Brisket & Queso Rangoon with Creamy Jalapeno Sauce

Desert Pepper Trading Co is hosting a Blogger Recipe Contest and I am so excited to share my first entry with you! What could be more perfect for your next game day (or any day, really) snack? Brisket and Queso in a crispy crunchy wonton wrapper with a cool and creamy jalapeno ranch dip on the side. Yes please!

Brisket & Queso Rangoon with Creamy Jalapeno Sauce

1 large fresh jalapeno, chopped

½ cup cilantro leaves

2 green onions, chopped

½ cup bottled ranch dressing

8 ounces beef brisket, coarsely shredded

¾ cup Desert Pepper Chile Con Queso

20 Wonton Wrappers

6 cups vegetable oil

2 teaspoons BBQ Rub

 

Place the jalapeno, cilantro, green onions and ranch dressing in a small food processor or blender. Puree until smooth and place in the fridge to chill.

In a small mixing bowl stir together the brisket and Desert Pepper Chile Con Queso.

Working one at a time, use your finger and moisten the outer edges of a wonton wrapper with water. Add about 2 teaspoons of the brisket queso mixture in the center. Bring the 2 bottom points together in the middle of the wonton and pinch. Repeat with the other 2 corners and pinch to form a square bottom and pointed top. Lay on a cookie sheet and cover lightly with a clean damp kitchen towel while assembling the remaining wontons.

In an electric fryer or large high sided skillet fitted with a candy thermometer, bring the oil up to 375° over medium high heat.

Working in batches, fry the wontons for 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown. Sprinkle the fried wontons with the BBQ rub seasoning and allow to drain on a cooling rack placed in a cookie sheet. Serve with Creamy Jalapeno Sauce.

Makes 20 wontons.

 

You can purchase Desert Pepper Salsa products at your local Sprouts, Publix, Hannaford, Harris Teeter, Shop Rite, Walmart, Giant Eagle, Market Basket, Jewel, Meijer

You can follow Desert Pepper on their Website, on Facebook and Instagram 

#desertpepperrecipechallenge #desertpeppertradingco #desertpeppersalsa

Spicy Muffuletta Pimento Cheese

This is my entry for Hellmann’s Summer Picnic Challenge. I combined my love of Muffulettas and Pimento Cheese into one insanely delicious mashup! Use it as a spread with crostini or crackers, as a dip with crudite, pile it into mini slider buns or spread into tortillas and slice them into roll ups. The possibilities are endless and so dang delicious!

This entry was chosen by the judges as “Best Visual Entry” and a $300 prize!!! 

Spicy Muffuletta Pimento Cheese

1 cup cubed ham

½ cup mixed olives, well drained 

½ cup jarred giardiniera (mixed pickled vegetables)

2 Tablespoons fresh parsley

½ cup Hellmann's Spicy Mayonnaise Dressing

3 cups finely shredded provolone cheese

Place the ham, olives, giardiniera and parsley in a mini food processor and pulse until very finely minced. Pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl and stir in the Hellmann's Spicy Mayonnaise Dressing and shredded cheese. Stir until evenly combined.

 

Charred Scallion Labne with Cajun Macque Choux Corn and Crispy Andouille

Growing up in South Louisiana, Macque Choux (a sauteed corn dish) was one of my favorite side dishes and now that it's finally summer corn season I turned that idea into a dip. Charred green onion Labne is the base and crispy spicy andouille bits top it off. Whether you serve it with grilled bread, veggies, pita or chips I promise you it won't last long!

I am one of 30 bloggers competing in the The Karoun Dairies Blogger Recipe Challenge and this is my Appetizer entry. I had never tried Labne before and I am so glad they selected me to compete and generously sent me their products to work with. Labne is my new favorite foodie find and it will definitely be making a regular appearance in my kitchen from now on. It is super thick and rich and it's almost like cream cheese and yogurt had a baby. It's not too tangy or overly strong either, so if you're scared of regular greek yogurt this is the perfect substitute!

Charred Scallion Labne with Cajun Macque Choux Corn and Crispy Andouille

1 large bunch green onions (about 7)

½ cup andouille sausage, diced into ¼ inch cubes

¼ cup diced red onion

¼ cup diced red bell pepper

2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 cup frozen fire roasted corn kernels

¼ cup diced tomato

1 ¼ teaspoons Cajun seasoning 

1 cup Karoun Mediterranean Labne

Preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Spray the green onions liberally with olive oil cooking spray and grill for 5-7 minutes, or until well charred and softened. Set aside and allow to cool completely.

In a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat, cook the andouille sausage until the fat is rendered and the sausage is browned and crisp around the edges. Using a slotted spoon remove the sausage from the pan and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain. 

To the same skillet add the chopped onion and bell pepper and sauté for 3 minutes, or until the vegetables soften. Add the garlic and continue to cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Stir in the corn, tomatoes and ½ teaspoon of the Cajun seasoning and cook for 3 minutes. 

Place the charred green onions, Labne and remaining Cajun seasoning in the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth. Pour the mixture into a serving bowl, place the corn mixture in the middle and sprinkle with the andouille. Serve with grilled bread, pita, chips or crackers.

 

      You can follow Karoun Dairies to find recipes and more on their  Website, on Facebook, Instagram and  Twitter 

Green Chile Bacon Beignets with Roja Ranch Dip

This is my second entry for 505 Southwestern's “25 Years of Flavor” Recipe Contest and I think it’s a winner. I combined my two favorite things- Tex-Mex and Cajun flavors and mashed them together to create fluffy fried batter full of bacon and roasted green chiles dunked in an enchilada ranch dipping sauce. I can’t think of anything better right now and I’m really hoping the judges agree!

Green Chile Bacon Beignets with Roja Ranch Dip

1 cup 505 Southwestern Hatch Valley Red Enchilada & Tamale Sauce

1 cup ranch dressing 

2 cups flour

½ cup cornmeal

6 Tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

2 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

2 large eggs

¼ cup sliced green onion

1 ½ cups 505 Southwestern Flame Roasted Green Chile

1 cup chopped cooked bacon

In a small bowl whisk together the Red Enchilada & Tamale Sauce and ranch dressing. Place in the fridge to chill.

In an electric fryer or large high sided skillet fitted with a candy thermometer, bring the oil up to 360° over medium high heat.

In a small mixing bowl whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, Cajun seasoning, baking powder, and baking soda. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, green onion, Green Chiles and bacon. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and stir until just barely combined. 

Once the oil is hot, using a small cookie scoop carefully drop balls of batter into the oil. Fry for about 4 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a paper towel lined cookie sheet and allow to drain. 

Serve immediately with Roja Ranch for dipping. Makes 45 beignets.

 

Greek Salad Style Tot-chos with Chimichurri Drizzle

I saved the best for last. This is my final entry for the Big Mountain Foods Recipe Challenge and it is by far my favorite! My son, who is home sick, ate half of this tray and said "I like staying home sick way better than being at school" and he didn't mean hanging out with mom. It was these tot-chos that had my bottomless pit teenage son smiling.

I tossed frozen tots with greek seasoning and baked them till crispy. Loaded them down with Big Mountain Foods CauliCrumble Veggie Grounds, hummus, fresh veggies and the most delicious chimichurri sauce. These are so so delicious I promise you would never guess they're vegan!

Greek Salad Style Tot-chos with Chimichurri Drizzle

 2 pounds frozen potato tots

2 teaspoons Greek seasoning spice blend

½ cup packed fresh Italian parsley leaves

1 small garlic clove

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/8 teaspoon cumin

1 cup Big Mountain Foods CauliCrumble Veggie Grounds

½ cup roasted garlic hummus

1/3 cup chopped tomato

1/3 cup chopped cucumber

2 Tablespoons chopped kalamata olives

2 Tablespoons chopped pepperoncini peppers

 

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.

Spread the frozen tots out evenly on a large cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the tots with the Greek seasoning, tossing to combine. Place in the oven for another 10 minutes, or until evenly browned and crispy.

While the tots bake, make the Chimichurri sauce. Place parsley, garlic, oregano, vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, oil, and cumin in a mini blender or small food processor and puree until smooth.

Heat the CauliCrumble Veggie Grounds in the microwave according to the package instructions.

When the tots are crisp remove them from the oven and place them on your serving plate. Drizzle with hummus, top with CauliCrumble Veggie Grounds, tomato, cucumber, olives and pepperoncini peppers. Drizzle with Chimichurri sauce and serve immediately.

You can follow  Big Mountain Foods on their website,  Facebook,  Instagram and Twitter 

#BigMountainFoodsRecipeChallenge #BigMountainFoods #Veganrecipes

 

Chinese BBQ Puff Pastry Sausage Rolls with Sweet Chili Cilantro Sauce

I am taking part in “The Serious Foodie Blogger Recipe Challenge” and I have to say that I have been blown away by the products they sent me to work with! These spices and sauces pack some serious flavor and I have really enjoyed working with them! First up is my Appetizer entry -  "Chinese BBQ Puff Pastry Sausage Rolls with Sweet Chili Cilantro Sauce". Flaky buttery puff pastry surrounds a Chinese BBQ spiced sausage that is completely addictive thanks to brown sugar, sesame, ginger, star anise, sichuan chili, tangerine zest and loads of other spices that will make your house smell amazing. After a dunk in the sweet, spicy and tangy Vietnamese Sweet Chili Hot Sauce you'll wish you made 2 batches!

Chinese BBQ Puff Pastry Sausage Rolls with Sweet Chili Cilantro Sauce

1 pound ground pork

½ pound ground chicken

1/3 cup finely minced shallot

1/3 cup plus ½ teaspoon The Serious Foodie Chinese BBQ Spice Rub

2 eggs, divided

1 box puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed but still cold

2 Tablespoons minced cilantro

1 (6 ounce) jar The Serious Foodie Vietnamese Sweet Chili Hot Sauce

Preheat oven to 400˚F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix the pork, chicken, minced shallot, 1/3 cup Chinese BBQ Spice Rub and 1 of the eggs together.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the remaining egg with a few tablespoons of water.

Gently unfold the puff pastry sheets on a lightly floured board and cut each piece in half lengthwise.

Place ¼ of the meat mixture in a log shape along the bottom long sides of each of the puff pastry sheets.

Brush the top long sides with egg wash and roll, sealing the sausage mixture inside and letting the egg wash act as the glue.

Cut each roll into 8 equal sections, place on the prepared baking sheet and brush with the remaining egg wash.

Sprinkle with the remaining Chinese BBQ Spice Rub and place in the oven to bake for 25 – 30 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown on top and the meat is cooked through.

In a small serving bowl whisk together the cilantro and Vietnamese Sweet Chili Hot Sauce.

Serve the rolls hot with dipping sauce.

You can follow The Serious Foodie on their website  on Facebook  on Instagram  and Twitter

#SeriousFoodieRecipeChallenge #SeriousFoodie #BitesAroundTheWorld

Jalapeno, Spinach and Artichoke Twice Baked Potatoes

I'm so excited to share these with you today! These beauties won me $1,000 in the Good Foods “Share the Love Recipe Challenge” by coming out on top in the Best Recipe using a Dairy Dip category. This 6 ingredient, vegetarian and gluten free dish is sure to be your family’s new favorite! Perfect served as an appetizer all on their own or as a side next to a ham or roasted chicken, these twice stuffed potatoes can easily be made ahead if needed. Good Foods Spinach Artichoke Parmesan Dip is the perfect creamy base for these delicious potatoes but if you happen to have any creamy dip leftover from the holidays, that will work perfectly as a sub (hello, French Onion potatoes!)

 Jalapeno, Spinach and Artichoke Twice Baked Potatoes

6 small russet potatoes (1 ½ pounds total)

1 ½ teaspoons olive oil

½ cup Good Foods Spinach Artichoke Parmesan Dip

2 Tablespoons mild pickled jalapenos, diced 

1 teaspoon cajun seasoning

1 Tablespoon minced chives

Heat the oven to 350 F.

Scrub the potatoes under running water to remove dirt and prick each potato in several places with a fork. 

Rub each of the potatoes lightly with olive oil and place the potatoes directly on an oven rack in the center of the oven. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and a fork will easily pierce the largest potato when inserted into the center. Remove the potatoes from the oven and raise the temperature to 400 F.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them in half lengthwise and scoop the centers out, leaving a small rim around the skins still intact. Mash the scooped potato centers in a small mixing bowl until smooth and then stir in the Good Foods Spinach Artichoke Parmesan Dip, pickled jalapenos and cajun seasoning. Spoon the mixture back into the shells and place on a small baking sheet.

Place the potatoes in the oven for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned and warmed all the way through. Sprinkle with chives and serve immediately.

Serves 6 as an appetizer, 4 as a side dish

Watermelon Greek Salad Salsa

Hi there! It’s been a mess for a hot minute, but I am finally getting it together and I am beyond excited to be back in the kitchen creating new recipes and contest entries! The lovely folks at The Watermelon Board are looking for new twists on recipes from their site, so I decided to take their recipe for Watermelon Greek Salad and put a twist on it! Here’s my “Watermelon Greek Salad Salsa”

The sweetness of the watermelon is fantastic with the briney olives, salty feta crumbles and fresh mint! It’s so refreshing, cold and delicious it will help you forget that it’s 1,752 degrees outside!! 

 

Watermelon Greek Salad Salsa

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 ½ tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

¼ teaspoon garlic salt

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

2 cups watermelon, cut into small cubes

1 cup diced English cucumber

½ cup diced red onion

1/3 cup Kalamata olives, chopped

¼ cup crumbled feta cheese

Pita chips, for serving

 

Whisk the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, garlic salt and chopped mint together in a large mixing bowl. Gently stir in the watermelon, cucumber, red onion and olives. Pour the mixture into a serving bowl, top with feta and serve with pita chips.

 

 #WatermelonRecipeContest #recipecontest #chipsandsalsa #watermelonrecipes

Hasselback Ham and Cheese Garlic Bread

Can you really ever have enough super simple appetizer ideas in your back pocket? I really don't think so. Whether it's for Christmas, New Years or Super Bowl I think my Hasselback Ham and Cheese Garlic Bread is just the thing! It's delicious, impressive and super easy -sure to impress at your next get together!  Who doesn't love garlic bread? Combine that with classic ham and cheddar cheese and you get this gooey pull apart bread that can feed a crowd. This is my first entry for the Clifty Farm Blogger Recipe Challenge and I guarantee you if you make this, it will disappear fast!

Hasselback Ham and Cheese Garlic Bread

1 baguette

1 (6 ounce) package Clifty Farm Country Ham Biscuit Slices

6 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, thinly sliced

1 stick (8 Tablespoons) butter

4 large cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 Tablespoon minced chives

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Slice the bread into 1/2-inch slices crosswise, without slicing all the way through. (Leave about 1/4 inch intact at the bottom.)

Prepare a sheet pan with one large long piece of aluminum foil long enough to wrap the entire loaf in.

Place the bread on top of the aluminum foil on the baking sheet. Alternate placing pieces of ham and cheese slices in the cuts of the bread.

In a small sauté pan melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, reduce the heat to low and add the minced garlic. Sauté for 3 minutes. Whisk in the garlic powder and chives. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread loaf.

Fold the foil closed and place the bread in the oven for 12-14 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Serve immediately.

Serves 8-10

You can follow Clifty Farm to find out more about their products and free recipe ideas on their Website, on Facebook and Instagram. There's also a $1 off Coupon Link for you to download too! 

#CliftyFarm #countryham #southerncooking

Pear and Pepper Jelly Blue Cheese Tart

This is my second entry into the USA Pears Blogger Challenge!
My Pear and Pepper Jelly Blue Cheese Tart is absolutely gorgeous and loaded with decadent holiday flavors. With only 6 ingredients and less than 30 minutes to throw together this may be your new go to appetizer for the season!

Pear and Pepper Jelly Blue Cheese Tart
1 sheet of puff pastry, defrosted 
2 ½ ounces garlic and herb flavored spreadable cheese, at room temperature
1 large ripe Red Anjou pear, thinly sliced
1 egg yolk beaten with a splash of water
¼ cup jalapeno pepper jelly
2 Tablespoons crumbled blue cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Place the Puff Pastry sheet onto a lightly floured board and lightly flatten with a rolling pin. Poke a few holes with a fork down the center of the pastry. With an offset spatula, spread the garlic and herb cheese in the center of the dough leaving a ½ inch rim around the edges.  Refrigerate for 10 minutes.  
Remove from the refrigerator and arrange the pear slices in rows, slightly overlapping on top of the cheese.  Brush the edges with the egg yolk and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and brush the pear slices with the pepper jelly. Sprinkle with the blue cheese crumbles and serve.

Makes 9 servings.

 #usapears #cookingwithpears @usapears 

Parmesan Artichoke Dip with Crispy Fried Capers

I am taking part in the "Lifeway Foods Blogger Recipe Challenge" and I am so excited to share my entries with you! Lifeway Kefir is something that I always have in my fridge so I was really eager to accept this challenge, try to get creative and come up with new ways to use the fabulous assortment they sent me!
Who doesn't love a good dip? If you're having a party it's pretty much a requirement to put one out and this one might be your new favorite. It's loaded with artichokes and Parmesan cheese and then topped off with crispy salty pan fried capers. Canned white beans and Keifer make this dip extra creamy and good for you - which means you can eat more!
Feel free to make the dip the night before if you need to and just top it off with the capers right before serving.

Parmesan Artichoke Dip with Crispy Fried Capers

1 (15.5 ounce) can Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 clove of garlic, minced
3 ounces Lifeway Organic Whole Milk Plain Kefir
½ cup parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained well and chopped
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons capers, drained and patted dry
2 teaspoons minced chives
1 English cucumber, sliced
1 bag pita chips

Place the beans, garlic, Organic Whole Milk Plain Kefir, parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper in a small food processor and puree until smooth. Scoop the mixture into a serving bowl and gently stir in the chopped artichokes.

Heat the oil in a very small shallow skillet over medium high heat. Add the capers to the oil and cover immediately with a splatter screen to prevent the oil from spattering. Fry for 3 minutes, or until crispy. Remove the capers from the oil and scatter on top of the dip.

Sprinkle with chives and serve with cucumber slices and pita chips.

You can find delicious Lifeway products here: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter , Pinterest and their website  and you can find these products for yourself at Whole Foods, Randalls and Brookshire Brothers.

#lifewaykefir #madewithlifeway #loveyourguts  #lifewayrecipechallenge

Hatch Green Chile Pimento Cheese

Now that football season is officially here you're going to need some easy appetizers to snack on while cheering for your favorite teams! This Hatch Green Chile Pimento Cheese is packed with flavor, can be made in advance and only requires 5 ingredients to put together!

Are Hatch Green Chiles a big deal where you live?

Our local store has an entire week where they highlight a whole line of Hatch Green Chile items- salsa, sausage, queso, even cookies! Now, I really am not interested in chile flavored cookies but make this cheese dip and I am there for it!

If you can't find fresh Hatch Green Chiles feel free to use canned chopped green chiles

Hatch Green Chile Pimento Cheese
4-ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

4-ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded

 ¼ cup mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons grated red onion

1/3 cup diced Hatch green chiles

Mix all ingredients together in a small mixing bowl and pour into a serving dish. Best served at room temperature with pita chips, baguette or tortilla chips.

Are you following me on Instagram yet? If not, please do! 

You can find my latest recipe postings and  updates on Beignet and Roux!

Strawberry Churro Tostadas

These are my Strawberry Churro Tostadas – crispy sugar and cinnamon baked tostada shells are topped with sweet fresh strawberries and a light glaze for the perfect quick and beautiful summer snack! This recipe was my entry for California Strawberries recipe contest and it is now in the finals!! My recipe is up for voting and the entry with the most votes will win $1,000!!

If you would take a moment to vote for me I would so appreciate it! All you have to do is click on this LINK , scroll alllll the way down to the bottom and find my picture and press the vote button. Super quick and easy, just like these Tostadas!

Strawberry Churro Tostadas

4 flour tortillas

6 Tablespoons powdered sugar

2 teaspoons milk

1 Tablespoon cinnamon sugar

1 cup California strawberries, diced

Preheat the oven to 400°F 

Lay the tortillas on a large baking sheet and lightly spray both sides with olive oil cooking spray.

Bake for 5 minutes, flip them over and bake for another 5-10 minutes, until the tortillas are crispy like a chip.

While the tortillas are baking, stir the powdered sugar and milk together in a small bowl.

Once the tortillas are crisp, remove them from the oven, spray the tops very lightly with olive oil cooking spray and dust with the cinnamon sugar. Top each with an even amount of chopped strawberries and drizzle with the glaze.

Summer Salsa

Summer Salsa aka the best thing I've eaten this summer. I swear to you I'm addicted to this stuff and I don't even feel bad about it because it's totally healthy!! I've eaten it with pita chips, tortilla chips, on grilled fish, in lettuce cups......you name it and I've tried it and loved it.

When summer produce is at its peak it can be easy to go overboard and buy a boatload of Farmer’s Market goodies. This dip came about after having an abundance of gorgeous summer produce and wanting to use it all in a unique way. Peaches, tomatoes, avocado and cucumber are all so fresh and light and flavorful enough on their own but then I added fresh herbs like basil and an unexpected punch of fresh mint which takes this dip to the next level!
I promise you if you make this it won't last long!

Summer Salsa

½ cup diced tomato

½ cup diced peach

½ cup diced seedless cucumber

1 large avocado, diced

1 jalapeño, seeds removed and minced

2 Tablespoons minced shallot

2 Tablespoons minced fresh mint

2 Tablespoons minced fresh basil

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon salt

In a large mixing bowl gently stir together all ingredients.  Serve with chips or baguette.