PF Changs lettuce wraps

Lettuce wraps are probably my favorite food these days.  These are so delish and quite simple to prepare! Best of all... they are a huge hit with my kids!  The recipe is really a fast fix.  If you're a fan, these are worth the effort!!!  Don't let the amount of ingredients stop you from trying these!  I doubled the recipe, so here's what we did...

8 chicken tenders, sliced thinly or 2 pounds ground turkey (the last time I made them, I deboned a roasted chicken from the grocers and didn't have to even cook the meat!)
1 medium onion, minced
salt & pepper, a dash of each
4 large cloves garlic, minced2 inch nob fresh ginger, peeled & minced
2 Tablespoon sesame oil

5 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 Tablespoon water

2 Tablespoon natural peanut butter

1 Tablespoon honey

2 Tablespoons + 2 teaspoon rice vinegar

2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce  (We use half what it calls for even when doubling the recipe...you can always add more)

dash of fresh pepper

6 green onions, chopped

1 8oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained & chopped, if desired

1 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup peanuts, chopped

curly or romaine lettuce leaves, rinsed and patted dry

Heat a large, non-stick skillet on high. Add chicken, onion, salt & pepper, and cook until chicken is nearly done, stirring often to break up the meat. Add in minced garlic and ginger, and continue cooking until chicken is no longer pink.  Meanwhile, in a microwave safe bowl, combine sesame oil, soy sauce, water, peanut butter, honey, rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce and pepper. Microwave for 1 minute, then stir until smooth. Add into the skillet and stir to combine.  Add green onion and water chestnuts into the skillet then cook for 1-2 minutes until the onions are soft and the water chestnuts are heated through.  Sprinkle with chopped peanuts, and serve with cold lettuce leaves.  Again, we served ours with rice.  Enjoy!!!

Avocado Chicken Salad

I made this recipe for a bridal shower and it was a huge hit!  This recipe filled almost the entire giant red tupperware bowl.  I found the recipe on Pinterest and it's so "non-specific", just adjust it to taste.  Here's what I did:

3 rotisserie chickens (from Sam's Club)
3 limes (next time, I'd even use four)
5 chopped avocados (the recipe called for 2 or 3, but the avocado made it!)
1 large bunch of cilantro
1 bunch of green onions
mayonnaise (I used about a quart)
lots and lots of salt and pepper

Debone and shred the chicken into tiny tiny pieces.  Chop the green onions (I chop from the very top to the very end and use it all.) Chop the cilantro.  Add the mayo and stir until it's as "wet" as you want it.  Salt and pepper to taste.  I made the salad the night before but added the avocados a few hours before.  Add lots more pepper on top as a garnish. Enjoy!

I served the salad on mini pie shells.  (I used refrigerated pie crust, cut them in circles using a kids size glass, pressed them into mini-muffin tins and baked them.)  However.  We tried the extra, after the shower on crackers and I liked that even better!  Should have done that in the first place, like Denise and Marilyn both suggested.  LOVED it!  Seriously, the best chicken salad I've ever had and a great change from the grape/celery/cashew version of chicken salad.  OH MY!

Nikki's Nummy Bread Dip

My new friend, Nikki, brought this outstanding bread dip that was to die for to the Witches Brew last week! I can't wait to make it myself! Later, Doug, who'd dished up a plate of treats to enjoy alone during the party, asked, "WHAT was that?!?!" It was a hit!

8 oz. cream cheese

1 1/2 cup sour cream

2 cups grated cheese

1 tsp. Worchestershire sauce

1 cup chopped ham

1 can green chilis

1/2 cup green onion

Mix well, put in a greased pie plate and bake for 1 hour. Spiders and Bugs optional! Serve with torn pieces of french bread or chips or crackers. The french bread was AMAZING!! Enjoy!

Red Pepper Dip

I don't even remember where I discovered this recipe but can I just say that it is nu-uh-ummmmy! For my birthday girl's night out sleepover, we each brought the makings for an appetizer. It was risky on my part but I brought the ingredients for a first try of this one. OH MY! I'm so glad that I decided on this. I followed the recipe to a T last night and then came home and did a second attempt in my own version and loved it even more. It's so festive and beautiful, not to mention delish! Try it! You'll love it!

You'll need:

2 red bell peppers

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

Place the peppers in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a soft boil for about 30 minutes. Remove from the water, drain well but quickly! Place the peppers in your food processor while still hot. Add the brown sugar and salt. Puree until smooth.

Then, here are the two options.

Spread the cream cheese in a platter and pour the puree over it. Serve with crackers or chips. (We used Lime Doritos. OH MY!) The puree was pretty runny though. SO, I tried Plan B today.

Here's Plan B:

After making the puree, mix in the cream cheese and serve as a dip. It will be a soft dip. Much less messy and still pretty.

ENJOY!

Fire and Ice

I only wish I'd had my camera last night at Book Group to photograph this very pretty and most tasty appetizer! April, fabulous friend and hostess, loved the name of them as much as the taste. This was a beautiful treat and I'll be making them soon so that I can add a photograph to the recipe. A must try, if you love fresh tomatoes! So simple! I can also see them served at Christmas because they are the perfect colors!

6 tomatoes

3 cucumbers

1 red onion

Slice the tomatoes about 3/8" thick. Slice the cucumbers about 1/4" thick. Place the tomatoes on a serving platter. Put one cucumber slice on each tomato slice.

1 pint sour cream

4 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar

1 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. salt

a dash of Tabasco Sauce (I'd add a bit more for some more fire!)

Mix the topping. Drop by spoonful onto the cucumber/tomato and then add a finely sliced sliver of the onion on top of that. OH MY! Enjoy

Ham and Cream Cheese Roll-ups

I made these to take to our Twilight Trilogy Marathon and kept them on ice in a cooler. Fun stuff! Very quick and easy to make!

3-ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons pineapple apricot perserves or jam
1/3 pound thinly sliced fully-cooked ham, cut into 1 x 4-inch strips

Mix the cream cheese and jam until smooth and creamy. Spread a thin layer on the tortilla. Place ham strips on half of the tortilla. Roll up tightly, starting with the side that has the ham slices. Slice in one inch roll-ups. You can use pretty toothpicks to hold them closed, but not necessary. You can also add mango or kiwi in the center of the roll-up for another bit of flavor and a lot of color! Make up to 4 hours ahead, cover and chill. Enjoy! Enough to fill about seven tortillas.

Caramel Fruit Dip

This fruit dip is absolutely sinful! You'll love it!

1 8-oz. package cream cheese (light cream cheese works)
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
Toffee bits

Allow cream cheese to reach room temperature or seften for a few seconds in the microwave. Using an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, brown sugar, and vanilla. Just before you serve, stir in about 1/2 a bag of toffee bits. Serve with fresh apples, bananas and strawberries. MMMM! Enjoy! (I should add... just double the batch or you'll end up making it twice!)

Sesame and Soy Cream Cheese Spread

Seriously. This just sounds wrong!! Marilyn and I ordered this appetizer at a funky restaurant in the Gateway Mall in Salt Lake City and we were c-r-r-r-a-a-a-z-z-z-y-y-y over it. It could be served with crackers or spread on whole wheat bread or with apples as a dip. "The Dodo" served it with Asian pears and celery sticks. The pears were wonderful! And this has to be the most simple appetizer ever!

1 ~ 8 ounce brick of cream cheese

Kikkoman Soy Sauce

Sesame Seeds (in the photo, black sesame seeds were used for the Halloween effect. In the restaurant, regular sesame seeds were used. I love the look of the black seeds!)

Place the cream cheese in a bowl and cover with soy sauce. Marinate for 4-6 hours, turning the cream cheese, if necessary. Remove from soy sauce and place in a plate of sesame seeds, covering completely. Serve with slices of Asian pears! Enjoy!

Peppers & Cream Dip

Oh my goodness! My sister-in-law, Barbie, a master-gardener, grows fifty varieties of peppers every summer. She should write a pepper cook-book because she puts peppers in recipes that no one would ever think of and they are always great! This is one of my favorite appetizers ever and oh, so simple! I've made it twice now and tripled the recipe both times. (It's fall and I have 20 pepper bountiful plants myself!) You'll be wishing you'd made more even at that! The photo was taken as an afterthought but everyone at my dinner party last night thought that this photo was telling... it's gone before you can grab the camera! I decided after dinner last night that next time I try this recipe, I'm going to try ...what else... cream cheese for a different flavor and texture. I've got the peppers, so why not!?

8 peppers, red peppers make it very pretty, as well as tasty

2/3 cups heavy cream

4 tbsp. fresh grated Parmesan (we used Romano)

Place cleaned, seeded peppers, cut in half, on a baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour at 425. After the peppers are roasted, place them in the blender with the cream and cheese. Blend until completely pureed. Pour into a baking dish and bake until bubbly. Serve hot on fresh bread or with chips. Enjoy!

Sweet Li'l Smokies

Jamie brought these tasty appetizers to a fun gathering a few years ago and we could eat them at every party! Definitely not low-fat or low-cal, so we make them once or twice a year! One thing's for sure, they'll all disappear quickly!

Li'l Smokies

BaconBrown

Sugar Cider

Vinegar

Cut your bacon into pieces small enough to wrap one piece of bacon around each smokie. Hold the bacon in place with a toothpick. Line them up in a baking dish, then cover completely with brown sugar. Sprinkle the vinegar over top of the brown sugar. (Jamie was guessing about 1/4 - 1/3 cup.) Bake at 350° until the bacon is cooked. Last time I made them, I realized that they were almost gone before I grabbed the camera! VERY tasty! Enjoy!

Onion Brie Pizza

This was an interesting new addition to our Super Bowl food. I got this recipe from my good friend, Marilyn. I happened to have all of the ingredients in the house that were needed (well, actually, I made my own whole wheat roll dough) but it worked for me! Doug loved it! Mom loved it! But, the babes didn't even try it. If you love sauteed onions, you'll love this. Next time, I'm adding a couple of cups of fresh mushrooms to the sautee!

6 medium sweet onions, thinkly sliced
1/c cup butter
1 package hot roll mix
1 1/4 cup warm water
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 ounces Brie cheese, rind removed and cut into small pieces
1/3 cup sliced almonds

In a large skillet, cook onion slices in butter over medium low heat for 25 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, prepare the hot roll mix according to package directions, using the warm water and oil. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let stand for five minutes.

Roll the dough out to a greased 14" pizza pan. Top with the caramelized onions, Brie and almosnds. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Let stand for ten minutes before cutting. Enjoy!

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

These are the kind of recipe that the old potato chip ad comes to mind... Betcha can't eat just one!

3 cans whole water chestnuts
1 pound thin sliced bacon

Cut bacon slices into thirds. Wrap a piece of bacon around each chestnut. Hold together by sticking a toothpick through it. Bake at 300° for 20 minutes. Drain off the grease. Mix 1 cup brown sugar and 1 cup ketchup. Pour over the cooked bacon chestnuts and heat until sauce is warm. Walk an extra mile tomorrow, enjoy today!

Sausage Mushroom Dip

Being that Super Bowl Sunday is this weekend, I thought that I'd add a few "party" foods to the blog. This is my fun friend, Jamie's, killer dip! Seriously, this stuff is out of this world great! I am craving it just thinking about it!

2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 8 oz. Blocks of softened cream cheese
1 small can of diced chilis
3 green onions chopped
1 soup can of milk (or thin to the consistency you like)
1 can mushrooms
Mix and stir in saucepan or heat in crockpot. Add 1/2 package of Jimmy Dean Sausage, browned, broken up and cooked well. Serve warm with corn chips. (I used my rice cooker to keep it warm because it was handy to reach. It did a great job on the warm setting.) Enjoy!

Cranberry Delight Spread

Vikki brought this tasty dip over for our little appetizer night with the Bunco gals last week. It was surprisingly different! A sweet and fruity dip! Everyone loved it!

1 pkg (8oz.) cream cheese
2 T frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/8 t. cinnamon
1T. sugar
zest of one orange
1 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans (Vikki said, "I used almonds, my pecans were awol")
1 1/4 cup finely chopped dry cranberries
garnish with small mint leaf

In electric mixer bowl combine the cream cheese, juice, cinnamon and sugar
mix on med speed until smooth. fold in orange zest, pecans, and cranberries.
Refrigerate and serve with town house crackers. Enjoy!

Brie Bites

My good friend, Marilyn, and I discovered these in a little restaurant in Salt Lake City and decided that they couldn't be very hard to make. We were so right! Two ingredients and you're in business.

Brie cheese

Pepperidge Farms Puff Pastry

Thaw the pastry. Cut it into 3" squares. Place about 1 tsp of brie on the center of the square and fold the four corners of pastry to a point (sort of like a wonton). Bake at 400° until they are golden brown. You can brush them with eggwhite but there's no need. Serve warm with cranberry jalepeno or raspberry jelly. A fabulous appetizer! Enjoy!

Jalepeno Pineapple Cheeseball

I posted this recipe a few weeks ago as Carol's always a hit cheeseball. But, out of neccessity, a few nights ago, I used a jalepeno pepper instead. So, I'm reposting it this way rather than going back and editing, just for simplicity of finding it again.

2 - 8 0z. cream cheese
1 large can drained crushed pineapple
1 finely chopped jalepeno pepper
2 green onions, use the entire onion except the tips of both ends
1 1/2 tsp. seasoning salt
1 cup chopped pecans

Blend cream cheese and remaining ingredients well. Place in a bowl on platter and chill until served. Serve with crackers. (We used it as on sandwiches with sliced turkey and it was fab!) Enjoy!

Savory Bread Bites

After searching several cookbooks for something tasty for a baby shower, I decided to create my own! I used my own roll recipe and added the following ingredients.

10 ounces diced swiss cheese (about 3/8" cubes)

1 tbsp. dry mustard

1/2 - 1 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/3 cup bacon bits

I mixed up my rolls as always and added these ingredients during the kneading. When the dough has risen, form tiny balls (between the size of a mini-marshmallow and a regular size marshmallow and place them on a buttered baking pan. Preheat the oven to 400°. Let them raise until doubled in size and bake 14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush them with generously with melted butter immediately. Sprinkle generously with salt. (The swiss cheese demands it.) Serve them right out of the oven as tiny appetizer bites. Very tasty! Enjoy!

Seafood Cheeseball

I happened into a party at my mom's hair salon years ago when one of her friends had made this tasty cheese ball. I'd never had anything like it at the time and loved it! Try it, you will too! It's most tasty and quite simple!

1 Pound Imitation Crab, chopped finely (use a food processor)

2 packages cream cheese, softened

1 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

You'll also need:

Ritz Crackers

"Homemade" brand Chili Sauce (You'll find it in the small 1 cup jar near the other chili sauces at your local grocers.) *There's a photo of it below on another recipe.

Mix well. Serve as appetizers by spreading on Ritz crackers and then topped with a healthy dollop "Homemade" brand Chili Sauce or as a cheese ball with the chili sauce on the rim of the plate so that everyone will know to "double dip". I'm thinking of trying this recipe, just before serving, and use the melon baller to make little bite size cheeseballs, then roll them in crushed Ritz Crackers to serve the balls with hors' deurve toothpicks along side to dip in the chili sauce. They wouldn't keep well served this way for long, but they disappear quickly, I don't think that would be a problem. Trust me, the Chili Sauce is what makes this recipe! Enjoy!

Fresh Cranberry Salsa!!!

OH MY GOSH! My friend, Liz called and shared this recipe tonight. Doug was stopping at the grocery store on the way home, so I asked him to pick me up a jalapeno and some fresh cranberries. THIS IS TO DIE FOR! It took me exactly five minutes start to finish to make it, using my food processor. WOW! Good stuff! The combination sounds very funky and I forgot to add the cumin first, which was good but with the cumin, it was fabulous! And it looks so festive!!

1 bag fresh cranberries

1 bunch of green onions, chopped (the entire thing all the way down to an inch from the end)

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded then chopped

2 tbsp. chopped cilantro (about 1/4 of a bunch is what I used)

Put in food processor and chop finely. Add:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 - 1 tsp. cumin

Spread 16 ounces of cream cheese, softened, into platter. Top with salsa. Serve with crackers or chips. Enjoy!

Carol's tasty Cheeseball

Of all of Carol's tasty recipes, this is my favorite appetizer!

2 - 8 0z. cream cheese

1 large can drained crushed pineapple

1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper

2 tbsp. green onion

1 tsp. lawrys seasoning

1 cup chopped pecans

Blend cream cheese and remaining ingredients well, except the pecans. Roll into a ball and then roll the ball in the chopped pecans. (To simplify things, Carol just mixes the pecans right in!) Place on platter and chill until served. Serve with crackers. (We love it so much that we use it as a sandwich spread too.) Enjoy!