Appetizing Appetizers

Today I’m going to share some new appetizer recipes that I have not shared before.  With the Super Bowl coming, you might want to try one or all of these.   

Shrimp and Deviled Eggs

6 eggs, boiled

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1/2 cup chopped small cooked detailed and peeled shrimp

12 whole small cooked shrimp

Chopped green onion

2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

Kosher salt and black pepper

Small cooked shrimp

Paprika

Prep Work

Finely chop up green onion, parsley and a couple of small shrimp.

Boil eggs on medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove, crack and let cool in cold water, peel, and cut in half lengthwise.

Eggs

Remove yolks and place in bowl. Add mayonnaise to the yolks and mash well with a fork until all lumps are gone.  Add parsley, green onion and chopped shrimp. Stir to combine. Season with Kosher salt and pepper.

Drop teaspoonfuls of the egg yolk mixture into the egg halves.  Top with a shrimp for garnish.  Sprinkle with paprika. Refrigerate until it's time to serve.

Variation – You can substitute the shrimp with crab and/or bacon.

Ham and Cucumber Appetizer

This is a variation of the ham and pickle roll up.  Instead you use a cucumber and make a sandwich out of it.

Sliced ham

Whipped cream cheese

Store bought dill veggie dip (Sour cream, dill weed, finely grated carrot and onion powder to taste)

Cucumbers

Salt

Dried dill weed

Slice you cucumber in half length wise and take out the seeds using a spoon to scrape them out. 

Mix 1 part cream cheese and 1 part dill veggie dip.  Taste and season if necessary by adding Kosher salt and/or more dill.  You can make your own sour cream veggie dip, but I usually just buy my favorite store bought brand and save time and money.  I used the left over then for crudités for the party.

Spread the cheese mixture on one half of the cucumber filling in where the seeds were.  On the other half, place your shaved ham (just enough to fill in hallowed out part and put the two pieces together.  Cut into small bite sized pieces for an appetizer or larger pieces for small sandwich size pieces (tiny sub). 

Variation – You can also do this with thinly sliced deli roast beef.  You may also make cucumber sandwiches, slicing the filled cucumber in thin pieces and putting it on top of a small piece of pumpernickel bread spread with a little cream cheese.  Garnish with a little dill weed. 

Here is a simple snack pleaser or condiment that you can make and store for when ever you need it.  Oh, and it has bacon!!!!!

Bacon Flavored Cheese Spread 

1 pound Velveeta Processed Cheese (no substitutes)

1 sticks butter

1 (8 ounce package) whipped cream cheese

1/2 cup melted bacon grease

Chopped cooked bacon (you decide how much or how little)

1 tsp. onion powder

1 dash of your favorite hot sauce (optional)

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon of your favorite prepared mustard

Chop bacon into small pieces and fry until crispy.   Take the bacon out of the grease with a slotted spoon and set it aside saving the grease.

Place all ingredients in top of double boiler over simmering water except the chopped bacon. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth. The mixture will look coarse in texture. For best results put it through a blender, using on/off speed on high for 2 or 3 minutes until satiny smooth. If you do not have a blender, use an electric mixer on high speed, beating until smooth.  When smooth add your chopped bacon and stir in.

It keeps well up to 4 or 5 weeks if tightly covered and refrigerated. Makes about a quart, and freezes well up to 6 months.  Reheat it in the microwave if you want to serve it hot.

You can eat this hot or cold.  It goes great on top of baked potatoes, potato skins, a hamburger, sliders, crusty bread, chips or just with crackers.  Use it for your next grilled ham and cheese sandwich.  Bet you can come up with even more uses.

Gorgonzola and Green Olive Stuffed Mushrooms

Cremini mushrooms 

¼ cup of Gorgonzola cheese

Chopped green olives (with or without pimento)

1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs

5 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt to taste

Prep Work

Wiped clean and remove stems mushrooms

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and set rack for the middle of the oven.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, add the olive oil and 3 tbsp butter.  Add the mushroom caps and sprinkle with salt.  Cook on each side for a few minutes.  You want to brown them, but not completely. Transfer to a bowl.

In a small saucepan, melt the 2 tbsp. butter and add the Panko.  Mix well to coat.

Set the mushrooms on a baking sheet (stem side up).

Take a tiny piece of cheese and a piece of green olive and place them inside the cap. Place additional cheese

 and press it into the cap on top of the olive slice.

Sprinkle some Panko over each mushroom and pop in the oven for 10 minutes.

Variation - Try using pepper cheese for some heat or any cheese you like.

Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms

Knowing me, you know I'm going to have to wrap something in bacon, so here is a great bacon wrapped mushroom.

Bacon

Mozzarella Cheese

Button or Porcini mushrooms

½ tsp. garlic powder

1 tablespoon soy sauce

3 tablespoons butter

Remove all the mushroom stems (save and freeze for next time you are making a broth) and clean with a damp paper towel. Melt butter and add soy sauce and garlic powder.  You may add a little heat if you like by adding a dash of hot sauce.  Brush the mushrooms with a mixture.

Cut little squares of Mozzarella the size of your mushroom centers and stuff them inside each mushroom cap.

Cut the bacon slices in half and wrap one around each cheese stuffed mushroom.

Bake seam side down on a sheet pan for about 30 minutes, or until the Bacon is glazed and crispy!

Have a great weekend.  Party, be happy and may God bless you and yours.