Asparagus Wrapped in Prosciutto and Puff Pastry

Ingredients:



asparagus spears, washed, dried and trimmed
paper thin prosciutto cut in half lengthwise
thawed puff pastry
olive oil

Directions:

Remove puff pastry from freezer and allow to sit for 10 minsPreheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchement paper.

Wrap half sloce of prosciutto around each asparagus spear.
With a pizza cutter, slice the puff pastry into 1/2 wide strips.
Wrap puff pastry around the asparagus.
Arrange wrapped spears in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Bake for about 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until asparagus is tender, prosciutto is crisp and puff pastry is golden brown. Serve immediately.


Note: Prosciutto is salty enough, so you don't need to season with salt.
You can brush the puff pastry with egg wash and sprinkle with garlic powder and parmesan cheese.

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Cream Cheese Penguins

Here is one of the appetizers I made for Christmas. I invited some friends to join us for dinner and when I put the penguins on my table they started to laugh and to take photos to post them on facebook, it was a big hit. The only problem is that nobody wanted to eat them because they are too adorable.

Jumbo or large black olives, pitted

Small black olives

1/2  package cream cheese (4 ounce), room temperature

1 large carrot

With a sharp knife cut a slit from top to bottom, lengthwise, into the side of each jumbo/large olive.

Using a teaspoon carefully insert cream cheese into each olive. Smooth the surface with wet finger.

Slice the carrot into eighteen 1/4 inch thick rounds. Cut a small triangle out of each carrot slice. Insert the carrot triangle in a small olive to make the beak

Cut a small notch out of each carrot slice to form feet. Save the cut out piece and press into center of small olive to form the beak. If necessary cut a small slit into each olive before inserting the beak.

Set the stuffed olive, large hole side down, onto a carrot slice.

Set the small olive with the beak onto the large olive.

Secure with a toothpick.

They are super cute, easy to make and a lot of fun. It takes maybe 20-30 minutes first time, after that it's a piece of cake. 

Note:

You can make scarf from roasted bell pepper if you still have patience :-) just cut long strips or pepper and put them around the neck. 

Use goat cheese or add herbs or garlic salt to the cream cheese if you want more flavor.

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Stewie Salad

I posted this recipe a long time ago. I will post it again, just because I think this deserves a separate post. Just look at that face. It makes me laugh when I see it.
I have this oval baking dish and every time I use it I think "this lookes like Stewie's head", so this is how the idea was born. I made this beef salad and decorated with 2 slices of potatoe, peas and pickles. The result is awesome.
You can make it with anything as long as you have an oval serving or baking dish. It's even funnier if it has handles. So next time you make potato salad, chicken salad, pasta salad or tuna salad... maybe you will see Stewie in your dish :-)

Ingredients:

4-5 potatoes

2-3 carrots

1 parsley root

1 can green peas

2 pickles

1/2 lb poultry breast or beef sirloin

½ cup mayo

1 tablespoon mustard

Salt

Black pepper

Directions:
Boil the vegetables with the meat in a large pot. When cool enough to handle, cube the meat, potatoes, pickles and all other vegetables. Place all in a bowl, add the peas and salt.

In a separate bowl, mix mayo and mustard. Season with salt and black pepper. Add 3/4 of the mayo mixture to the meat and vegetables and mix well. Arrange on a serving platter.

Smooth with a knife and then cover with the rest of the mayo mixture. (optional)
Serve on a slice of fresh bread.




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Baked Jalapeno Peppers with Mozzarella Cheese

Ingredients:

jalapeno peppers

mozzarella cheese

salt

black pepper

 

Directions:

Preheat oven at 350F.
Place a cooling rack in a baking tray and lay a piece of aluminum foil on top of the cooling rack (for easy cleaning). I use the cooling rack to keep the jalapeno peppers from moving.
Cut each jalapeno lengthwise, and remove seeds and membranes. Wear rubber disposable gloves when you clean the jalapeno chiles.
Cut Mozzarella in long pieces and fill the jalapeno halves with cheese.

Season with salt and black pepper.

Bake in preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes.
Serve hot.

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Roasted Eggplant Dip Recipe - Salata de Vinete

This is a delicious Romanian dish, it can be served with fresh bread, tomatoes, feta cheese. 

Ingredients: (serves 4)

2 large or 3 medium eggplant

1/3 cup homemade mayo
3 tbs onion, grated and drained

2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp sea salt
black pepper

Directions:

Breaded Baked Zucchini Chips

Ingredients

2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/2 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs

1/2 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Put flour in a small bowl

Beat eggs in a small bowl. Add black pepper and garlic powder.
Grate Parmesan cheese and mix with bread crumbs in a separate bowl.

Coat zucchini with flour, place in egg mixture and than cover with bread crumbs.

Place them on a greased baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, then turn over and bake for another 10 minutes, until browned and crispy.

You can make this using panko, or bread crumbs, add celery salt, onion powder, serve it with marinara sauce as an appetizer or as a side dish. They are delicious and are a great low fat alternative to fried zucchini.

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Canned Tuna Cakes

Ingredients:

2 cans tuna (5 oz), drained well
2 green onion, chopped
1/2 celery stalk, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 cup panko or bread crumbs

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 large egg
salt
black pepper

Directions:

Baked Jalapeno Poppers with Prosciutto

Ingredients:

jalapeno peppers
mozzarella cheese
prosciutto, thinly sliced

Directions:

Preheat oven at 350F.
Cut each jalapeno lengthwise, and remove seeds and membranes.
Cut Mozzarella in long pieces and fill the jalapeno halves with cheese.
Wrap in Prosciutto or lay Prosciutto on top of the cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes.
Serve hot.

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Gorgonzola Stuffed Mushrooms - Quick and Easy

This is a very simple appetizer and it can be prepared ahead. If you have a party just pop it in the oven when your guests arrive and voila. Quick and delicious.
You can use blue cheese or cream cheese mixed with bacon. Just use your imagination.

Ingredients:
medium size button mushrooms
Gorgonzola cheese
salt

black pepper

Directions:

Remove stems from mushrooms.

Fill each mushroom cap with Gorgonzola cheese and place them on a lightly sprayed shallow baking pan.

Season with salt and black pepper.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, just until slightly browned on top.

Serve hot.

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Cheese Fondue

Try this recipe for a “Cheesy” Valentine's Day"
Ingredients:

1 clove garlic
1/4 lb. Gruyere cheese, shredded
1/4 lb Emmenthaler cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Egg, Ham and Cheese Salad

Ingredients:

2 cups fully cooked ham, chopped

1 cup cheese, chopped

1 hard-cooked egg, chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped celery

2 medium size pickle, chopped

3 tablespoon mayonnaise

2 tablespoon sour cream

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

black pepper

Directions:

Combine mayo, sour cream, mustard and black pepper. Add the rest of the ingredients and mi well.

Serve on crackers.

Valentine's Day Ham and Cheese Platter

Here is a great idea for Valentine's day.

Slice ham, cheese and tomatoes.
Cut the cheese and the ham with a heart shaped cookie cutter.
Arrange tomato slices on a plate or cutting board, add ham and cheese hearts, olives and crackers

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Hungarian Cheese Spread - Korozott Juhturo

Ingredients:

1/2 pound Liptauer or farmers cheese at room temperature

4 ounces (1 stick) soft unsalted butter

1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika

1/2 teaspoon pounded caraway seeds

1 small grated onion or 3 green onions, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon mustard

Salt

Black pepper
Worcestershire sauce (few drops - optional)

Makes about 2 cups

Directions:

Put cheese into a medium bowl. With an electric mixer beat in butter. Add remaining ingredients, combining thoroughly. Adjust seasonings. Refrigerate at least 2 hours for flavors to marry. Remove from refrigerator 15 minutes before serving.

Serve on fresh bread, use it in a sandwich or cut the ends of pepper, remove seeds and stuff pepper with the cheese mixture. If you put it in pepper, refrigerate the stuffed peppers for 2-3 hours and slice with a sharp knife. Sprinkle with capers or caraway seeds.

Note:

If the farmers cheese is very dry and the add a little sour cream until the mixture is creamy.

If you want to turn this into a veggie dip, add 1/3 cup sour cream.


 

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Quick Asparagus Gruyere Tart (with pizza crust)

Ingredients:

2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded

1 1/2 pounds medium or thick asparagus

Salt

Black pepper

1 pizza crust

 Directions:

Feta Cheese Appetizer

Ingredients:

4 oz cream cheese, softened

4 oz feta cheese, crumbled

Cottage cheese or greek yogurt (optional)

2  teaspoons green onion, chopped

1/4  teaspoon  black pepper

1/2  cup  chopped fresh dill

tomatoes

olives

cucumbers

or other fresh vegetables

Ham and Cheese Salad

Ingredients:

2 cups ham, chopped

1 cup cheese, chopped

1/2 cup of roasted red pepper, chopped

1/4 cup olives, sliced

1/4 cup marinated mushrooms (optional)

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoon sour cream

1/2 tablespoons mustard

black pepper

Crepes filled with Chicken Paprikash - Hortobagyi Palacsinta

Ingredients for Crepes:

1 egg

150 g flour

300 ml milk

100 ml sparkling water (regular water is good if you don’t have sparkling water)

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

Ingredients for Chicken Paprikash:
 

Hungarian Meat Balls

Ingredients:

2 lb ground pork

2 large eggs

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 large potato, shredded

2 thick slices of bread, moistened in milk

salt

black pepper

1 cup oil

Baked Asparagus wrapped in Prosciutto

Ingredients:
thin asparagus spears, washed, dried and trimmed
paper thin prosciutto cut in half lengthwise
cream cheese (optional)
olive oil

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and coat with olive oil.
Spread prosciutto slices with cream cheese (optional).
Wrap half prosciutto slice around 2 or 3 asparagus spears. Arrange wrapped spears in a single layer on a medium baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove, flip once to brown both sides. Return to the oven for another 5 minutes, or until asparagus is tender, and prosciutto is crisp. Serve immediately.


Note: Very simple and easy to prepare ahead. I wrapped the asparagus ahead of time and only had to pop it in the oven at the last minute to get it ready to serve. You can drizzle it with lemon juice before serving.
Prosciutto is salty enough, so you don't need to season with salt.

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Boeuf Salad

Ingredients:

4-5 potatoes

2-3 carrots

1 parsley root

1 can green peas

2 pickles

1/2 lb poultry breast or beef sirloin

½ cup mayo

1 tablespoon mustard

Salt

Black pepper