AwesomeBites

Category: Appetizers

  • Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms with Pickled Beets, Goat Cheese and Walnuts

    Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms with Pickled Beets, Goat Cheese and Walnuts

    If you want to make appetizers, just use the baby portabellos instead of the big guys.

    Ingredients

    1 jar (16 ounces) Whole Pickled Beets
    4 large portobello mushrooms (about 1 pound)
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs, such as sourdough or whole wheat*
    1/4 cup sliced green onions or chopped chives
    1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
    1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

    Preparation

    Preheat oven to 400°F. Drain beats, reserving liquid. Coarsely chop 1/2 cup beets; set remaining whole beets aside with beet liquid to use in Vegetable Platter With Balsamic-Beet Vinaigrette (recipe follows).
    Trim stems flat and remove gills from mushroom caps using a spoon; discard. Place caps, rounded sides down, on foil-lined baking sheet; season with salt and pepper.
    Combine chopped beets, bread crumbs, green onions and walnuts in medium bowl; mix well. Spoon mixture into caps and top with cheese. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until heated through and mushrooms are tender.

  • Portabello Mushrooms with Tomato Bruschetta

    Portabello Mushrooms with Tomato Bruschetta

    Portabello instead of bread

    My this makes me hungry. Trying to stay away from carbs? How about Tomato Bruschetta on a Grilled or Oven Roasted Portabello.
    Heavenly.

    Clean the mushrooms by wiping with a towel. Remove the stem so you have a flat mushroom cap with plenty of “bowl” space.
    Marinade the caps for 2 hours to overnight in your favorite vinegar oil dressing.

    Heat oven to 400 degrees and bake mushroom caps for 20-25 minutes until tender.
    Remove from oven, let cool.
    Top with Tomato Bruschetta and a thin slice of parmesan.
    Enjoy.

    Remember to use the baby portabellos if you are making for appetizers.

  • Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms – Spinach, Ricotta and Mozzarella

    Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms – Spinach, Ricotta and Mozzarella

    4 large Portobello mushrooms
    2/3 cup Ricotta cheese
    10 oz bag spinach, cooked, squeezed and chopped
    2 tbsp flour
    1 large garlic clove, minced
    1 medium onion, chopped
    1 cup monterrey jack or mozzarella cheese, grated or finely diced
    2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
    2 tsp dried oregano

    Instructions
    Cut out mushroom stalks at cap. Reserve caps, chop stalks and mix to remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Season to taste. Place mushrooms on a baking sheet, underside up. Mound stuffing on mushrooms and smooth over. Cook in center of preheated oven at 400° F for 20 to 25 minutes until golden.

  • Brushetta – Old Fashion Garlic Bread

    Brushetta – Old Fashion Garlic Bread

    Garlic Toast – Bruschetta

    Toasted  bread with garlic and olive oil.

    12 slices of good rustic bread, baguette preferred  – cut 1/2 inch thick

    1-2 garlic cloves – cut in half

    1/3 to 1/2 cup virgin olive oil, a fruity olive oil is best

    Toast the bread in the broiler or over hot coals until golden brown, quckly rub the bread with the garlic haves – place the slices on a platter ina single layer.

    Drizzle olive oil over the bread. You don’t need to drown the bread – but drizzle enough so you can taste it. Serve immediately.

  • Bruschetta with White Beans

    Bruschetta with White Beans

    Tuscan White Bean Bruschetta
    White Bean Bruschetta

     

    1 cup canned cannelinni white beans

    1/4 tsp ground sage

    2 T olive oil

    12 slices of bruschetta

    24 arugula leeaves, washed and shredded

    24 roasted red pepper slices

    virgin olive oil – if desired

    freshly ground black pepper

    Puree beans in food processor  or with hand held blender with sage and olive oil, salt to taste. Smooth a spoonful of bean puree on the bruschetta. Top with shredded arugula and roasted red peppers. Grind a bit of black pepper on top and serve immediately.

    If you keep a jar of red pimentos in the pantry along with can of cannellini beans – all you need is a loaf of good bread for a quick and easy appetizer.

  • Tomato and Basil Topping for Bruschetta

    Tomato and Basil Topping for Bruschetta

    Take one!

     
    2 Diced tomatoes (Some recipes would have you peel the tomatoes, not happening in my kitchen. Who has that kinda time?)

    5-10 Finely chopped or shredded basil leaves

    Finely chopped garlic (at least one clove)

    Splash with Champagne Vinegarette

    Salt and freshly ground black pepper

    1/2 tsp dijon mustard or worcestershire sauce to give it more kick (optional)

    1 tsp balsalmic vinegar (optional)

    Allow to mingle for the flavors to marinade for 15 minutes. 1 hour is even better.

    Serve on top of hot bruschetta and along side White Cheddar Cheese Spread, or shaved parmesan

    Tomato Bruschetta
  • Guacamole

    Guacamole

    Fresh Avocado

    2 medium avocados, peelled and pitted

    juice of 1/2 lime

    1 medium tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped

    1 small onion, chopped

    1 garlic clove, minced

    1-2 T cilantro

    1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped finely

    1/4 tsp ground cumin

    Salt to taste

    Mash avocados with a fork, Add the lime juice. Stir in remaining ingredients. Jalapenos add a bit at a time – 2 will be fairly hot – so add until spicy enough for your taste. 

    Chunky Guacamole Dip

    If you have made Pico de Gallo, you can just add a some to the mashed avocados with lime and save a few steps.

    Cover with plastic wrap, so avocados will not discolor.

    Serve with chips and tacos.

    Awesome Guacamole
  • Gourmet Smoked Turkey or Chicken Salad

    Gourmet Smoked Turkey or Chicken Salad

    Years ago, I tasted this smoked turkey salad.  At the time, I made a mental note that I had to make my own version. It was so delicious.  I happen to love chicken or turkey salad, but this one has a surprise.  The smokey-ness.  It pops it into a gourmet category, and yet it is still so simple to make.

    Gourmet Smoked Turkey Salad

    I like to use left over turkey breast meat.  I cube the meat, making sure to remove any skin. 

    You do not need to measure for this recipe, but I will give them to you anyway. 

    1 cup cubed turkey breast meat (you can always substitute chicken)

    1/4 cup celery and/or white onion (optional)

    1/4 cup seedless grapes (optional)

    1/4 cup mayonaise – Best Foods is my favorite.

    1 tsp dijon mustard

    1/2 tsp Hickory Smoke Flavoring

    1/2 cup Pecans or Walnuts (optional)

    1/2 cup apples – cubed

    Mix together and salt and pepper to taste.

    Serve on toasted sour dough bread or with saltine or Ritz crackers.

    Do you want to make it richer? Try adding some cubed apple and toasted pecans or walnuts.  You end up with a smoked turkey waldorf salad.  Put that on your buffet table!

  • Butter Poached Lobster

    Butter Poached Lobster

    Ingredients

    • One 8-oz. lobster tail, cut in half

    • 1 lb. butter, clarified
    1 clove garlic
    Lemon or Lime Wedge

    Directions

    Submerge lobster in a pot with clarified butter with garlic. Cook on low heat approximately 10 minutes until butter begins to boil and tails are cooked through. Remove from butter and chop into large bite size pieces. Serve in shot glasses.

    Drizzle each shot with a bit of butter, a squeeze of lemon or lime. Serve warm. Enjoy!

  • Stuffed Mushrooms – Steak, Cheddar and Creamy Horseradish

    4 Portabello Mushroom Caps (cleaned)
    5 oz steak sliced thinly
    Cheese- A mixture is always good: cheddar, parmesan, pepper jack
    touch of creamy horseradish or Onion Marmalade – garnish tops with a bit of carmelized onions.

    Baked stuffed mushrooms, are an easy dish to prepare an cook. It will take approximately 25 minutes to complete, depending on what You stuffed the mushrooms with, it may take a little longer. The best thing about mushrooms is they make a perfect little container for Your other favorite ingredients. There is an endless combination of what You can stuff a mushroom with. You can even stuff a mushroom with other mushrooms, there is so many options when using mushrooms, from taste to flavor, to that special texture mushrooms are are a dish to behold.

    This recipe of baked stuffed mushrooms is My favorite, You can always substitute, for Your favorite ingredients an mushrooms to get that taste You enjoy. You can keep it plan with some cheese, or overdue it with egg, steak an cheese. A good combination, that plays on each ingredient taste, will create a to die for side dish.

    Preheat Oven 400F. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet, cook steak on skillet, until brown. As the steak is cooking add Your favorite cheese, I used American, Brie an Mozzarella Mix well. You will want to lightly clean the mushrooms with a damp cloth, Trim there stalks, Put the mushrooms into a bowl, add olive oil, salt, pepper, an paprika (or Your favorite spice). Toss lightly. Place mushrooms on a flat pan cap side down. Remove steak an cheese from skillet add to each mushroom top, Sprinkle grated Parmesan on each. Place in Oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until mushrooms are crisp. Serve

    This recipe is very flexible, it is best to use Your favorites. Their is so many types of mushrooms an a flavor for everyone. You can stuff a mushroom with almost anything, it’s good to keep Your mind open to to the many options You have when making this mushroom dish.