This is another yummy recipe from “The Kosher Palette” that I consistently cook for holiday parties. This is a fantastic appetizer and is a genuine crowd pleaser. The greatest thing about this recipe is that you can make the bites in advance and freeze them. Take them out the day of your party and bake! The aroma alone while baking will make your guests mouths water!
Ingredients for Mini Bilini 2 (8 ounce) packages Cream cheese, softened 2 egg yolks 1/2 cup sugar 3 loaves sliced white bread, crusts removed 1 cup butter, melted Cinnamon Sugar
Mix a handful of cinnamon and sugar together on a plate. Set aside.
Beat together cream cheese, egg yolks and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Roll bread slice as thinly as possible with a rolling pin.
Spread each slice with cream cheese mixture. Roll each slice up and dip in melted butter.
Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Place on baking pan, cover with freezer paper and freeze.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400.
Remove Mini Bilinis from freezer, remove freezer paper and cut each piece in half.
When it comes to chicken, you are either a dark meat or a white meat person. I prefer the dark meat on the bone because it is always juicy, tender and sweet and is easier to make than white meat. I had my butcher prepare boneless chicken thighs for me with the skin on for this recipe but bone-in would work great too! You can substitute chicken breast for chicken thighs, but remember to buy them with the skin on so you can brown them. The skin is what soaks up the sauce and makes this recipe delicious!
The brussels sprouts need to be cut in half and roasted flat side up so they get really brown. The brown parts of anything you cook are the parts that have caramelized and taste the best. So don’t be afraid when they start browning…that is the part that will be the most favorable!
Ingredients for the Chicken thighs
Preheat oven to 250
6 boneless chicken thighs, skin on 4 tbs. olive oil 2 tbsp. margarine or butter, plus 1 more set aside 5 garlic cloves, chopped 1 cup good white wine 1 cup chicken broth Juice of 1 lemon 4 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped (or 2 tbsp. dried) 4 sprigs oregano, chopped (or 2 tbsp. dried) 4 tbsp. fresh parsley (or 2 tbsp. dried) 2 tbsp. Kosher salt, plus 1 tbsp. set aside 1 tbsp. pepper, plus 1 tbsp. set aside
In a pan, (one you can also use in the oven) heat 4 tbsp. olive oil and 2 tbsp. butter on medium heat. Sprinkle 2 tbsp. kosher salt and 1 tbsp. pepper on both sides of chicken thighs. Place in pan skin side down.
Set timer for 7 minutes. Do not move chicken thighs! When timer rings, turn thighs set timer for 5 minutes. Remove thighs from pan. Set aside.
Pour out all except about 3 tbsp. olive oil and set pan back on stove.
Add extra 1 tbsp. butter and garlic. Brown garlic for less than 1 minute (oil will be very hot so garlic will cook very fast).
Add white wine and let it reduce for about 2-3 minutes.
Pour in chicken broth, lemon juice, 1 tbsp. salt and 1 tbsp. pepper.
Bring to a boil and add thyme, oregano and parsley. Turn heat to low and cook for 8 minutes.
Take pan off the heat, place thighs back into pan, skin side up.
Place in oven for 20 minutes.
Ingredients for the Brussels Sprouts
Preheat oven to 500
1 package Brussels Sprout, washed and cut into halves 1/4 cup olive oil Juice of 1 lemon 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar 1 1/2 tbsp. Kosher salt 1 tsp. pepper
Mix brussels sprouts with all the ingredients.
Place on pan, flat sides facing up. Put pan into oven.
Cook for about 20-25 minutes, or until you see brussels sprouts start to brown.
There are so many different ways to make Shrimp Scampi: in a red sauce, in a white sauce, without pasta, over rice…There are endless possibilities!
I tried many different recipes until I came up with this dish which has since become a staple in my house.I finally mastered it and now have it to share with you.You can always shorten the time it takes to make by using dry herb ingredients instead of fresh ones.
Todays Hint: Read ingredients before starting recipe. Prepare each ingredient first and set aside. This will making cooking time less effortful and much faster.
Ingredients for Shrimp Scampi 2 pounds of shrimp peeled and deveined and cut into pieces
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
8 anchovies
½ tsp red pepper flakes
8 cloves garlic minced
4 stems fresh oregano leaves, chopped (or 2 tbsp dried)
4 stems thyme, chopped (or 2 tbsp dried)
½ fresh lemon juice
½ cup basil leaves, chopped (or 1/4 cup dried)
1 cup of good white wine
¾ cup chicken broth or stock
½ cup of breadcrumbs
1 pound of linguini
1 tbsp. Kosher salt (1/4 reserved)
1 1/4 tsp. pepper ( 1/4 reserved)
Cook linguini for 4 minutes less than the directions tell you to.
SAVE 1 cup of the pasta water for the sauce.
Heat the olive oil over medium heat.Add the shrimp to the pot with a ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper.Cook until shrimp turns bright orange about 2-3 minutes.Take the shrimp off and set it aside.
Add 1 tsp more olive oil to the pan.Take chopped anchovies and crushed red pepper and put into the pan.
Cook until anchovies melt, about 3 minutes.Add garlic and cook for only one minute. Watch carefully so garlic does not burn.
Add breadcrumbs to the pot, cook for 2-3 minutes until you see them start to brown. Keep mixing so it does not stick to pan.
Place wine in pan and reduce for 2-3 minutes.
Add chicken broth and lemon juice and bring the sauce to a boil. Place chopped herbs into pot and let it cook for about 5-7 minutes.
Now it is time to put pasta into pot.If it is sticking don’t worry, it will start to come apart as it absorbs the sauce.
Add remaining salt and pepper.Add shrimp back to the pot. Stir in a little bit of pasta water at a time, until the sauce reaches desired thickness (you may not need all of the pasta water). Keep cooking for about another 3-4 minutes.
Everyone is always looking for a good side dish and I recently created a “keeper”! I wanted to make something different and originated a new, healthy recipe. I have since served it during many get-togethers and it is always a hit!
The trick is to watch it carefully to make sure the vegetables do not overcook. Vegetables should always look bright and healthy, not dark and droopy. This dish also looks beautiful when it is finished. Find a decorative serving dish to put it on and enjoy!
Ingredients for French Green Beans and Tomatoes 1 package 8 oz. French Green Beans 1 package (10.5 oz) Grape tomatoes, cut into halves 3 tbsp. olive oil 3 tbsp. margerine or butter 6 cloves garlic, chopped 1/2 half red onion, chopped 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes Juice of 1/2 lemon 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp. Kosher salt 1/4 tsp. pepper Melt butter with olive oil in pan over medium heat. When the mixture gets hot, add the onions and the salt and pepper.
Cook until the onions turn brown, about 10-15 minutes.
Add garlic, cook for ONE minute.
Add tomatoes and cook for only about 3 minutes.
Add balsamic vinegar and lemon juice.
When tomatoes start to soften, add the green beans.
Cook for about 3 minutes, take the pan off the heat.
Place aluminum foil over pan covering it completely.
Green beans will continue to cook. Leave dish for 3 minutes. Uncover. Green beans should be crispy and ready to serve.
As surprising as this may sound, anchovies are my secret weapon and I put them in many of my favorite dishes. Initially, people are very skeptical when they hear that I use anchovies in my recipes. After all, they aren’t exactly visually appealing, and tend to turn most people off. “Trust me,” I tell them, “you will not even recognize them and you will love the dish!” I have altered the opinions of many people because the anchovies melt into the sauce, masking their less than appetizing appearance. This makes a big difference in the dish, as you cannot see them, but you can taste them! Many of my son’s friends have come for dinner and I ask them if they like anchovies. They always say no but they end up loving the dinner I make. It is the anchovies I tell them! You have been reformed!
So you think that pasta sauces are time-consuming and difficult to make? Not so! Turns out this easy, go-to pasta sauce is quick and yes….it has anchovies. Pick a pasta that has edges, such as rollatini. This helps the sauce stick to the pasta. This sauce is yummy and a “keeper” in my recipe archives!
Ingredients for the Pasta Sauce 2 (28 oz) cans whole tomatoes 4 tbsp olive oil 8 anchovies in oil, drained 1 whole shallot, chopped (you can substitute white onion if you don’t have shallots) 7 cloves garlic, minced or chopped very small 1 cup white wine 5-6 springs fresh oregano, chopped (or 2-3 tablespoons dried) 5-6 sprigs fresh thyme chopped (or 2-3 tablespoons dried) Juice of ½ lemon 1/2 tbsp Kosher salt 1/2 tbsp Pepper
Cook pasta according to package directions minus 3 minutes. Save one cupof pasta water.
Heat olive oil in pan over medium heat.
Add anchovies and cook until they melt.
Place shallots in pan and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
Add garlic. Cook for 1 minute.
Pour in white wine and lemon juice.
Let wine reduce about 4 minutes.
Add tomatoes to the pan, crushing each one with your fingers.
Add the herbs, salt and pepper.
Let simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Transfer pasta to sauce. Mix well. Add small amounts of pasta water until the sauce reaches the thickness you prefer.
You may not need all of the pasta water.
Let simmer for 3-4 minutes.
Now you have a delicious pasta ready for your family or friends!
