Savory Mini Quiches

Savoury Mini Quiches

36 tart shells
3 eggs
3/4 cup whipping cream
1 Tablespoon dried onions, minced
1/2 pound sausage, cooked and drained
1 1/2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded
paprika, for garnish

In a medium fry pan saute crumbled sausage. Drain and set aside.

In small bowl beat eggs and whipping cream. Sprinkle some sausage and cheese into bottom of each tart shell. (Note: you can use all jack cheese, or cheddar cheese, or a combination of both.) Sprinkle a few dried minced onions over sausage and cheese.

Pour egg and cream mixture over all, filling just to the top of each cup. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake in 325 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. Mini Quiches are done when knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Cream Cheese & Sundried Tomato Triangles

Sun Dried Tomato & Goat Cheese Phyllo Appetizers

4 ounces goat cheese, softened
3 tablespoons sundried tomato pesto
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1 package phyllo dough
butter, melted

Mix together all ingredients except phyllo until combined.

Butter a sheet of phyllo dough, cover with second sheet.
Cut phyllo into 4 equal strips with a sharp knife.

Place a teaspoonful of filling on the bottom corner of the strip, and fold flag style to form a sealed triangle.

Repeat until all filling is used; makes about 40 triangles.

Spicy Ranch Dip

This spiced up dip is excellent with crispy baked chicken wings or vegetable crudite.

1 cup ranch salad dressing
4 ounces chopped green chiles -- drained
2 cloves garlic -- minced
1 Tablespoon Tabasco sauce -- (to taste)

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl or bottle. Mix or shake well to combine.

Let sit at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

Creamy Curry Dip

This exotic tasting dip takes just 5 minutes to prepare and can be made ahead. Perfect for the busy hostess!

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and chill a minimum of 8 hours to blend flavors. Serve with assorted raw vegetables.

Yields: 1-1/4 cups

Garden Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed mushrooms are a popular item at any cocktail party.

1/2 cup dried stuffing mix
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup carrot, finely chopped
1/4 cup green pepper, finely chopped
1 pinch pepper
2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
16 mushrooms, about 2 inches, stems removed

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In small bowl, stir all the ingredients together except mushrooms. Stuff
each mushroom cap with 1 tablespoon filling. Place in buttered 13x9-inch baking
pan.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender.

Baked Onion Dip

4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup chopped sweet onion
1 Tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease a 1 quart baking dish.

In a medium bowl mix cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, sweet and onion. Pour into greased dish; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 40-45 minutes until the onions are tender
and the mixture is bubbling hot.

Serve with chunks of bread, or pita chips.

Mushroom & Red Pepper Bites

Fresh mushrooms team up with roasted red pepper and rich cream cheese in these gourmet baked phyllo bites.


24 button mushrooms, stems removed
1 Oz pimentos, cut into 24 pieces
3 Oz cream cheese
24 tiny sprigs thyme
4 Sheets phyllo pastry
1 Small egg beaten

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Fill mushrooms with pimento and cream cheese, top with thyme.
Cut pastry sheets into 48 squares. Brush with egg, stick sheets in pairs to create star shapes. Sit a mushroom in each, bring up sides of pastry and pinch in the center.

Bake for 3-5 mins, until pastry is crisp and just golden. Serve.

Escargots Bourguignonne

This is not low fat, and it won´t be any good if you try to adjust it. You must use real butter and lots of it! Good French Bread for dipping in the garlic butter is a must!

2 pounds butter
8 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped
48 snails, with shells
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
3 ounces chicken broth
1/4 cup Madeira
1/2 teaspoon salt

Place butter in sauté pan and cook until it begins to turn brown. Add chopped garlic and sauté until light brown. Add snails and sauté for approximately 1 minute. Add parsley, chicken broth, Madeira, and salt. Cook until liquid is reduced to about one-quarter.

Place a little of the sauce in each shell, then add a snail. Reserve the remaining sauce. Place in a 425-degree oven long enough to get very hot. Pour reserved sauce over snails and serve.

Softer Cream Cheese

When a dip recipe calls for softened cream cheese, buy whipped cream cheese instead of regular.

It´s softer consistancy means you won´t need to take the time to let it soften before adding it
to your other ingredients, and the resulting dip will be smooth and lump free.

Savoury Spinach Mini Quiche

These quiche go together in a snap, taste great and can be made ahead.
They´re a popular item at parties, so make extra!

To freeze, place on rack to cool. Place on cookie sheet and flash freeze.
When frozen lay quiche in freezer bags and stack in freezer.

To serve, heat frozen quiche 5-8 minutes in 325 degree oven and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

For best results, use the smallest tart shell you can find.
I prefer the Tenderflake Mini Tart shells.

Mini Quiche: Spinach & Onion (36)

36 tart shells
3 eggs
3/4 cup whipping cream
2 Tablespoons shallots, minced
10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/4 cup swiss cheese, grated
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon paprika, for sprinkling
salt and pepper to taste

In a medium fry pan saute shallots and spinach until water is evaporated and shallots are slightly cooked.

In small bowl beat eggs and whipping cream. Sprinkle some spinach and cheese into bottom of each tart shell.

Pour egg and cream mixture over all, filling just to the top of each cup. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake in 325 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. Mini Quiches are done when knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Yield:
"36 pieces"

Phyllo Cheese Triangles

Phyllo Cheese Triangles

1 pound feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 pound phyllo dough
2 cups butter, melted

Combine feta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, oregano, and olive oil. Mix well and set aside.

Lay one phyllo sheet on a flat surface. Brush with melted butter. Cover with second phyllo sheet. Brush with butter. Repeat with one more sheet.

Cut the three phyllo sheets lengthwise in equal size strips about 2 1/2 inches wide. Place heaping teaspoon of filling at bottom of each strip.

Fold flag fashion, folding phyllo over filling. Continue to fold strip, maintaining triangular shape. Brush top with melted butter or margarine. Place on lightly oiled baking sheet. Repeat with remaining phyllo sheets and filling Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Mediterranean Bruschetta

Mediterranean seasonings are added to this traditional tomato based bruschetta for an exotic twist.

2 large tomatoes -- chopped
2 whole green onions -- chopped
1/2 cup greek salad dressing
1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro
1 Tablespoon fresh chives
1 Tablespoon fresh oregano
1 Tablespoon fresh marjoram
1 whole baguette -- halved lengthwise

In a bowl combine tomatoes, green onions, dressing, and minced herbs. Mix well.

Place bread on a baking sheet, cut side up. Toast under pre-heated broiler.

Spread tomato mixture over toasted bread and broil 3-5 minutes or until heated through.

Cut crosswise into 2 inch pieces and serve.

Dip with a Kick!

This dip has a definite "kick" and goes well with a Mexican or Tex Mex party theme.

Chili Con Queso

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, finely minced
2 tomatoes, seeded peeled & chopped
8 ounces cream cheese
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup pickled jalapeno´s, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Instructions:

1.Melt butter in a skillet and cook the onion until soft.
2.Add the tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes over medium heat until sauce is thick.
3.Add the cream cheese,cream and jalapeno peppers. Stir over low heat until cheese has melted completely; do not boil. Season with salt.
4.Pour into serving dish and sprinkle with crumbled bacon.

Blue Cheese Straws

Blue Cheese and Parmesan Cheese Straws

1 large egg
2 Tablespoons water
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup finely crumbled blue cheese
1 pound frozen puff pastry -- thawed
paprika

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray. In a small bowl, beat together the egg and water to make an egg wash; set aside.

In another bowl, toss together the Parmesan and blue cheeses; set aside. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out each puff pastry sheet into a 14-by-10-inch rectangle.

Brush both of the pastry sheets to the edges with the egg wash and sprinkle with paprika. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over one of the pastry sheets and top with the other pastry sheet, egg wash side down. Roll out the pastry with a rolling pin to flatten slightly.

Cut the pastry in half horizontally with a sharp knife and then lengthwise into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Carefully pick up a stick and, with both hands, twist to form a spiral (left hand counter-clockwise, right hand clockwise).

Arange cheese straws about 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets, pressing ends onto the sheets. Bake until golden and puffed, about 12-15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool before serving

Yield: 56 pieces
NOTES : Cheese straws can be made ahead and frozen until ready to use or baked up to two days ahead and kept in an airtight container. To recrisp them, place in a 400-degree oven until heated through, about 3-5 minutes.

Bake from frozen

Appetizers with a filling on the inside and a pastry on the outside are best cooked from their frozen state.

If allowed to fully thaw, the dough becomes soggy and will not crisp up properly when cooked.

To avoid over cooking, remove from the freezer 10-15 minutes before baking and bake at 25 degrees less than
the recipe calls for.

Basil Mushrooms Puff Cups

Make these easy and impressive appetizers in the summer months when fresh basil is at its best.

1 sheet frozen puff pastry sheets
1 tablespoon butter
3 cups mushrooms, cut in quarters
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Thaw pastry sheet at room temperature 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F.

In medium skillet over medium heat, melt butter.

Add mushrooms, onion and garlic and cook until liquid evaporates, stirring often. Remove from heat.

Stir in cheese and basil.

Unfold pastry on lightly floured surface. Roll into 15-by 12-inch rectangle. Cut into 20 (3-inch) squares.

Press squares into bottoms of 1 1/2-inch mini muffin-pan cups. Place about 1 tablespoon filling in center of each.

Bake 15 minutes or until golden. Garnish with additional fresh basil.

Makes 20 appetizers.

BLT Bites

Okay, not quite BLT, but these taste delicious, are easy to make and can be done a day ahead.

2 pounds bacon
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
24 whole cherry tomatoes

Dice bacon. Fry until crisp. Drain and cool on paper towels.

In a medium bowl, mix bacon, green onion tops and mayonnaise.

Remove stems from tomatoes. Place tomatoes stem-side down on cutting board. Cut a thin slice off tops.

With a small spoon, scoop out pulp. Invert tomatoes on paper towels to drain. Fill tomatoes with bacon mixture. Refrigerate several hours or overnight for best flavor.

Cumin Hummus

Cumin Hummus

1 can garbanzo beans, drained
3 tablespoons tahini
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin powder
salt, to taste

Using a food processor, puree the garbanzo beans. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Put in a serving dish and make a depression in the center. Pour olive oil into the depression.
Garnish with more cumin. This can be served cold or at room temperature with pita bread, corn chips or fresh vegetables.