Sides & Appetizers

Potato Skins


Ingredients:
4 medium sized potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
4 pieces of bacon
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Salt
Sour cream for dipping
Method:
Wash potatoes very good. Prick each potato several time with a fork. Place potatoes in microwave at least an inch apart and cook on high 4-6 minutes or until slightly firm, turning in two minute increments. Set aside to cool. Place bacon on a plate between two paper towels, microwave for 2-3 minutes, rotating every minute, until crispy. Cut each potato in half and scoop out the centers leaving about a ¼ inch boarder. Place the potato centers into a small bowl. Once all the potatoes are scooped, mash the centers with butter until smooth, salt to taste. Arrange skins on a plate. Place filling back into skins making them level. Top each with cheese pressing into the filling slightly. Crumble bacon and sprinkle on top. Microwave for 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serve with sour cream for dipping. Enjoy! (You can also broil them to melt the cheese if doing a larger quantity).


Puffers (German Potato Pancakes)


Ingredients:
3 medium potatoes (2 large or 5 small)
1 egg
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon onion powder
Oil for frying
Method:
Wash, peel and cut the potatoes into large chunks. Place in a food processor (or blender), and process until potatoes are finely minced. Add the egg, flour, and salt. Blend until well mixed. In a straight edged skillet heat about ½ inch oil over medium high heat. Once hot add spoonful’s of the batter to the oil and cook until starting to brown on the edges. Carefully flip over and continue cooking until golden brown on the other side. Remove to plate lined with paper towel to drain the grease. Don’t over crowd the pan and add additional oil if it gets too low. Continue until all of the batter is gone. Enjoy!
My great grandma Butler, who taught me this recipe, told me that her dad always served them with applesauce to counteract all of the grease. So that is exactly what I always do!


Pecan Cranberry Brussels Sprouts


Ingredients:
1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts
2/3 cup roughly chopped pecans
3 tablespoons butter
¾ cup roughly to chopped dried cranberries
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Method:
Thinly slice the Brussels sprouts, making sure to remove the core pieces. Toast the chopped pecans in a large sauté pan over medium high heat, stirring constantly until they start to darken and smell nutty, about 2 minutes. Add the butter to the pan, once it is melted add in the Brussels sprouts, salt and pepper. Cook stirring constantly, until the sprouts are just tender, about 5-6 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add in the cranberries, mix and serve. Enjoy!


Mashed Red Potatoes


Ingredients:
6 large red potatoes
5 tablespoons butter
½ cup sour cream
6 tablespoons milk
Salt
Pepper
Method:
Wash and cut all the potatoes into similar sizes pieces. The smaller you cut the potatoes the faster they will cook. Put them in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and add salt. Boil until the potatoes are fork tender and falling apart. The longer they cook the easier they are to mash, drain. Place in a large bowl with the butter, sour cream, milk, salt and pepper to taste. Using an electric mixer whip until smooth and creamy texture is reached. Enjoy!


Marinated Cucumbers


Ingredients:
1 cup white wine vinegar
½ cup water
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon salt
Whole Peppercorns
Cucumbers
Method:
Mix together the vinegar, water, sugar, parsley and salt, making sure the sugar and salt are dissolved. Peel and thinly slice the cucumbers, place them in a bowl or jar. Add a few peppercorns, and then pour the marinade over the cucumbers to cover. Refrigerate for at least 2 hour, overnight is even better, before serving. For a slight variation, use with thinly sliced onions, or red peppers. Enjoy!


Rice Pilaf



Ingredients:
1 cup orzo pasta
1 cup white rice (not instant)
½ cup butter (1 stick)
4 cups chicken stock
½ tablespoon garlic powder
½ tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Method:
In a large pot over medium high heat, melt the butter, add the orzo and rice, cook until the orzo and rice are golden brown, stirring frequently so they don’t burn. Add in the chicken stock, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Enjoy! 


Mozzarella Cheese Bites



Ingredients:
14 mozzarella string cheese
1 package shake n bake
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 egg
Marinara sauce
Method:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a shallow dish combine the shake n bake, and the Italian seasoning. In another shallow dish beat the egg. Cut each string cheese in half. coat each in egg and then into the shake n bake mixture. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake them for 8-12 minutes or until the coating is crunchy and the cheese is softened. Serve with marinara sauce for dipping. Enjoy!


Stuffed Mushrooms



Ingredients:
2 packages mushrooms
1 pound Italian sausage
2 packages cream cheese
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet over medium high heat cook the sausage until browned. Drain and return to skillet. Meanwhile, remove the stems from the mushrooms. Place the mushrooms on a baking sheet. Finely chop the stems, add them to the sausage. Return the pan to the heat and add the cream cheese. Stir until the cream cheese is melted and everything is well combined. Stuff the mushroom caps with filling. Bake them for 10 minutes or until mushrooms are cooked through. Enjoy!


Tangy Cheesy Cauliflower



Ingredients:
1 medium head of cauliflower
¼ cup water
½ mayonnaises
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Method:
Break the cauliflower into bite sized flowerets, place in a large microwave safe bowl. Add the water and cover. Microwave on high for 6-9 minutes or until cauliflower is tender. Drain off the water. In a small bowl mix together the mayo, mustard, onion powder, and salt. Cover the cauliflower with the sauce and stir. Cover with cheese. Microwave for 2-3 more minutes or until cheese is melted. Enjoy!



Guacamole My Way


Ingredients:
4 ripe avocados
2-3 limes
1-2 tomatoes (depending on size)
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Salt
Tortilla chips for serving
Method:
Dice the tomatoes into small pieces, set aside. Slice each avocado in half lengthwise around the pit, separate and remove the pit. Cut each in half again and gently peel of the skins. Cut into chunks and place in a medium bowl. Zest one lime, adding it to the avocados. Juice 2-3 limes depending on how juicy they are. Mash the avocados together with the lime zest and juice using a fork or potato masher. Add the garlic powder, onion powder and salt to taste. Add tomatoes mix to combine, serve with chips. Enjoy!

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