

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 tsp                   Kosher Salt

1/4 tsp                   Black Pepper, freshly ground

1 lb                         Sirloin, ground

AN                          Cooking Spray

3 tbs                       Shallots, finely chopped

1 tbs                       Worcestershire Sauce

1 tbs                       Dijon Mustard

2 tsp                       Butter. softened

8                             Parker House Rolls or Slider Buns

16                           Dill Pickle Chips

INSTRUCTIONS:

Prepare grill to medium-high heat.  Combine 1/2 tsp salt, pepper and sirloin.  Divide meat mixture into 8 equal portions, shaping into 1/4 in thick patties.  Lightly coat both sides of patties with cooking spray.  Place patties on grill rack; grill for 3 minutes on each side or until done. 

Combine shallots, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and butter in a small bowl, stirring well.  Cut rolls in half horizontally.  Spread shallot mixture evenly over cut sides of rolls.  Layer 1 patty and 2 pickle chips on bottom half of each roll; top with top halves of rolls.  Yields 8 sliders.

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Filed under For the Grill, Kid's Corner, Party Picks, Starters, Summer Favorites, What's for Dinner?