Appetizers Archives - Page 13 of 25 - What the Forks for Dinner?

Cucumber Sushi

As anyone who gardens knows, when cucumbers come on they come on…… Cucumber Sushi lets you make the best of your over abundance.

As I was making this recipe, which I found on …..you guessed it Pinterest…..one of my friends on Facebook posted a photo of her first crop of cucumbers…..so Brenda, here is a little something you can do with those green beauties.

The recipe is from Sarah at Live Eat Learn and when I saw the recipe I knew I had to try it.

I have had real sushi maybe twice…….not sure if I “love” it but I did like the flavors of the sauces and the veggie-avocado component. So, when I saw this faux sushi recipe I was intrigued.

The recipe was fairly easy, no complicated ingredients and looked cool and refreshing…….it was!

I used a melon baller to hollow out the inside of the cucumbers. The original recipe had you making rice, but I purchased sticky rice from the Oriental section of the grocery store. It’s already cooked and …..well sticky, which is what you need for this recipe.

Cutting up the veggies takes virtually no time. The only tricky part is getting everything inside. But, a little persistence and patience, and in no time your rolls are stuffed.

The first ones I cut, I cut a little too thin and the stuffing came out. Besure to cut them at least an inch thick.
I made a spicy mayo as the original recipe called for, but wasabi, or soy sauce would be tasty also.

So for a cool refreshing appetizer, or snack…….try Cucumber Sushi.

Cucumber Sushi

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Author: Live Eat Learn

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Ingredients

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2 cucumbers
1 package cooked sticky rice (in the Oriental food section)
¼ to ½ firm avocado, cut into thin slices
¼ red bell pepper, julienne (matchstick) cut
¼ orange bell pepper, julienne (matchstick) cut
1-2 scallions, julienne

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Instructions

Cut each cucumber in half and remove seeds with either a small spoon or knife to create a long, hollow tube.
Spoon in a small amount of rice, then compress towards one side of the tube.
Gently insert a slice of avocado and a few slices of pepper, then add more rice to fill gaps, compressing and adding more rice until packed full. Be gentle, especially if your avocado is ripe and soft!
With a sharp knife, slice cucumber into 1 inch thick pieces (thinner if you’re a daredevil). If you start to notice the filling is loose as you cut, stuff in some rice and peppers where needed.
Serve with either low sodium soy sauce or spicy mayo. To make spicy mayo, mix 1 Tbsp mayo and ½ tsp sriracha.

Roasted Beet Salad

Super simple, easily elegant, sinfully delicious………………….. Roasted Beet Salad.

I only remember beets two ways as a kid….from a can…….or pickled beets. I don’t think I ate either and was truly amazed when I ate them for the first time as an adult.

When I began gardening, I planted them and canned pickled beets every year. I’m kinda over the canning. It’s a wonderful thing and maybe when I retire….. someday…… I will pick it up again. It was nice to have your own fresh veggies in the winter……your own organics.

These days, I purchase beets, organic when I can and roasting is my preferred method of cooking. Roasting beets intensifies their flavor, it brings out an earthy sweetness, and makes them easy to peel.

To roast beets cut the tops off leaving about two inches of the stem. Leave the tap root……the thing that looks like a tail on…..don’t cut it off. Scrub the beet to remove any dirt and place beets on a cookie sheet lined with tin foil. Use enough foil to cover the beets. Wrap tightly. Place the beets in a 400* oven for 45-55 minutes or until fork tender.

Once the beets are roasted, remove from the oven and open the foil to allow steam to escape….be careful!

Allow the beets to cool enough to handle them, the skins will slide right off. You can then cut off the tap root. Then slice, cube, chunk……whatever you desire.

I wanted a simple recipe that let the flavor of the beets shine, so I made a simple vinaigrette and tossed the beets….I cubed mine……in the vinaigrette and allowed then to set while I toasted the walnuts.

Blue cheese with its pretty blue green marbling and tangy flavor is the perfect accompaniment to the beets and walnuts. If you are not a fan of the blue cheese goat cheese would make a great substitute.

If you are looking for a easy, beautiful, side dish look no further than Roasted Beet Salad.

Roasted Beet Salad

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Author: Marty Boyd
Yield: 4

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Ingredients

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2 cloves garlic , minced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
5 large Roasted Beets, peeled and cubed
1⁄4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Blue Cheese

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Instructions

Whisk garlic, vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, and salt and pepper until emulsified. Add beets and toss to coat.
To serve top beets with toasted walnuts and a wedge of blue cheese.

Scallop Bacon Brussels Sprout Pizza

Scallop Bacon Brussels Sprout Pizza. Scallops on pizza? You better believe it!

That’s a mouth full…..a mouth full of deliciousness! I have a recipe that I make often that uses scallops, bacon and brussels sprouts, I will have to share that recipe one day, but the combination of ingredients is a real taste treat.

When I was a kid brussels sprouts would not have passed my lips. then as my tastes changed, I would eat them with cheese sauce. Then entered bacon, bacon brings out the best in both scallops and brussels sprouts.

Of course bacon can make just about anything better, and has been added to so many foods and transformed them into spectacular dishes.

Now, I will try anything on a pizza, sweet, savory, so why not seafood. I’ve had shrimp on pizza before. It was good, but the flavor was lost in the traditional pizza flavoring.

Alfredo sauce sounded like a good ‘sauce’ for the pizza. You of course can make your own, but the folks at Newman’s Own make a super Roasted Garlic Alfredo sauce that’s perfect. I love their products and love that in the last 30 years Newman’s Own has given over $450 million dollars to thousands of charities, pretty cool right?

Not bad for something that started out as homemade gifts for friends, and blossomed into a wonderful charity and produces some of the tastiest foods you will ever eat….. they even make pet food!! Newman is quoted as saying “it started as a joke and got out of control”…..so happy it did!

To make the pizza, fry the bacon until crispy, then drain on paper towels. And set aside.

Using some the bacon grease sauté the shredded brussels sprouts just until they start to wilt.

On a pre-made pizza crust, spread the Alfredo sauce to with in an inch or so of the edge of the crust. Top with the wilted brussels sprouts. Slice the scallops in half lengthwise and arrange on top of the pizza.
Sprinkle with parmesan blend cheese and bake. Don’t over cook the pizza……..thats why the pre-made crust. The cooking time for a traditional pizza dough would turn the scallops not rubber pucks, and that my friends would be a horrible, horrible thing.

You want the scallops to just turn opaque, that will keep them sweet, juicy and tender.

Once out of the oven sprinkle the pizza with the reserved bacon. Allow the pizza to set a couple of minutes and serve.

For a seafood twist to pizza……. Scallop Bacon Brussels Sprout Pizza.

Scallop Bacon Brussels Sprout Pizza

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Author: Marty Boyd
Yield: 4

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Ingredients

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2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 pre-made pizza crust
1cup jarred Alfredo Sauce ( I used Newman’s Roasted Garlic Alfredo)
4 slices thick-cut bacon (5 ounces)
4 sea scallops (5 ounces), sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
1 cup shredded brussels sprouts
1/2 cup Parmesan Blend cheese
Italian Flat Leaf Parsley for garnish

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Instructions

Place pizza crust on a cookie sheet or pizza stone. Brush crust 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Spread Alfredo sauce on top, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge.
In a nonstick medium skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat,until golden and crisp, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Sauté brussels sprouts until just starting to wilt.
Spread sautéed brussels sprouts over Alfredo sauce. Arrange scallops on top.
Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 8 minutes, until scallops are opaque, and sauce is bubbly and cheese is browned. Sprinkle with bacon and parsley. Allow to set for a couple of minutes, slice and serve.