Thursday, February 04, 2016

Olive Tapenade Bruschetta With A Kick






















Along with all the appetizers and snacks, I always make some sort of a Bruschetta to put out for a party.  I also like to put out a few relish trays and it seems that the olives are always the first to need a refill. This year I have decided to combine the two and make a spicy olive tapenade to spread on my crostini rounds. It was such an easy recipe to make thanks to Star Fine Foods. I used their Hot Pepper Stuffed Green Olives to give this appetizer the perfect kick!  These little crusty rounds topped with a subtle dash of heat are going to be just perfect for the big game! 

Olive Tapenade Bruschetta With A Kick

4 Tablespoons Star Fine Food Extra Virgin Olive Oilhttp://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=veinthfr0a-20&l=ur2&o=1, divided
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or minced
1/4 cup sweet onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon capers, drained
1/8 teaspoon pepper
¼ cup parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 medium French baguette, sliced (about 30 slices) or use petite toasts

Drain the liquid from the olives and finely chop. Next finely chop the garlic and the onion and add to the olives. Then add the capers, parsley, lemon juice and pepper and stir to blend. Finally add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and mix well.





















NOTE:  If you use a food processor you want to only pulse it about 3 or 4 times so that you keep it a little chunky.  Pour into serving bowl and refrigerate.  Slice your rounds and stack around bowl when ready to serve.

























If you prefer toasted Crostini:

Prepare the crostini toasts by laying them out on a baking sheet and brushing each slice with olive oil.  Put the baking sheet under the broiler and broil on low for about a minute or two until golden brown.  Remove and allow to slightly cool.


























Spread a heaping tablespoon of the tapenade onto each slice of toasted bread. Arrange on a serving platter and serve immediately.





















Photography is the property of and copyrighted to ©Welcome Home.




Star Fine Food's new Hot Pepper Stuffed Green Olives are available at Savemart and Walmart stores and online at http://bit.ly/HotPepperOlives.











And I love them all! 






Disclaimer: I have an ongoing relationship with STAR Fine Foods for my recipes and photography using their wonderful products. This post is sponsored by STAR. I am compensated for my time and work and I am sent products as I request them. However, all opinions of the product stated in this post are 100% my own. I truly love their products!

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Wednesday, February 03, 2016

Shrimp in Garlic Sauce over Penne

























Where was I this afternoon? I decided I was in the mood for shrimp and pasta...so I ran to the store and picked up what I needed and ran back home to make it.  I'm back already. That's how quick and simple this dish really is. This is a keeper my friends!

Shrimp in Garlic Sauce over Penne

3 tablespoons Olive Oil           
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon shallots, finely chopped
2 cups white wine or chicken broth
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 cups heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp peeled and de-veined with tails left on
1 1/2 to 2 pounds cooked pasta
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (optional)

Cook pasta as directed ...just to al dente. Drain well and set aside.

In a large skillet, add the olive oil and sauté garlic and shallots until translucent. Add shrimp and continue stirring until they begin to turn pink in color. Do not over cook. Remove shrimp to plate and set aside. De-glaze the pan with the wine or chicken broth and let the liquid reduce by half.
























Next stir in the cream and allow sauce to thicken over low heat, stirring occasionally. Salt and pepper to taste and add half the parsley. Toss the drained pasta with the garlic cream sauce and shrimp. Transfer to a serving dish, and sprinkle with remaining parsley and cheese, as garnish if desired.





 Photographs are copyrighted and the property of ©Welcome Home.


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Skillet Teriyaki Chicken Thighs

























No need to heat up the oven or fire up the grill for this recipe.  My Skillet Teriyaki Thighs are so delicious and easy to make right on top of the stove.  Tender chicken thighs with a delicious sticky glaze served over sticky rice. Oh Yum! 

Skillet Teriyaki Chicken Thighs

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 tablespoons Star Fine Foods Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tablespoons butter 
3 tablespoons balsamic glaze
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon cornstarch


In a large Ziploc bag, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, honey, olive oil, minced garlic, chopped scallions and salt. Add the chicken, seal the bag, and then carefully move the chicken around in the bag until it's thoroughly coated. Place the chicken in the fridge to marinate overnight or for a minimum of 2 hours.  Remove the chicken from the bag and shake off excess marinade. Reserve the marinade for later. 
















  1. In a large non-stick skillet, add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and two tablespoons of butter and heat over medium high heat. Sear chicken on all sides until nicely browned and caramelized. 
















  1. Cover skillet and turn the heat down to medium and cook for about 25 minutes or until thighs are done. Chicken should reach a temperature of 165 degrees.  When done, remove from heat and set aside. 


Transfer the marinade to a saucepan. Whisk in cornstarch and two tablespoons water.  Turn heat to medium high and bring sauce to a low boil until sauce begins to thicken and look like syrup. You want to stir frequently to make sure it doesn't burn. Remove from heat and set aside.
Pour or brush sauce over chicken and serve over fluffy rice. Enjoy!




















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Tuesday, February 02, 2016

How To Make Any Boxed Cake Mix Taste Homemade
























How To Make Any Boxed Cake Mix Taste Homemade

Follow the directions on the package but ......

-Add 1 more egg than what the package calls for.
-Instead of using oil, use double the amount of room temperature butter.
-Replace the water with whole milk.
-Mix and bake according to the directions on the package.
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Rocky Road Cheesecake Tarts
























Who doesn't love Rocky Road anything! That combination of nuts and chocolate, and marshmallows the perfect combination. I am crazy about cheesecake and I love Rocky Road anything, so I found a way to combine both for an "oh my gosh" experience! They taste like a combination of a S'mores cookie and a Snickers Bar! Now what could be better than that?

Rocky Road Cheesecake Tarts 
Crust: 

1 1/2 cups chocolate wafers or Oreo cookie crumbs (about 30 cookies) 
6 tablespoons butter 
1 ounce dark or semisweet chocolate, chopped 

To prepare crust, finely chop cookies in a food processor. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of crumbs. In a small microwave safe bowl, microwave butter together with chocolate for about 1 minute, stirring every 15 to 20 seconds, or until chocolate is melted and smooth. Add to cookie crumbs and pulse or stir until crumbs are evenly moistened. 

Firmly press crumb mixture into six greased tartlet pans or one 9-inch round tart pan. Use a flat-bottomed measuring cup  or the bottom of a round drinking glass to press the crust firmly into the bottom and sides of the pan. Place crust(s) in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the crust to set. 

Cheesecake Filling 

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened 
1/3 cup granulated sugar 
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
pinch of salt 

Whip cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and salt together until combined. When you are ready to assemble, remove tarts from refrigerator and fill each tart with cream cheese filling. 

Topping 

chopped nuts (I used chopped walnuts) 
mini-marshmallows 
chocolate fudge sauce 
maraschino Cherries 

Garnish each tart with stacked mini-marshmallows and chopped nuts. Drizzle with chocolate fudge sauce. Chill in refrigerator. Top with cherry before serving. 



I use Wilton's 4.75 Inch Round Tartlette Pans for this recipe. They come in a set of 6 and because of the drop bottom, they make it easy to turn out beautiful little tarts. You can buy yours here through Welcome Home for only $12.21 using this link.... 

















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