Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 (1 1/4 ounce) packages taco seasoning mix
1 eggs, beaten
2 cups cooked rice
4 -6 bell peppers
1 (19 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 (15 -16 ounce) jars salsa
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream

Directions

Combine beef, onion, seasoning mix and egg in a large bowl.
Add rice and mix well.
Cut peppers in half lengthwise; remove seeds and membrane.
Spread tomatoes on the bottom of an ovenproof 12 X 9 inch baking dish. The liquid from the tomatoes will reduce during cooking so if (like me) you like lots of sauce, add about a cup of water. This also helps make the peppers softer.
Place peppers, cut side up, on top of the tomatoes.
Spoon beef mixture into peppers, mounding as necessary.
Top each pepper with salsa.
Bake in preheated 375°F oven for 40-45 minutes or until beef is cooked thoroughly and peppers are soft.

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Mushroom Bites

Mushroom Bites by Shirley Dean

¼ c. minced onion
½ c. chopped mushrooms
Sauté
Add
1 1/3 grated sharp White Cheddar
½ c. mayo
½ tsp. Curry
Parsley

Spread on 6 english muffins. Cut in half. Cut each in thirds. Place on tray to freeze, then bag. Bake at 350 degrees F. until golden.

Smoked Salmon Pate

This is another great dish that was served at The Stonehouse Restaurant. At the beginning of you meal you always started with a little something. Today it's called an amuse bouche. Smoked Salmon Pate and Roqurfort Pate were served thin and crispy French Bread.

makes 2 cups ...

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons green onion (white and green part), finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 freshly grated lemon zest
Dash hot pepper sauce
4 ounces smoked salmon, gently shredded
1 tablespoon snipped fresh dill plus dill sprigs for garnish

Gently mix the cream cheese and the cream in a mixing bowl. Stir in the scallion, lemon juice, lemon zest, and hot pepper sauce.

Gently fold in the smoked salmon and dill until well combined, but do not over mix. The shreds of salmon should remain whole.

Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms

Back in the 90's when I worked at The Olive Garden and lived Hamilton, Ont., I used to hang around with a couple of guys, Angus and Eric. Eric made these great Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms...

makes 24 appetizer servings ...

1 pound bulk pork sausage
1 pound fresh mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese

Rinse mushrooms and pat dry; remove and chop stems.
Combine stems, sausage, garlic and chopped parsley in a medium skillet; cook until sausage is browned, stirring often. Drain pan drippings. Stir in cheese, mixing well.

Fill mushroom caps with sausage mixture. Place in 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. Garnish with snipped parsley.

Oh So Very Garlicky Dip and Vegtables

Anyone remember The Stonehouse Restaurant on Kenna's Hill. I worked there as a bartender back in the 80's. Kitty Drake was the owner and ran the restaurant with her sister Becky. There was also the kitchen and serving staff, Dave, Frederick, Bill, Lois, Lynn and Stacie. This is one of the recipes I remember.

The Crudite Platter had an delicious garlicky dip known as Aioli and was served with fresh vegtables...

makes 3 cups ...

10 cloves garlic, peeled
4 egg yolks
juice of 1 whole lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
2 cups olive oil
6-8 tablespoons heavy cream

1 medium bunch celery
3 medium zucchini
1 bunch broccoli
1 pound large mushrooms

In a blender or food processor, puree the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic.
While the motor is still running, add the olive oil in a slow steady stream. As the dip thickens,
the oil may be added more quickly.
Add cream, if necessary, to thin the consistency of the dip to a thin mayonnaise.
Pour dip into small bowl; cover; refrigerate about 15 minutes or until ready to serve.
Separate celery into stalks and cut zucchini into sticks. Cut broccoli into florets and mushrooms
in half. Wrap vegetables separately in plastic wrap; refrigerate until ready to serve.
Place dip on serving platter, surround with vegetables.

Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip

This recipe is inspired by The Olive Garden. I worked there back in the 90's. It's not the exact recipe, but it's pretty close. I'm always asked for the recipe when I bring it to a party. You can also heat the dip in a saute pan if your are pressed for time.

the mix makes 4 to 6 servings ...

1 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Squeeze excess moisture from spinach until it is dry. Mix all ingredients except, Parmesan cheese in medium bowl until well blended.

Spread mixture in ungreased shallow casserole dish.

Bake uncovered 15 to 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

Hickory Smoked Bacon Wraps

This recipe is inspired by Melita Sinnott. If you dropped in for a visit on Christmas Eve she always served these and fresh sliced turkey...

makes 48 appetizers ...

3 cups bread crumbs
1/2 cup melted margarine
2-4 tablespoons savory
1 teaspoon salt
1 small onion, finely chopped
24 hickory smoked bacon slices, halved crosswise

In a medium mixing bowl, rub together the ingredients between the hands until well blended.

Squeeze together a small portion of the stuffing in palm of hand to form a ball about 1-inch.

Wrap bacon around stuffing ball and secure with toothpick. Place on broiler pan.
Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes until bacon starts to crisp.
-

Cajan Voodo Wings

This recipe recipe is inspired by Sonja Budden. She invited me over for wings one evening and served these delicious dry spiced wings...

Makes 2 to 4 servings ...

18 chicken wings (about 3 pounds)
1.5 ounces cajan spice
1.5 ounces cayenne pepper
1.5 ounces sweet paprika
1 tablespoon celery salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon basil
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon black pepper

Preheat deep fat fryer to 360°F.

In a small container with a tight fitting lid, combine all spices and shake to mix well. Set aside.

Cut wing tips off at joint; cut each wing in half at joint.

Divide wings into 2 batches. Fry each batch approximately 8 - 12 minutes until golden brown.

Drain well on paper towels.

In a container with lid or brown paper bag, shake wings with several tablespoons of spice, to taste. Serve with blue cheese dressing , carrot and celery sticks.

Frizzled Onions

These onions are delicious sprinkled on Garlic Mashed Potatoes. You can also substitute seasoning salt for the salt and paprika.

Frizzled Onions

4 cups canola oil or vegetable oil (for frying)
1 large yellow onion
2 cups milk
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika (divided)


Using a mandoline or vegetable slicer, thinly slice onion into rings.

Place onion rings in a large bowl and cover with milk. Let sit for 1 hour.

Heat oil in a heavy stockpot to 375º F.

In another bowl, mix together flour, salt, black pepper, cayenne, and 1/2 teaspoon of the paprika.

Drain onions from milk.

Dredge in flour mixture and shake off excess.

Deep-fry until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes.

Drain on paper towels.

Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon of the paprika.

Warm Roasted Red Pepper Dip

Warm Roasted Red Pepper Dip

Ingredients

1 (7 ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and diced
3/4 lb shredded monterey jack cheese
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1/4 cup minced yellow onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon prepared Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a small baking dish, mix the roasted red peppers, Monterey Jack cheese, cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream (or yogurt), onion, garlic, Dijon mustard, and cumin.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned on top.
Serve warm with tortilla chips.
Makes 4 cups.

Lesbian Dip

Last night the girls next door were having a party and I was reminded of a dip that that served a Melanie's birthday party last year. It was an ongoing joke that one of the straight guests would turn into a lesbian if she kept eating it. It didn't seem to stop her.

Mango Chutney and Curry Cheese Dip

1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 cup cheddar
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 jar of peach jam
1/2 jar of mango chutney
green onions
slivered almonds
shredded unsweetened coconut

Mix cream cheese with curry. Stir in the cheddar.

Spread on the bottom of a large plate or serving dish.

Mix together the peach jam and mango chutney. Spread over cheese.

Sprinkle with almonds, green onion and coconut.

Chill. Remove from fridge about 30 minutes before you want to serve, or else it will be a little hard and you will keep breaking your crackers.