Buffalo Cauliflower

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup hot sauce, such as Frank's
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
8 cups cauliflower florets (from about 1 medium head)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Microwave the butter in a small microwave-safe bowl on high until melted. Whisk in the hot sauce and lemon juice and set aside.

Mix olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add the cauliflower and toss until well coated. Spread the cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until beginning to brown and just tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Whisk the hot sauce mixture again, drizzle over the cauliflower and toss with tongs to coat. Roast the cauliflower until the sauce is bubbling and browned around the edges, 5 to 7 minutes more. Serve hot with Blue Cheese dressing.

I'm not a huge veggie girl, but I'm trying to be, and this recipe from Food Network Kitchen sounds great.

Cream of Carrot Soup

1 cup finely chopped onion
2 tbsps butter
4 1/2 cups carrots (peeled thinly sliced)
1 potato (peeled and cubed)
29 ozs chicken broth
1 tsp powdered ginger
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp dried rosemary (crushed)
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper or to taste


1) In a large stockpot, melt butter and saute onion until soft and tender, about 5 minutes or so.

2) Add carrots, potatoes, chicken broth, and ginger.

3) Cover and cook on medium heat 30 minutes or until veggies are very tender.

4) Remove from heat and let cool 15 minutes.

5) Using a stick blender, puree the soup right in the pot (or pour some into a blender and puree- you'll have to do this in batches though).

6) Return to heat and add milk, rosemary, salt, and pepper.

7) Cook over low heat until heated through, maybe 5 minutes or so.

Curry Puffs

Recipe from Irene Cunningham.

CURRY PUFFS
(a favorite Malaysian breakfast, can be served as an appetizer or as finger food)

Ingredients:
2 small medium potatoes (you can use red potatoes)
4 chicken tenders
1 packet frozen pastry sheet
½ tsp. salt
2 tsps. curry powder, add more if you like it spicy
½ inch piece of ginger root (optional)
4 shallots (or pearl onion)
1 small yellow onion
1 tsp. sugar
1 yolk slightly beaten to egg wash the puffs.

Thaw pastry sheet till it feels cold and ready to roll. (about 30 mins.)

Cut potatoes into small cubes just a bit larger than the size of
a pea and place them in a small pot of cold water. Bring water to boil for 1 min. Drain.

Blend onion, shallots, ginger in a processor till just fine or cut them into small pieces.

Cut chicken into ½ an inch pieces and marinate with 1 tsp. sugar.

In a non stick pan, add 2 tablespoons of oil. Add onions and shallot mixture and sauté till golden. Add curry powder, stir 2 mins. If it starts sticking, add a little more oil. Add chicken and sauté till chicken is almost cooked. Add potatoes, salt and stir another min. and turn heat off. Transfer to a bowl to cool.

Cut each pastry sheet into 9 squares. Slightly roll out each square into a bigger square. Place a teaspoon of curry chicken mixture into the middle, wet the edges and fold into a triangle. Brush with egg wash.

Bake at a preheated 350 degree oven for about 30 mins. or until golden. Cool on rack for 5 mins. and serve.

Each pastry sheet makes 9 curry puffs.

Crab and Cream Cheese filling for puff pastry

6-8 oz. crabmeat
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 scallion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T lemon juice
2-3 drops Tabasco sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/4-1/2 tsp pepper
1 T chopped fresh parsley or 1 tsp dried, crushed

Process all ingredients with a food processor until blended. Make triangle puffs with puff pastry and bake at 400 12-15 minutes until golden.

Chicken Curry Puffs

1 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 lb ground chicken or turkey
1/4 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp grated ginger root
1/2 to 1 tsp chopped jalapeno pepper
2 tsp- 1 T curry powder
3 T plain yogurt

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat and saute chicken, onion and garlic until meat is no longer pink and onion is soft, about 5-8 minutes. Mix in ginger, jalapeno and curry and saute for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat, drain well and cool slightly. Mix in yogurt just before filling pockets.

Using either Phyllo (for crispy puffs) or puff pastry (for softer), make pockets. If using phyllo, cut a strip, Brush LIGHTLY with clarified butter, put a T of the filling on one end, and fold like a flag. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.

For puff pastry, cut a square, place filling on one side, and fold into a triangle. Bake at 400 for 12-20 minutes, until golden.

Cheddar Beer Cheese Spread

4 cups grated sharp cheddar, room temperature (16 oz.)
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/3 cup flat beer

Place all ingredients in food processor and process until smooth. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve at room temperature with crackers.

B's Hot Sauce

1 15-oz can tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1 small onion
1 T vinegar
1 T oil
1 T parsley
1 or more jalapenos, to taste
2 tsp "Accent" (optional)

Chop onion and garlic roughly. Place all ingredients in food processor and process until still somewhat chunky. Pour into sauce pan and bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Refrigerate and serve.

Hot Cheese Puffs

3 oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1 tsp grated onion
1 T minced fresh chives
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/4 cup mayonnaise
4-5 slices homemade bread

In a mixing bowl, combine cheeses, onion, chives and cayenne and mix well with wooden spoon. Add mayo and mix until well blended and smooth. (Can also use food processor.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut bread into 1 1/2" pieces, spread each with cheese mixture, place on ungreased baking sheet and bake until golden, about 15 minutes.

Chili Con Queso Dip

2 slices bacon, chopped
2 T finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can whole tomatoes, undrained
1 4-oz can chopped green chiles
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp whole oregano
1/4 tsp ground pepper
4 cups grated American cheese

In a large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is soft. Stir in next 6 ingredients, blending well. Reduce heat to low and gradually add cheese, stirring until melted. Serve hot with tortilla chips.

A minced jalapeno can be added for extra heat.

Yields about 4 cups dip.

Mary P's Crab Dip

1 lb crabmeat, dried of all residual water
8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. sour cream
horseradish to taste
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup mayonnaise

Combine all ingredients and spread in a baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Chicken Tahini Salad with Pine Nuts

Olive Oil
1 large garlic clove
1/2 cup tahini
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
Pita wedges for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush pita wedges lightly with olive oil. Arrange on a heavy large baking sheet and bake until crisp and golden, about 6-8 minutes. Cool.

Mince garlic in processor. Add tahini, about 3/4 of lemon juice, and lemon peel. Blend well. With machine running, gradually add 1/2 cup water, blending until mixture is smooth and thick. Mix in 1/2 cup chopped cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place chicken in a large bowl. Mix in 3/4 cup sauce, half of the cilantro, and remaining lemon juice. Season chicken salad to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead.)

To serve: spoon generous tablespoon of chicken salad atop each pita wedge. Sprinkle with pine nuts and remaining cilantro and serve.

Mary Porada's Crab Dip

1 lb. crabmeat, dry
8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. sour cream
horseradish
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup mayonnaise

Combine all ingredients, place in a small casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes- serve with baguette slices or crackers.

Crabmeat Rangoons

6 oz. pkg frozen crabmeat, thawed and chopped
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
40 wonton skins
1 egg, slightly beaten
vegetable oil for frying

Mix crabmeat, cream cheese, salt and garlic powder. Brush wonton skins with egg. Place heaping tsp. of crab mixture in center of wonton skin, top with another wonton skin, and press edges to seal. Brush a dab of egg on the center of each puff.

Heat oil and deep fry until golden brown, and drain on a paper towel. Makes 20.