Dinner with Friends

Had our friends Jeff & Meryl over for dinner this past Saturday night...it was a really nice evening. Jeff loves to garden and he brought me these beautiful exotic Hibiscus...Pictures 1 & 2 .

I made my "go to" Hors d'oeuvres...
I like to put out a few bar nibbles...

Picture 3 is a bowl of hot marinated olives.

I like to use a mix of kalamata and Greek olives.

Put the olives in a microwave safe bowl add a tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tsp of orange zest, and 1 tsp of Herbs De Provence herb mix.

Microwave on high for 2 minutes, stir and serve hot. So good!

Picture 4 is an old time recipe from my Nana Pearl, (more about Nana in a future blog), fried chick peas.

In a bowl put a 1/4 cup of all purpose flour, 1 tsp of garlic salt, & 1 tsp chili powder.

Give it a mix and set aside.

Take 1 15.5 oz. can of chickpeas (I like Goya Brand) rinse and drain well.

Dry them well on a towel.

Put them in the flour mixture and shake them around coating the beans, then put them in a strainer to get off the excess flour.

Heat up 3 inches of veggie oil in a sauce pan...to test oil, put the end of a wooden spoon in the oil and if bubbles form around it, it's ready.

Drop half the beans in till they are light golden brown, drain on paper towels. Repeat with the rest.

Then repeat this process one more time...you fry them twice...they are addictive!

Picture 5 is a favorite of Alexis...Raspberry Camembert in pastry with honey and walnuts.

You need 1 8oz wheel of Camembert (I use President Brand), cut it in half so you have 2 circles.

Give a generous shmere of red raspberry preserves ,(or any jam/preserve you like), on one of the circles, then put them back together...don't press or It will ooze out.

Then using Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations dough sheet, wrap the wheel of cheese sealing the whole thing well.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and lay the cheese in pastry down.

In a preheated 350 oven, cook it till it's golden brown about 20-25 minutes.

Keep an eye on it or it will sneak up on you and burn.

Meanwhile toast 1/4 cup of walnuts in the toaster oven...as soon as you smell them they are done...be careful they will burn easily too!

Pour a couple of tablespoons of honey over the baked cheese and sprinkle walnuts.

This is a great crowd pleaser!

Picture 6 Baked Spring rolls

Buy a package of egg roll wrappers

You will need a package of ready shredded cole slaw mix

Oyster sauce (Asian Section of market)

Honey

Rotisserie Chicken

Scallions 1 bunch

Sesame oil

Preheat oven to 350

Spray a baking a sheet with cooking spray

To assemble the rolls :

In a bowl mix well the oyster sauce and a Tbs of honey to equal 1/4 cup

Lay the wrapper in front of you with the points of the square facing you up and down, right and left.

Shred some chicken pcs. lay them right to left

Put some slaw on the chicken and a 1/2 pc. of scallion length, drizzle the sauce on top

(Don't fill it too much that you can't roll it!)

With your very clean finger tip brush the top corner with the sesame oil

Bring in the right an left corners, then bring up the bottom corner and roll up sealing with the top oiled corner.

Place on baking sheet seam side down and brush the roll with the oil.

Bake until golden brown about 20 minutes. Cut in half on an angle.

Mix the same amount of oyster sauce, & honey to use as dipping sauce.

They are going to go fast!

Picture 7 Smoked Salmon Cucumber Cups

1 1/2 English Cucumber Seedless, (also known as Hot House Cucumber) ,you can eat the peel on this veg.

6 oz of cream cheese softened at room temp.

3 scallions chopped (just white and light green part)

4 or 6 oz of Smoked Salmon (depends on how much you like in each cup)

1 bunch of chives for garnish

**Special tool- small size melon baller (an Inexpensive great tool to have!)

Cut the cucumbers in 1 inch pcs.

Scoop out cucumber with melon baller **But not all the way to bottom

Mix cream cheese and scallions, if it is still too stiff add a little water and mix well

Take a zip lock bag and cut a little off a corner and fill with the cheese (you now have a home made piping bag!) Cool huh?!

Pipe cheese into cup, fill to edge

Shred the salmon into small pcs and roll like a little rose bud and press into cheese

Stand chives up in the cheese (Refer to picture)

These are so elegant!