PEPPERONI PINWHEELS

October 30, 2020 Julie Sanchez

Pepperoni pinwheels taste like little crispy pizza bites. This is one of the appetizers I always make on Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. You can prep these one day ahead of time, then when your ready, simply slice and bake.

You want normal thin pepperoni, not thick sliced. I like the Dufour brand of puff pastry from Whole Foods better than other brands I have tried. You also need gruyere cheese, one egg, honey, grey poupon, dried oregano. and flour to roll out the pastry.

Combine the mustard, honey and oregano in small bowl and mix to combine.

Crack an egg into a small bowl and stir with a fork.

Gruyere always as 2 sides that have rind. Remove the rind and grate your cheese.

Sprinkle flour on your counter, and carefully open up the puff pastry. Sprinkle flour on the top of the pastry sheet and rub flour on your rolling pin or wine bottle. Roll out the pastry to iron out the creases of where it was folded.

The length and width of your pastry sheet is determined by the size and amount of your pepperoni. The pepperoni in the photo above are larger than normal. Lay out the pepperonis across and down each side of the pastry sheet to make sure you can get full pepperonis on the sheet. You may have to roll out the dough one direction or the other to fit the pepperonis on.

Remove your pepperonis you tested the size with and spread the mustard mixture over the pastry leaving the top 1 1/2” bare. The bare part is where you will put the egg wash.

Lay the pepperonis on the pastry in a single layer, leaving the top 1 1/2” bare. Notice how all the the pepperonis fit on the pastry.

Sprinkle the cheese on the pepperoni.

Brush the egg mixture on the top 1 1/2” bare part of the pastry.

Roll the dough lengthwise.

Wrap the dough in foil and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight. Try to lay seam side down in the fridge.

Cut off the edge and discard… it would have been an ugly pinwheel. Slice 3/8” thick and lay 1” apart on parchment paper or foil lined tray. If they are not perfectly round you can manipulate them once they are on the cookie sheet.

Bake for 15-20 minutes till golden brown.

PEPPERONI PINWHEELS RECIPE

Serves: 6 people
Prep Time: 15 minutes plus 1 hour or overnight (Pinwheels must be refrigerated at least 1 hour before slicing and baking)
Cooking Time: 15-20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 egg
1 puff pastry sheet, roughly 14 ounces (thawed overnight in fridge)
3 ounces sliced pepperoni
1 cup gruyere cheese, grated

PREPARATION

Combine the mustard, honey and oregano in a small bowl and stir to combine.
In another small bowl, crack the egg and stir with a fork to break up the yolk.
Grate the cheese.
Sprinkle flour on the counter. Unfold the pastry on the floured counter and sprinkle flour on the top of the pastry and your rolling pin or wine bottle. Roll out the dough to flatten the creases from the fold.
Lay out pepperonis down the length and width to make sure you can get them all on your pastry sheet. You may have to roll out the dough lengthwise or widthwise depending on the brand of puff pastry you purchase.
Remove the test pepperonis and spread the mustard mixture on the pastry leaving the top 1 1/2” bare ( for the egg wash later) see photo above
Lay the pepperonis on a single layer on the pastry and sprinkle with the cheese, but still leaving the top 1 1/2” bare.
Brush the egg wash on the top 1 1/2” band.
Roll up the pastry lengthwise ending with the egg wash top. Wrap in foil, place seam side down in fridge for 1 hour minimum or overnight.
On the pastry has chilled, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove foil and cut the edge off the pastry and discard (it will look odd). Slice into 3/8” slices and place 1” apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil.
Bake 15-18 minutes till golden brown and pastry is cooked.

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APPLES WITH PROSCIUTTO, BLUE CHEESE & ARUGULA

March 12, 2020 Julie Sanchez

Crunchy, tart, colorful, and fresh….these prosciutto wrapped apples are a perfect appetizer. The hidden blue cheese is a nice surprise when you take a bite. And they are great when you have to bring an appetizer to a host since they require no cooking.

You may need only 1 apple, depending on the size of your apple.

Squeeze a lemon into a medium size bowl. The lemon juice prevents the apple slice from turning brown.

Cut the apple on either side of the core.

Now cut the remaining skinny sides of the apple.

Now cut the skinny side in half. This will determine roughly the thickness of the remaining slices. It looks nicer to have them relatively the same thickness.

Now cut the ends off each side and discard. If you do not do this your slices will be too angled. Now cut the remaining middle section into slices.

Coat all the slices with the lemon juice.

Your ready to roll. If the prosciutto is difficult to separate into slices then freeze it for a few minutes and try again.

Lay down your prosciutto on a flat surface. If it tears then just lay down the pieces on the board like a puzzle. Lay the apple slices on the front end.

Place some blue cheese on each apple slice and kinda smoosh it into the apple slice.

Now place 4 or 5 slices of arugula on the apple, alternating directions. If the arugula has a long stem, break it off.

Wrap the apple like a burrito. You should finish with the end on the underside.

An appetizer that does not require a oven… that is a good thing!

APPLES WITH PROSCIUTTO,BLUE CHEESE & ARUGULA RECIPE

Serves: 4 people (makes 15 appetizers)
Prep Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

juice of 1 lemon
1-2 apples ( Fuji, Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady)
15 slices prosciutto
blue cheese, 6 ounces
arugula, 1 1/2 cups

PREPARATION

Juice a lemon and place juice in a medium bowl.
Slice an apple into 3/8” -1/2” slices, see photos above.
Put apple slices into lemon juice and toss thoroughly.
Lay out 5 slices of prosciutto on a flat surface. If the prosciutto is difficult to separate freeze for 5 minutes and try again.
Lay a apple slice on the front end of each prosciutto slice.
Lay a layer of blue cheese and smoosh into apple slice.
Lay 4-5 arugula sprigs on the apple, alternating directions. Snip off any long tails of the arugula.
Roll up like a burrito, place seam side down on serving platter.

Note: These can remain room temperature for a couple of hours. If you make them earlier in the day keep them covered in the fridge, and then pull them out to get to room temperature before serving.

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PIGS IN A BLANKET with HONEY MUSTARD

March 6, 2020 Julie Sanchez

Of all the appetizers I make, this one is my husband’s favorite. It is a step up from the pigs in the blanket we made 20 years ago with crescent rolls. You will not be able to eat just one. When we took these piggies to a Super Bowl party last month, my husband and I each ate several on the ride over to the party….very hard to resist!

You need puff pastry, I like the Dufour brand from Whole Foods. The puff pastry comes frozen, so you have to defrost it in the fridge the night before you make these. You also need piggies… I like to use chicken if I can find them, but pork or beef all work. You also need flour for rolling out the puff pastry . I buy my "Everything Bagel” seasoning from Williams Sonoma.

You need honey and dijon mustard for the dipping sauce.

Break an egg into a small bowl and beat with a fork. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Throw some flour onto a flat surface and dust your rolling pin. You can also use a wine bottle if you do not have a rolling pin.

Lay the puff pastry, that was thawed overnight in the fridge, on the floured surface. Roll the dough a little widthwise to 11”-12” and more lengthwise depending on how many piggies you have.

Now count your piggies and divide by 3. I had 27 piggies in my bag, so I laid down 1/3 of them which is 9, down the length of my pastry. The amount of piggies you have divided by 3, and lined up determines the length of your pastry.

Take the piggies you lined up off the pastry and spread 4 tablespoons Dijon Mustard on the pastry.

Cut a little off each side for a clean edge. Place a piggie down for width and cut from front to back. You want the pastry to be the same width as the piggie, since the pastry will shrink during cooking. I had 27 piggies, so I lined up nine (1/3 of them) and cut 9 strips.

Now cut the down from east to west across the pastry two times, to create three rows. Now you know why I took 1/3 of the piggie count. Now I have 27 small strips. Every brand of piggies has different amounts thus you need to measure and calculate.

Now take a piggie and roll up.

Use a fork to press the seal ( almost like scoring) to prevent it opening up during cooking. Place the rolled up piggies to the side, since you need to put parchment paper or foil down for the next step.

Place a piece of parchment paper over your flour mess, for easier clean up later. Brush each piggie on the top and sides with the egg.

Sprinkle Everything Bagel seasoning on top of each piggie.

Pull out a cookie sheet and place another piece of foil or parchment paper on the sheet for easy clean up. Rub the bottoms of the pigs in the blanket into the egg mixture that is left on the first parchment to again seal the dough, as you transfer the piggies onto the clean cookie sheet. At this point you can store in the fridge and bake later or you can bake now.

Bake for 25-30 minutes till golden brown and pastry is cooked through. Check on the piggies after 20 to 25 minutes; if they are getting too brown on the top place a piece of foil on the top and continue baking till pastry is cooked through.

Now make the dipping sauce. Combine 1/2 cup dijon mustard with 2 tablespoons honey in a small bowl, stir till combined.

Transfer mixture to a smaller bowl, for a cleaner presentation.

These can be served hot, warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

PIGS IN A BLANKET WITH HONEY MUSTARD RECIPE

Serves: 5-6 people (my batch made 27 piggies)
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 egg
puff pastry ( thawed the night before in the fridge) 14 ounces
mini piggies, chicken, beef or pork, approx. 12 ounces
4 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup Grey Poupon Mustard
flour (for rolling out pastry)
everything bagel seasoning
2 tablespoons honey

preparation

Defrost your pastry the night before in the fridge.
Break the egg into a small bowl and beat with a fork. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Throw some flour and spread it out on the counter. Unfold the pastry and lay it on the flour. Flour your rolling pin as well.
Count your piggies and divide by 3. I had 27 piggies, so 27 divided by 3 is 9. Roll the pastry longways till you can lay down 1/3 of your piggies side by side (look at photo above). Now roll the pastry widthwise to 11” -12” .
Remove the piggies you laid down to determine length and spread 4 tablespoons of the dijon mustard over the pastry.
Cut a little off each side on the pastry so the sides are straight.
Use one piggie to determine the width of your cuts. The pastry will shrink while baking, so the cut the pastry the same width as the piggie. You will cut the pastry into rows from north to south, based on the number or piggies you have. I cut mine into 9 rows.
Now cut east to west 2 times so you have 3 rows.
Roll a piggie into each strip. Use a fork to score the seam, so it will not open during baking.
Place the piggies to one side and place a piece of parchment or foil on top of the flour mess. Brush each piggie with the egg and sprinkle with the bagel seasoning.
Pull out a cookie sheet and place another clean piece of parchment on the sheet. As you place the pigs on the sheet, rub their bottoms in the egg mixture that is left on the original parchment paper to further seal the pastry.
At this point, you can place in the fridge and bake later or bake now for 25-30 minutes. Check on them after 20 minutes, to make sure the tops are not getting too brown. You may have to place a piece of foil loosely on the piggies for the last few minutes to insure the pastry is cooked without the piggies getting too dark on top.
Now make your dipping sauce. Combine 1/2 cup of dijon mustard and 2 tablespoons honey in a small bowl. Stir till combined. Transfer to smaller bowl for a nice presentation.

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BRIE, CRANBERRY & WALNUT TARTLETS

November 14, 2019 Julie Sanchez

This is one of my go to appetizers I serve over the holidays. I love these for so many reasons…they can be made in advance, they follow the theme of the holidays with the cranberries, and they have brie in them…need I say more.

I found these mini phyllo tart shells at Central Market; you can also order them online at Amazon. You need brie, walnuts, and cranberry sauce which I purchased from Trader Joes… it is a little chunky, not too smooth and it has the perfect amount of tart versus sweet taste.

You can substitute pecans for the walnuts. Just realized that Whole Foods has chopped pecans, which makes this recipe super easy.

I place the tart shells in a cake pan.

I do not like the texture nor the taste of the brie rind so I use a peeler to get most of it off.

Roll the brie into twelve 1” balls. It is easier to put them on a plate so you can see if they are all the same size.

Make an indention in the brie with your thumb. The indention is for the cranberry sauce; it will more contained this way and it keeps the cranberry sauce from trailing onto the tart shells making them soggy and unattractive.

The shells are ready for the cranberry sauce.

Spoon 1/4 teaspoon cranberry sauce into each cavity. Try not to get cranberry sauce on the shells, it will make them soggy if your preparing these in advance.

Finely chop 1/4 cup walnuts.

Its less messy to take each shell out and sprinkle the nuts over the existing nuts, than to try to sprinkle the nuts into the pan. Trust me on this. After sprinkling the nuts, place a small dot of cranberry sauce on each tart to finish them off. Bake at 350 for 7-9 minutes or until the brie has melted.

Warm Brie with a crunchy bite of walnut and a tart and sweet cranberry finish….perfection!

BRIE, CRANBERRY & WALNUT TARLETS RECIPE

Serves: 4-5 people
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 7-9 minutes

ingredients

1 Box, 12 phyllo pastry mini shells
8 ounces brie
6 teaspoons cranberry sauce
1/4 cups walnuts, (or pecans) chopped finely

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350
Place tart shells in an oven proof cake pan or cookie sheet.
Use a vegetable peeler or knife to scrap the rind off the brie.
Roll the brie into twelve 1” balls and place on plate.
Take a brie ball and make an indention with your thumb so the cranberry sauce will be contained and not run off the tarts.
Place the indented brie into the tarts and spoon 1/4 teaspoon of cranberry sauce into each cavity trying not to get cranberry sauce on the shells.
Chop your walnuts finely.
Pick up each tartlet, hold it over the chopped nuts and sprinkle with the chopped walnuts.
Add an additional small dot of cranberry sauce on each one to finish them off.
Bake at 350 for 7-9 minutes till the brie has melted.

Note: They can really be heated at any temperature; Thanksgiving means your ovens are full, so heat them at whatever temperature works for you.

Note: If you are transporting these to a party, place a paper towel under them, so they do not slide everywhere, and remove towel before heating.

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SALSA ROJA

November 15, 2017 Julie Sanchez

Every week I make either red sauce or green sauce for my husband and I to enjoy during the week. My husband puts it on almost everything he eats. I like it best on eggs, fish and with tortilla chips. Once you make this and realize how easy it is you will never buy red sauce again.

I prefer making salsa with fresh tomatoes, instead of canned tomatoes. It gives the sauce a better texture and fresher taste. Roma tomatoes work best for this recipe. I tested the recipe using vine ripened tomatoes, but the Roma's worked better since they are less juicy. Roma tomatoes are oval and elongated. You can use a white or yellow onion. When I make the salsa I use equal numbers of peppers to tomatoes, but I know this is too spicy for most people.

Combine all the ingredients except the salt and cilantro to a medium sized pan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium high and simmer for 10 minutes.

Drain the mixture well before adding to the blender. I would not recommend a Nutri bullet for this since the hot mixture will cause an explosion, plus it will blend it too much.

Add your salt to the mixture. Add one serrano at a time, and taste for hotness before adding more. Blend till combined, then add the cilantro and blend once more. Let the blender lid open a little, so the steam can escape and not cause a blender explosion.

There is nothing better than warm salsa, chips and a margarita. Enjoy!

SALSA ROJA RECIPE

Serves: 8-10 servings
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 pounds roma tomatoes (about 6 tomatoes)
3-5 serrano peppers, stems snapped off
1/2 medium onion, peeled and sliced in half
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup packed cilantro, long stems chopped off

PREPARATION

In a medium sized saucepan combine tomatoes, serrano peppers, onion, and garlic and add enough water to cover.
Bring mixture to a boil on high heat.
Once it boils, reduce heat to medium high and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove tomatoes, onions, garlic and one serrano with a slotted spoon and place in blender. Add salt and blend till smooth. (If the mixture is hot, let the blender top open up a little bit to allow the steam to escape.) Taste the mixture for spiciness, and add more serranos as your taste buds allow.
Add the cilantro and blend once again.
Let cool and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Note: I like to microwave the salsa, just to warm it up before I serve it, especially if has been in the fridge and I'm serving it on something warm like eggs.

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