Laura and Annie from the Happy Auer Show (pronounced happy hour) show us how to make the tiny little Bacon Tomato Cup Appetizers that they call “Slider BLT’s”!  If it has bacon in it, I love it!

Ingredients

can of biscuits
1/2 cup Hellman’s Mayonnaise
8 pieces of cooked and crumbled bacon
1 small chopped onion
1 tsp chopped basil
1 chopped tomato
3 oz shredded swiss cheese

You’ll need a mini muffin tin (24 cups).

Directions

Preheat oven to 450-degrees.

Separate each biscuit into 3 segments as shown in video.  (If you have 10 biscuits in the can, you’ll have 30 segments).

Place each segment into a muffin cup and if you don’t have a tool from Pampered Chef… like I don’t… just use the bottom of a shot glass or clean pill bottle to push the dough down.

Place all ingredients in bowl and mix as shown.

Fill the dough-lined muffin cups (even with pastry).  Bake for 8-11 minutes.

Cool a bit and serve.

Always Enjoy!

I absolutely love Chef David Farrell’s New England Clam Chowder Soup recipe!  It’s so very simple to prepare and and a perfect recipe for this time of year.

This is his version of New England Clam Chowder, from a recipe he learned while serving in the Canadian Navy.

Ingredients

4 slices bacon
1/2 cup butter
2-3 ribs celery, diced
1-1/2 cups onion, diced
2-cups unpeeled potatoes, medium cubes
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cans baby or minced clams
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 - 1 tsp thyme
1-tsp Italian herb seasoning blend
salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

Directions

Cook bacon until brown and crispy (not totally crisp) over medium-high heat.

Drain the bacon fat and set aside.  Chop bacon and set aside.

Add butter to the same saucepan that is still over medium-high heat until just melted.

Add the celery and onions to the pan and do not brown.  Stir for about 3 - 5 minutes until a little soft but not mushy.

Add flour to pan and stir for about 3 seconds and remove from heat to stir thoroughly until a paste forms on the vegetables (do not brown).

Place back on the heat and drain both cans of clam juice into the pan.  Stir until it turns into a thick paste.

Add about a cup of water and continue adding until you reach your desired consistency.

Turn the heat down to a simmer and add cubed potatoes, evaporated milk, worcestershire sauce, thyme, bacon, and Italian herb seasonings.  Stir until well- incorporated.

Let chowder simmer for about 20-30 minutes until potatoes are cooked.  Stir every 2-3 minutes to prevent from sticking to bottom of pan.

When potatoes are cooked, add 2 cans of clams to pan and stir well.

Add more water to thin out chowder.

Turn heat up and bring to a boil… turn down and simmer for about 5-minutes.

Add salt and fresh black pepper to taste.

Serve with crusty sour dough or whole wheat bread.

NOTE: Here’s my personal recipe for New England Clam Chowder soup… it is NOT for dieter’s!

Always Enjoy!

This recipe for Refried Beans or Frijoles seems pretty decent.  Now I’m not comparing it to the genuine Mexican version but I would definitely be pretty happy using yiminnybuck’s recipe (not his real name of course… well hopefully not anyway:-D ).

I must agree with him that there’s nothing worse than bland, tasteless, refried beans with your burrito, enchilada, or taco. You’ll love this recipe for tasty refried beans.

Ingredients

1 lb pinto beans (small 16-oz bag)
1 large yellow onion
fresh cloves garlic, to taste
28 oz can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles
1 chicken boullion cube
water (I prefer using chicken stock)
salt

slow cooker

Directions

Clean your beans by picking out rocks, debris, and funny-looking beans out and continually rinse beans until water is clear.

Place the beans into slow cooker.

Dissolve bouillon cube in a small amount of water and add to beans.  Personally I don’t like to use bouillon cubes since they’re loaded with salt.  There are a variety of grocery stores that carry “chicken base” that is much better… better tasting and lower sodium content.  Here’s a tidbit of information regarding the “salt” content that I learned in cooking school.  If the first or second ingredient is salt… don’t purchase it.

Add Rotel.

Score the onion and place the entire onion in whole.

Chop garlic and add to slow cooker.

Add enough water to cover (unless you choose to use chicken stock) and set the slow cooker to “high” for a few hours and then turn the temperature down to “low” for around 10 hours (while you’re sleeping).

When beans are done, drain some of the liquid off the beans since you don’t need the finished product to be runny, too soupy and mushy.  Add salt to taste.

Using your hand mixer, mash the beans until they are of the consistency of refried beans.

Serve with the above “Enchilada Recipe”.

Always Enjoy!

Here’s a quick and easy Apple Fries recipe from Chef Jason Hill that is a rare find.  The  cream cheese dipping sauce is a delicious accompaniment that will have you licking your fingers!

Ingredients for Dipping Sauce

1/4-cup whipped cream cheese
1/4-cup marshmallow creme
dash of pumpkin pie spice

Directions

Add ingredients to a mixing bowl and whip with a wire whisk until creamy.

Core and peel the apple (looks like Granny Smith in the video) and slice into your favorite french fry shapes.

Place about 1/2-cup cornstarch in another bowl and coat apple slices well.

Use a sieve to shake off excess cornstarch.

Place the apple fries into a deep-fryer pre-heated to 375°F for 3 minutes or until golden in color.

Remove fries and place into a bowl lined with paper towels to absorb any cooking oil.

Sprinkle fries with 1/4-cup granulated sugar mixed with 1/4-teaspoon cinnamon.

Place the apple fries in your favorite serving dish and enjoy.

Always Enjoy!

This Coconut Shrimp recipe is an island favorite;  never has there been a recipe that combined seafood and coconut so well.  Bring your vacation home with our chef’s exotic coconut shrimp recipe.

Your Ingredients

20 raw shrimp , peeled & deveined
2 cups (200 g) flour
3 cups (750ml) coconut , shredded
3 large eggs
1/4 cup (60ml) cream
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp salt
8 cups (2000ml) canola oil

Your Utensils

parchment paper
food thermometer
tongs

Step 1: Coconut Station

The coconut station consists of three dipping stations. In the first bowl, mix together 2 cups (200 g) flour, 1 tsp cayenne pepper and 2 Tbsp salt. The second bowl contains the egg mixture consisting of 3 eggs and 1/4 cup (60 ml) cream. The final bowl has 3 cups (230 g) shredded, unsweetened coconut.

Step 2: Shrimp Meets Coconut

Place 20 raw and peeled shrimp in the flour mixture and coat all sides. Next, place the shrimp into the egg mixture and cover completely. Finally, transfer the shrimp to the coconut and cover generously. Place the coconut shrimp onto parchment paper to prevent sticking before frying.

Step 3: Deep Fry

Heat 8 cups (2 L) canola oil to 350F (180C). Carefully place the shrimp in the hot oil using tongs. Be cautious not to burn yourself or expose any of the oil to open flames. Let each shrimp fry in the oil for 2-3 minutes. The coconut will toast in the oil, releasing its natural sweetness. Remove the shrimp and place on paper towels.

Step 4: Serve

Add a pinch of salt to taste and serve with some garlic aioli (I’ve included a link to a very tasty recipe below), cocktail sauce or by themselves.

Garlic Aioli

Always Enjoy!

This recipe for delicious Parmesan Cheese & Sesame Sticks is quick, fun and easy!  They’re the perfect nibble for any party.  They are fabulous served alone but can be used to accompany dips or salsas.

Step 1

Your Ingredients

12 oz (350 g) ready-made puff pastry, thinly rolled out to 40mm**
3 tbsp sesame seeds
3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp water
3 tbsp flour for dusting

Your Utensils

1 knife
1 oven tray
Greaseproof paper
1 brush

Step 2: Preheat the oven

To begin, allow the oven to heat up to 425ºF (220ºC) or gas mark 6.

Step 3: Coat the pastry with Parmesan cheese

Lightly dust a flat surface with flour and lay the pastry down on top.

Use the brush to evenly coat it with the egg mixture, then generously sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the surface and pat it down to make sure it sticks.

Step 4: Coat the pastry with sesame seeds

Now flip the pastry over and brush the other side with the egg mixture. Then coat the surface with the sesame seeds and pat them down to ensure they stick.

Step 5: Cut and twist the sticks

Cutting widthways, slice the pastry into thin sticks.

VIDEOJUG USEFUL TIP

If the dough is too warm it will be really difficult to slice, so if necessary, just pop it in the fridge for a while to chill.

Next, take each strip individually and roll one end away from you and the other towards you to create a ‘twisted’ stick.

Step 6: Bake

Sprinkle a little water over the oven tray to help the greaseproof paper stick, then lay the paper down on top. It should be big enough to cover the whole of the surface.

One by one, place the pastry sticks onto the paper and put them in the centre of oven to bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 7: Serve

When the pastry sticks are golden and crispy, remove them from the oven, transfer them onto a plate and allow them to cool.

**Note: I’ve tried to convert 40mm to inches and all of the conversion calculators that I’ve found on the Internet give me the following conversion:  40mm = 1.57″ Somehow I just can’t see the dough being rolled that thick so personally I would roll my dough out to about 1/8th to 1/4″ thickness.

Always Enjoy!