Teriyaki Mini Meatballs

We went to a Superbowl party last week and I knew that I wanted to make those Buffalo Chicken Meatballs again.  They were damn good!  I was having fun with the mini meatballs so I thought I'd try another one.  Steve was looking for an Asian style meatball so I made my usual meatballs (minus the Romano cheese and just a couple of additions) and found this fantastic sauce recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  What a great find her blog is!  You should check it out! I followed her ingredients for sauce but I thickened it with a little butter in flour instead of the cornstarch but either method is fine.  I also added some sesame seeds and later thought some sliced scallions would be good so I'll try that next time.  Let me just tell you, I definitely scored with those buffalo chicken meatballs but the teriyaki meatballs were a Touchdown!

Teriyaki Mini Meatballs

 

Yield: 38-40 meatballs 

Meatballs:

1 lb ground beef (85% lean)

3 large gloves garlic (minced)

2 tablespoons milk

1 egg

salt and pepper, to taste

½ cup bread crumbs

1  tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

1 tablespoon Teriyikai Sauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  

Mix all ingredients together and form mini meatballs.  Place on a greased baking pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until nicely browned. 

Sauce:


slightly adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
 
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 3/4 cups water
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablspoons sesame seeds
1/2 cup sliced scallions


Directions:


In a bowl whisk soy sauce, water, ginger, garlic powder, brown sugar and honey in a bowl. In a small sauce pot melt 2 tablespoons of butter and then add 2 tablespoons of flour.  Whisk together and let cook for 1 minute.  Add the sauce mixture and let cook until combined and thickened.   Add meatballs to pot and let simmer for about 10 minutes.  Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced scallions 

So what do you think of my new dish?  It's called a split server.  Have any suggestions on how else to cook in it/serve in it?  It's oven safe up to 450 degrees.  You can see the details here. 





Click here for a printable version of this recipe.  

Teriyaki Mini Meatballs

We went to a Superbowl party last week and I knew that I wanted to make those Buffalo Chicken Meatballs again.  They were damn good!  I was having fun with the mini meatballs so I thought I'd try another one.  Steve was looking for an Asian style meatball so I made my usual meatballs (minus the Romano cheese and just a couple of additions) and found this fantastic sauce recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  What a great find her blog is!  You should check it out! I followed her ingredients for sauce but I thickened it with a little butter in flour instead of the cornstarch but either method is fine.  I also added some sesame seeds and later thought some sliced scallions would be good so I'll try that next time.  Let me just tell you, I definitely scored with those buffalo chicken meatballs but the teriyaki meatballs were a Touchdown!

Teriyaki Mini Meatballs

 

Yield: 38-40 meatballs 

Meatballs:

1 lb ground beef (85% lean)

3 large gloves garlic (minced)

2 tablespoons milk

1 egg

salt and pepper, to taste

½ cup bread crumbs

1  tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

1 tablespoon Teriyikai Sauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  

Mix all ingredients together and form mini meatballs.  Place on a greased baking pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until nicely browned. 

Sauce:


slightly adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
 
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 3/4 cups water
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablspoons sesame seeds
1/2 cup sliced scallions


Directions:


In a bowl whisk soy sauce, water, ginger, garlic powder, brown sugar and honey in a bowl. In a small sauce pot melt 2 tablespoons of butter and then add 2 tablespoons of flour.  Whisk together and let cook for 1 minute.  Add the sauce mixture and let cook until combined and thickened.   Add meatballs to pot and let simmer for about 10 minutes.  Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced scallions 

So what do you think of my new dish?  It's called a split server.  Have any suggestions on how else to cook in it/serve in it?  It's oven safe up to 450 degrees.  You can see the details here. 





Click here for a printable version of this recipe.  

Buffalo Chicken Mini Meatballs

Happy New Year Friends! I hope everyone had a safe evening last night!  Thank you for spending 2011 reading my blog and trying new recipes with me.  I appreciate all the wonderful emails I get and am so happy when you share with me that you've tried a recipe and what you thought. Thank you!  Here's to another year together!

About a month ago I was watching Rachael Ray's talk show and saw these two guys talking about meatballs.  Of course, I perked up and started paying closer attention.  The first thing I noticed was that they were not Italian...but they are experts in meatballs and have a restaurant called The Meatballs shop.  How cool is that?!?! I watched them make Buffalo Chicken Mini Meatballs and I thought that it would such a great appetizer for New Year's Eve or Superbowl or anytime we are getting people together.  A few weeks went by and I forgot all about these guys until I was doing some Christmas Shopping and came across their cookbook.  I did a quick flip through and saw so many nontraditional meatball recipes that caught my eye.  The Spaniard - pork chorizo and manchego, Mediterranean Lamb balls - which have raisins, walnuts and mint and Gobble Gobble balls that are made with turkey, garlic croutons and dried cranberries are just a few that interested me.  Of course, I bought the book and so I tried the Buffalo Chicken Balls first.  They were a big hit and I loved them.  I brought them to a party already prepared but not cooked and didn't bring the cookbook with me.  I realize now that I should have had the oven at 450 instead of 400 which is why they didn't get as dark as the ones in the cookbook photo but that's okay.  They still tasted great!

Speaking of photos what do you think of my photo of the meatballs?  Hopefully it's better than what you're used to seeing here because I got a brand new camera for Christmas! I still need to learn how to use it properly but I can already see a difference.   

Buffalo Chicken Mini Meatballs

From The Meatball Shop Cookbook

by Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup Franks’s Redhot sauce

1 pound ground chicken, preferably thigh meat

1 large egg

½ celery stalk, minced

¾ cup bread crumbs

1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450° F.  Drizzle the vegetable oil into a 9x13 inch baking dish and use your hand to evenly coat the entire surface.  Set aside.

Combine the butter and hot sauce in a small saucepan, and cook over low heat, whisking until the butter is melted and fully incorporated.  Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for 10 minutes.

Combine the hot sauce mixture, ground chicken, egg, celery, bread crumbs, and salt in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated.

Roll the mixture into round, ¾ inch balls, making sure the pack the meat firmly.  Place the balls in the prepared baking dish, being careful to line them up snugly and in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid.  The meatballs should be touching one another.  

Roast for 15-20 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through.  A meat thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball should read 165°F.  

Allow the meatballs to cool for 5 minutes in the baking dish before serving. 

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Buffalo Chicken Mini Meatballs

Happy New Year Friends! I hope everyone had a safe evening last night!  Thank you for spending 2011 reading my blog and trying new recipes with me.  I appreciate all the wonderful emails I get and am so happy when you share with me that you've tried a recipe and what you thought. Thank you!  Here's to another year together!

About a month ago I was watching Rachael Ray's talk show and saw these two guys talking about meatballs.  Of course, I perked up and started paying closer attention.  The first thing I noticed was that they were not Italian...but they are experts in meatballs and have a restaurant called The Meatballs shop.  How cool is that?!?! I watched them make Buffalo Chicken Mini Meatballs and I thought that it would such a great appetizer for New Year's Eve or Superbowl or anytime we are getting people together.  A few weeks went by and I forgot all about these guys until I was doing some Christmas Shopping and came across their cookbook.  I did a quick flip through and saw so many nontraditional meatball recipes that caught my eye.  The Spaniard - pork chorizo and manchego, Mediterranean Lamb balls - which have raisins, walnuts and mint and Gobble Gobble balls that are made with turkey, garlic croutons and dried cranberries are just a few that interested me.  Of course, I bought the book and so I tried the Buffalo Chicken Balls first.  They were a big hit and I loved them.  I brought them to a party already prepared but not cooked and didn't bring the cookbook with me.  I realize now that I should have had the oven at 450 instead of 400 which is why they didn't get as dark as the ones in the cookbook photo but that's okay.  They still tasted great!

Speaking of photos what do you think of my photo of the meatballs?  Hopefully it's better than what you're used to seeing here because I got a brand new camera for Christmas! I still need to learn how to use it properly but I can already see a difference.   

Buffalo Chicken Mini Meatballs

From The Meatball Shop Cookbook

by Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup Franks’s Redhot sauce

1 pound ground chicken, preferably thigh meat

1 large egg

½ celery stalk, minced

¾ cup bread crumbs

1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450° F.  Drizzle the vegetable oil into a 9x13 inch baking dish and use your hand to evenly coat the entire surface.  Set aside.

Combine the butter and hot sauce in a small saucepan, and cook over low heat, whisking until the butter is melted and fully incorporated.  Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for 10 minutes.

Combine the hot sauce mixture, ground chicken, egg, celery, bread crumbs, and salt in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated.

Roll the mixture into round, ¾ inch balls, making sure the pack the meat firmly.  Place the balls in the prepared baking dish, being careful to line them up snugly and in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid.  The meatballs should be touching one another.  

Roast for 15-20 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through.  A meat thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball should read 165°F.  

Allow the meatballs to cool for 5 minutes in the baking dish before serving. 

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Appetizer Party Platter

I'm always looking for easy appetizers to bring to a party or to make ahead when I'm hosting a party in my own home. It's easy to fall into a rut and make the same boring appetizers over and over, I'm guilty of it myself. I created this appetizer plate with some of the usual items but tried to add something different to make them feel new again.  The stuffed mushrooms and peppers had the usual bread crumb filling but I added some crispy prosciutto to the mixture. On the mushrooms I added a little piece of Italian Fontina cheese to the top of each one. The potatoes (trader joe's teeny tiny potatoes) were sauteed with shallots sundried tomatoes and then tossed with a premade muffaletta salad.  Recipes to come soon!

Appetizer Party Platter

I'm always looking for easy appetizers to bring to a party or to make ahead when I'm hosting a party in my own home. It's easy to fall into a rut and make the same boring appetizers over and over, I'm guilty of it myself. I created this appetizer plate with some of the usual items but tried to add something different to make them feel new again.  The stuffed mushrooms and peppers had the usual bread crumb filling but I added some crispy prosciutto to the mixture. On the mushrooms I added a little piece of Italian Fontina cheese to the top of each one. The potatoes (trader joe's teeny tiny potatoes) were sauteed with shallots sundried tomatoes and then tossed with a premade muffaletta salad.  Recipes to come soon!

Fried Green Tomatoes

My mom had about 30 green tomatoes that weren't ripening this week and she had no idea what to do with them. I told her I would take them and look up a recipe and figure out how to use them. I decided to make Fried Green Tomatoes although I never tasted a green tomato before. I found a recipe online and then posted it on facebook for all my southern friends to take a look at before I went ahead and used the recipe. I got some yeses and deicded to give it a try. I found this recipe on all recipes and in the commnets section someone suggested a dipping sauce. So I made that with a little smoked paprika added for an extra kick. The recipe calls for a quart of oil, I certainly did not use that much.  Just enough to cover the bottom of the pan by about an inch.  The tomatoes and the sauce were both a big hit with Steve's family. I'm so glad I tried them! Thanks Mom next time I'll make them for you!



Fried Green Tomatoes

Ingredients:

4 large green tomatoes

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup bread crumbs

2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 quart vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

	Slice tomatoes 1/2 inch thick. Discard the ends.
	Whisk eggs and milk together in a medium-size bowl. Scoop flour onto a plate. Mix cornmeal, bread crumbs and salt and pepper on another plate. Dip tomatoes into flour to coat. Then dip the tomatoes into milk and egg mixture. Dredge in breadcrumbs to completely coat.
	In a large skillet, pour vegetable oil (enough so that there is 1/2 inch of oil in the pan) and heat over a medium heat. Place tomatoes into the frying pan in batches of 4 or 5, depending on the size of your skillet. Do not crowd the tomatoes, they should not touch each other. When the tomatoes are browned, flip and fry them on the other side. Drain them on paper towels

Dipping Sauce

1/2 cup mayo
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon horseradish
1 tsp smoked paprika
dash of salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate. Serve with fried green tomatoes.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe. 

Fried Green Tomatoes

My mom had about 30 green tomatoes that weren't ripening this week and she had no idea what to do with them. I told her I would take them and look up a recipe and figure out how to use them. I decided to make Fried Green Tomatoes although I never tasted a green tomato before. I found a recipe online and then posted it on facebook for all my southern friends to take a look at before I went ahead and used the recipe. I got some yeses and deicded to give it a try. I found this recipe on all recipes and in the commnets section someone suggested a dipping sauce. So I made that with a little smoked paprika added for an extra kick. The recipe calls for a quart of oil, I certainly did not use that much.  Just enough to cover the bottom of the pan by about an inch.  The tomatoes and the sauce were both a big hit with Steve's family. I'm so glad I tried them! Thanks Mom next time I'll make them for you!



Fried Green Tomatoes

Ingredients:

4 large green tomatoes

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup bread crumbs

2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 quart vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

	Slice tomatoes 1/2 inch thick. Discard the ends.
	Whisk eggs and milk together in a medium-size bowl. Scoop flour onto a plate. Mix cornmeal, bread crumbs and salt and pepper on another plate. Dip tomatoes into flour to coat. Then dip the tomatoes into milk and egg mixture. Dredge in breadcrumbs to completely coat.
	In a large skillet, pour vegetable oil (enough so that there is 1/2 inch of oil in the pan) and heat over a medium heat. Place tomatoes into the frying pan in batches of 4 or 5, depending on the size of your skillet. Do not crowd the tomatoes, they should not touch each other. When the tomatoes are browned, flip and fry them on the other side. Drain them on paper towels

Dipping Sauce

1/2 cup mayo
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon horseradish
1 tsp smoked paprika
dash of salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate. Serve with fried green tomatoes.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe. 

Prosciutto and Fig Crostini

This is an incredibly easy appetizer that pleases everyone with the sweet and salty combination.  No recipe needed here.  Simply slice up a baguette on a diagonal (so you have a larger surface) drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil and toast it.  You can do this on the grill, in a grill pan, in the oven or under the broiler, whatever method you prefer.  Spread some fig preserves on each slice and top with a thin slice of proscuitto di parma.  You can also use serrano ham in place of the prosciutto.

 Try this at your next dinner party and take the time saved in the kitchen to spend some time with your guests!

Prosciutto and Fig Crostini

This is an incredibly easy appetizer that pleases everyone with the sweet and salty combination.  No recipe needed here.  Simply slice up a baguette on a diagonal (so you have a larger surface) drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil and toast it.  You can do this on the grill, in a grill pan, in the oven or under the broiler, whatever method you prefer.  Spread some fig preserves on each slice and top with a thin slice of proscuitto di parma.  You can also use serrano ham in place of the prosciutto.

 Try this at your next dinner party and take the time saved in the kitchen to spend some time with your guests!

Artichoke and Cannellini Bean Crostini featuring Olivari Olive Oil

 
A couple of weeks ago I was contacted by a representative for Olivari Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  I was asked to try it out and post what I think here on my blog.  I want you all to know that if I receive something and try it and do not like it I will not post it here.  Same way I don't post recipes that I don't think turned out so well..it just seems pointless.  (I have not received any monetary compensation for this review just the product to try out.) I was sent a bottle of Olivari Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a garlic press.  This was really cool because I don't own a garlic press!  I really liked the bottle itself because it comes with a pour spout.  That makes it so much easier since I always pour my oil into pourable bottles.  When you put the cap back on the bottle the spout moves down so you can easily close the top.  The extra virgin olive oil was good and fruity and I have been cooking with it all week.  Here is a recipe that I thought would be great since it contains a lot of olive oil - sort of like a pesto.

The recipe comes from Giada and I really like it once it came together. I was a little put off at first because of the lack of color and texture.  It's actually my fault though.   I wish I had a bigger food processor because it would have been easier to keep this chunky like the recipe stated.  Since mine was too small the mixture had nowhere to go and completely pureed.  My only issue with that is the way it looks, I think it will look prettier if kept chunky.  Somehow I missed that this recipe called for basil and I only had frozen basil.  That didn't quite work in the food processor so I added some fresh parsley and a chopped tomato for some color and texture. I also added a clove of pressed garlic which was a great addition. The crispy prosciutto really helped the appearance and gave it a nice salty bite.  (I used parchment paper and didn't use the cooking spray and there was plenty of oil.)  My family gobbled these little crostini up very quickly and enjoyed every bite!

Artichoke and Cannellini Bean Crostini
Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients:

Vegetable cooking spray
4 very thin slices prosciutto
1 baguette, sliced into 1 inch slices
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 (12-ounce) package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano
1 clove of garlic, pressed
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
salt and pepper to taste, for sprinkling on the bread

Directions:

Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray (or use parchment paper to prevent sticking.)

Lay the prosciutto in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until crispy. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

On another baking sheet, arrange the bread slices in a single layer. Drizzle the bread with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake until golden, about 12 to 15 minutes.

In a food processor, combine the artichoke hearts, beans, cheese, basil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, 2 tsp salt, and pepper. Pulse until the mixture is chunky. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil. Pour into a bowl and mix in chopped parsley and tomato.  Spoon the artichoke mixture onto the crostini. Crumble the prosciutto and sprinkle on top. Drizzle with oil (if desired) and serve.

Note - This made at least 2 cups of the topping.  I used a whole baguette and still had plenty more left over for another day. 

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Thank you to Oliveri Olive Oil for providing me with the oil to make this recipe!

Another way to enjoy the olive oil is to pour some in a small dipping bowl and add salt, pepper and a little crushed red pepper flake to it and use it for dipping your bread in (instead of butter).  It's delicious!

Artichoke and Cannellini Bean Crostini featuring Olivari Olive Oil

 
A couple of weeks ago I was contacted by a representative for Olivari Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  I was asked to try it out and post what I think here on my blog.  I want you all to know that if I receive something and try it and do not like it I will not post it here.  Same way I don't post recipes that I don't think turned out so well..it just seems pointless.  (I have not received any monetary compensation for this review just the product to try out.) I was sent a bottle of Olivari Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a garlic press.  This was really cool because I don't own a garlic press!  I really liked the bottle itself because it comes with a pour spout.  That makes it so much easier since I always pour my oil into pourable bottles.  When you put the cap back on the bottle the spout moves down so you can easily close the top.  The extra virgin olive oil was good and fruity and I have been cooking with it all week.  Here is a recipe that I thought would be great since it contains a lot of olive oil - sort of like a pesto.

The recipe comes from Giada and I really like it once it came together. I was a little put off at first because of the lack of color and texture.  It's actually my fault though.   I wish I had a bigger food processor because it would have been easier to keep this chunky like the recipe stated.  Since mine was too small the mixture had nowhere to go and completely pureed.  My only issue with that is the way it looks, I think it will look prettier if kept chunky.  Somehow I missed that this recipe called for basil and I only had frozen basil.  That didn't quite work in the food processor so I added some fresh parsley and a chopped tomato for some color and texture. I also added a clove of pressed garlic which was a great addition. The crispy prosciutto really helped the appearance and gave it a nice salty bite.  (I used parchment paper and didn't use the cooking spray and there was plenty of oil.)  My family gobbled these little crostini up very quickly and enjoyed every bite!

Artichoke and Cannellini Bean Crostini
Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients:

Vegetable cooking spray
4 very thin slices prosciutto
1 baguette, sliced into 1 inch slices
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 (12-ounce) package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano
1 clove of garlic, pressed
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
salt and pepper to taste, for sprinkling on the bread

Directions:

Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray (or use parchment paper to prevent sticking.)

Lay the prosciutto in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until crispy. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

On another baking sheet, arrange the bread slices in a single layer. Drizzle the bread with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake until golden, about 12 to 15 minutes.

In a food processor, combine the artichoke hearts, beans, cheese, basil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, 2 tsp salt, and pepper. Pulse until the mixture is chunky. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil. Pour into a bowl and mix in chopped parsley and tomato.  Spoon the artichoke mixture onto the crostini. Crumble the prosciutto and sprinkle on top. Drizzle with oil (if desired) and serve.

Note - This made at least 2 cups of the topping.  I used a whole baguette and still had plenty more left over for another day. 

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Thank you to Oliveri Olive Oil for providing me with the oil to make this recipe!

Another way to enjoy the olive oil is to pour some in a small dipping bowl and add salt, pepper and a little crushed red pepper flake to it and use it for dipping your bread in (instead of butter).  It's delicious!

Chorizo Stuffed Potato Poppers

Here's another appetizer I made for the Superbowl. This was another hit and how couldn't it be? Chorizo is awesome!

Ingredients:

2 pounds baby Yukon Gold Potatoes
1 pound of Chorizo, removed from casings
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion diced
1 1/2 cups of Cheddar
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
chopped scallion, separate white (chopped finely) and green parts




Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2.  Leave the skin on and wash and dry potatoes and cut off a small slice on the bottom of the potato so they sit upright.  Wider side up. Arrange on an oiled baking sheet and season with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.  Roast for about 30 minutes or until a knife can be inserted without resistance.  Allow to cool.

3.  When potatoes are cool enough to handle use a melon baller to scoop a hole in the potatoes.  (Reserve the potato that has been removed for breakfast the next day.)

4.  While potatoes are in the oven saute chorizo in a little oil until browned and cooked through.  Make sure to keep breaking up the chorizo with a wooden spoon so you have small pieces.  Add onion and garlic and saute until onions are tender.  Set aside to cool.

5.  Arrange potatoes on a clean baking dish and fill each one with chorizo.  Sprinkle with cheese  and whites of scallions.  Bake at 350 just until cheese is melted.  Sprinkle with the rest of the scallions.

Note - It's okay if some of the potato filling falls out when you are filling the potatoes, it all will get eaten and I think it looks pretty.  Reserve any extra chorizo to mix with the reserved potatoes and a couple of eggs for breakfast. 


Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Chorizo Stuffed Potato Poppers

Here's another appetizer I made for the Superbowl. This was another hit and how couldn't it be? Chorizo is awesome!

Ingredients:

2 pounds baby Yukon Gold Potatoes
1 pound of Chorizo, removed from casings
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion diced
1 1/2 cups of Cheddar
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
chopped scallion, separate white (chopped finely) and green parts




Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2.  Leave the skin on and wash and dry potatoes and cut off a small slice on the bottom of the potato so they sit upright.  Wider side up. Arrange on an oiled baking sheet and season with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.  Roast for about 30 minutes or until a knife can be inserted without resistance.  Allow to cool.

3.  When potatoes are cool enough to handle use a melon baller to scoop a hole in the potatoes.  (Reserve the potato that has been removed for breakfast the next day.)

4.  While potatoes are in the oven saute chorizo in a little oil until browned and cooked through.  Make sure to keep breaking up the chorizo with a wooden spoon so you have small pieces.  Add onion and garlic and saute until onions are tender.  Set aside to cool.

5.  Arrange potatoes on a clean baking dish and fill each one with chorizo.  Sprinkle with cheese  and whites of scallions.  Bake at 350 just until cheese is melted.  Sprinkle with the rest of the scallions.

Note - It's okay if some of the potato filling falls out when you are filling the potatoes, it all will get eaten and I think it looks pretty.  Reserve any extra chorizo to mix with the reserved potatoes and a couple of eggs for breakfast. 


Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Bacon Cheeseburger Bread

While watching Worst Cooks in America with Steve a couple of weeks ago we saw a recipe that we really wanted to try. It was called Cheeseburger Roulade and considered to be upscale football party food. So what better to make for a football party we were attending, right?  Well I thought that since we were traveling I didn't really want to use puff pastry.  I don't want it to get soggy and fall apart by the time we got there.  So I decided to use pizza dough.  I actually used refrigerated thin crust pizza dough so I didn't have to worry about too much dough and not enough filling.  Regular pizza dough that I get from the pizzeria tends to be a lot thicker and I have a hard time getting it thin enough.  So once I decided on that I took a better look at that recipe and decided that there just wasn't enough seasoning for me and I didn't want to bother with a dipping sauce.  I decided to do a search for Cheeseburger Bread to see if I could find a recipe and what do you know...one of my blogging friends had a recipe for Meatloaf Bread. What do you know!  I loved that she used caramelized onions - brilliant and it's a topping I do love on my burgers!  Thanks Dawn for your creative mind! Please check out her blog Vanilla Sugar for some more great recipes!  I also came across a Rachael Ray recipe and why wouldn't the self proclaimed Queen of the burger have a recipe for this already - so I added some of her recipe as well.  Here is my version of this tasty crowd pleaser!  Oh and a word of advice - MAKE TWO!!!

Bacon Cheeseburger Bread

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon butter
4-6 slices center cut bacon, cut into lardons
1 pound ground beef (I prefer chuck 85% lean)
1 large Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
Salt and ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup of white wine
1 tube refrigerated thin crust pizza dough, stretched out a bit
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
2 eggs
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375°F.

2.  Place bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook until crispy.  Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.  Drain all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat and add butter.   When butter is melted add onions sugar, salt and pepper and saute over medium high heat.  The onions will cook for about 30 minutes or so.  When they stick and begin to brown add white wine.  Continue to cook until onions are tender and golden in color.

3.  Meanwhile in another pan heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.  Add the meat to the pan and cook until golden brown, 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic powder, chili powder and smoked paprika to the pan, season with salt and pepper.  Add the mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce to the pot, bring up to a bubble and simmer until thickened, 4-5 minutes. Add reserved bacon. Let cool. Add a beaten egg. 


4.  Dust a clean surface with cornmeal and then roll out dough onto the work surface. Roll out the dough slightly so it's approximately 11x16".


5.  Top the dough with the cooled meat mixture on the bottom third of the dough.  Top that with the  caramelized onions and cheese. Leave a one-inch border on each side. Fold all the borders in and pull top over to cover meat mixture. Pinch sides and if you have any holes just pinch them closed.  Make a few cuts into the top of the dough so steam releases. 

6.  Brush the roll with egg wash and sprinkle it with sesame seeds. Transfer the roll to a baking sheet and bake until dough is evenly golden brown, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly. Slice and serve. 

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Bacon Cheeseburger Bread

While watching Worst Cooks in America with Steve a couple of weeks ago we saw a recipe that we really wanted to try. It was called Cheeseburger Roulade and considered to be upscale football party food. So what better to make for a football party we were attending, right?  Well I thought that since we were traveling I didn't really want to use puff pastry.  I don't want it to get soggy and fall apart by the time we got there.  So I decided to use pizza dough.  I actually used refrigerated thin crust pizza dough so I didn't have to worry about too much dough and not enough filling.  Regular pizza dough that I get from the pizzeria tends to be a lot thicker and I have a hard time getting it thin enough.  So once I decided on that I took a better look at that recipe and decided that there just wasn't enough seasoning for me and I didn't want to bother with a dipping sauce.  I decided to do a search for Cheeseburger Bread to see if I could find a recipe and what do you know...one of my blogging friends had a recipe for Meatloaf Bread. What do you know!  I loved that she used caramelized onions - brilliant and it's a topping I do love on my burgers!  Thanks Dawn for your creative mind! Please check out her blog Vanilla Sugar for some more great recipes!  I also came across a Rachael Ray recipe and why wouldn't the self proclaimed Queen of the burger have a recipe for this already - so I added some of her recipe as well.  Here is my version of this tasty crowd pleaser!  Oh and a word of advice - MAKE TWO!!!

Bacon Cheeseburger Bread

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon butter
4-6 slices center cut bacon, cut into lardons
1 pound ground beef (I prefer chuck 85% lean)
1 large Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
Salt and ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup of white wine
1 tube refrigerated thin crust pizza dough, stretched out a bit
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
2 eggs
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375°F.

2.  Place bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook until crispy.  Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.  Drain all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat and add butter.   When butter is melted add onions sugar, salt and pepper and saute over medium high heat.  The onions will cook for about 30 minutes or so.  When they stick and begin to brown add white wine.  Continue to cook until onions are tender and golden in color.

3.  Meanwhile in another pan heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.  Add the meat to the pan and cook until golden brown, 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic powder, chili powder and smoked paprika to the pan, season with salt and pepper.  Add the mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce to the pot, bring up to a bubble and simmer until thickened, 4-5 minutes. Add reserved bacon. Let cool. Add a beaten egg. 


4.  Dust a clean surface with cornmeal and then roll out dough onto the work surface. Roll out the dough slightly so it's approximately 11x16".


5.  Top the dough with the cooled meat mixture on the bottom third of the dough.  Top that with the  caramelized onions and cheese. Leave a one-inch border on each side. Fold all the borders in and pull top over to cover meat mixture. Pinch sides and if you have any holes just pinch them closed.  Make a few cuts into the top of the dough so steam releases. 

6.  Brush the roll with egg wash and sprinkle it with sesame seeds. Transfer the roll to a baking sheet and bake until dough is evenly golden brown, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly. Slice and serve. 

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Caramelized Onion and Olive Tapenade Pizza

This is a very easy and crowd pleasing pizza! It's pizza so it's casual but the ingredients are a little more special so it can be considered a little more fancy if you want it to be. By keeping a few things on hand in your pantry you can make a quick pizza any day.  This doesn't take any skill at all, you aren't really cooking just combining ingredients.  You can make your own pizza dough if you have the time, I just go to a pizzeria that I like and I buy their dough. You don't even need to have sauce for it to be considered a pizza, at least not in my book.

For this pizza I used caramelized onions, shredded italian blend cheese and trader joe's olive tapenade.  It's made up of mostly kalamata olives and it is delicious!

Caramelized Onions

Ingredients:

One large or 2 medium yellow onions, sliced
approx 1 tablespoon of EVOO and 1/2 tablespoon of butter
salt, pepper and a tsp of sugar

Directions:

Heat large saute pan over medium heat, add butter and oil, add onions, toss to coat in oil.  Allow onions to cook, tossing occasionally but not constantly.  Just like mushrooms you want them to get some color before you stir them.  Once the onions start to soften add salt, pepper and sugar and toss.  You do not want your onions to burn but instead turn a golden brown.  Lower heat if necessary.  Onions will cook for about 30 minutes. 

To assemble Pizza:

Stretch dough with your hands and place on an oiled cookie sheet.  Spread with olive tapenade, shredded cheese and top with caramelized onions. 

Bake at 400 degree for about 20 minutes or until pizza is crispy and golden.