Aye Cubano!

February 3, 2015

I visited Denver for the first time a few weeks ago and went to the most amazing Cuban Sandwich place. Twice. In two days. If you happen to be in the area, visit Buchi Cafe and order the Aye Conyo…and the avocado salad, and the empanadas with chimichurri, and the platanos and the cafe con leche. Everything we tried was amazing!

So when I stumbled upon this Cuban Sandwich Dip recipe from The Family Foodie  on Twitter, I knew I had to make it for our Annual Superbowl Party. It was a hit! It was seriously devoured in under 20 minutes. I’ll definitely be making it again for another party.

About the recipe: I couldn’t find a honey dijon dressing so I spread a mixture of honey mustard and dijon mustard on top of the meat mixture then added a layer of dill pickles before baking. I chose to serve with Melba toast, but you could scoop this deliciousness up with anything! Next time, I think I’ll add some lime zest to the cream cheese to mimic the key lime mayo on the sandwich at Buchi’s and add layers of pepperoni and hot peppers too.

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Before going into the oven

 

What do you love about Cuban sandwiches?

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#SundaySupper Endive Spears Topped With Apple, Blue Cheese and Hazelnut Salad

September 23, 2012

I have to admit. When I saw the #SundaySupper topic was Autumn Apple Party, I thought I might skip this week. I couldn’t think of one dish I’d ever made with apples…and I don’t think dipping them in peanut butter counts.

However, after a bit of thought, I decided to accept the challenge and go outside my comfort zone and try something new. I thought about applesauce or pork chops with apples, but most of the ideas that came to mind were already accounted for.  So, while searching on my favorite recipe website, I stumbled upon this apple salad served in endive and thought not only did it sound tasty, but it’s a great appetizer.  You don’t need utensils and it can be enjoyed in just one, or two, bites.

I tested this recipe on my co-workers earlier this week and it went over okay.  I didn’t follow the recipe to a “t,” and eye-balled everything and it turned out a little too blue-cheesy and mayonnaise-y.  The also didn’t have endive at the Farmer’s Market (well, they had a sign that said “endive” but the lettuce underneath was not endive) so I served it over chopped red lettuce.  It was “eh.”

I made it again last night and followed the recipe almost verbatim (put a little less blue cheese and added pepper) and it came out absolutely delicious — and I found endive at Kroger, whew!  Such a gorgeous presentation and still a hit with the guys that came over to watch football.  Will definitely make again!

P.S. In my hunt for apple recipes, I found an amazing one for apple butter. It may have taken 14 hours to prepare, but it was worth the wait.  I will be sharing that recipe soon!

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Yummy pre-game nibble

Endive Spears Topped With Apple, Blue Cheese and Hazelnut Salad

printable recipe

  • 1 large Gala apple, cored and cut into 1/8-inch dice
  • ¼ cup blue cheese, crumbled
  • 2 celery stalks,chopped
  • 3 Tbs. light mayo
  • 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 “head” of endive, leaves separated 1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

In a medium bowl, combine the apple, blue cheese, celery, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Stir gently to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To assemble, mound a small spoonful of the apple mixture onto the core end of each endive leaf. Sprinkle with the hazelnuts and serve.

Here’s our Autumn Apple Party Menu from members of the #SundaySupper community!

Soups, Salads, Starters and Breads

Main Meals

Sides

Desserts

Beverages

Please be sure you join us on Twitter throughout the day during #SundaySupper. We’ll be meeting up at 7:00 pm (Eastern) for our weekly #SundaySupper  live chat where we’ll talk about our favorite apple recipes! All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, or you can follow us through TweetChat!  We’d also love to feature your apple recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers!

Posted in #SundaySupper, Appetizers, fall, finecooking.com, Football Food, Healthy, Salad, Summertime Lunch | 82 Comments »
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#SundaySupper #BackToSchool Tots Your Tots Will Love!

August 26, 2012

As I’ve mentioned, I’ve started making lunch for the ladies in the office and I’m a big fan of Meatless Monday.  So, when I needed something to pair with a Cream of Tomato Soup, these were the perfect match!  I threw together a batch of these ridiculously easy zucchini tots one evening to “test” the recipe to make sure they were good…and, my husband and I devoured the entire pan before they could cool. Needless to say, they are delicious.

Not only are these tots easy to prepare, they can be frozen and reheated in the toaster oven for a quick breakfast or afternoon snack. An added bonus is your family will love them and it’s an tasty way to sneak some veggies into the pickiest of eaters. Feel free to play around with the vegetable and cheese combos.  I think carrots, squash or broccoli would be great substitutions as would monterey jack, swiss or muenster.

Zucchini Tots

printable recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 zucchini, grated
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ onion, diced
  • ¼ cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
  • ¼ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray. Grate the zucchini over a paper towel. Pat the excess water out of the zucchini once grated. Combine all the ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste. Fill the muffin tins with the mixture. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until the tops are golden. Use a knife to help remove the muffins from the pan and enjoy!

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Mix all the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl (I was making a double batch in this pic).

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Be sure to fill the tins to the top for a perfect-sized tot.

Related articles

Check out more delicious #BackToSchool recipes from the #SundaySupper community listed below:

Please be sure you join us on Twitter throughout the day on Sunday. We’ll be meeting up at 7:00 p.m. EST for our weekly #SundaySupper live chat where we’ll talk about Back to School Meals and ways to make meal time easier!

All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, or you can follow us through TweetChat! We’ll be sharing great recipes and tips all afternoon, and we’ll be talking all things Back to School Meals during our chat!

We’d also love to feature your Back to School Recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers!

Posted in Appetizers, Breakfast, Cheese, disappearing act, Lunch, Meatless Monday, side dish, Vegetables | 42 Comments »
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#SundaySupper: Bacon & Eggs

July 1, 2012

My aunt has been making these popular party apps for as long as I can remember and they always go fast at family get.  I’m pretty sure it’s the bacon that keeps ’em coming back for seconds, thirds and fourths.  Now, I’ve never actually asked my aunt for the recipe, I just know she puts bacon in hers, which is what I started doing a few years ago. I’ve also added a personal touch of a little bit of honey mustard for some zing. So, although our batches might not come out tasting exactly the same, they are both delicious!

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Deviled Eggs with Bacon

  • 2 dozen eggs
  • 1 pound low-sodium bacon
  • 1/4 cup light mayo
  • 2 tbs honey mustard
  • A few dashes of hot sauce, to taste
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tbs fresh Italian parsley, chopped
  • 1 tbs chile powder

Instructions

Place the raw eggs in a large pot and fill pot with water until eggs are just covered.  Bring  to a boil, then lower to a simmer for about 15 minutes.  Turn the heat off and let them sit another 5 to 10 minutes, then pour out the hot water, fill pot with cold water and add a few ice cubes.  I find chilling the eggs makes them a little easier to peel.

While the eggs are boiling, go ahead and fry up the bacon making sure to cook it extra crispy so it’s easy to crumble later.

Once all the eggs are peeled, slice them in half, length-wise, and place all the cooked yolks in one bowl and the egg white halves on an egg platter.  Add the mayo through parsley to the yolks and mix thoroughly.  You might want to add a little more mayo and/or mustard to reach your desired creaminess.  Fold in the bacon,crumbling while adding, and fill the egg white halves with the yolk mixture.  Dust with chili powder and serve!

Tip:  If making ahead of time, mix everything together except for bacon. I save that for the last-minute so you don’t risk it getting too soft.  Also,do not assemble the yolk mixture with the egg whites until right before serving.  This keeps any deviled egg bandits from sneaking a taste before putting on the table ;0)

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Arancini de Delizioso!

April 2, 2011

For Christmas last year, I decided to serve an Italian feast.  That it was…although we ate two and a half hours late.  But, in my family, that tends to happen.  We did have plenty of wine and appetizers, so we enjoyed a lot of great family time together!

The Arancini, or Italian Rice Balls, were an absolute hit!  I had enough leftover risotto to make another batch a few days later and threw them in a ziplock bag and into the freezer.  We’ve been enjoying them for months since — just toss into the oven at 400 degrees for about 10 to 15 minutes and they’re just as delicious as the first time!

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Making Risotto mixture

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Stuff a Mozzarella cube inside

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Roll stuffed Risotto Balls in bread crumbs (Cooking in PJs, BTW)

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Gooey goodness!

Ingredients:

Printable Recipe

 

  • Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
  • 2 large eggs, beaten to blend
  • 2 cups Risotto with Mushrooms and Peas, recipe follows, cooled
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
  • 1 1/2 cups dried Italian-style bread crumbs
  • 2 ounces mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • Salt

Directions:

Pour enough oil in a heavy large saucepan to reach the depth of 3 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat to 350 degrees F.

Stir the eggs, risotto, Parmesan, and 1/2 cup of the bread crumbs in a large bowl to combine. Place the remaining breadcrumbs in a medium bowl. Using about 2 tablespoons of the risotto mixture for each, form the risotto mixture into 1 3/4-inch-diameter balls. Insert 1 cube of mozzarella into the center of each ball. Roll the balls in the bread crumbs to coat.

Working in batches, add the rice balls to the hot ail and cook until brown and heated through, turning them as necessary, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the rice balls to paper towels to drain. Season with salt. Let rest 2 minutes. Serve hot.

 Mushroom Risotto with Peas:

  • 8 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
  • 1/2-ounce dried porcini mushrooms
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups finely chopped onions
  • 10 ounces white mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice or short-grain white rice
  • 2/3 cup dry white wine
  • 3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
  • 2/3 cup grated Parmesan
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, optional

 

Bring the broth to a simmer in a heavy medium saucepan. Add the porcini mushrooms. Set aside until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Keep the broth warm over very low heat.

Melt the butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the white mushrooms and garlic. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the porcini mushrooms to a cutting board. Finely chop the mushrooms and add to the saucepan. Saute until the mushrooms are tender and the juices evaporate, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and let it toast for a few minutes. Add the wine; cook until the liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of hot broth; simmer over medium-low heat until the liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Continue to cook until the rice is just tender and the mixture is creamy, adding more broth by cupfuls and stirring often, about 28 minutes (the rice will absorb 6 to 8 cups of broth). Stir in the peas. Mix in the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

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The Wonders of Won Tons

August 1, 2010

I love potstickers. I especially love the yummy dipping sauce you dredge them in before popping them in your mouth.  Below is a recipe for both. 

Enjoy.

Oh, and don’t forget the wasabi.

Chicken and Lemon Pot Stickers with Soy-Scallion Dipping Sauce

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 2 pot stickers and about 2 teaspoons sauce)

 Ingredients

Pot stickers:

1/2  cup  dry sherry

1/2  cup  water

1/2  ounce  dried shiitake mushrooms

3/4  cup  finely chopped bok choy (about 1/2 pound)

1/3  cup  chopped green onions

1/4  cup  finely chopped water chestnuts

1  tablespoon  low-sodium soy sauce

1  teaspoon  salt

2  teaspoons  minced peeled fresh ginger

2  teaspoons  grated lemon rind

1  teaspoon  dark sesame oil

Dash of hot sauce

1/2  pound  ground chicken or turkey

24  wonton wrappers

2  tablespoons  cornstarch

1/4  cup  vegetable oil, divided

1  cup  water, divided

 Sauce:

5  tablespoons  mirin (sweet rice wine)

1/4  cup  low-sodium soy sauce

1/4  cup  seasoned rice vinegar

3  tablespoons  chopped green onions

1  teaspoon  chile paste with garlic

Preparation

To prepare pot stickers, bring sherry and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat; add mushrooms. Cover and let stand 30 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Drain and discard liquid. Finely chop mushrooms. Combine mushrooms, bok choy, and the next 9 ingredients (bok choy through chicken), stirring well.

Working with 1 wonton wrapper at a time (cover remaining wrappers with a damp towel to prevent drying), spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons chicken mixture into center of each wrapper. Moisten edges of dough with water; bring 2 opposite corners to center, pinching points to seal. Bring the remaining 2 corners to center, pinching points to seal. Pinch 4 edges together to seal. Place pot stickers on a large baking sheet sprinkled with cornstarch.

 Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of pot stickers; cook 2 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown. Carefully add 1/2 cup water to pan; cover and cook 4 minutes. Uncover and cook 3 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Repeat procedure with remaining 2 tablespoons oil, pot stickers, and 1/2 cup water.

 To prepare sauce, combine mirin and the remaining ingredients. Serve with the pot stickers.

 

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Won Ton wrappers

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Meat mixture

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After adding filling, pinch two opposite corners together

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Pinch two remaining corners

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Be sure to set in cornstarch before frying

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Fry in oil before adding water and lid and steaming the rest of the way

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Sprinkle with chopped green onion and serve with dipping sauce

Posted in Appetizers, Asian, Cooking Light, Potstickers | 6 Comments »
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