Queso Flameado

Ingredients:

• 1 lb chorizo sausage, casings removed
• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 small tomato, diced
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
• 1 serrano chili pepper, minced (optional)
• 2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
• 2 tablespoons 151-proof liquor, such as Bacardi Rum
• flour tortillas

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Brown chorizo in a large skillet over medium heat, 5 to 6 minutes.

3. Pour off the fat.

4. Add the onions, tomato, mushrooms (optional), and peppers (optional), and saut? until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.

5. Remove from the heat.

6. Spread the cheese in a small metal baking dish and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, until completely melted.

7. Remove from the oven.

8. Pour the chorizo mixture over the melted cheese.

9. Pour the liquor over the top and using a long match, carefully ignite the liquor. The flames will die down in 30 to 40 seconds.

10. Heat the tortillas. Wrap in a paper towel and heat in microwave for 1 minute.

11. Divide and place cheese/chorizo mixture inside tortilla and fold to form a taco or burrito.

Honey Hot Wings

Ingredients:

• 12 chicken wings
• 2/3 cup flour
• 1 tsp. garlic salt
• 1 egg, well beaten
• 1/4 cup oil

Dipping Sauce:

• 1/2 cup hot sauce
• 1/2 cup honey

Cut each chicken wing in half. Place the chicken wings in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and let simmer 15 minutes. Drain the chicken and set aside.

Mix flour and garlic salt in a plastic bag. Dip the chicken into the beaten egg and then shake them, a few at a time in the bag to coat. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Brown the coated chicken wings. Serve warm with dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce:
Whisk together the honey and the hot sauce to make a dipping sauce. Adjust the sauce to taste by adding more honey or hot sauce. Set aside.

Snappy Chicken Wings

Ingredients:

• 24 chicken wings (about 2 lbs.)
• 2/3 cup cayenne pepper sauce
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 & 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• Blue Cheese or Ranch dressing

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Cut tips off wings; cut wings in half at joint.
3. In bowl, combine cayenne pepper sauce, melted butter, and cayenne pepper.
4. Boil or double-fry chicken wings to firm up skin (but don’t cook too long!!!).
5. Combine sauce and wings in deep baking pan that has been lined with foil and lightly greased.
6. Bake 30 minutes to 1 hour – you want the wings to still be juicy and not dried out.

Fire Bites

Ingredients:

• 26 oz Can Sliced Jalepeno Peppers (not pickled, those used for nachos)
• 2 & 2/3 C. Crackers Crumbs
• 2 cups Flour
• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 cup Water
• Vegetable Oil ( for your favorite deep frying system )

Drain jalapeno peppers and set aside. Mix cracker crumbs and flour together, blend well. In separate bowl beat eggs and add water blend well. Heat oil in fry pan, deep fryer, or fry cooker until temperature is the same degree’s that you would fry French fries at. Dip slices of peppers in egg wash and then the flour and cracker crumb mixture, dust off excess dry ingredients and carefully place in hot oil. Place enough of the peppers in your deep frying system so they are not over crowded. Take care, the peppers like to pop a little. Fry until golden brown. Remove peppers and dry on a paper towel.

Serve with your favorite Con Queso Dip on the side or ranch/bleu cheese dressing.

Damn Hot Peppers

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 7 green peppers, halved, seeded, and cut into 1-inch square pieces
• 1 pound jalapeños, cut into 1/8-inch slices
• Gray salt
• 3 & 1/2 pounds (56 oz.) crushed tomatoes or 7 cups fresh tomato concassi (peeled, seeded and diced tomatoes)
• Small bunch of basil leaves
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Heat the oil in a very large pot. Add the peppers, jalapenos, and salt to taste. Cook over medium-high heat for about 20 minutes, or until the peppers have softened and are partially tender. There will still be some liquid left in the pot.

Add the tomatoes and the basil leaves. Lower the heat and continue to cook for about 30 minutes, until the peppers are tender. Add additional salt if needed. Remove from the heat.

If canning, add the vinegar, place in canning jars, and process according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Or, store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Orange/Honey Chicken Balls

Ingredients:

• 3 cups chopped cooked chicken
• 1 (8-oz.) can water chestnuts, drained
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

In blender or food processor, combine chicken, water chestnuts, onions, egg, salt and pepper. Process until finely chopped. Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Shape chicken mixture into 1-inch balls. Arrange on an ungreased baking
sheet with raised sides. Bake 15 to 20 minutes in preheated oven or until firm.

In a small saucepan, melt butter or margarine. In a small bowl, stir cornstarch into orange juice until dissolve; stir into melted butter or margarine. Stir in allspice, honey, wine and soy sauce. Cook and stir over low heat until slightly thickened and translucent.

To serve, dip warm meatballs into warm sauce.

Makes about 60 appetizer servings.

Tater Skinz

Ingredients:

• 4 medium russet potatoes
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 5 slices bacon, cooked

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the potatoes for 1 hour. Let the potatoes cool down enough so that you can touch them.

As the potatoes are baking, make the sour cream dip by mixing the sour cream and the chives. Place the mixture in a covered container in your refrigerator.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, make 2 lengthwise cuts through each potato, resulting in three 1/2 to 3/4 inch slices. Discard the middle slices or save them for a separate dish of mashed potatoes. This will leave you with two potato skins per potato.

With a spoon, scoop out some of the potato from each skin, being sure to leave about 1/4 inch of potato inside of the skin.

Brush the entire surface of each potato skin, inside and out, with the melted butter.

Place the skins on a cookie sheet, cut side up, and broil them for 6-8 minutes or until the edges begin to turn dark brown.

Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of cheddar cheese into each skin. Crumble the cooked bacon and sprinkle 1-2 teaspoons of the bacon pieces onto the cheese.

Broil the skins for 2 more minutes or until the cheese is thoroughly melted. Serve hot, arranged on a plate surrounding a small bowl of the sour cream dip.

AW’s Catfish Poppers

Prep (10 mins); Fry (6 mins per batch)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cajun seasoning
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1.75 pounds catfish fillets, cut into 1.5 inch pieces
• 1.5 cups japanese breadcrumbs (panko)
• vegetable oil
• spicy dipping sauce of your choice

1. Combine salt, cajun seasoning, and flour; whisk together the egg and milk. Dredge catfish pieces in flour mixture, and then dip in the egg wash. Dredge in breadcrumbs.

2. Pour oil to a depth enough to cover poppers when placed in fryer; heat to 375 degrees. Fry catfish pieces, in batches, for about 6 minutes or until cooked through (but not overcooked!!).

Crab Stuffed Jalapeños

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Flaked crab meat
• Jalapeno peppers (1 lb, 11oz)
• 2 tablespoons Green pepper; finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons Onions; finely chopped
• 1/4 cup Cracker meal
• 1 Egg; beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
• 1 Clove garlic; minced
• 1/4 cup Milk

BREADING MIXTURE:

• 2 cups Cracker meal
• 1 cup Milk
• 2 Eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Pepper

Cut peppers in half lengthwise. Discard pulp and seeds and rinse carefully. In a large mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients except breading mixture. Stuff pepper halves with crab mixture and press stuffing around pepper. Set peppers aside. To prepare Breading Mixture, place cracker meal in a flat pan, mix together milk, eggs and salt and pepper. Dip peppers in egg mixture, then in cracker meal. Repeat procedure. Deep fry at 365 degrees until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper.

Bacon-wrapped Shrimp Appetizers with Chili Dip

Chili Dip:

• 3/4 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons chopped sweet pickles
• 1 tablespoon chopped, pimento stuffed olives
• 1-1/2 teaspoon grated onion
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 hard cooked egg, chopped

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Place mixture into a chilled serving bowl. Place dip in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp:

• 16 cooked shrimp
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1-1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 8 bacon slices

Prepare shrimp:

1) In a bowl, mix butter, chili powder and garlic.

2) Dip shrimp into mixture.

3) Wrap shrimp in half slices of bacon and fasten with small skewers or wooden picks.

4) Place on rack in broiler pan and broil 3 inches from broiler for about 5 minutes.

Serve with chilled chili dip.

AW’s Fried Pickles

Ingredients (for the sauce):

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 2 cups canola oil
• 1/4cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Crystal Hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons chopped scallions (green part only)
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 lemon, juiced

Ingredients (for the pickles):

• 1 1/2 cups sliced dill pickles, drained and patted dry
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup masa harina
• 2 tablespoons Essence Creole seasoning, recipe follows
• Oil, for deep-frying

Directions for the sauce

1. In a blender combine eggs, salt, and juice of half a lemon.
2. Process briefly to combine.
3. While motor is running, add oil in a slow, steady stream until mayonnaise has emulsified.
4. Transfer to a non-reactive bowl and add all remaining ingredients.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Set aside to serve with fried pickles.

Directions for the pickles

1. Drain pickle slices on paper towels.
2. Combine the eggs and milk.
3. Coat pickles with egg wash.
4. Combine cornmeal and masa harina and season with Essence.
5. Transfer pickles to seasoned cornmeal, shake off any excess, and deep fry in 350 degree (F) oil in batches until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
6. Drain well on paper towels before serving with sauce.

Cant-Stop Sausage Cakes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Jimmy Dean “hot” sausage
• 2 cups Bisquick
• 2 cups shredded cheese
• 1 package Lipton’s Onion Soup mix
• 2 jalapeños; seeded, minced
• 2 cloves garlic; minced

Brown sausage, onion soup mix, garlic and jalapeños slowly over low heat; and don’t pour off the grease.  Put sausage mixture into large mixing bowl and add cheese and stir until cheese is melted and incorporated well into sausage mixture.  Add bisquick and mix well.  Put mixture into shallow cookie pan and press flat.  Bake in 350 degree (F) oven for about 15 minutes or until top starts to turn golden.  I prefer to then turn on the broiler and cook until top is a nice dark golden brown.

Remove pan and let cool, cut into squares and devour!  These are called Can’t-Stop Sausage Cakes cause when you eat one you can’t stop eating all of them!!

Succulent Queso

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Jimmy Dean “hot” sausage
• 4 jalapeños; seeded, minced
• 1 can cheddar cheese soup
• 1/2 soup can of milk
• 4 ounces cream cheese; cubed
• 1 block velvetta cheese; cubed
• roma tomatoes; seeded, diced
• 2 cloves garlic; minced

Cook sausage, garlic and jalapeños over low heat until meat is cooked through; drain.  Meanwhile, put cream cheese and velvetta cheese in saucepan and melt over low heat.  Add 3 tablespoons of milk to help keep cheese from sticking/burning.  When melted, add cheddar cheese soup and milk; whisk until well blended and smooth.  Add sausage mix and tomatoes and warm through.

Best served warm with tortilla chips or use as a dip for warmed flour tortillas.

Thai Chicken Balls

Ingredients:

• 1 (2 pound) chicken, minced
• 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
• 4 spring (green) onions, finely sliced
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 cup chopped fresh coriander
• 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
• 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (F).  Mix the mince and breadcrumbs.  Add the spring onion, ground and fresh coriander, chili sauce and lemon juice, and mix well.  Dampen your hands and form the mixture into bite-sized portions; form into balls.  Heat the oil in a skillet and fry the chicken balls in batches over high heat until browned all over.

Place the chicken balls on a baking tray and bake until cooked through (5 to 15 minutes).

Sausage Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 1 pound hot sausage
• 2 cups Bisquick
• 2 cups grated cheese

Brown sausage slowly over low heat (produces less grease); and don’t pour off the grease (that’s the good stuff!).  Add cheese (I prefer a 3-cheese blend) to sausage until melted.  Pour into mixing bowl.  Add bisquick and stir.  Roll into 1 inch balls; place on cookie sheet and bake in 350 degree (F) oven for 10-12 minutes.

Caesar Pockets

Ingredients:

• 4 cups torn romaine lettuce
• 6 oz thinly sliced turkey lunchmeat, cut into thin strips
• ¼ cup roasted red pepper strips
• 3 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup Caesar dressing (or use Ranch dressing)
• 4 pita breads, warmed, cut in half

Toss lettuce with lunchmeat, peppers, cheese and dressing.  Spoon into pitas.

AW’s Jalapeño Pepper Poppers

Ingredients:

• Dozen large jalapeño peppers
• Cream cheese at room temp
• sliced smoked bacon
• green onions; finely chopped (greens and all)
• Shredded cheese
• Mesquite smoked flavored rub

Take a dozen of the largest jalapeño peppers that you can find.  Near the stem, cut completely into and through the pepper and slice down the middle and through the end of the pepper.  Now turn the pepper one-quarter of a turn and slice down across the pepper near the stem.  Remove the top portion you just cut and remove all seeds and membranes; wash each half and set aside (keeping all of the pepper slices with the pepper base).

Mix the cream cheese, chopped green onions, mesquite flavoring (to taste), and shredded cheese.  Stuff the bottom half of the pepper with this mixture.  Place the other pepper half on top of this mixture.

Wrap with bacon from end to end and secure with toothpicks (be sure to soak them in water for quite some time!!). Place the wrapped peppers on a plate and lightly coat with olive oil, crushed black pepper and coarse sea salt.

Get the grill going on high.   Place peppers on the grill and cook until bacon is nice and crispy; turning occasionally.  I generally set the peppers on the warming rack (or an elevated rack) on my grill.  Once the bacon is mostly cooked through, I then place the peppers directly on the grill to finish them off.