Place 1 cup ice in a 2-qt. pitcher.
Add 1 cup beef broth, 1 cup vodka, 4 cups tomato juice (or V8), 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon green olive brine, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish (more if desired), 1 teaspoon celery salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper and 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco, Tampico, or Texas Pete’s); stir to combine. Serve over ice. Garnish with celery stick and green olives. Serves 4.
Chicken Vegetable Soup
2 quarts chicken stock
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 large carrots, cut into coins
3 ribs of celery, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
2 medium onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium potatoes, peeled, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
In a 350F oven, roast off chicken thighs. Remove and allow to cool, then cut into bite size pieces.
In a soup pot, heat olive oil until just smoking. Add onions and garlic, and toss to coat. Cook 2 minutes, then add celery and carrot. Stirring occasionally, cook for 4 additional minutes. Add potatoes, Italian seasoning, and stock. Bring to the simmer and add chicken. Allow to cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serves: 8.
Cheesy Garlic Biscuits
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup skim milk
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp sugar
1 cup Mozzarella/Cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese blend, shredded
1 tsp garlic powder
3 tbsp melted butter
Preheat oven to 450F.
In a mixing bowl, place flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine. Add milk, mayonnaise, sugar, and beat on high speed until batter is smooth. It should not be pourable thin , it should be spoonable. Using a rubber spatula, fold in 3/4 cup cheese shreds.
Lightly grease 12 muffin tins (you may also use the liners if desired, or a silicon muffin pan). Spoon enough batter to fill each tin no more than 1/2 way (they WILL expand as they bake).
In a small bowl, combine melted butter and garlic powder. Using a brush, lightly paint the top of each biscuit with mixture. Then, using the reserved cheese, sprinkle the top of each biscuit.
Place on rack in the middle of the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly on a wire rack before removing from pan. Serve warm with soups, roasts, stews, or broiled meats.
Makes 12 biscuits.
This is one of those dip recipes that you wouldn’t believe could taste so very good, yet be so very easy to make. Local restaurant extraordinaire Perfectly Frank’s makes this as “Crack Dip” on sale by the cup with toasted, seasoned pita chips for dipping.
1 lb mild (or hot) ground sausage (depending on your love of heat).
16 oz cream cheese (softened, cut into cubes)
1 cup sour cream
1 10 oz can of diced tomatoes with chiles
Brown sausage in a skillet; drain grease. Add cream cheese and tomato/chiles. Stir until combined. Transfer to a crock pot and stir in sour cream. Warm through and reduce to keep warm. Serve with corn chips, veggies, pita chips, or your favourite crackers.
The final in the trinity of dips that are our freind’s favourites. It’s gluten free, and I’ve never had to put it in a heated chaffing dish because it seems to go so quickly.
1 1/2 cup sour cream
16 oz. can refried beans
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 package taco seasoning
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, separated
1/4 cup salsa (mild if you don’t like heat, hot if you do!)
Preheat oven to 400F.
In a large bowl, mix refried beans, sour cream, cream cheese, and 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Add taco seasoning and salsa. Mix again until combined.
Transfer to 8″ x 8″ baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Top with remaining shredded cheese and bake until browned and bubbly (about 25 minutes). You can top with diced scallions if you like (I didn’t because the other two dips I served were topped thusly).
Serve hot with your favourite type of tortilla chips (we enjoy both the Tostitos with a Hint of Jalapeno as well as Tostitos with a Hint of Lime).
There are as many different deviled egg recipes as there are stars in the sky. Our version uses both horseradish and Old Bay to amp up the flavours. A winner in our neighbourhood Deviled Egg-off…great at any gathering any time of the year!
18 hard-boiled large eggs
1/4 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise
2 to 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish (not horseradish sauce)
1 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon dill pickle cubes
2 tablespoons prepared (yellow) mustard
1/4 teaspoon finely ground pepper
Old Bay Seasoning
Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks and place in a bowl; set whites aside.
Either mash the yolks manually or using a hand mixer on low. Add mayonnaise, horseradish, dill, dill pickle cubes, mustard, and pepper; mix until well combined. Mixture should be thick. Using two spoons, return yolk mixture to reserved egg white halves. Dust eggs with Old Bay Seasoning. Keep chilled until time to serve.
Makes 36 appetizers, which serves about 9.
This dip always goes over well (you can adjust the spiciness/heat by how much of the buffalo wing/hot sauce you choose to use) at parties. Pair with chips/pita wedges and a good chilled white wine. (Recipe doubled and modified from Dinner At The Zoo Food Blog). This recipe works great for those of us who prefer ranch instead of blue cheese.
3 cups cooked chicken shredded
16 ounces (2 blocks) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup buffalo wing sauce or hot sauce such as Frank’s® (You can adjust this up, for more heat; down, for less)
1 package dry ranch dressing mix
1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
6 green onions, diced
cooking spray
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, mix together the chicken, cream cheese, buffalo wing/hot sauce, ranch mix and sour cream, until combined. If using a mixer, be sure not to break up all the chicken, or you’ll have a paste for a dip.
Coat an 12 inch skillet or chafing dish with cooking spray. Spread the chicken mixture into the skillet.
Top with cheddar cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes or until browned around the edges and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with diced green onions.
You can use rotisserie chicken, or bake off boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs) and shred by hand.