Posted on 03/05/2011 6:12:41 AM PST by libertarian27
I love this thread! I look forward to reading it every week. Thank you so much for starting it!
When I read that today was National Cheese Doodle Day I thought about one of my family’s favorite finger foods for for movie night or holiday gatherings.
Cheesy Bacon Bites
Ingredients
Puff Pastry Sheets
Garlic Powder or minced Garlic
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Crumbled Bacon
Thaw puff pastry sheets according to package directions. Roll out pastry just enough to get the kinks out of them so you have a smooth sheet of pastry. Sprinkle with the remaining ingredients. I just eyeball the quantity but it doesn’t take much of any of the remaining ingredients, just enough to make a thin layer of the filling. I then roll them as you would a jelly roll or like elephant ears. Either way works fine and both make a pretty presentation.
If I am making these for company I wrap the roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so they are easier to cut and retain the shape, but when I make them for the family they usually want them made yesterday and don’t care if their shape isn’t perfect.
I slice them in 1/4” slices and lay them out on a baking sheet. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, but watch them closely as they cook fast.
You can substitute with just about any cheese and meat combo as long as the meat is cooked. I have used salami, ham, bbq pork and even ground beef in these instead of the bacon. Just dot the surface with a small amount of whatever you like. I also sometimes add chopped chives and.or parsley to the filling.
For a sweeter filling you can brush them with butter and sprinkle with nuts, cinnamon and sugar, raisins, or even jam. I line the baking sheet with parchment paper, when I use jam, however, because they tend to stick if I don’t use it.
If you don’t have puff pastry, you can make your own dough, or use a package of crescent rolls, or breadsticks, and just roll it out into a sheet.
Enjoy!
I posted my recipe in the FReeper Canteen a few days ago. Here it is:
Trillian’s Cream of Cheesy Potato Soup
1 tablespoon of butter
1 teaspoon of olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
5-6 medium potatoes, skinned and cubed
Salt and pepper to taste
Enough homemade chicken stock and water to fill pot
1- 1/1/2 cups of half & half or whole milk to taste (you can also use cream if you want)
1 stick of butter and equal parts flour to make roux
2 cups of shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 lb of cooked bacon, minced
In a large soup pot (mine holds 18 cups) saute onions in butter and olive oil for a few minutes.
Add garlic, carrots and celery and saute for a few minutes more. Add potatoes and then saute for a few minutes constantly stirring.
Add a mixture of chicken stock and water to taste until the liquid reaches about 1-2 inches from top of pot.
Salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium and simmer for 45 minutes.
Stir in milk or cream until well blended.
In a medium saucepan melt stick of butter and slowly mix in flour with whisk. It should form a thick paste.
Slowly start to ladle the soup into the medium pan continuing to mix with whisk until it starts to thicken. Pour it into the big soup pot and continue stirring with whisk until all the soup starts thickening. It should have the consistency between soup and gravy, not too thick.
Add cheese and stir until completely melted. Take off heat and stir in bacon.
Serve with homemade bread toasted in the oven.
I hope this helps, it’s not really exact which is how most of my recipes are since I do it by look, feel and taste.
Turkey stock works well with this too, I usually make some after thanksgiving using the bones.
Tonight I am making frittelle (also called panzerotti).. Italian fried pizza pockets.
Homemade pizza dough rolled into circles, filled with tomato sauce, mozzarella (or whatever else you want), pinched closed and deep fried at 350F until delicious.
A huge favorite around here.
Here’s a neat little video of someone making one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m17gsFg7bmc
I make them just a bit smaller than that.
Mmm, that sounds good!
I like your ingredient combos and method - will give this a try next time.
I’m a Cheeseburg Chowder Addict! and that would be perfect with ground cooked hamburger thrown in -instead of-*Oh, horrors! what was I typing?!*....WITH the bacon!
Tangy Red Onions?
I’ve been looking at pickled red onion recipes and I’m thrown off. None use that much oil in them. Is that a typo?
Got this from the Swanson’s website:
Spicy Mexican Minestrone Stew
1/2 pound sweet Italian pork sausage, casing removed
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups Swanson® Beef Broth or Swanson® Beef Stock (full can)
1 can (about 14.5 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, cut up
1 1/2 cups Pace® Picante Sauce
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (heaping) or 1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup uncooked medium shell-shaped pasta
1 package (about 10 ounces) frozen cut green beans, thawed (about 2 cups)
1 can (about 15 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese or mozzarella cheese
Shape the sausage firmly into 1/2-inch meatballs. Didn’t do this!
Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucapan over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook until they’re well browned on all sides. Remove the meatballs from the saucepan. Pour off any fat.
Stir the broth, tomatoes, picante sauce and garlic powder in the saucepan and heat to a boil. Stir in the pasta. Return the meatballs to the saucepan. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.
Stir in the green beans and kidney beans. Cook for 10 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through and the pasta is tender, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with the cheese before serving, if desired.
RECIPE TIPS
Easy Substitution: Substitute 1 can (about 16 ounces) cut green beans, drained, for the frozen.
Time-Saving: For quicker preparation, omit the first step and cook the sausage over medium-high heat until it’s well browned, stirring often to separate meat. Leave the sausage in the skillet and pour off any fat. Proceed with the remainder of the recipe as directed. (This is what I did)
Thank you for all of your hard work! We’ve been on the road. Hopefully will be able to stop by summer. Godspeed!
“None use that much oil in them. Is that a typo?”
Sorry for the late reply.
No, it is not a typo. But I would appreciate it if you could give me the amount called for in the receipes you read. The recipe I offered could very well do with less oil. It could very well be a tad oily.
Thank you.
You’re Pineapple Chicken ‘Woked’ wonderfully late last night.
We had the dish over Oriental flavored Ramen Noodles and I added a bit of Soy Sauce to the mix....Oh, and some maraschino cherries-love those with pineapple. A definite keeper!
(Next time I will cut up the chicken before I go out:>))
Thank you! I can’t wait to try these!
I am glad you liked it. I would think adding the cherries would give it another level of sweetness.
Thinking about it, maybe green pepper to add a different level. And a hot pepper for spiciness.
Hmmm...
It’s the perfect dish to whip up late at night - it’s quick.
While we were out hubby said “Let’s get Chinese to go” and I said “We ARE having Chinese- let’s go” ...lol.
Green peppers would be great! Onions, Mushrooms, Water Chestnuts.....whatever you got! Just throw it all in there!
Cheaper than paying for Chinese take-out - faster and better!
(would highly suggest pre-cutting anything you have to before hand - the knife was being difficult at midnight - lol)
Here’s a couple. If nothing else it will give you variations. ;)
* 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
* 1/2 cup cold water
* 2 tablespoons kosher salt
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 2 to 3 really good shots hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
* 1 red onion, sliced into very thin rings
In a small bowl, combine red wine vinegar with 1/2 cup of cold tap water. Stir in salt, the sugar and the hot sauce. Add the sliced onions and let sit for at least one hour.
Pickled Red Onions Recipe
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Ingredients
* 1 lb red onions (about 2 med or 1 large), thinly sliced
* 1 1/2 cups white vinegar
* 1/2 cup sugar
Spices
* 1/2 cinnamon stick
* 5 cloves
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 star anise
* Dash red pepper flakes
More spices (optional): Fresh ginger slices, allspice berries, oregano, garlic, cumin seeds, mustard seeds
Method
1 Blanch red onions in a saucepan of boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain in colander.
2 While the water is heating in step 1, in a separate saucepan combine the vinegar, sugar and spices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
3 Add blanched, drained onions to the vinegar mixture. Simmer for 1 minute.
4 Transfer to a glass jar. Allow to stand until cooled. Will keep several weeks refrigerated.
Makes 1 1/2 pints.
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/pickled_red_onions/
* 1 pound red onions
* ¾ cup water
* 6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
* 3 tablespoons sugar
* 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* Coarse sea salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1 tablespoon salt-packed capers, rinsed, soaked in cold water for 10 minutes, then rinsed again
* 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh chili pepper
* 2 to 3 roasted red peppers (from a jar), sliced into 1-inch-wide strips
Peel onions, leaving stem-end intact; cut into sixths (or eighths, if large). In a medium nonreactive saucepan, combine onions, water, vinegar, sugar, 3 tablespoons oil, 1½ teaspoons salt and generous pinch pepper. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Let onions cool in liquid.
In a blender, puree remaining 3 tablespoons oil, capers, chili and generous pinch salt until blended.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer onions to a serving bowl; discard cooking liquid. Toss onions with dressing and roasted red peppers.
Note: Can be made up to 3 days ahead. Store covered and chilled.
http://lacucinaitalianamagazine.com/recipe/insalata_di_cipolle_rosse_allaceto
I meant to ask before, your screen name, Mango Tree Lawyer? What’s that about? Just curious. :)
:-)
I’ve never heard that before. Cute. :)
He is Greg Craig, that shyster lawyer who is great buds with the Clintons and sent Elian Gonzalez back to Cuba.
A mango tree lawyer is a wonderful West Indian expression. These are shysters who setup their “offices” under mango trees near government buildings and snarl into their web unsuspecting folks who seem lost and need of help. Mango tree lawyers are the lowest of low. .....
Thank you so much for those recipes. I am very appreciative of your time. I will certainly try them.
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