Shrimp Pizza
Shrimp pizza is one of my favorite homemade pizzas. We make it a little more non-traditional by using an alternative pizza sauce. Our sauce for shrimp pizza is a traditional cocktail sauce, and instead of mozzarella, we use grated cheddar. Also, the shrimp is par cooked before topping the pizza. If put on the pizza raw, the shrimp juice that comes out during cooking makes the pizza soggy.
We make our own cocktail sauce. The ingredients, mixed to taste, are:
Ketchup
Horseradish
Garlic powder
Lemon juice
Getting the ratios right for your taste buds may take a little practice, but it’s worth it for the fresh factor. Also, there are many veggies that go well on shrimp pizza — fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, and summer squash or zucchini to name a few.
Photo credit: eliazar
Old Fashioned Hard Candy
Another successful confection from my candy-making phase is traditional hard candy. Hard candy is a classic. It takes few ingredients to make, and it is pretty in a candy dish or a gift jar. This old recipe is my favorite.
2 c sugar
1 c water
3/4 c light corn syrup
Food coloring (red, green, yellow, etc.)
1/2 t oil of cinnamon, clove, peppermint, orange, anise, etc.
Confectioner’s sugar
Combine sugar, water, and corn syrup in 2-qt heavy saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved; the cook without stirring, lowering heat and cooking more slowly during the last few minutes, to the hard crack stage (300 degrees). If sugar crystals form on the side of the pan, wipe them off.
Remove from heat; add food color and oil flavoring, stirring only enough to mix. Pour into 2 well buttered 9″ pie pans. Set one pie pan of candy over a pot containing hot water. As soon as the other pie can of candy is cool enough to handle, cut it with scissors into strips 1″ wide, then snip strips into pieces. Work quickly. Drop pieces into a buttered baking sheet. If candy cools too quickly, set it over saucepan of hot water to soften it, but if it gets sticky, return at once to work counter. Repeat with second pan of candy.
When candy is cool, sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar. Store in airtight containers with waxed paper between the layers. Makes about 100 pieces…1 1/4 lbs.
Photo credit: taygete05
Porcini Mushrooms in a Cognac Cream Sauce
Mushroom and cream sauce fans alike with love this recipe. The dried porcinis make this an extremely flexible dish as far as scheduling goes. Read more
Cowboy Caviar
A coworker from my past introduced me to this completely simple, economic and tasty appetizer. The ‘caviar’ is not fish eggs, but yummy black turtle beans. Good chunks of veggies, tortillas, and sturdy tortilla chips are good options for dipping or scooping this tasty concoction. I never got the formal recipe from Kathy, my coworker, but I noted the ingredients and build this to taste.
1.5-2 cups black beans
1 large clove garlic
onion, small dice (sweet onions are better, in my opinion)
red pepper, small dice (I’ve used fresh and roasted red peppers. Different taste profile, but both successful)
olive oil
lime juice
salt and pepper
1 8-oz brick cream cheese
Combine everything but the cream cheese in a bowl. Bean mixture can be made up to a day in advance. Much longer and the veggies get soggy. Refrigerate for at least an hour to let the flavors meld.
Soften the cream cheese and spread it on the bottom of any flat plate or baking dish with a little bit of a lip to keep juices contained. I’ve used a 12″ pizza pan, a 9×14 baking dish, and a large dinner plate. Just be certain whatever it is, it’s not so big that the cream cheese ends up being spread too thin.
Spread the bean mixture evenly over the cream cheese. Serve with the above suggested dippers and prepare for rave reviews and requests for Corona.
Photo credit: Father Jack
Perfect Butterscotch Patties
When I was a teenager, a couple friends and I went through a candy-making phase that lasted about 3 months. Being a big fan of butterscotch, I dug up this recipe from the family archives. It’s made with stuff found in most people’s kitchens, is pretty foolproof, and sure is good. I’ve given it for Christmas several times over the years and it is always received with smiles and yummy noises.
2 c sugar
1/4 c light corn syrup
1/2 c (1 stick) butter
2 T water
2 T vinegar
Combine all ingredients in 2-qt heavy saucepan. Stir and cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved, the reduce heat and cook at a medium boil, stirring as needed to control foaming and to avoid sticking asmixture thickens. If sugar crystals form on sides of pan, wipe them off. Cook to the hard crack stage (300 degrees).
Remove from heat and let stand 1 minute.
Spoon onto a lightly buttered or oiled foil pan or into the bottom of miniature muffin tin cups (1 1/4″ diameter). Make thin patties. Remove when cold.
Photo credit: Little Blue Hen
Add Some Chevre
Another great way to add some snap to a sandwich is chevre. Chevre is a tangy, light, soft goat cheese whose flavor and texture make it a great layer on a veggie wrap, for example, loaded with carrots, cukes, sprouts, and whatever other vegetable options are available to you. Chevre cheese is a mid-priced cheese, but at least one big box store I know, offers an 8-oz log at a passing fair price.
If you’ve never had chevre, give it a go. It is not only good on a sandwich, but is good as an appetizer component, too.
Editor’s Note: Those in the lactose interolance camp might want to check out this list of vegan sandwiches.
Photo credit: Belgian Chocolate
Chicken with Lemon-Caper Cream
I love it when elegant recipes come with a short list of basic ingredients. Such is the case with this version of chicken with lemon-caper cream. Read more
Sandwich Spread
Several years ago, my Aunt Sylvia gave me a jar of the most interesting sandwich spread. It was different and really, really tasty. I asked for the recipe, and was surprised to see green tomatoes as one of the core ingredients. I’m always on the lookout for ways to use excess produce, and green tomatoes present a particular dilemma. This is a wonderful way to put those end-of-season greens to work. This recipe makes a lot, but since it’s great for hostess or holiday giving, too, that’s okay!
12 Green peppers
12 Red peppers
24 green tomatoes
4-6 onions
2 T salt
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1 1/2 c vinegar
3 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c flour
1 qt Miracle Whip
1 pt mustard
Put the vegetables through a grinder. Add the salt and let the mixture stand for at least 3 hours (or overnight).
Drain vegetable mixture and put into a large pan. Add the vinegar and sugar. Bring mixture to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Thicken the mixture with flour or thin with water to attain the desired texture.
Take off the stove and add the Miracle Whip and mustard.
Put into scalded jars and seal. Makes 10-14 pints.
Use this spread in conjunction with some of these awesome sandwich ideas to dress up a potentially mundane lunch standard.
Editor’s Note: Here are some additional ideas for vegan sandwiches.
Photo credit: Lina Smith
Scallops and Mushrooms in a Martini Cream Sauce
Bay Scallops and baby mushrooms are two of my favorites. So when I found this simple recipe combining the two of them, I was delighted. Read more
Welsh Humbug
On a recent trip home, I went on a recon mission to find some of my favorite family recipes that I didn’t already have in my collection. I went on a candy-making spree sometime in my teen-aged years. My stepfather brought this recipe to the table in the midst of my hard-candy phase. I loved it. The ingredients are few; family can be involved; great for gifting; just plain yummy.
1/2 c vinegar
1/2 c water
2 c brown sugar
Butter the size of a hickory nut (larger than a walnut)
Peppermint oil
Mix first four ingredients in a sauce pan. Boil until mixture reaches hardball stage 250° F–265° F).
Add 6 drops of peppermint oil and stir until combined.
Pour mixture onto a greased platter to cool some.
When mixture is cool enough to handle, pull like taffy until mixture gets a sheen.
Cut into 1/2″-1″ chunks.
Photo credit: Sunset Sailor
