I took these incredible wings to a paddle tennis party last Saturday night.  Normally, I would test a recipe before serving it to a bunch of people I barely know, but I went out on a limb (I should have known it would be great - Michael Symon’s like, a total genius).  Suffice it to say, the one problem I encountered was that I only made about 50 pieces and that wasn’t nearly enough.

The paddle tennis crowd pronounced these wings to be 100% blog-worthy (thanks, guys!). And if that isn’t a favorable review, I don’t know what is.

Enjoy!

SPICY SRIRACHA CHICKEN WINGS
Makes 10 servings
SOURCE:  foodandwine.com; recipe by Michael Symon

10 lbs. chicken wings, split **see note
1/4 c. coriander seeds, crushed
1 t. cumin seeds, crushed
1 t. cinnamon
2 T. kosher salt
1/4 c. olive oil

3/4 c. Sriracha chile sauce (find this in the ethnic food aisle; it’s a red sauce with a bright green lid and a rooster on the label)
1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
1/2 c. chopped cilantro, plus additional sprigs for garnish if desired
finely grated zest and juice of 3 limes, plus additional wedges for garnish if desired

In a very large bowl, toss the wings with the coriander and cumin seeds, cinnamon, kosher salt, and olive oil.  Cover and refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 475.  Spread the wings in a single layer on 3 large rimmed baking sheets.  Roast for 25 minutes.  Turn wings and continue to roast for an additional 20 minutes, or until skin is golden.

While wings are roasting, mix the Sriracha, butter, cilantro, lime zest and lime juice in a large bowl.  Toss the roasted wings in the sauce and transfer them to a large platter.  Drizzle sauce over wings.  Garnish platter with cilantro sprigs and lime wedges and serve.

**NOTE:  In the Food & Wine photo, it shows the wings left whole.  I picked up four packages of Sendik’s wings and asked the guys at the meat counter to split them for me and discard the tips. I probably ended up with six pounds total.  Next time, I’ll shoot for the whole 10 pounds, they were that big of a hit.  Hope you like them, too!

Now Only $12.99 lb

Save $6 lb

Anyway.

I took these pretty little wonton cups to a cookie exchange last night, and everyone who tried one asked when said cups would be making an appearance on the blog.  Here you go my darlings!

This is the perfect use for the pre-cooked shrimp that are on sale this week, and the filling is a breeze to pull together.  The only slightly futzy putzy part is brushing the wonton wrappers with oil and working them into your mini muffin tins (this is a great job to outsource to any minions you have loitering around).  If you don’t have time for futzy putzy (and you’re short on minions), go ahead and use my friend Liz’s method of putting the filling in little phyllo cups.

Either way, you’ll be glad you have this recipe in your arsenal too.

Merry, merry! 

THAI INSPIRED SHRIMP IN WONTON CUPS
Makes 48 
SOURCE:  epicurious.com

48 wonton wrappers, thawed
Vegetable oil in a little bowl

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (or mint is good too)
5 teaspoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons mango chutney
3/4 teaspoon Thai green or red curry paste
12 ounces peeled cooked medium shrimp, coarsely chopped (cooked CenSea Shrimp are on sale; it doesn’t matter what size you use)

Fresh cilantro or mint leaves

Preheat oven to 350.  Place wonton wrappers on work surface and brush them with vegetable oil.  Place the wrappers (oiled side down) in mini muffin tins, pressing wrappers to the bottom and sides of the tin.  Bake wrappers for 10 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove wrappers from tins and cool to room temperature.  (You can do this step a day or two ahead of time; just wrap them up in an airtight containter and store at room temperature.)

Combine mayonnaise, cilantro, lime juice, mango chutney, and curry paste in a medium mixing bowl.  Add in shrimp and stir to combine thoroughly; season salad to taste with salt and pepper.  (You can make this a day ahead of time; cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge.)

Place wonton cups on a serving platter. Fill each cup with a teaspoon of the shrimp mixture.  Top each cup with a small cilantro leaf and serve.

NOTE:  Find the wonton wrappers in the frozen foods case – they’re near the top shelf by all the egg rolls and other frozen Asian foods.  Find the curry paste and mango chutney in the ethnic food aisle with the Asian and Indian ingredients.  Call me if you need help, you know I live for this stuff. 

However, the big game is coming and a girl’s gotta eat!  So I’m sharing a lighter appetizer today – my favorite Shrimp Quesadilla.  I could eat these every day of the da’gum year, I swear!  The recipe is just a guideline; spice it up or down, swap in whatever cheese you like, in whatever quantity you desire.  I used a block of pepperjack that I had in my fridge, but there are two types of cheddar on sale this week if your cupboard is bare.

I’ll be back later in the week with more football goodies.

GO PACK!

SHRIMP QUESADILLAS
Serves: 2

½ lb. large cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined (CenSea Brand are on sale)
The juice of 1 lime (limes are on sale)
2 scallions, minced
A hefty pinch of minced cilantro
½ jalapeno, minced (seeded and deveined if you don’t want the heat)
1/ 4 t. chipotle chili powder
Salt and pepper
2 medium flour tortillas (La Tortilla Factory Wheat Tortillas are on sale)
1 cup shredded cheese of your choice  (Hennings Cheddar and Murray Bridge Cheddar are both on sale)

Guacamole or sliced avocado (both are on sale)
Sour cream (Breakstone’s is on sale)
Additional cilantro sprigs for garnish

Chop the shrimp into bite sized pieces.  In a medium glass mixing bowl, combine the lime juice, scallions, cilantro, jalapeno, and chipotle chili powder.  Toss the shrimp in the lime mixture and season with salt and pepper.  Set aside to marinade for 20 – 30 minutes.  Drain off lime juice.

Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium high heat.  Spray one side of the flour tortillas and place them spray-side down on work surface.  Top one half of each tortilla with some of the shredded cheese, then some of the shrimp mixture, then a bit more cheese.  Fold tortillas in half.  Place both quesadillas in the grill pan and cover partially with a lid.  Toast until golden and cheese is melting, then flip quesadillas and cook on the other side.  Remove to work surface and allow to rest for a minute or two.

Cut into wedges and place on a serving platter.  Garnish with sliced avocado, a spoonful of sour cream, and cilantro sprigs.

** NOTES ** I like Monterey Jack or any type of cheddar – but any of the Mexican melting cheeses are also incredible.  Find them underneath all the shredded cheeses at Sendik’s.

I’ve made many batches over the years and have found that using a hand mixer works best.  The dough gets pretty thick, and to mix it well by hand you’ll need biceps like my neighbor Jane.  And let’s not kid ourselves, Jane did not arrive at those biceps by hand mixing a lot of pate a choux – but that’s a topic for a different day.

Try this basic recipe, but feel free to swap in different combinations of cheeses, herbs, and savories.  Today I had a chunk of prosciutto and a bunch of fresh parsley hanging around, so I minced them up and tossed them into half the batch.  I’ve also used crumbled bacon and minced scallions, and I’ve played around with the cheeses too – while Gruyere is traditional, I’ve changed things up based on what I’ve had on hand – crumbled blue and shredded fontina are also amazing!

Prepare yourself for guests effusing with compliments. 

Enjoy!

CHEDDAR GOUGERES
Makes 48
Source:  Food & Wine Magazine, January 2011, p. 102.  Recipe by Veronica Pedraza.

1 stick butter (Land o’ Lakes is on sale)
1 c. water
½ t. kosher salt
1 c. all purpose flour
4 large eggs (Sparboe Large Eggs are on sale)
1 c. shredded, good quality Cheddar Cheese (I used the Sendiks 1 Year Sharp Cheddar)

Preheat the oven to 425 and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, water, and salt and bring to a boil.  Remove from the heat.  Add the flour and whisk until smooth.  Let cool slightly, then using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat in the eggs 1 at a time, beating thoroughly between additions.  Beat in all but 2 tablespoons of the cheese.

Using a 1-tablespoon ice cream scoop (or melon baller), scoop level mounds of the dough onto the baking sheets, 1 ½ inches apart.  Sprinkle with the remaining two tablespoons of cheese and bake for 28 minutes, until golden and risen.  Shift the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking time.

Lower the oven temperature to 400.  Pierce each gougere near the bottom with a skewer and return the pans to the oven.  Bake for about 5 minutes longer, or until crisp and deeply golden.  Transfer the gougeres to racks to cool.  Serve warm from the oven.

To freeze, cool completely then transfer to freezer bags.  To re-warm, place frozen gougeres on a baking sheet and recrisp at 325  for 5-10 minutes, then serve.

I’m kidding!  It’s the Holidays, friends.  Let’s none of us be out wrecking homes over a hunka’ beef tenderloin.

This is probably THE BEST appetizer I made in 2010.  You’re going to say to yourself (or maybe outloud), ”Is she daft?Beef tenderloin isn’t FRUGAL!”.  And you’d be correct.  It’s definitely a special occasion type of treat – like for the Holidays, or when your granddaddy gets out of jail early for good behavior.  Not that I’d know from experience, ahem.

I’m gonna get in trouble with my momma for saying that.  It’s a funny story, really – I’ll tell you about it sometime.

Anyway, here you go!  Hope you like it.  Merry, merry!

FILLET OF BEEF CROSTINI WITH ARTICHOKES & SPINACH
Yields 36 Pieces
Source:  epicurious.com

a 2 ½ lb. trimmed fillet of beef, tied (Sendik’s Brand is on sale)
2  6-oz. jars marinated artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained (Reese Brand are on sale)
1 garlic clove, peeled
¼ c. white wine vinegar
½ c. olive oil

36 ½”-thick diagonal slices of Italian bread, toasted or grilled lightly

2 bunches of arugula or spinach, coarse stems discarded and leaves cut into shreds
36 Parmesan curls formed with a vegetable peeler

Preheat oven to 500.  Pat the fillet dry, season it with salt and pepper, and place it in a small roasting pan.  Roast the beef in the middle of the oven for 23 minutes, or until it registers 125 degrees on a meat thermometer (for rare).  Transfer the fillet to a cutting board and let it cool.  The fillet may be roasted 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled.

In a blender, puree the artichoke hearts and the garlic with the vinegar, the oil, and salt and pepper to taste.  Transfer the puree to a bowl and set aside.  The puree may be made 3 days in advance and kept covered and chilled.

Spread each slice of toast with some of the artichoke puree, top the puree with some of the arugula or spinach, then divide the fillet, sliced very thin, among the crostini.  Top the crostini with the Parmesan curls.

While none of the ingredients are on sale this week, you can’t make much more frugal of an appetizer – I mean seriously, a bag of full price peas is like 1.89 or some such.

Oh wait, I lied – the grape tomatoes are on sale.  Whoopee!!  So is Kraft Parmesan in the green can.  You can use it if you want.  I won’t tell anyone or think less of your mad cooking skilz.

This recipe reminds me of a baby bib we used to have that said, “VISUALIZE WHIRLED PEAS”.

Heh, heh, heh….14 years later, I still giggle every time.

PEA PESTO CROSTINI
Serves:  4 – 6
Source:  foodnetwork.com; recipe by Giada DeLaurentiis

1 (10 oz.) package of frozen peas, thawed
1 clove garlic
½ c. grated Parmesan (Kraft is on sale)
1 t. kosher salt
¼ t. freshly ground black pepper
1/3 c. olive oil

8 – ½” thick slices of baguette or ciabatta bread (**see note**)
1/3 c. olive oil

8 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (grape tomatoes are on sale)

For the pea pesto, pulse together the peas, garlic, Parmesan, 1 teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper in a food processor.  With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil until well combined, about 1 to 2 minutes.  Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.  Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

For the crostini, preheat a stovetop griddle or grill pan on medium high heat.  Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil and grill until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes.  Transfer the bread to a work surface and spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of the prepared pesto on each slice.  Top with tomato halves and serve.

**NOTE**  You could easily swap in purchased toasts or crostini if you don’t feel like messing with this step – this is what I did for the photo.  Still yummy!

I’m in charge of appetizers for Thanksgiving Day this year.  My MIL and S’sIL do the cooking and I mostly just try to stay out of the way (you’ve heard the phrase ‘too many cooks in the kitchen’?).  I’m pleased as punch with my assignment, but since oven space will be at a premium, I need to select appetizers that are either cold or microwaveable.  And although I had low expectations, this dip is really quite good.

With minimal prep work, no oven required, and a delicious result, I pronounce it  to be blogworthy.  Now someone come get it out of my face.

Happy Thanksgiving!

HOT SPINACH & ARTICHOKE DIP
Makes 1 batch
Source:  foodnetwork.com; recipe by Alton Brown

1 c. thawed, chopped frozen spinach (Freshlike Frozen Vegetables are on sale)
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped (Reese Brand Quartered Artichoke Hearts are on sale)
6 oz. cream cheese (Philadelphia Brand is on sale)
¼ c. sour cream (Golden Guernsey and Breakstone’s Brands are on sale)
¼ c. mayonnaise
1/3 c. grated Parmesan
½ t. red pepper flakes
¼ t. kosher salt
¼ t. garlic powder

Pita chips or crackers for serving (too many varieties on sale to list here!  check out the cracker aisle )

Boil spinach and artichokes in 1 cup of water until tender and drain very well.  Discard liquid.  Heat cream cheese in microwave for 1 minute, or until hot and soft.  Stir in the rest of the ingredients and serve hot with pita chips or crackers.

I made this pizzetta as an experimental appetizer this past Friday night.  The hub and I liked it so much, I made it again for company on Saturday!  You won’t believe how something so simple can taste so elegant and delicious…it’s the perfect cocktail hour fare.

Enjoy!

CAMBOZOLA PIZZETTA WITH ROSEMARY AND ROASTED GARLIC
SERVES:  4-6 as an appetizer
Source:  foodnetwork.com, recipe by Michael Chiarello

1 package fresh pizza dough, divided in half (I used dough from the Sendik’s bakery)
½ c. olive oil
3 T. chopped fresh rosemary leaves, plus additional sprigs for garnish
2 T. minced garlic
1 c. grated Parmesan
1 wedge Cambozola Cheese, cut into pieces
1 head roasted garlic (see below)

Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Press each piece of dough into an 8-10” round on a lightly floured surface.  (It doesn’t have to be perfect.  Rustic is good!)

In a bowl, combine the olive oil, rosemary, and garlic.  Brush some of the olive oil mixture on the pizzettas and sprinkle with some of the Parmesan.  Bake the pizzettas on the pizza stone until golden and crispy, about 12 – 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and cut into pieces.  Serve with a piece of Cambozola and a bit of the roasted garlic.

For the Roasted Garlic:

Place a head of garlic on a cutting surface and slice off the top part of the bulb, exposing the tops of the cloves.  Place the bulb on a square of aluminum foil.  Drizzle garlic with some olive oil (2 teaspoons or so), a little bit of dried thyme (a pinch, crumbled), and some fresh black pepper.  Wrap tightly in foil and roast in the middle of a 400 degree oven until soft (about 45 minutes).  Open foil and when garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze it out onto pizzettas.

And I have to tell you, I’m so darned tired of cooking. Tired of cleaning the kitchen and loading / unloading the dishwasher too. At present, I’m staring at a dried up, once-gorgeous-but-now-bordering-on-pathetic tree that needs to be taken down ASAP. My punks are all on each other’s last nerve and are currently whining loudly over how bored they are. Sheets and towels from my dearly departed company (they’re still among the living, they’ve just gone home) are piled high in the hallway upstairs, and the DamDog is standing at my feet, relentlessly tossing her gigantic new tennis ball at me, tail wagging in a total frenzy.

So, see how hard it would be to derive culinary inspiration from all of this chaos?

Of course, I realize that some of you will be hosting a New Year’s Eve gathering tomorrow evening, and who knows, you might be turning to FFF for recipe ideas. What kind of friend would I be to leave you all high and dry? That’s certainly no way to close out the year.

I decided to offer up a year-end review, round up, and recap of some of my favorite appetizers and finger foods from the past six months of blogging for Sendiks. Any of these would be perfectly suitable for an occasion such as New Years Eve! In fact, when I went through the archive, I was so pleasantly surprised by the recipes I found, it nearly made me want to call up a bunch of friends and host a party tomorrow night.

Nearly, I said.

However you choose to ring in 2010, I hope you’re surrounded by family and friends when the clock strikes twelve. I’ll see you all back here next year! For now, take a walk down memory lane with me, won’t you? Here are some of my favorites, in no particular order (I’ve noted ingredients that are currently on sale and you can click on the titles or pictures to read the complete recipe):

CITRUS SHRIMP

Served chilled, these delicious shrimp are marinated in a fabulous mixture of lemon and lime juices, fresh ginger, and garlic. Lemons and limes are on sale, as are several varieties of shrimp. Go for the biggest ones you can afford for this recipe.

ROASTED VEGETABLE QUESADILLAS

I usually serve these with my favorite black bean soup, but they make a yummy hot appetizer too. Try them with the sale Pepperjack, or Wisconsin Gouda. Fresh asparagus is also on sale!

PANKO CRUSTED SHRIMP CAKES

Oh…my… THUNDER! I’ve made these three times in the past two weeks and they are ALWAYS a hit! Served hot with a yummy spicy dipping sauce, these will be the hit of your party. You can get away with using a smaller shrimp here, but I wouldn’t go smaller than 26-30 count.

SALSA BAKED GOAT CHEESE

Love. This. It’s so fabulous. Try it with the sale Chi-Chi’s salsa and any of the crackers that are on special!

ROASTED STUFFED MUSHROOMS WITH SPINACH & FETA

So, word has it that for good luck in the New Year, you should eat some sort of leafy green on New Year’s Eve. Here’s a terrific way to work your lucky spinach in. It’s symbolism, people.

SHRIMP PIZZETTAS WITH BELL PEPPERS & BASIL

If you want easy, this is for you. So simple, but really delicious! Feel free to use the 16-20 count for this one too.

ROASTED TOMATO BRUSCHETTA

I normally make these with Roma tomatoes, but I think you could get away with using the grape tomatoes that are on special. Just cut them in half, toss them in olive oil, and roast as directed. Just watch your roasting time – they probably won’t need as long as the Roma’s would.

BEST EVER TACO DIP

I had to throw it in. Every party needs a little junk food! Besides, scallions, limes, iceberg, sour cream, salsa AND corn chips are all on sale! What other excuse could you possibly need?

Now go forth and plan a fabulous party. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!