Category Archives: appetizers

Smoked salmon and cream cheese spread

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2-8oz packages softened cream cheese, use twice as much as salmon
8 oz smoked salmon, finely chopped
3 green onion, finely chopped
1/4. cup sour cream
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp prepared horseradish
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 c finely chopped walnuts
1/4 c parsley

Combine first 8 ingredients in a medium bowl, stir well.

Shape salmon-cream cheese mixture into 3 balls.  Combine chopped walnuts and chopped parsley, roll balls in mixture.  Cover and chill at least 4 hrs.  Serve with assorted crackers.

DMV note-I used leftover salmon and guess at the amounts as I only had a little bit of salmon.  I mixed in the parsly, didn’t mess with the ball method.  Used as a spread, very tasty.

 

Dad’s Creamy Marinated Cucumbers

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  • 2 large cucumbers (about 2 pounds), peeled (if desired) and sliced
  • 1 large red (or other sweet) onion (about ½ pound), peeled, halved vertically, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup top quality mayonnaise
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon white pepper

Mix everything in a large bowl and allow to sit in the refrigerator for several hours.

Bonus tip: There will be extra dressing, as the cucumbers release a lot of their water. This dressing can be saved and refrigerated for use as a dressing for salad greens.

Serves 6.

Plain Brown Popper

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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA 1/4 cup good quality popcorn
1-2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt or popcorn salt
Paper lunch bag

Toss the popcorn with the olive oil, salt, and mix in the paper bag. Fold the top of the bag over twice to close. Place the bag in the microwave and microwave on high for 2 minutes to 3 minutes, or until there are about 5 seconds between pops.

NOTE: Popcorn salt is a super-fine salt that is designed especially for sticking to food such as popcorn. It has the taste of regular table salt, but its granules are much finer.

Artichoke Dip (AKA Artery Choke Dip) Hali Taylor

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2 – 15 oz. cans artichoke hearts in water (break up with fingers)
1 – 8 oz. tub of whipped cream cheese
1 – cup of full fat mayonnaise
1 – cup of shredded Parmesan cheese

Mix all ingredients together and put in a round, 10” baking dish so that the mixture is about 1” deep.

Bake at 350 for 45 to 55 minutes or until top is browned.

Serve with crackers of choice.

Bean Dip

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1 (15 ounce) can refried beans
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
pepper
for spicier version add:
3-5 slices bottled jalapenos
1 tablespoon brine, from bottled jalapeno slices

For regular bean dip mix all ingredients
If you make the spicier version whirl all ingredients in blender
Cover and refrigerate for bit before serving.

Stilton Pate — Helen Krafsur

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1 pound Stilton, room temp
3 oz cream cheese, room temp
1 stick butter, room temp
1/2 cup of whipping cream
1/3 chopped gherkins
1/3 chopped capers
parsley or watercress sprigs (garnish)

Combine all ingredients except garnish in large bowl or processor and mix until light and creamy.

Malaysian Mussels — LSQ

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Steaming the shellfish in a red curry sauce imparts just a hint of spice.
2 tablespoons oil
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tablespoons)
1/2-inch piece ginger minced (2 tablespoons)
1 tsp or more red curry paste
1 cup coconut milk
2 pounds mussels, beards removed and scrubbed clean
12 cilantro sprigs, chopped
1 lime, cut into wedges

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil shimmers, add garlic and ginger and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Stir curry paste into garlic and ginger and continue to cook 1 minute more. Add coconut milk to skillet and bring to a boil.

Add mussels to skillet, cover, and cook just until mussels open, 2-3 minutes. Transfer mussels to a large serving bowl with a slotted spoon. Pour coconut curry sauce over mussels, garnish with cilantro and lime and serve immediately.

Mojo Rojo from “Tapas” by Ann and Larry Walker, 1998.

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This delicious sauce (often served alongside mojo verde) is especially  delicious with roast pork.  Thanks Tina for the recipe!!

1 ancho chile

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

3 cloves garlic

4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Put the chile in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let rest, covered, for 10 minutes, then drain, remove the stems and seeds, but do not peel.

Combine the chile, cilantro, garlic, thyme, salt, and cumin in a food processor. With the motor running, add the oil and vinegar and blend thoroughly. The sauce can be kept, covered, in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Mojo Verde from “Tapas” by Ann and Larry Walker, 1998.

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That stuff is like crack cocaine of dips/sauces and my gang love it. I got my recipe from a Tapas cookbook by Ann and Larry Walker, now out of print, that I found in a used book rack several years ago. It has just a few ingredients–green bell peppers, garlic, sherry vinegar, olive oil and cilantro…Tina

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This bright green sauce probably came to mainland Spain from South or Central America via the Canary Islands, where we enjoyed it with virtually every meal. It is exciting to both the palate and the eye. Explore its uses with fish, meat, and cooked vegetables such as boiled potatoes, or as a lively dip for raw vegetables.

4 cloves garlic

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1 medium green bell pepper, stemmed and seeded

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine or sherry vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

In a blender or food processor, whirl the garlic with the cilantro until it forms a paste, carefully pushing down the solids with a rubber spatula. Add the bell pepper, then the olive oil and vinegar, and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Let it rest for 30 minutes before serving. The sauce keeps for several hours, but turns a little gray if kept overnight.  Makes about 2 cups.