Shrimp Paesano
Ingredients
| Amount | Ingredient | Preparation |
| 1 | pound | shrimp | raw, deveined and shelled |
| 1 | pint | light cream | 10% or half & half |
| 2 | tablespoons | olive oil | or butter |
| 2 | cups | flour, all-purpose |
|
| 1 | large | egg yolk |
|
| 1 | stick | butter |
|
| 1 | clove | garlic | minced |
| 1/4 | cup | parsley leaves | fresh, chopped |
| 1 | x | chives | fresh |
| 1/4 | cup | lemon juice |
|
Directions1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Reserved some cream for the sauce.
3. Soak shrimp in the remaining cream for at least 30 minutes in the refigerator.
4. Drain and roll shrimp in flour then saute in oil over medium heat for 5 minutes. Do not turn shrimp!
5. Remove and place shrimp in baking dish with the sauted side down in preheated oven.
6. Turn oven to broil and broil for 5 minutes.
For sauce:
Mix egg yolk and lemon juice in half the butter and stir over low heat until melted, take off heat.
Add garlic and rest of butter and stir briskly until butter melts and sauce thickens. (Add small amount of 1/2 and 1/2 to thicken). Add chives and parsley.
Serve the sauce with the crispy shrimp.
Italian Focaccia
Ingredients (use vegan versions):
Dough:
1 kilo (about 7 cups) white flour (you can use whole wheat also but it's just not the same)
2 level tablespoons dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups warm water (about)
1 tablespoon raw sugar
Toppings:
whole rosemary
olive oil
sesame seeds
kosher salt
or just about anything you like!
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Pour flour in bowl and make well inside.
3. Put in bottom of well salt then sugar then yeast and slowly pour half of the water.
4. Mix slowly with large wood spoon and slowly add remaining water as needed.
5. When dough has formed a nice ball and does not stick to the sides dump out on counter.
6. Knead dough about 5 minutes until it is very smooth and elastic.
7. If you want a thick focaccia flatten dough out with hands and put on standard sized (40cm X 35cm) flat oven tray or cookie sheet that has been liberally doused with olive oil. Flatten the dough a little more on tray and cover with tea towel. Let rise about 40 minutes.
8. When risen gently punch and stretch dough with finger to fit sides of tray and to make the traditional "bumps". Douse top of focaccia with more olive oil and sprinkle on sesame seeds, kosher salt (not to much) and rosemary leaves.
9. Put in warmed oven and bake about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
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If you like a thinner foccacia then just divide the dough into half and bake on two separate trays. This makes the foundation for the best pizza in the world and you can top it with anything just don't leave out the olive oil.
I got this recipe from my friends Italian mother-in-law and anyone who tries it...loves it! Enjoy!
Taco Platter Appetizer
Ingredients:
1 16-ounce can refried beans
2 avocados, skin & pit removed
1 cup sour cream
1 packet dry taco seasoning
1 cup salsa
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 small can chopped black olives, drained
1 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped black olives
4 roma tomatoes, chopped
Directions:
1. Spread refried beans on the bottom of a shallow platter.
2. In a small bowl combine cup sour cream and taco seasoning.
3. Spread on top of the refried beans.
4. Next, pour salsa over sour cream mixture.
5. Sprinkle cheese, then add avocados, black olives, chopped tomatoes and green onions.
6. Serve with plenty of tortilla chips.
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This Taco Platter Appetizer recipe is very versatile for any gathering. Although it is nothing new, this is just one of those old no-cook standby recipes that are also great with the warmer weather time.
It also travels well to bring-along functions. I sometimes jazz it up by placing either blue corn or green guacamole tortilla chips in a colorful napkin-lined basket for a great presentation.
Cold Veggie Pizza
Ingredients:
2 packages refrigerator crescent rolls
2 8 oz pkgs cream cheese
3/4 cup sour cream
1 package Hidden Valley Original Ranch Dressing mix
4 to 6 cups assorted chopped vegetables
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
1. Press the crescent roll dough in a large greased jelly roll pan, sealing all perforations.
2. Bake as directed about 10 minutes.
3. Combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise and dressing mix and beat until smooth.
4. Spread the cream cheese mixture on the cooled crust and sprinkle the chopped vegetables and cheese over entire crust.
5. Chill and serve!
Veggie ideas: broccoli, carrots, red, green, yellow pepper, red onion, cauliflower, radishes, firm tomatoes, olives, zucchini, broccoli, mushrooms, green onions...
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One of my all- time favorite appetizer recipes fresh from the archives has been this Cold Veggie Pizza. This one never gets old!
A huge secret to the success of this is having all of the veggies chopped uniformly, otherwise the pieces you serve will just fall apart when picked up..
You can keep switching up the veggies each time you make it too and keep it a little different. This is a super-easy and portable platter too. You can literally keep it in the pan and just foil over it.
For hot weather occasions, bring along another 9x13 sized pan, fill it with ice and lay the baking sheet over it to keep cooler (little salad bar trick).
Enjoy!
