BBQ Bacon Wrapped Shrimp...

A Fantastic Appetizer to please the palate of you guests.  Have a backup batch ready!

• 20 shrimp (raw, peeled and deveined, tail remaining)
• 20 slices bacon (length enough to wrap shimp twice)
• 1 cup barbecue sauce
• 1 (8 ounce) bottle poppy seed dressing
• 4 bamboo skewers (soaked in water)

Lightly toss shrimp and bacon in sealable bowl with Chris' & Pitt's BBQ Sauce to coat. Put in fridg to marinate 6 hours (overnight, okay).
Take out of fridg and wrap individual shimp with bacon strips. Put the wrapped shimp onto skewer leaving 1/4 inch between to insure proper cooking.
Place skewers on broiling pan and broil 3 minutes on one side, flip, and 3 min on other side (timing may vary slightly, but bacon should sizzle) Using a fork, remove shrimp bites onto small platter.
Serve with Brianna's Poppyseed Dressing for dipping sauce.

Plain & Toffee Popcorn...

PLAIN POPCORN

• 3 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1/3 c popcorn kernels
• 2 tbsp butter
• Pinch of salt

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Add the popcorn and swirl the pan to coat
the popcorn in oil. Turn down the heat to low and cover; the corn should start to pop in a couple of minutes. As soon as it stops popping (after 5–7 minutes), take the saucepan off the heat and add the butter and salt. Put the lid back on the pan and shake to mix.

Toffee Variation:  Cook the popcorn as for the plain popcorn recipe, but while the corn is popping, make the toffee coating by melting 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan. Then add 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1 generous tablespoon corn syrup and stir over a high heat for 1/2–1 minute until thick. Pour the toffee over the popcorn, put the lid on the pan and shake to mix. Pour out into bowls and cool a little before serving.

Spicy Parmesan-Pistachio Cheese Straws

Serves 8

• 1 ½ cups grated parmesan
• ½ cup chopped pistachios
• ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 package puff pastry dough
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

1.Preheat oven to 450°F.
2.Stir together the parmesan, pistachios, salt, pepper and cayenne in a mixing bowl.
3.On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff dough until1/8-inch thick.
4.Brush the puff dough with the egg and evenly sprinkle with the parmesan-pistachio mix on top.
5.Cut into ½-inch strips and transfer the strips to parchment lined baking trays, spacing 1-inch apart. Working with one at a time, twist each strip to form a spiral.
6.Freeze or refrigerate strips until very cold.
7.Bake the cheese straws, rotating halfway through until golden brown, about 10-12 minutes.

Hummus

Serves 8

• 1 can (15 oz) chick peas, drained
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

 

1.Place all ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.
2.Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Butterflied Garlic Shrimp

Serves 1

• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• ½ small shallot, minced
• ½ tablespoon parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 6 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 lemon

1.Heat toaster oven to broil. Line the toaster oven tray with foil.
2.Stir together the garlic, shallot, parsley, soft butter, salt, pepper and lemon juice.
3.Lay shrimp on the foil line tray and generously brush each side with garlic butter.
4.Bake for 3-4 minutes, depending on size until the shrimp just turns opaque.
5.Finish with additional fresh squeezed lemon juice. (optional)

Goat Cheese Truffles

Serves 4

• 4 ounces goat cheese, slightly chilled
• ½ cup plain breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
• 2 teaspoons fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1.Heat toaster oven to Broil.
2.Slice goat cheese into 8 pieces and roll each piece into a ball, set aside.
3.In a small mixing bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with olive oil, Herbes de Provence, cracked pepper and salt and mix thoroughly.
4.Roll the goat cheese truffles lightly in the seasoned breadcrumb mixture.
5.Place the truffles on a toaster oven tray and drizzle with olive oil.
6.Broil for 2-3 minutes.

Crostinis...

So Simple I hesitated to Blog this "Recipe".  The crisps can be used for a myriad of menu purposes.

Preheat oven to 400.  Cut a French Baguette into 1/4" slices. Brush with Olive Oil.  Lightly brown (4 min.?).