Greek Salad Skewers

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1. Salsa Chicken
   Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
   ——– ———— ——————————–
   * 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
   * 4 teaspoons taco seasoning mix
   * 1 cup salsa
   * 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
   * 2 tablespoons sour cream (optional)

   1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C)

   2. Place chicken breasts in a lightly greased 9×13 inch baking dish.
   Sprinkle taco seasoning on both sides of chicken breasts, and pour salsa
   over all.

   3. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 25 to 35 minutes, or until
   chicken is tender and juicy and its juices run clear.

   4. Sprinkle chicken evenly with cheese, and continue baking for an
   additional 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with
   sour cream if desired, and serve

2. Caramel Apple Dip

   Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
   ——– ———— ——————————–
   * 16 individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
   * 1/4 cup water
   * 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
   * 1/2 cup brown sugar

   1. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, or in the microwave, melt
   caramels with water, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. In a medium
   bowl, cream together cream cheese and sugar. Fold in caramel mixture. Serve
   immediately.

3. * Exported for MasterCook 4 by Living Cookbook *

   Roasted Ricotta Roma Tomatoes
   8 whole Roma Tomatoes, Halved (use mini
   — tomatoes instead)
   1 bunch Fresh Italian Parsley
   1 bunch Fresh Basil
   2 cloves To 3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
   grated parmesan cheese
   1- ½ cup Ricotta Cheese
   Ritz Crackers Or Bread Crumbs
   Kosher Salt To Taste
   Olive Oil

   1. Start out by washing and halving your Roma tomatoes.

   2. After halving them, gut out the insides (seeds, etc.) with a spoon.
   Sprinkle a bit of kosher salt inside each tomato.

   3. Discard guts and lay the halved, gutted tomatoes face down on a clean
   towel.

   4. Chop up your herbs and garlic and mix with the Ricotta cheese. Add salt
   and pepper to taste.

   5. Next, fill each tomato half with a nice heap of the Ricotta mixture.

   6. In a food processor (or if you don’t have a food processor, you can mash
   in a plastic baggy with a rolling pin) crumble about 15-20 Ritz crackers. Or
   you can use dried bread crumbs from your favorite kind of bread if you want.

   7. Press each ricotta filled tomato half face down into the crackers/crumbs
   and then place face up on a baking sheet. Drizzle each tomato with a bit of
   olive oil.

   8. Place in 400º oven for 25-30 minutes

4. Justin’s Favorite Bean Dip (Taco Night!)

   1 packet Taco Seasoning
   1 can Refried Beans
   8 oz Sour Cream
   1 bag Mixed Mexican Cheese
   Your choice of delicious tortilla chips

   1. Divide the taco seasoning in half. Mix one half with the refried beans, and mix the other half with the sour cream

   2. In a 8×8 baking dish, layer the bean mixture, then the sour cream mixture. Top the dish with cheese

   3. Bake at 350 until the cheese is melted. Delicious!

5. Ingredients [quantities are flexible]:
   Fresh figs (1 per person)
   Pecan nuts (2 per fig)
   Goat cheese (soft) (2 tsp per fig)
   Balsamic vinegar (1tbs per 2 figs)
   Honey (1 tbs per 2 figs)
   Cinnamon (1/2 tsp per 2 figs)

   How to –
   1. In a small sauce pan hit equal quantities of balsamic vinegar and honey to make a reduction on medium heat until it reduces in half, then add cinnamon and stir.
   2. Meanwhile cut each fig widthwise and squash its contents gently with a teaspoon.
   3. Scoop 1 tsp of goat cheese on each half and stick a pecan nut into the center of the cheese scoop.
   4. Lay the fig (in 2 halved pieces) on the center of the plate and drizzle the heated reduction of honey and vinegar on it.

   Beware, it’s addictive!

6. http://aggieskitchen.com/2011/07/05/cheesy-corn-stuffed-jalapenos/

   Cheesy Corn Stuffed Jalapenos

   Recipe from Aggie’s Kitchen

   8 jalapenos, sliced in half longways
   4 ounces cream cheese, softened
   4 oz monterey jack or cheddar cheese, shredded
   1/4 teaspoon cumin
   1 garlic clove, minced or pressed through garlic press
   1 ear corn, kernels cut off
   2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
   good pinch salt and fresh ground pepper

   Take each jalapeno half and carefully clean out all the seeds and membranes using a spoon or paring knife. The insides of some jalapenos can be very hot so use caution, consider wearing gloves (I typically don’t).

   Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with tin foil.

   In a bowl combine cream cheese, shredded cheese, cumin, garlic, corn, cilantro, salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning.

   Sprinkle a little salt over each jalapeno half. Using a tablespoon, stuff each jalapeno half with cheese mixture and place on cookie sheet. Be careful not to overstuff. Bake in 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes until cheese is bubbly. Switch oven to broiler setting and broil for a few minutes till tops are slightly browned.

7. Pan Fried Cajun Chickpeas

   1 can chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans)
   2-3 tsp flour
   2-3 tsp Cajun seasoning
   2-3 TB olive oil
   sea salt, to taste

   Rinse and dry chickpease on paper towel. Be sure to dry completely.

   Heat oil in a non stick skillet over medium high heat. Combine flour and seasoning in a small bowl or plate. Roll chickpeas in seasoned flour until lightly dusted. Carefully add chickpeas to skillet, in batches, cooking for a few minutes before gently tossing them around in pan.

   Cook chickpeas until they look crisp and lightly browned. Remove from pan and serve warm.

   http://aggieskitchen.com/2010/05/25/pan-fried-cajun-chickpeas/

8. Crescent Chicken Bundles

   1 3 oz cream cheese – softened
   1 Tbsp butter
   2 cups small cubed baked chicken breasts(see below)**
   1/4 cup chopped long green onion
   1/4 tsp salt
   1/4 tsp pepper
   2 Tbsp milk
   2 Tbsp chopped pimento
   1/3 cup chopped kalamata olives
   1 can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
   2 Tbsp butter – melted
   1 can whole cranberries
   1 cup seasoned croutons – crushed

   Heat oven to 350 degrees. In bowl mix cream cheese, 1 tablespoon softened butter, beat until smooth.
   Stir in chicken, long green onion, olives, salt pepper, milk, pimentos; mix well. Unroll crescent roll dough separate into
   4 rectangles and press together perforation lines to seal. Spoon 1 tsp cranberry sauce on bottom then 1/2 cup mixture on center of each square
   and pull corners of dough to center of chicken mixture and twist firmly and pinch edges to seal. Placed on
   ungreased cookie sheet. Brush tops of bundles with melted butter and sprinkle with crushed croutons.
   Bake 25-30 until golden brown.
   ** I bake my chicken breasts in oven drizzled with extra virgin olive oil with salt & pepper until firm to touch.
   I double and sometimes triple the recipe for parties as they go very quickly.

9. Tumbled Tomatoes:
   1 pint grape tomatoes
   1 TBSP herbs de provence (or more to taste)
   1/2 tsp sea salt
   1/2 tsp garlic powder

   Run tomatoes under water but do not dry. Place in a ziploc bag. Add herbs, salt & garlic and shake to distribute. As the water evaporates, the herbs/salt/garlic mixture sticks to the tomatoes and forms a “crust.” Delish!

10. My fav is totally easy:

    1 or 2 cucumbers cut up
    whole tomato cut up (or grape tomatoes sliced in half)
    jar of black olives (sliced in half)
    onion optional

    Then for dressing, just eyeball it:

    Olive oil, red wine vinegar mixed with oregano, basil, salt, pepper. it’s best if it sits for a few hours or overnight. i believe it was originally from Rachel Ray. :)