Chorizo With Cheese and Caramelized Onions Dip

It will soon be March Madness, and you know what you need–plenty of dips and other finger food as you watch the games.

This appetizer dip is a rich one, so you won’t want to eat bunches alone. Figure on plenty of additional “cooler” offerings with it.

But it is very very good. Use it with tortilla chips, crackers of any kind, or raw veggies. They all work just fine. It’s good cold too.

Adapted from Foodiecrush.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 c onion, diced
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/8 tsp Mexican oregano
• 10 oz of chorizo sausage ( beef or pork), casing removed
• 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 c mayonnaise
• 1/2 c mozzarella or Monterey Jack, shredded
• 4 green onions, chopped (including the green parts)
• salt to taste (I didn’t need any)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place the chorizo in a skillet and cook until done, stirring and breaking it up. Remove to another dish
2. Melt the butter in the skillet, adding the onion, and saute slowly until soft and caramelized, about 20 minutes or so.
3. In a medium bowl add the cream cheese and mayo and blend with a whisk until smooth. Add the onions, oregano, green onion and shredded cheese. Mix well.
4. Add the chorizo, and fold in.
5. Place in a baking dish.
6. Place on a baking sheet and place in a preheated 350° oven for about 15 minutes, just until the top starts to brown and gets bubbly.
7. Let sit for a few minutes to cool. It’s best served just warm.

Serves: 6-8 as part of a larger spread of appetizers

NOTES: I think the cheese you use is pretty much up to you. A good melting Mexican cheese would work great here as well such as Cotija.

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Cream Cheese Olive-Pepper Spread

Are you a fan of that Kraft cheese spread that comes in a little-bitty jar? The orange stuff, sometimes with olives and sometimes with horseradish? Know what I mean? You slather it on celery? They call it pimento cheese spread or something.

Yeah, I knew you would remember.

Except you use it once, and the itty-bitty jar gets lost in the fridge, and when you next find it? It’s got that cast of blue fuzz on it?

So, I figured, I can figure this out, and I can make it much better than that old Kraft stuff anyway. So I did. And it is better. At least I think so. See if you agree.

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature for an hour
• 1 c roasted red peppers, drained and then minced
• 1/2 c green olives, chopped up well
• 2 TBSP sriracha hot chile sauce (or whatever type you like)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Whir it up in a food processor until smooth. Refrigerates for several weeks.

Serves: good for a party 8 people easily

NOTES: Serve with crackers, taco chips, or fresh veggies. Can leave out the red peppers and add horseradish.

 

Hot Jalapeno Pepper Dip

Well, it’s good to be back!

We are mostly moved into our new home here in Las Cruces, and I’ve been able to get into the kitchen for some simpler recipes at least, and this will be one of our favorites for sure.

There are lots of Jalapeno dip recipes around, so there is nothing earth-shattering here, but we loved it so much that we ate the whole thing in two nights. It was so good.

Eat it with tortilla chips or raw veggies. Eat it by the spoonful, or lick the dish. It’s good.

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 oz of cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 c mayonnaise (Hellman’s is best if you want this dip hot, since it won’t separate on you)
• 2 green chiles, roasted, peeled and chopped
• 3 healthy TBSP of canned jalapeño slices, chopped
• 1/2 c Parmesan cheese
• 1 small can of corn or equivalent frozen
• 1 large fresh jalapeño

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Place the cream cheese and mayo in mixer and mix on medium until smooth
• Add the chiles and jalapeño and mix on low until incorporated
• Add the Parmesan cheese and the corn, and mix on low until well mixed.
• Turn into a oven-friendly baking dish. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan if desired.
• Slice the fresh jalapeño, and place around the top.
• Place in oven at 350° for 20 minutes or just until it starts to bubble.

Note: this is also great at room temperature. Can be easily doubled or tripled for company. Also consider adding crumbled bacon to the top after it comes out of the oven.

Peppy Pizza Pies

I like to graze.

Not on grass silly.

No, on finger foods and buffets of lovely appetizers.

And there is a Super Bowl coming up.

So I made these last Sunday, and they were darn good. See if you agree:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 recipe of my basic southern biscuits
• 1/2 c of my basic pizza sauce
• 1/2 each of diced onion, green pepper, and mushrooms
• 12 pepperoni slices
• 4 oz mozzarella shredded

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Mix the biscuit dough together as directed and then instead of pressing out, roll it with a pin until about 1/4″ thick. Cut out with cutter 12 rounds. Place each in a greased 12-cup cupcake pan. (NOTE: you may of course buy store-made biscuits in the tube which will work perfectly well)
2. Saute the onions, peppers and mushrooms in a bit of oil until mostly done
3. Place a tsp of pizza sauce (also can be a store-bought variety you like) in the center of each dough round.
4. Place a pepperoni slice on each.
5. Place a tsp or so of veggie toppings on top of that.
6. Finish off with a tbsp or so of mozzarella on each
7. Place in a 375° pre-heated oven for about 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and the edges of the biscuits are lightly browned.

Serves: 3

Note: The toppings are whatever you like. A Mexican version could easily be made, or sausage used, or different cheese. Also this recipe doubles or triples with ease. The biscuit recipe (1/2) will make about 18 thought just made 12. I had enough dough left to roll out again and give a good six more.

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The Every Day Meatball

Over the years I’ve made Italian meatballs. I’ve made Swedish meatballs. I’ve made meatballs for subs and for appetizers. (Does anyone still do THAT?)

The fact of the matter is that almost every type of meatball you make is ultimately either dipped in a sauce or covered in one. So it seemed to mean that the answer was an all-purpose meatball, like that little black dress that proved so versatile in decades past.

So I looked at all my recipes, and came up with a synthesis of them all, that is generic and yet is substantial in its own right. Add the sauce of your choice or the dip and you got a meal.

This recipe makes a bunch–like about thirty depending on the size you choose to make, so you can freeze them with ease and pull out the number you need for any occasion.

The technique of cooking is an Alton Brown invention which I tweaked to fit the universality of this recipe. Alton made large balls and set them in mini-cupcake tins. But you can accomplish the same thing and may bite-size ones with my method.

So get cooking!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb each ground beef and ground pork
• 1/2 c finely minced onion
• 1 c fresh breadcrumbs (leave a few slices of bread out for a couple of hours and then buzz them up in the food processor)
• 1/2 tsp granulated garlic (no garlic salt please!) or two cloves micro-planed
• 1 lg egg
• 1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 c fresh parsley chopped
• 1/2 c milk more or less

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Mix meat with onion and breadcrumbs gently with your hands.
2. In a separate bowl whisk the egg with the garlic, W. sauce, and parsley and half the milk
3. Add to the meat and mix gently again, adding more milk until it comes together easily but not excessively wet. (if the mixture is too sloppy, the meatballs tend to flatten out and lose their nice roundness.
4. Take two jelly roll pans and line with foil or parchment. Place wire racks in each (I have long ones or two short ones will do)
5. With a small ice cream scoop or larger depending on the size you wish to make, scoop out some meat mixture and roll a bit in your palms until round and place on the rack.
6. You can set the balls close together but no touching.
7. When all are done, place in a 400° pre-heated oven for 20-30 minutes.
8. Cool on the racks when done and then place in a freezer bag.

Serves: about 30 meatballs

Suggestions: These are fine for either Spaghetti and meatballs or Swedish meatballs. Just thaw and place in the sauce to warm up. Also consider making barbecue sauce or mustard sauce dips for parties. Be inventive. That’s what cooking is about. Heat the meatballs in a baking dish, covered for 30 minutes on 275° if using as dippers or for a sub sandwich.

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Roasted Garlic Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus

I first discovered hummus when I lived in Detroit and lunched regularly in GreekTown. Ahh, what a delightful appetizer!

When I joined Justapinch, this is the first recipe I tried. Middle East, meet South West!

Mostly I loved the recipe, (which is why it’s included here) but I found it a bit bland and not very hot. (my jalepeño might have been a rare mild one). Other than that,  it was great.

I’m not sure why tahini, which is standard for hummus was not included. I sure think it would have no negative effect if you want to add it. So my only addition would be to make sure it gets a bit more heat from the chili (maybe a bit of chipotle?) and you can never have too much garlic!

Hope you enjoy it. Compliments of Jodie Scales at Justapinch.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cans garbanzo beans
• 1 head of garlic, roasted
• 1/4 c olive oil
• 1 lg (or more) jalepeños, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp salt (Kosher or sea)
• 1/4 bunch of cilantro chopped
• 1/2 TBSP lemon juice (I would use more)
• 1/4 c tahini if you wish

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut off the top of the garlic bulb and place in a small piece of foil. Drizzle with olive oil. Place in a 375° oven for 35-40 minutes. Open and let cool.
2. Place all the rest into a food processor and blend until fairly smooth. Squeeze out the garlic into the bowl, and add the rough cut cilantro and pulse until mixed.
3. Serve with raw veggies or pita bread, or taco chips (unsalted).

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Japanese Chicken Wings

The recipe also comes from JustaPinch, and the poster is Dee Irvine. You can visit the recipe here.

This is an easy recipe, and can function as a nice main dish for picnics, or as an appetizer, or finger food for sports watching.

Since it is essentially a finger food, I recommend that you take off the wing tip and use for something else, and split the resulting winglets. They are a bit sticky and hard to break apart without getting the sauce all over your fingers.

We tried these a few weeks ago, and really enjoyed them.

INGREDIENTS:

• About 12 chicken wings
• 1/4 c soy sauce
• 1/4 c sugar
• 2 TBSP water
• 3 TBSP honey
• 1 TBSP freshly grated ginger root (1/2 tsp ground)
• 2 tsp sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS:

1. Split all your wings into pieces.
2. Preheat oven to 375°
3. Combine everything but the wings in a small saucepan and heat to a boil
4. Line a baking pan with foil and place all the winglets in, the closer the better. Pour the sauce over and turn to coat
5. Let them marinate for 10-15 minutes, turning once or twice.
6. Bake uncovered 35 minutes or so until done. Pour any sauce remaining over the chicken on the serving plate.
7. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. 
8. I found these tasted great either hot or at room temperature.

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