Jalapeno PoppersINGREDIENTS:
• 6 to 8 jalapeño peppers, cut in halves, remove seeds • 1 roll of hot breakfast sausage • 1 - 8-ounce package cream cheese DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Brown sausage, drain and cool. Put sausage in a bowl, add cream cheese, mix well. Stuff each pepper and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Poppers can be served as an appetizer, side dish or a great snack with friends! |
Topping Variations:
For Tomato Bruschetta: Slice the tomatoes and place in a bowl. Add salt, pepper to taste, 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic and 7 or 8 leaves of basil or oregano. Drizzle olive oil on top and mix well. Spread on dough for cooking. For Potato Bruschetta: Boil 1 large potato for about 45 minutes. When cool, chop it into small pieces and put in a bowl. Add 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with olive oil and mix well. Spread on dough for cooking. For Mushroom Bruschetta: Wash mushrooms and chop fine, place in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste and 3 cloves of finely chopped garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and mix well. Spread on dough for cooking. Really you can use anything you like…zucchini, eggplant, peppers… just marinade them like the recipes above with salt, pepper, garlic and olive oil. |
BruschettaINGREDIENTS
Dough: • 4 cups bread flour • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 1 teaspoon salt • 2 envelopes active dry yeast • 1 ½ cups of very warm water • Toppings of your choice DIRECTIONS Add all the dry ingredients together including the yeast. Mix well. Add the oil and water. Mix well. Let the dough sit for 10 minutes. Remove after 10 minutes and roll dough in a long log shape. Cut into 3 equal parts. Put a few drops of oil in the palm of your had and spread the dough in an oval shape on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, until it is about ¼ inch thick. Repeat with all 3 balls of dough. Set aside and cover with a towel until the dough doubles in size… about 1 hour. Top with your favorite vegetables and spices, then bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, lift up the dough with a spatula… if it is golden brown then it is done. *Note: Every oven is different. I had to turn the oven to broil to brown the bruschetta on top. Your oven may brown the top as well. Just use your best judgment. Enjoy! |
Buffalo Mozzarella AntipastoINGREDIENTS
• 4 large tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick • 1 large Buffalo Mozzarella log, sliced • Olive oil • Salt • Black pepper • 2 garlic cloves, minced • Balsamic glaze • Fresh basil leaves DIRECTIONS Cut all the tomatoes into 1/4 inch thick slices. Arrange them on a serving plate or platter. Sprinkle with salt, pepper. Combine the minced garlic with a little bit of chopped basil in a small bowl. Smear the garlic/basil mixture onto each tomato slice. Next, drizzle a little bit of olive oil and balsamic glaze onto each tomato. Add a slice of mozzarella onto each tomato. Sprinkle a little more of salt and pepper. Drizzle a little more olive oil and balsamic glaze. Place a few leaves of basil on top. |
ON THE LIGHTER SIDE... To reduce fat and calories, use thinner slices of mozzarella on each tomato. Using extra virgin olive oil sparingly, offers many "heart-healthy" benefits. |
Italian-Style GuacamoleINGREDIENTS
• 3 ripe avocados, finely chopped • 3 Roma tomatoes, finely chopped • ½ red onion, finely chopped • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped • Drizzle of olive oil • Salt, pepper, to taste • Pepperoncino, to taste DIRECTIONS Chop all veggies in a food processor (not to liquidity). Put in large bowl. Peel the avocados and remove the pit. Add the peeled avocados to the vegetables and mixed well with your hands. Add in the spices and mix again. Put the dip in a serving bowl covered with plastic wrap and allow to set in the refrigerator until using. After serving, keep refrigerated! |
Blooming OnionINGREDIENTS
• Large onion • 1 cup flour • 1 egg • Salt, pepper to taste • Water • Oil for frying DIRECTIONS Cut slices all around onion, leaving the bottom attached. Make the batter by mixing the flour, egg and salt and pepper together. Gradually add a little water at a time until the batter is of a pancake consistency. Dip onion into batter, spreading apart all the slits until each layer is fully coated. You need a deep fryer or a pan deep enough to completely submerge the whole onion in very hot sizzling oil. If using a pan, place the onion in, upside down. Cook until golden brown on top. Remove with tongs and place on a dish coated with paper towel to collect excess oil. Lightly sprinkle with salt. Talk about delicious! |
TO MAKE THE ARTICHOKE DIP
Mix all the ingredients together and place in a 9x13 greased glass dish. Top with a few more sprinkles of mozzarella. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Serve with bread or crackers! |
Bread Bowl with Artichoke DipINGREDIENTS
• 1 (refer to my Bread recipe and/or video) • 1 can of artichoke hearts • 1 cup of mayo • 1 cup of Parmesan Cheese • 1 cup shredded mozzarella DIRECTIONS TO MAKE THE BREAD BOWL: Follow my bread dough recipe and/or video. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. You will only use two pieces, with the other two pieces you can make one spianata, and 6 to 8 rolls. Turn a stainless steel, small bowl upside down, cover with foil pulling tight and tucking under all ends, grease the foil with butter. Roll out one piece of dough to about a ¼-inch thick, place equally over the bowl, with kitchen scissors, cut stripes about 1-inch thick all the way around the bowl. Roll out the other piece of dough into a rectangle about ¼-inch thick. Cut about six ½-inch strips. Gently pick up one strip and weave towards the base, over one strip and under the other until you get to the point were you started. Continue this process until you weave your way down to the bottom of the dish. You will have long flaps at the end. Take one and fold it to the left. Pick up the next one and slightly fold over the first one. Continue all the way around, this will form your weave on top. After you finish, put some olive oil in the palm of your hand and coat the outside. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow the dough to rest for about ½-hour, lightly covered with a dish towel. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15 to 17 minutes depending on ovens, should be golden brown. Remove and allow to cool. After cool, gently remove the stainless steel bowl. Place the basket upside on the same baking sheet, cut strips of aluminum foil and cover the edges only leaving the interior of the basket exposed. Turn the oven on to broil. Place the basket back in the oven for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool, add dips and place in the middle of your table for a fantastic appetizer, allowing your guest to break off their own piece of bread for dipping. *Chef’s Note: If you freeze the basket, allow to defrost completely. Place on a cookie sheet and warm until the bread is crunchy, not mushy. |
SpinfillosINGREDIENTS
• 2 cups firmly packed fresh spinach • 1 package of cream cheese vegetable spread • 1 box of Mini Fillo Shells, fully baked DIRECTIONS Boil spinach until tender, drain and allow to cool. When cool, squeeze out excess water, and chop fine. Put 3 heaping tablespoons of cream cheese vegetable spread in a soup bowl and mix to soften. Add spinach, mix well. Scoop one heaping teaspoon into each shell. Keep refrigerated until serving! This could also be used as a great party snack! Note: For those who can't find vegetable dip, you can easily make your own. Finely chop 1 large carrot, 1 celery stalk, ½ an onion and 1 clove of garlic. Sauté in 1 tablespoon of oil until tender. Let cool, then mix all vegetables including spinach, with one box of cream cheese. |
Melon Prosciutto AntipastoINGREDIENTS
• Melon (any favorite one) • Prosciutto (1 slice per wedge of melon) Options: • Strawberries • Avocado • Favorite cheese (slice or chunk) • Fresh basil leaves DIRECTIONS Wash melon if you leave the peel on. Cut in half and scoop out seeds, etc. Have one slice of prosciutto per wedge of melon. Cut the melon into 6 to 8 wedges according to size of melon. Cut the melon away from the bottom from right to center, do the same from the left side. Do not cut all the way through, (leave the center connected to the peel.) Drape a slice of prosciutto over the wedge. Garnish with strawberries and avocado... or add a slice of your favorite cheese and garnish with a fresh basil leaf. This is a wonderful appetizer for any meal! |