Instant Appetizer: Peppadews Stuffed with Mozzarella Fresca

This is an appetizer for the last minute party or the one you've just remembered was "bring-a-dish" and it's already time to go. Stock your fridge with just a couple of items and you'll be ready in minutes:

Sweet, piquant Peppadews (sometime labelled Sweet Piquante Peppers) were a novelty a few years ago but are available with other pickled items in almost any grocery these days. The same goes for Mozzarella Fresca. Check the specialty cheese area of the grocery and you'll probably find several options; I like this marinated one best which has a few pretty flecks of herbs. 

Drain the peppadews and spread them out to find the largest first which will be the easiest to stuff. I used the smaller ones too, but that takes an extra minute of effort to cut the cheese balls down to fit. Since this is such a simple appetizer it seems a bit ridiculous to mention that, but if the party's waiting on you...well, just saying those skimpy peppers take a little extra time. 

If you're lucky enough to have some fresh rosemary in a pot grab a few sprigs for decoration. If you don't grow your own, it's very durable in the fridge, so not a bad idea to pick up one of the plastic packs of fresh herbs at the grocery too and it will probably make it through the entire month of December if you might be making these as a red and green Christmas take-along. And that's it! You're ready to go!

Try these great appetizers from our other friends and family at the Food Network. And come back next week when we'll all be blogging about Christmas Cookies!

The Lemon Bowl: 5-Ingredient Pizza Skewers
Feed Me Phoebe: Brussels Sprout Latkes with Anchovy Aioli
Creative Culinary: Blue Cheese, Walnut, and Port Wine Pâté
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Avocado Crostini with Oaxacan Sesame Sauce
Red or Green: Chipotle Ranch Dip
Healthy Eats: 5 Lighter Finger Foods for Your Holiday Soiree
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Baked Falafel and Hummus
The Mom 100: Creamy Avocado Dip
The Wimpy Vegetarian: Jalapeño Poppers Gougere
Daily*Dishin: Peppadews Stuffed with Mozzarella Fresca
Taste with the Eyes: You Don't Have To Be Jewish To Love Latkes
FN Dish: 5 One-Bite Wonders You Need at Your Holiday Party

Perfect Deviled Eggs 5 Ways

Printable Recipe

This is a master recipe that can be used for Deviled Eggs fifty ways if your imagination takes fire! All you need is this basic start and the sky's the limit. I'm that girl who shows up for holidays with dozens of deviled eggs in at least 3 or 4 different incarnations, usually topped off with a little clue about what lies beneath. A jalapeno ring for the hot ones, a piece of candied bacon for you know what kind, a sprig of dill for the dilly relish variety, the options are endless so let's get started. And first of all, if you despair over eggs that will not peel without tearing apart, here is tip #1: Start with rapidly boiling water and THEN slide in the ice cold eggs. Don't ever bring eggs up to a boil unless you're looking for shells that stubbornly refuse to peel off.

Lower the eggs in gently and return to a boil for 11 minutes.

Use a timer and you'll get perfectly yellow eggs, no green ring around the equator. That was tip #2. See how easy this is? Run them under cold water and when you can handle them roll each egg around on the counter or sink to gently crush the shell all over and it will peel away in mostly large easy peices.

Halve each and toss the yolks into a bowl. There are just four ingredients in the basic mix: 

Mayo or Miracle Whip, Honey Mustard, Salt, and Sugar.

For one dozen eggs I used about 1/4 cup mayo, 1 tsp h mustard, 1 tsp sugar, shake of salt. It may seem a bit stiff and dry, but the additions to the mix will make it creamier. Here are some possibilities for those additions!

 Jalapeno? Vidalia Onion Relish? 

ChowChow? Green Salsa? Pesto?

What's your pleasure?

If there is a relish or spread or pickled something in your fridge, it's probably a good companion for a deviled egg. Try it! Taste it. I've chopped olives, added capers, candied bacon (get it here), considered shrimp...you name it. Everything goes with an egg.

Once you've decided on the extras, divide the master mix evenly between bowls and start with a spoonful of add ins for each. Mix and taste, adding more if needed. I like to fill eggs fast and pretty, so I use a pastry press with the largest rosette tip so nothing gets stuck as I pipe.

Either garnish as you go or use separate plates so you can remember which is which! Certain people LOVE the hot spicy ones and I find they often are gone first. If there are any left to take after we've taste-tested them, that is.

This spring we're all blogging together with the Food Network and we'll be doing lots of Sensational Sides. Check out these other great ideas for Easter Sides:

Feed Me Phoebe: Green Goddess Avocado Toasts with Roasted Spring Vegetables and Tahini Sauce
Dishing with Divya: Thai Roasted Vegetables with Peanut Coconut Sauce
Haute Apple Pie: Smoked Gouda Scalloped Potatoes
Food for 7 stages of Life: Spicy Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts
The Recipe Specialist: Spring Vegetable Tart
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Ceviche Appetizer
Red or Green: Taos Cowboy Caviar
Creative Culinary: Avocado and Orange Chopped Salad with Orange Honey Mustard Dressing
Swing Eats: Greek Spinach Casserole (gluten-free)
Dishin & Dishes: Deviled Egg And Avocado Dip
FN Dish: 5 Fuss-Free Easter Side Dishes

Mashed NotPotatoes Cauliflower

(Printable recipe)

There are just a few secrets to making a great flavored alternative to Mashed Potatoes if you're trying to avoid all the starch and carbs and get a few more cruciferous vegetables into your day. Cauliflower, like broccoli, brussels sprouts, bok choy, and cabbage falls into that category of cancer fighting highly detoxifying vegetables. But, as a member of the cabbage family it can turn pretty stinky if not cooked correctly. One of the biggies with cauliflower is to rescue it from the heat as soon as it has cooked through but before it becomes soft or mushy. Another little flavor helper is this: simmer it in chicken broth instead of water. All you need to add is a some low fat cream cheese or Laughing Cow in your favorite flavor and your whole family will be digging in without complaint.

Add just enough broth to mostly cover the cauliflower and reduce the heat as soon as it comes to a boil. An easy simmer instead of hard boil keeps the flavor good! Check in 10-15 minutes and as soon as a knife slides easily into a floret take it off the heat.

Using a slotted spoon transfer the cauliflower to food processor (draining it well). Any extra liquid makes the final mash too soupy. However, add some of the cooking broth and a 1/2 cup of grated cheddar and you'll have a very tasty cream soup without the explosion of carbs and calories in real cream soups.  Back to Mashed NotPotatoes:

Add 3 or 4 Laughing Cow cheese wedges or 3 or 4 Tbs of low fat cream cheese, flavored type if you like.

Process until smooth and finish with salt and pepper or a blend you like such as my all-purpose favorite used here: salt, pepper, garlic powder. (Always out on my counter.) This is ready to serve now or holds well in the fridge for days.

This spring we're all blogging together with the Food Network and we'll be doing lots of Sensational Sides. Check out these other great ideas for mashin' it up:

The Wimpy Vegetarian: Mashed Celery Root with Blue Cheese and Watercress
Creative Culinary: Leek, Bacon, Garlic and Thyme Smashed Potato Cakes
Dishin & Dishes: Jalapeno Spaghetti Squash Hash Browns
Weelicious: Mashed Potato Cakes
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Spicy Roasted Eggplant Mash
Taste with the Eyes: La Purée de Pommes de Terre de Joël Robuchon
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Roasted Carrot, Onion & Garlic Mash
Red or Green: Cauliflower & Beet Mash with Chile Infused Olive Oil
Swing Eats: Italian Style Smashed Potatoes
The Mom 100: Perfect Mashed Potatoes
FN Dish: 5 Crazy-Good Ways to Do Up Mashed Potatoes

Grilled Cheese Italian Style: Pepperoni and Parmesan Crust

Printable Recipe

I'll admit it, I love grilled cheese, any kind of grilled cheese, with every combination of savory, spicy, hot, sweet, cheese, meat, jam, sauce, mustard - you name it. This one: Think pizza flavors of mozza and pepperoni and sauce with a crispy outer crust of parmesan. Mmmmmmmm, yeah!

I cut diagonal slices of Italian Bread. Spread each one with your favorite pizza sauce. (I used spaghetti sauce because I like it better.)

Now fire up the skillet with a thin film of olive oil and just warm up the pepperoni slices to help with the melting of all that cheesey cheese. This is thin sliced, very tender pepperoni, labelled Old World Pepperoni in my store, but you could try a good brand such as Boar's Head and have it sliced very thin if you can't find something pre-packaged.

When they start to bubble just a bit, get them out and layer on both pieces of bread. Then pile on the cheese. I mean pile it on, lots 'o cheese. And slap on the lid. Carefully transfer to the skillet and slide it around in the hot oil a little then press down for good contact.

After the flip, I know it looks done, but Wait! There's more!

When I mentioned that parmesan crust, I do mean a solid crispy layer over the entire surface of the bread. We're going to make that happen with some grated parmesan delivered straight to the skillet in an Italian Grilled Cheese sandwich shape, just like this. Now press your sammy right on top of that.

Now let it sizzle 1 minute and carefully lift the edge of the bread with a metal spatula. You may have to scrape under it persistently to make it lift off in one piece. If you do it right you'll have a beautiful golden crunchy crust. Now, repeat on the other side because two is better than one.

Bravo! Feel free to load this little pizza-like sandwich with all your favorites. Peppers and green olives? Of course. Sauteed mushrooms and onions? Sure. Anchovies? Whatever floats your boat. Just pile on the extras under the cheese layer and press down the top before you gently move your loaded sandwich to the griller-skillet. Have fun, y'all.

All winter it's Comfort Food Feast at the Food Network, so check out these other great ideas and don't miss our Pinterest page each week!

The Heritage Cook: Gluten-Free Croque Monsieur Sandwiches
In Jennie's Kitchen: Homemade Pizza Pockets
Food for 7 Stages of Life: Best Caramelized Mushroom and Pineapple Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Dishing With Divya: Egg and Mushroom Cheese Sandwich
The Cultural Dish: Croque Monsieur and Madame
Weelicious: Grilled Cheese Pickle Panini
Swing Eats: Mind-Blowing Grilled Cheese: Sriracha Ketchup, Kettle Potato Chips, Pickles, Sharp Cheddar (gluten-free)
Red or Green: Cheddar, Peppadew & Basil Panini
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Inside/Outside Grilled Cheese with Bacon, Avocado & Sundried Tomatoes
Taste with the Eyes: Grilled Halloumi Cheese Salad, Savory Meyer Lemon Whipped Cream
Creative Culinary: Inside Out Grilled Cheese with Tomato
The Mom 100: Fork in the Road: Great Grilled Cheese Sandwich
FN Dish: 6 Gooey Grilled Cheeses You Can't Live Without

Spicy Carrot Spread/Dip (Gluten Free-Dairy Free)

Printable Recipe

Add a nice colorful splash to the appetizer table at your next gathering with this tasty carrot dip. It's always a challenge to find something other than hummus to dip or spread on a cracker for those of us who are better off avoiding dairy and gluten. This is the perfect solution for that, besides tasting really good!

1 Tbs Sesame Seed, 1/2 Tbs Mustard Seed, 1/4 tsp Cumin Seed

You'll need a pound of carrots, some olive oil, and three seeds: sesame, mustard, and cumin.  A little cayenne will spice it up even more.  Start with the seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat and shake them around for 2 or 3 minutes until they are very fragrant and toasted slightly darker. And stand back or you might get a popping seed right in the eye. I warned you.

I used a japanese mandoline for speed and to slice the peeled carrots thin so they would cook quickly. Add 1/4 cup water to the the skillet and a sprinkle or two of salt and cayenne, depending on how hot you like it!

Cover and cook about 20 mintues, stirring a few times, just until the carrots are tender. Add a spoonful of water if they're starting to stick to the pan before they're cooked through. Move the mixture to the food processor and blend until smooth. Add a tablespoon of good tasting olive oil about half way through processing. This will enrich the spread and make it smoother too. Serve warm or cold - its delicious either way!

Costco's Extra Virgin Toscano Olive Oil is always a good choice. (Year of pressing is always printed on the label, too.)

   

Try as an alternative to typical bruschetta, toasted till warm.

It's Fall Fest at the Food Network website where you'll find my foodie blogs along with other great food lovin' bloggers, offering up our best ideas all the way through the holidays! Stay tuned for favorite Thanksgiving side dishes next week and in the meantime check out these other delicious carrot dishes:

 

Feed Me Phoebe: Honey Roasted Carrots with Thyme
Jeanette's Healthy Living: Ghost Chile Carrot Hot Sauce
The Heritage Cook: Roasted Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup #FallFest
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Carrot Cake with Coconut and Raisins
Weelicious: Spiced Carrot Cauliflower Soup
The Mom 100: Carrot Fries with Sriracha Sauce
Big Girls, Small Kitchen: Easy Slaw with Carrots & Red Peppers
Devour: Fall Fest: Carrot Recipes to Covet
In Jennie's Kitchen: Carrot "Fettucine" with Lemon Thyme Butter Sauce
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Carrots & Avocado with Cumin
The Wimpy Vegetarian: Maple Candied Carrots with Currants
Swing Eats: Bourbon Maple Glazed & Braised Carrots
Dishing With Divya: Honey Glazed Baby Carrots
FN Dish: 5 New Ways to Bake with Carrots

Blackberry Rum Shrub

(Printable Recipe)

Trust me, this tastes nothing like a piney green shrub from the garden; it's actually a refreshingly fruity cocktail that just happens to have an odd name. Shrubs were quite the popular drink of the 17th century. Today's version skips the fruit-soaked-in-vinegar in favor of fruit crushed with sugar to produce plenty of juice with a dash of balsamic, which has its own degree of sweetness that really tempers that vinegary edge. I was surprised how tasty shrubs can be when I had a chance to sample some recently at Napa Valley Distillery while traveling.  In 2012 Saveur featured this drink and it does seem to be trending now, in addition to being a tasty revival of a very old drink.

Use half as much sugar as fruit.

I had about 1 cup of blackberries. Using 1/2 as much sugar to fruit ratio, I added 1/2 cup sugar and crushed all together until it exuded plenty of juice. Reserve a few berries for garnish!

Add 1 tablespoon of balsamic and let this mixture rest for an hour or so as the sugar completely dissolves and the berries give up a little more juice. You will then have your "shrub."

Save a few whole berries for garnish.

I also like the idea of using a brandied Blackberry as garnish, hence the little jar you see above, but this requires some planning ahead. About a month or two ahead, unfortunately! Right now, while you have fresh blackberries on hand, fill a jar and top them with warmed brandy. In a month or two, make yourself another Blackberry Rum Shrub and luxuriate in a brandied garnish, my friend.

So, here's what it takes to assemble your cocktail. Spoon up 1 Tbs of the blackberry shrub into the bottom of a stemmed flute (you may strain the seeds out by pressing it through a sieve, but I like the bits of seedy fruit so I leave them in). Top this with 2 oz (2 jiggers) of rum, light or dark, and top up the glass with club soda or other bubbly water such as San Pellegrino. Garnish with a few whole blackberries, fresh or brandied. Cheers! Take yourself out to the garden and toast the setting sun.

SummerSoiree is on at the Food Network blogsite! Stay tuned each week for fresh ideas for your finds at the Farmer's Market or delicious dishes for picnics and parties all summer long. Get more recipes here from friends and family:

Feed Me Phoebe: Grilled Strawberry-Mint Bellinis
The Lemon Bowl: Raspberry-Ginger Bellini
Jeanette's Healthy Living: White Peach Sangria
The Heritage Cook: Refreshing Lime Coolers
The Cultural Dish: Pimm's Cup
Virtually Homemade: Frozen Lime Margaritas with a Sangria Swirl
Weelicious: Strawberry Lemonade
Big Girls, Small Kitchen: Strawberry Gimlets with Homemade Strawberry Vodka
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Cucumber and Sage Cocktail
Red or Green: Frozen Tri-Melon Cocktail
Dishing With Divya: Caipirinha
In Jennie's Kitchen: Cantaloupe Lillet Sparkler
Poet in the Pantry: Pirate's Booty Call
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Watermelon Malibu Surf
Sweet Life Bake: Boozy Affogato
Devour: 5 Boozy Summer Coolers
Domesticate Me: Blueberry Mojito Royale
Haute Apple Pie: Classic Mojito
Taste With The Eyes: Korean Soju Kimbap Bloody Mary
FN Dish: Sip Your Way Through Summer (Recipes)

Quick Thyme Corn Cobbettes

These little corn cobbettes are cooked entirely in the microwave, first in the husk for just 2-3 minutes (so that they can be quickly and cleanly popped out of the husk), then finished with some fresh thyme and buttery olive oil and given another minute or two in the wave to steam. The result is sweet, fresh and juicy corn that's ready fast and isn't the least bit waterlogged from a vat of boiling water. And 6 ears served this way will stretch to feed 7-9 people easily, without waste.

Use fresh thyme of any kind; this one is lemon thyme.

To begin, do nothing at all to the corn, just give it 3 minutes in the microwave, husk and all. If your wave is powerful enough, heat 5 or 6 ears at once, otherwise do only 2 or 3 at a time. This is the secret to clean easy removal of the husks.

Cut away the stalk end, cutting just above the base of the cob.

Make a 1" slit through the husk in several places around the base.

Grab the tassel end and tap out the corn cob, completely silk-free.

If you've seen any of the YouTube demonstrations for this perfect method for cleanly shucked corn, you may not have realized that the initial microwaving is critical to success! There is no shaking that corn free if you try this method on a raw piece of corn; unfortunately some instructionals leave out the essential microwave step.

To produce cobbettes without crushing any of the kernels, it's best to use a serrated knife and saw a little way into the cob wherever you want it to break. It will easily pop apart. I remove the tip end as well where the kernels are sparse. 

For a healthier alternative to butter, look for butter infused olive oil in larger groceries or specialty shops such as Flavored Oil and Vinegar stores which are prevalent these days in most cities. If you can't find the buttery flavored EVOO, use a mild one with a flavor you like and drizzle just enough to very lightly coat the corn when tossed together. 

Finally, add the fresh thyme, as much as you like. Unlike the dried version, these little leaves are bright and light flavored and you can use plenty. The leaves strip away easiest if you pull the stem through your fingers backward, that is in the opposite direction that the leaves grow. (Discard the stems.)

Now, to the microwave one more time, just 2 minutes more sealed under a tight wrap to create a little steam chamber. You can save this step until the last minute if you've done the rest ahead of time and serve these babies up hot and steamy. 

SummerSoiree is on at the Food Network blogsite! Stay tuned each week for fresh ideas for your finds at the Farmer's Market or delicious dishes for picnics and parties all summer long. Get more recipes here from friends and family:

The Lemon Bowl: Corn on the Cob with Lemon Basil
Feed Me Phoebe: Grilled Corn on the Cob with Honey-Basil Butter
The Heritage Cook: Mexican Elote Corn Casserole (Gluten-Free)
The Cultural Dish: New England Seafood Boil
Dishing With Divya: Corn on the Cob with Roasted Garlic Herb Butter
Virtually Homemade: Grilled Corn with Tomato Basil "Butter" (Vegan)
Devour: 4 Cobs, 4 Ways
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Farmers Market Salad with Grilled Corn
Red or Green: Grilled Corn on the Cob
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Buttery Corn on the Cob
Weelicious: Cheesy Corn on the Cob
Domesticate Me: Charred Corn with Bacon, Chiles and Cheese (aka Mexican Street Corn Salad)
Swing Eats: Corn Pasta with Fresh Summer Corn, Tomatoes and Chives
Haute Apple Pie: Roasted Corn off the Cob Salad
Taste With The Eyes: Grilled Corn, Soy Mirin Glaze and Wasabi Goat Butter
In Jennie's Kitchen: Corn and Lemon Thyme Ice Cream + Homemade Creamed Corn
FN Dish: Off-the-Chart Corn on the Cob Recipes