PIMENTO CHEESE THUMBPRINT CRACKERS

If you love pimento cheese, you will love these thumbprints with red pepper jelly.

They are great to take to a party as an appetizer.

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

½ t baking powder

½ t sweet paprika

½ t garlic powder

½ t dry mustard

¾ t sea salt

½ t finely ground black pepper

½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

8 oz (2 cups) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

2 T drained diced pimentos

2 T water

½ cup red pepper jelly 

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly spray with oil.

In a food processor, pulse together the flour, baking powder, chile powder, garlic powder, dry mustard, salt, and pepper until combined.

Pulse in the butter until coarse crumbs form.

Add the cheese and pimentos and process for just a few seconds.

Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula and pulse in the water until a dough forms, about 30 seconds.

Form dough into 1-inch balls.

Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days, tightly covered.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Using a thimble or the end of a wooden spoon, make a deep indentation in the center of each ball.

Bake for 15 minutes, remove from oven and press the thimble or spoon end into the center again.

Return to oven and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Spoon jelly into the indentation just before serving.

Makes 3 dozen

SURF & TURF STIR-FRY

You can make your sauce ingredients in the morning, cover and refrigerate.

Place your steak in the freezer for about 30 to 45 minutes to make it easier to slice.

Use your own favorite stir-fry vegetables in this recipe.

Sauce

½ cup beef broth

2 T honey

2 T oyster sauce

2 T hoisin sauce

2 T low-sodium soy sauce

2 t sesame oil

2 t cornstarch

Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Whisk together the above ingredients and set aside.

Stir-Fry Ingredients

1 T avocado oil or other high smoke point cooking oil

8 oz sirloin steak, cut into bite-size pieces

16 jumbo shrimp, cleaned and tails removed

8 cremini or white mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and sliced

1 large shallot, diced

1 red bell pepper, seeded, stemmed, and sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded, stemmed, and sliced

1 small bunch broccoli, trimmed and cut into florets 

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 sliced green onions, for garnish

Sesame seeds, for garnish

In a wok or large skillet, cook the beef over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove to a large bowl and set aside.

Lower heat to medium and cook the shrimp for about 2 minutes.

Remove to the same large bowl with the beef.

Add the vegetables to the wok or skillet and cook over high heat for about 3 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds.

Add the Sauce ingredients and heat through.

Return the beef and shrimp to the pan and heat through for another minutes.

Serve over jasmine rice and garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.

Serves 4

HAM AND CHEESE SLIDERS

Slider rolls with ham and cheese are a traditional brunch entree in the South. They are heated in the oven in a baking pan or dish covered with aluminum foil. Set up your sideboard with good silver, china, crystal, and flowers. Add some scrambled eggs, a fruit salad, Mimosas or Bloody Marys. This is southern hospitality at its best.

You can spread half of the butter mixture over the cheese and the remaining butter mixture over the top.  I decided to only spread the butter mixture over the cheese.

It is a little less messy to eat this way.

24 slider buns

1 lb thinly sliced deli ham, off the bone

1 lb thinly sliced Swiss cheese

Poppy Seed Sauce

1 stick (8 oz) unsalted butter, melted

1 T poppy seeds

1 T honey

1 T Dijon or spicy brown mustard

1 T dried minced onion 

½ t Worcestershire sauce

In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter, poppy seeds, honey, mustard, dried onion, and Worcestershire sauce.

Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray 1 or 2 baking dishes with oil.

Separate the tops from the bottoms of the rolls and arrange the bottom pieces in the prepared baking dish.

Layer half of the ham slices onto the rolls.

Add a layer of Swiss cheese and pour half or all of the butter mixture over.

Spread with a brush to evenly coat.

Top with the remaining ham slices.

Place tops on rolls and, if desired, pour the remaining butter mixture over.

Using a brush, spread the mixture evenly over and in between the rolls.

Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Slice through the individual rolls to serve.

Serve hot or at room temperature.

Makes 24 slider rolls.

 

SOUTHERN TOMATO TART

Most recipes call for cheddar cheese in Southern tomato pies.  I love to use my favorite Swiss cheese, Gruyére.

Other good choices are Emmentaler, Edam, or Gouda. 

I included my recipe for a savory pie crust.  

To save time, buy an already prepared pie crust.

Gruyére is a Swiss hard cheese made from cow's milk

Emmentaler or Emmental cheese is a Swiss cheese made from cow's milk.

Edam and Gouda cheeses are from the Netherlands, also made from cow's milk.

Edam is drier than Gouda and a little easier to grate.

Savory Single 9-Inch Crust

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (I use White Lily)

½ t fine sea salt

½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces and placed in freezer 10 minutes

1 t lemon juice

¼ cup ice cold water

Pulse flour and salt in a food processor fitted with a steel blade.

Remove butter from freezer and add to food processor.

Pulse until butter pieces are the size of peas.

Add lemon juice to water and slowly pour through shoot and process until mixture comes together.

Turn dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap.

Gather the dough up and press into a disc.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Press dough into a 9-inch tart or pie pan.

Use a fork to make holes in the bottom of the pie crust, known as docking.

Line crust with aluminum foil and fill pie weights or dried beans.

Bake for 20 minutes.  

Remove foil with pie weights and bake an additional 5 minutes.

Let pie crust cool 30 minutes before filling.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

Filling

4 to 5 medium to large assorted heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced

1 t sea salt or Himalayan pink salt

1 medium Vidalia onion, cut in half and thinly sliced

1 T avocado oil or neutral oil of your choice

1 t fine ground black pepper

¼ cup chopped basil, chives, thyme, and parsley

½ cup grated Gruyére cheese

½ cup grated Emmentaler cheese (Edam or Gouda)

2 T Dukes mayonnaise

½ cup finely chopped herbs, such as basil, thyme, chives, and Italian parsley.

Place sliced tomatoes on a large baking sheet lined with paper towels.

Sprinkle with salt and let sit 15 minutes.

Place paper towels on top of tomatoes and pat dry.

Sauté onion in oil for 10 minutes, until tender and set aside.

Place grated cheeses in a bowl and mix together with mayonnaise.

Place a layer of cheese on bottom of pie crust.

Follow with a layer of cheese, herbs, and tomatoes.

Sprinkle tomatoes with black pepper.

Repeat again.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Sprinkle with a little more herbs and serve warm or at room temperature.

COWBOY CAVIAR

This salsa (Cowboy Caviar) goes well with so many foods, especially quesadillas, grilled chicken, steak, or even salmon. It also makes a healthy lunch served over a bed of lettuce. 

2 T extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil

Zest of 1 lime

Juice of 2 limes

½ t sea salt

½ t fine ground black pepper

1½ t ground cumin

½ t ancho chile powder

2 cups frozen corn, thawed

4 scallions, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 orange bell pepper, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

½ to 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced

1(15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 small bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Spread corn out onto a baking sheet and place under the broiler until slightly charred.

This is optional, but worth it.

In a medium size bowl, mix together the oil, lime zest, lime juice, salt, pepper, cumin, and chile powder. 

Mix in the rest of ingredients, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serves 6

FROZEN LIMONCELLO-RICOTTA CUPS

Limoncello is an Italian lemon liqueur.  It is a favorite in summertime, especially on the Amalfi coast of Italy.  My husband and I enjoyed this many times with my former son-in-law and his family in Positano.  This dessert is light and so refreshing.

1 ½ cups crushed graham crackers or Nilla vanilla wafers

4 oz melted unsalted butter

1 ½ cups ricotta cheese

¾ cup limoncello liqueur

⅓ cup confectioners' sugar

1 T fresh lemon juice

Fresh berries, for garnish

Mint leaves, for garnish

Mix cracker or wafer crumbs together in a small bowl.

Using a muddler or other wooden devise, press crumb mixture into bottom of each 6 small glass cups, and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, mix together the ricotta, limoncello, confectioners' sugar, and lemon juice.

Make sure all ingredients are completely combined.

Fill the cups three-quarters full, cover and freeze for at least 4 hours.

Remove tops and let sit on counter for a few minutes before serving.

Add a dollop of whipped cream, berries, mint leave, and a small wedge of lemon.

Serves 6

SOUTHERN BLTS WITH FRIED GREEN TOMATOES

BLTs are a favorite lunch time meal. This is a Southern version of the classic sandwich, made with fried green tomatoes. Make your Roasted Garlic Aioli in the morning or the day before. You can use regular mayonnaise, if you prefer.

4 slices applewood smoked bacon

2-3 medium green tomatoes

½ cup corn flour 

¼ cup panko bread crumbs

Dash of cayenne pepper (optional)

Sea salt and finely ground black pepper

1 large egg, beaten

2 T buttermilk or milk

1 t granulated sugar

Peanut oil or avocado oil, for frying

Toasted multi-grain bread

Lettuce

Roasted Garlic Aioli (recipe follows)

Fry bacon in a cast-iron skillet, until crisp on both sides.

Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate.

Pour out all but about 1 teaspoon of the bacon grease.

Cut each tomato into about ½-inch slices, discarding ends

In a shallow bowl, combine the corn meal, panko, and cayenne pepper.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

In another shallow bowl, combine egg, buttermilk, and sugar.

Dip the tomatoes in the egg mixture and then dredge them in the corn flour mixture, coating both sides well.

Add the peanut or avocado oil to the skillet and heat to medium-high temperature.

Fry the tomatoes until brown and crispy on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side.

Place on a paper towel-lined plate.

Spread some Roasted Garlic Aioli on each slice of toasted bread.

Add some lettuce, two slices of fried green tomatoes.

Add two slices bacon, some more lettuce, and top with another slice of toasted bread.

Cut in half and serve.

Roasted Garlic-Lemon Aioli
1 large whole head garlic
1 t extra virgin olive oil
1 cup mayonnaise
Finely grated zest of ½ lemon

2 T fresh lemon juice

½ t Dijon mustard

Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

2 t extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt and fine ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut off the top (not root end) of the garlic head and place in a small ramekin (oven-proof custard cup). 

Drizzle with oil and cover with aluminum foil.

Bake in oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until garlic is soft.

Remove from oven and remove foil. 

Let cool until cool enough to handle.

Squeeze out the garlic from each clove into the bowl of a food processor.

Add the mayonnaise, lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon, cayenne, and olive oil.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Process until smooth.

Spoon into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.
The rest will keep in a small clean mason jar for about one week.




Makes 2 Sandwiches