Sasa Recipe: bites

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Saturday, February 14, 2015

A Simple and Elegant Thanksgiving Appetizer Creamy Chicken and Cranberry Puff Pastry Bites

I’m still shaking my head in disbelief that Thanksgiving is NEXT WEEK! It seems like it was just Labor Day, and now the holidays are nearly upon us again. This year, we’re headed to Houston for a quickie overnight trip to celebrate and watch the Texans-Lions game with family. That means I’m not cooking the big meal this year…but I plan to take an easy appetizer to share with everyone. It needs to be simple to make but pack a lot of Wow Factor. I found just the thing in a cookbook from Philadelphia Cream Cheese: Creamy Chicken and Cranberry Puff Pastry Bites. Using frozen puff pastry and other convenience products saved me a ton of time, but I promise the end results will have everybody talking.

One of my favorite holiday secrets is puff pastry…I always have a package in my freezer. It saves a ton of time in the kitchen, and the results are always perfect: golden brown and crispy! These little bites take about 15 minutes to assemble and bake for 15 minutes, so you can have them plated and ready to feed a hungry crowd in about 30 minutes! These are simple, but elegant appetizers…and the cranberry sets the mood for the upcoming meal! I made two minor additions to the original recipe: I sprinkled the puff pastry squares with dried chives and parsley, and I sprinkled some chopped California walnuts on top for extra crunch and flavor. Let me show you just how simple they are to whip up.

Creamy Chicken and Cranberry Puff Pastry Bites

adapted from Spread a Little Joy

Step 1: Preheat oven to 400. Spread half a package of puff pastry dough on a large cookie sheet covered with parchment paper or a Silpat. Cut the puff pastry into 12 squares. Sprinkle each square with dried chives and parsley.

Step 2: Add a dollop of whipped Philadelphia Cream Cheese to each square -- about 1.5 tsp. Top with shredded rotisserie chicken breast and whole-berry cranberry sauce. Finally, sprinkle some chopped California walnuts on top of each pastry.

Step 3: As you can see above, some of the juice from the cranberry sauce leaked onto the puff pastry. Drain it as well as possible, but dont worry if it drains like some of mine did...itll still bake up nice and golden. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, until the puff pastry is golden. Turn the pan around halfway through the baking time to ensure even browning. The cream cheese is lava-hot when the pan comes out of the oven, so make sure to let the bites cool for a few minutes before serving.

This is my kind of appetizer: simple to make, great presentation, and lots of flavor. A few simple ingredients combine to make a perfect little bite: warm cream cheese sweet-tart cranberries, and toasted walnuts combine really nicely with the roasted chicken. The puff pastry cooks up golden and crispy, making a great base. I loved this flavor combo, and the squares look so pretty on the plate. If you like brie en croute, this will be right up your alley! I hope that appetizer makes an appearance on your Thanksgiving menu next week...let me know if you try it!

A Stress Free New Years Eve Celebration for Two Featuring Creamy Shrimp Polenta Bites

Now that Christmas is over, its time to focus on the next celebration on the calendar: New Years Eve! Some years we go out for a late dinner at a fancy restaurant and ring in the New Year with a big crowd of festive guests. Other years, we take a low-key approach and watch the Times Square ball drop on TV just the two of us. If youre planning to celebrate at home this year, Ive got a fabulous no-stress menu for you featuring a festive bubbly cocktail, a lovely array of chocolate-based treats...and an elegant appetizer thats so simple to whip up. Who says elegant has to be complicated?!?!?

My Creamy Shrimp Polenta Bites feature two products from my friends at Friedas Specialty Produce: Organic Basil & Garlic Polenta and Tomato Pesto. The polenta is pre-cooked and formed into rolls that you simply slice and pan saute before topping with your favorite ingredients. The flavorful pesto is made with dried tomatoes and herbs. To keep the Italian theme going, I topped each polenta round with flavored cream cheese. I purchased pre-cooked boiled shrimp, which also saved me time. The cream cheese mixture can be prepared a day ahead, which means you can whip up these appetizers in less than 30 minutes on New Years Eve. Ill tell you all about my Ruby Sparkler cocktail and simple chocolate plate immediately following the appetizer recipe. If youre planning to go out for New Years Eve, this menu would also be perfect for a romantic Valentines evening as well. Just saying.

Creamy Shrimp Polenta Bites

a Weekend Gourmet Original

Ingredients:

1 tube Friedas Organic Basil & Garlic Polenta
1 tbs. olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tbs. chopped basil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
1 tbs. tomato paste
1 tbs. Cajun seasoning [NOTE: I used Paul Prudhommes Seafood Magic.]
8 large boiled shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup Friedas Tomato Pesto

Directions:

Step 1: Make the cream cheese topping by combining the cream cheese, basil, garlic, tomato paste and Cajun seasoning. Stir well to thoroughly combine and refrigerate until its time to assemble the appetizers. NOTE: This can be done up to a day ahead.

Step 2: Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over med-high heat. Slice 8 1/2 -inch slices of polenta from the tube. Add to the hot pan and cook until golden brown on both sides. This took about 5-6 minutes per side for me. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 3: Let the polenta rounds cool slightly. Spread with 1 tbs. of the cream cheese mixture. Top the cream cheese with a boiled shrimp and a teaspoon of the tomato pesto. Plate the bites on a pretty serving plate and serve. I opted to alternate the polenta rounds with extra boiled shrimp topped with a bit of cocktail sauce.

These appetizers are amazing...full of flavor and gorgeous too! The basil and garlic in the cream cheese works perfectly with the seasoning in the polenta, and the tomato paste works well with the tangy tomato pesto. These two-bite appetizers are the perfect combination of simplicity and elegance.

I created a simple and fun Ruby Sparkler cocktail to pair with my polenta bites. It features Mumm Cuvee M sparkling wine...because you MUST have bubbles on New Years Eve! We first discovered Mumm sparkling wines during a visit to Napa Valley a few years ago, and theyve been some of our favorites since. Cuvee M is slightly sweet and selected by Mumm as being an ideal pairing for hors doevres and spicy food. It has notes of strawberry and vanilla in its flavor profile. Its delicious on its own, but I wanted to create a fun drink for us to enjoy. To make my Ruby Sparkler, simply add equal amounts of pomegranate juice and well chilled Mumm Cuvee M to a wine glass. Then, float 3-4 frozen organic raspberries in each glass. Thats it...simple and sweetly tart, its a refreshing way to celebrate!

I wanted to round out my celebration menu with something sweet, but I wasnt in the mood to spend hours baking. Luckyfor me, Godiva and the local bakery came to my rescue! Godiva recently introduced a fantastic line of truffle flights. Each flight contains six truffles that center on a flavor theme, including: Ultimate Dessert Truffle Flight, Nut Lovers Truffle Flight and Cake Truffle Flight. Each flight features six flavors that progress from lighter flavors to stronger flavors and textures. I added a couple of truffles from the Ultimate Dessert and Cake flights to my dessert plate: Birthday Cake, Chocolate Lava Cake, Creme Brulee and Salted Caramel. The truffles were so flavorful and decadent! I rounded out my simple dessert plate with classic chocolate-dipped strawberries and small shortbread cookies from a local bakery...I even dipped some of them in chocolate too!

There you have it...a delicious celebration menu that tastes great, looks festive and is guaranteed to be 100% stress free! I hope youll give my celebration menu a try for New Years Eve...or perhaps another celebration-for-two thats on your calendar for 2014. Its sure to be a hit!!

Disclosure: Friedas Specialty Produce, Mumm Napa and Godiva provided me with products to facilitate this article. I received no further compensation, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Wendys Best Bites

Its time for another edition of Wendys Best Bites. This recurring column lets me share some of my favorite casual dining menu items with you. Todays pics are from recent restaurant visits Ive made, and these items all pass my Big-Flavor test. Be aware that many of these are limited-time, seasonal items -- so where noted, youll have to act quickly to try them before theyre gone.

(1) Avocado Chicken Soft Tacos from El Pollo Loco.
El Pollo Loco is near my office, so I go there once a week for lunch. All it took was one bite of their amazing Avocado Chicken Soft Tacos for them to become one of my favorite lunches! They are full of amazing flavor thanks to a generous serving of marinated fire-grilled chicken, sliced creamy avocado, jack cheese, spicy pico de gallo, crisp cabbage, and flavorful poblano cream. Then everything is carefully wrapped in one of El Pollo Locos soft artisan tortillas. The tortillas are really unique -- theyre soft like a flour tortilla, but they have the earthy flavor of corn tortilla. The chicken has a char-grilled flavor, and the poblano cream reminds me of a spicy ranch dressing. They dont skimp on the avocado either.

(2) Pollo Tropicals 1/4 Chicken Platter. Pollo Tropical just opened its first location here in San Antonio last month, and I predict its going to become a very popular dining destination. Pollo Tropical was founded in Miami in 1988 and has since expanded to locations in Texas, Georgia, and Tennessee -- along with several international locations. Pollo Tropicals menu has a definite Caribbean accent, focusing on grilled chicken, slow-roasted mojo pork, and unique sides. I attended the Grand Opening of the first San Antonio location, and I loved the food! I tried the 1/4 chicken platter, which came with Yucca with Garlic Sauce and Caribbean Corn Soufflé The yucca was starchy and reminded me a bit of potato, and the corn soufflé was like a soft cornbread pudding. The chicken was juicy and flavored all the way to the bone...so good! One of the signature experiences at Pollo Tropical is visiting the sauce bar, which features 10 different sauces. My two favorites were the fruity Pineapple Rum and the creamy Cilantro Garlic.

(3) Cheese Enchilada Platter at Taco Cabana. Taco Cabana is one of our favorite casual Tex-Mex restaurants. Their prices are easy on the wallet, and the food tastes homemade. I cant believe that until recently, I had never tried their cheese enchiladas! In my defense, I love their soft tacos and chicken flautas so much that I dont visit the rest of the menu very often. My mistake, because the cheese enchiladas are fantastic! Theyre filled with gooey melted cheese and topped with flavorful chili gravy. Paired with refried beans and rice, its a filling dinner. This month, Taco Cabana is bringing back its popular Taco Treat fundraiser to benefit the Warrior and Family Support Center (WFSC) at Brooke Army Medical Center here in San Antonio. All Taco Cabana locations in Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico are selling $1 coupon books good for five free bean and cheese tacos. Thats a great bargain..and 100% of the proceeds are going to WFSC. The WFSC is dedicated to providing coordinated services to patients, next-of-kin, and extended family members with a primary focus on wounded Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom veterans. The center provides a relaxing entertainment environment for veterans receiving treatment at the Brooke Army Medical Center and their families.

(4) Quattro Formaggio Pizza at Grimaldis. Grimaldis originated in Brooklyn, where the lines go out the door and down the street. In recent years, theyve expanded throughout the country, offering up authentic New York-style pizza. Grimaldis is a great place to go with family or friends and order their amazing coal-fired brick ovens. In addition to our regular favorite -- pepperoni and sausage + pesto -- we sometimes like to try their seasonal specials. This Fall, Grimaldis seasonal pizza is the veg-friendly Quattro Formaggio. This pizza is so good that even avowed carnivores will go nuts for it! The pizza is flavored with Romano, gorgonzola, parmesan, asiago -- in addition to fresh mozzarella. This is a white pizza, meaning it doesnt have tomato sauce. This combination of cheeses is very flavorful -- and the proportions used ensure that the robust gorgonzola doesnt overpower the other cheeses. Paired with a seasonal beer or wine from their extensive wine list and one of their market-fresh salads, youve got a perfect meal.

(5) Create-Your-Own Salad Wrap from Salata Next Generation Salad Bar. Salata is one of our favorite new restaurant finds of last year. We love going in, stepping up to their amazing salad bar, and having one of the friendly servers help us create a custom salad. Every time we go, we create a completely new creation. One time, we might have a Mexican-inspired chicken salad...the next, we might create a Tropical-inspired seafood salad. On our last visit, Michael decided to try a Salad Wrap. Rather than tossing the ingredients in a bowl, they add them to a large wrap and create a hand-held sandwich-salad hybrid. The creation pictured has chicken, corn, pico de gallo, cheddar, and a spicy ranch. If youve never tried Salata, now is the perfect time to visit one of their locations in Texas, California, or Illinois. From now until October 20th, Salata is celebrating their Eat Light at Night campaign. The purpose is to encourage people to enjoy healthy, well-proportioned dinners. Salata mobile club members will receive a variety of discounts -- including a buy one, get one free offer. To sign up for Salatas mobile club, simply text "Salata" to 777111.

(6) Chesters Tasting appetizer platter at East Coast Wings & Grill. North Carolina-based East Coast Wings & Grill has two locations in the San Antonio area, and I recently visited to check out their food. The menu boasts 75 flavors of wings -- as well as burgers, salads, and sandwiches. The best way to try some of the best items on the restaurants 6-page menu is to try the signature Chesters Tasting appetizer platter. This platter is a perfect starter for larger groups -- but a girlfriend and I basically made an entire meal out of it during our visit! The platter features wings (mild, medium, hot, or x-hot), Chicken Pot Stickers, fried mozzarella sticks, fried pickle spears, Bean Stalks (crispy green beans), and slices of Chesters Pub Pretzels. This is all served with a variety of dipping sauces, including: marinara, Bourbon Honey Mustard, and a choice of ranch or Lava Ranch. Everything on this platter was well prepared. The wings were plump and flavorful, and the fried food wasnt the least bit greasy. My two favorite items on the platter were the Bean Stalks and the slightly crispy pretzel bites. This Chesters Tasting truly offers something for everyone!

Disclosure: The restaurants featured hosted The Weekend Gourmet to try these items to facilitate inclusion in Wendys Best Bites. All opinions expressed are my own, and I only share items with you that I tried and personally enjoyed.

Five Ingredients or Less SundaySupper Featuring Sopapillla Cheesecake Bites

This week, #SundaySupper is featuring recipes that contain no more than five ingredients. Our hostess for this fun challenge is Alice from Hip Foodie Mom. The idea behind this weeks theme is pretty simple: a recipe doesnt have to have a mile-long ingredient list to be delicious. Sometimes simple really is best...as these decadent little Sopapilla Cheesecake Bites prove. Using five basic ingredients that I always have in my kitchen, I can whip up a batch of these flaky pastries in less than 30 minutes. Theyre tasty and so versatile -- they make a great weekend breakfast, a delicious snack with a cup of tea or coffee, or even a great dessert for your next Tex-Mex feast!

If youve never had a sopapilla, its a Mexican dessert of fried dough thats tossed in cinnamon sugar and drizzled with honey. The only way I could think of to make the original better was to stuff it with a creamy filling! I have a secret to share: I always keep a package of puff pastry in my freezer. Its one of my go-to ingredients for making simple appetizers and desserts that only look complicated...and now, its YOUR secret too! With this magical ingredient in my freezer, Im always ready for last-minute guests...or sudden cravings. For these sweet puffs, squares of puff pastry are filled with sweetened cream cheese and baked. Just before serving, theyre generously covered in cinnamon sugar.

Sopapilla Cheesecake Bites

a Weekend Gourmet Original

Ingredients:

1 sheet frozen puff pastry
6 ounces whipped cream cheese
1/2 cup + 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tbs. pure vanilla extract
1 tbs. cinnamon (preferably Vietnamese high-oil cinnamon)

Directions:
Step 1: Preheat oven to 425. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, and place the sheet of frozen puff pastry on top. Make the cheesecake filling by combining the whipped cream cheese, vanilla, and 1/2 cup of the sugar in a medium bowl until completely combined.

Step 2: Cut the puff pastry into nine squares (three across and three down). Separate the squares and place a tablespoon of the cheesecake filling in the center of each puff pastry square. Carefully fold the puff pastry into a triangle, completely enclosing the filling. Use a fork to seal the edges of the puff pastry -- make sure to seal them really well to prevent the filling from leaking out during baking. Sprinkle the tops with a bit of sugar and bake until golden -- approximately 12 minutes. Turn the pan halfway through baking or even coloring.

Step 3: While the pastries bake, combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the cinnamon in a shallow dish. If some of the filling leaks during baking, dont worry: they will still taste fantastic. While the pastries are still hot, quickly toss them in the cinnamon sugar on both sides. Place on a serving platter and sprinkle with any remaining cinnamon sugar -- the more, the better! Let them cool for at least 5 minutes before eating as the filling is lava-hot right out of the oven. As you can see, the inside is flaky, with the creamy center.

These goodies are so decadent that youll never believe theyre so easy to make with simple kitchen staples! The outside is flaky and crispy, and the inside is creamy and rich. The generous coating of cinnamon sugar brings everything together perfectly. If you like, you can serve them with honey for drizzling...but I didnt this time since it would count as an extra ingredient. I hope youll give these addictive little pastries a try soon -- theyre perfect for Cinco de Mayo next week.

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I also hope youll take some time to check out all of the other five-ingredient recipes that my fellow #SundaySupper participants are sharing today. Weve got everything from appetizers, to main dishes, to desserts and beverages. My mouth is watering just looking at all these great, simple recipes!! I hope youll join the #SundaySupper conversation on Twitter later today too. Our weekly chat starts at 600 CST -- simply follow the #SundaySupper hashtag on Twitter and remember to include it in your tweets to join in on the chat. Want to join the #SundaySupper movement? Its so easy -- just click this link: Sunday Supper Movement.

Appetizers, Salads and Starters

Chicken and Spring Greens Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette from Crazy Foodie Stunts
Tuna, Burrata and Black Olive Salad from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
Salmon and Cucumber "Noodle" Salad from girlichef
Yogurt Dill Vegetable Dip from Melanie Makes
Tomato, Avocado and Cucumber Summer Salad from My Healthy Eating Habits
Fennel Citrus Salad from An Appealing Plan
Kale-Had-a-Hard-Day Salad from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Guacamole Deviled Eggs from Ruffles and Truffles
Tomato Soup from Run DMT
Wasabi Cream Cheese Ham Salad from Neighborfood
Latkes with Smoked Salmon and Caviar from Confessions of a Culinary Diva

Sides and Accompaniments

Candied Apple Jelly from What Smells So Good?
Grilled Steak with Garlic Cumin Rub from Cooking Chat
Homemade Ricotta from Seduction in the Kitchen
Indian-style Roasted Cauliflower from kimchi MOM
3-Ingredient Beer Bread from Take A Bite Out of Boca
Potato Pancakes (Reibekuchen) from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen

Main Dishes

Smoked Turkey Panini with Roasted Red Peppers and Basil Pesto from La Bella Vita Cucina
Slow Cooker Turkey Half Breast from Nosh My Way
Easy Crock Pot Pulled Chicken from Flour On My Face
Lemon Basil Carbonara from A Kitchen Hoors Adventures
Garlic Butter Shrimp from Savvy Eats
Easy Beef Stroganoff from Hot Mommas Kitchen Chaos
Smothered Pork Chop Cups from Having Fun Saving
Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas from Supper for a Steal
Chicken with Olives from Noshing With The Nolands
Salmon with Tiger Dill Sauce from Cindys Recipes and Writings
Greek Chicken Burgers from Country Girl In The Village
Crock Pot Beer Chicken from Our Table for Seven
Chorizo and Potato Frittata from Small Wallet Big Appetite
Chicken and Potato Bake with Meyer Lemons from Cravings of a Lunatic
Chicken Asparagus Roll-ups from The Dinner-Mom
Spaghetti Squash with Simple Red Sauce from Mommas Meals
Tropical Salsa Chicken from Kudos Kitchen By Renee
Strawberry Red Wine Glazed Salmon from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
Baked Asparagus and Eggs from Bobbis Kozy Kitchen
Grilled Caprese Salad Sandwich from Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
Beef Short Rib Bourguignon from Food Lust People Love
Beans and Egg Sandwich from Basic N Delicious
Honey Almond Salmon from Family Foodie
BBQ Foiled Chicken from Meal Diva

Desserts and Beverages

Flourless Chocolate Cake from Janes Adventures in Dinner
4-Ingredient Butterscotch Peanut Butter Marshmallow Sweets from Shockingly Delicious
Vanilla Bean Honey Ice Cream from The Foodie Army Wife
Coconut Crusted Chocolate Ganache Pie from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
3-Ingredient Nutella Truffles from URBAN BAKES
Chocolate & Peanut Butter Squares from Killer Bunnies, Inc
Nutella Ferrero Cupcakes from Brunch with Joy
5-Minute Strawberry Sherbet from The Wimpy Vegetarian
Best Ever Coconut Macaroons from Hip Foodie Mom
Chocolate Orange Ice Cream from Gluten Free Crumbley
Orchid Panna Cotta from Manus Menu
Oreo Cookies and Cream Fudge from Alidas Kitchen
Golden Oreo Rice Krispies Treats from Pies and Plots
Vanilla Pudding from Magnolia Days
Sopapilla Cheesecake Bites from The Weekend Gourmet
Coconut Cream Mango Mousse from Sues Nutrition Buzz
Peanut Butter Buckeyes from Peanut Butter and Peppers
4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cherry Chip Cookies from Ninja Baking
Raspberry Pina Colada Ice Cream from Try Anything Once Culinary
Avocado Milkshakes from The Texan New Yorker
The Ginger Sass Cocktail from Nik Snacks
Baked Custard Cups from Sonis Food

Sasa Recipe

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Saturday, February 14, 2015

A Simple and Elegant Thanksgiving Appetizer Creamy Chicken and Cranberry Puff Pastry Bites

Sunday, February 8, 2015

A Stress Free New Years Eve Celebration for Two Featuring Creamy Shrimp Polenta Bites

Saturday, January 31, 2015

Wendys Best Bites

Friday, January 30, 2015

Five Ingredients or Less SundaySupper Featuring Sopapillla Cheesecake Bites

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