Recipes - Appetizers

Cajun Potato Wedges

Ingredients:

2lbs. baking potatoes medium size, peeled & cut into wedges
3 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 Tbs. parsley
1 Tbs. barbecue rub ( you can use Emeril's, Paul Prudhomme's or any other brand )
barbecue sauce

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel the potatoes and cut into wedges ( i get 4 per potato ) and drop into a pot of water, and than set aside. In a small bowl add the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, oregano and parsley and blend together and set aside. Now rinse and drain the potatoes and pat dry. Lay the potatoes in a 13" x 9" pan, pour the oil on and than the spices, toss by hand to coat them as evenly as possible. Spread the potatoes out as much as you can, so that their not laying on top of each other, and sprinkle with the barbecue rub. Bake for 50 minutes, but at 25 minutes toss them around with a flipper to coat with oil, trying not to break them up. Cook for the last 25 minutes. Serve with a barbecue sauce for dipping, either store bought or your own homemade. posted 6/12/09



Scotch Pancakes

Ingredients:

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbs. sugar
salt, pinch
1 egg, large - beaten
1 tsp. Mrs. Buttersworth syrup or golden syrup
5 Tbs. ( or more if needed ) milk, fat free
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
margarine, lard or suet to grease the griddle ( i use Pam spray )

To a large bowl add the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, sugar and salt, stir to blend. In a smaller separate bowl add the egg and beat it, add the Mrs. Buttersworth, milk and the vanilla and blend. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix. This should be a pouring batter, but not to thin. Heat your griddle to a medium heat and grease the griddle. Pour on the batter, i use a soup ladle, but not completely filled to do one first. You want them to be about 3" in diameter. Once you have your heat level and ladle quantity, go ahead and start doing a few at a time. As they get done, put them in a warm oven, if your going to serve them now, or on a clean cloth to cool down , if your serving them later. These will be a little more cake like and thicker than American pancakes. You can serve with just butter, or jam or both. We use strawberry butter on ours. Their good served at room temperature or warmed. posted 7/6/09





Scottish Crumpets

Ingredients:

1 egg, large
4 oz. milk, fat free
1 oz. milk, fat free
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
salt, pinch


Beat the egg and than add the sugar and beat to blend. Now add the 4 oz. of milk to the egg mixture. Than measure the flour and add to the wet ingredients and blend. After that take the 1 oz. of milk and put into a small bowl and add the baking soda and cream of tartar so that it can dissolve, add to the wet mixture and add a pinch of salt and blend. Heat up a griddle on medium heat. When the griddle is hot pour a small scope of the batter, about a 5" diameter. Cook until the bottom surface is golden brown, there should be lots of bubbles on the top surface. Flip and cook the other side and brown. The crumpets should be thin similar to a crepe. If your serving them now,put on a plate and keep in a warm oven, until their all done. If their for later, lay on a clean cloth to cool. Serve with butter or jam or both. These are excellent for breakfast, a tea, a brunch or as a snack. Their good served at room temperature or warmed. posted 7/6/09



Steak and Sausage Pie

Ingredients:

1 lb. beef cubes
1 lb. Scottish bangers ( or sausage of your choice )
4 Tbs. all purpose flour
1 Tbs. barbecue rub ( i use my own, but you can use Paul Prudhomme's or Emerils etc. )
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
1 can of beer ( i use Genesee Cream Ale, but you can use other kinds )
1 can beef broth
water
3 tbs. Bisto ( a British item, gravy granules )
1 sheet of puff pastry
2 Tbs. milk
mashed potatoes



Mix the flour and barbecue rub and coat the beef cubes, than set aside. Add the 2 tbs. of oil to the frying pan and heat to medium, than add the beef cubes a few at a time so as not to crowd the pan and brown them, setting them aside until all are browned. Add the beef cubes and the bangers to a crock pot and set aside. Add the other 2 tbs. of oil to the pan and heat up, than add the onions and saute until their soft, approximately 10 minutes, than add to the crock pot. Next pour the can of beer and the can of beef broth into the crock pot. Now add water to bring the level up to 2 inches below the rim and add the Bisto. The Bisto at this point is not going to stir in so don't worry about it floating. Turn onto high for about 1/2 hour, than you can stir the Bisto and it will go into the liquid easier, than turn it to low and let it cook all day, about 8 hours. You can also wait until it's done and add the Bisto at the end and let it cook for another 10 minutes. At this time turn the oven on and set it for 400 degrees and while it's heating up roll out one sheet of your puff pastry to fit either one big pan or 2 small pans. I use to pans about 2 inches deep and about 6" x 8". Now turn off the crock pot and use a slotted spoon and remove the beef and sausage from the crock pot and divide between the 2 pans or put in the one big pan and than use a ladle to put some of the gravy and onions in each pan. Don't put so much that you cover the beef. Now put your sheets of puff pastry over the 2 pans or the one and brush the pastry with a little milk and put them in the oven and bake about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Since i do two i set the one aside to cool and put it in the refrigerator to eat another day. Turn the crock pot back on and let it heat the rest of the gravy. While the pie is baking i either have my mashed potatoes already cooking or they may be almost done in which case, they'll sit until the pie is almost ready and I'll warm the the potatoes up in the microwave. If you do 2 pans, each pan will serve 2. Divide the pie and plate it and put a serving of mashed potatoes along side and ladle some of the gravy on the potatoes and i also put some of the gravy on top of my pastry, but my wife doesn't. posted 6/11/09


Tropical Bruschetta

Ingredients:

1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 Tbs. sugar
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 Tbs. cilantro, chopped
1 Tbs. lime juice
2 cups cantaloupe, cut into small chunks
1 loaf bread - mini Italian ( you can also use baguette or your choice )
10 to 12 0z. brie, cut into slices

Chill the brie in the freezer. Preheat the broiler. Add the red bell pepper, onion, sugar, cayenne pepper, cilantro, lime juice and cantaloupe to a bowl and mix. Put in the refrigerator to chill. Slice the bread and lightly toast the bread on one side, turn and top with the brie. But the toast back under the broiler to melt the brie. Than top with some of the salsa and serve. Serves approximately 4. posted 6/15/09


Welsh Rarebit

Ingredients:

2Tbs. butter
1 1/4 tsp. mustard, brown
salt, pinch or to your taste
black pepper, a couple of grinds
1 Tbs. breadcrumbs
1/4 cup beer ( i use Genesee cream ale )
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded ( sometimes I'll switch to a different cheese for variety )
1 egg yoke
3 pieces of bread for toasting

Take a pan and add the butter on a medium heat and when melted, remove from the heat. Add the mustard, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs and beer, stir to blend. Now add the cheese and the egg yoke. Put the bread in the toaster. While the bread is toasting, put the pan back on the burner at a medium heat and continue heating up, but you have to stir continuously so that the egg doesn't scramble. When the cheese melts and it starts thickening up, remove from the burner. Plate the toast and ladle the cheese over top of the toast and spread to cover. Serves 1