Spicy Roasted Pumpkin and Sunflower Seeds

I got this recipe from Joy the Baker. They are kind of a sweet-spicy, my boys love them!

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1 cup raw sunflower seeds

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste after baking

3/4 teaspoon dried chili flakes

1 large egg white

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly grease a cookie sheet and set aside.

Mix together salt, sugar and spices.  Set aside. Reserve 1-2 T of the spice mix to sprinkle over the top before you bake the seeds.

Whip egg white in a medium bowl until loose and frothy.  Add the raw nuts and toss to coat.  Add the mixed spices.  Toss to coat as evenly as possible.

Spread seasoned nuts in a single layer across the greased cookie sheet.  Sprinkle nuts with a bit more seasoning.  A generous pinch of each.  You can totally eyeball it.

Place nuts in the oven and let bake for 7 minutes.  Remove nuts from the oven to toss and flip.  Return to the oven for another five minutes.  Toss and flip them again and then bake for another 3 minutes.  Nuts should be nicely browned.  Carefully taste the nuts and add more salt to taste. Cool nuts completely before serving.  Store in an airtight container for a week.

Cornmeal Cheddar Fritters

1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup grated onion (squeeze to drain off extra liquid)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
1 t salt
cayenne, to taste
3/4 cup boiling water
vegetable oil, for frying

Heat 3" of oil to 350F.
Mix corneal, cheddare, onion, bell peper, salt and cayenne. Stir in boiling water and mix thoroughly.
Drop by spoonfuls into the hot oil and fry for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. (I fry ours a little darker)
Transfer fritters to peper towells to drain. Season with additional salt if desired.
Serve warm with Louisiana-style hot sause for dipping.

Yields about 2 dozen small fritters. They're so good you'll probably double the recipe the next time you make it.

Cream Cheese Filled Strawberries

32 large whole fresh strawberries
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons semisweet or milk chocolate, grated

Slice from the stem end of each strawberry, so they will stand upright on flattened end. Place berries, cut side down, on a serving platter, pointed end up. Cut down each berry horizontally and vertically to create 4 wedges. Cut into, but not through, the bottom to create a flower petal.
Open the wedges just slightly, taking care not to break through the bottom. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and almond extract until light and fluffy. Gently fold in grated chocolate.
Using a decorating bag with a tip (or a plastic bag with the corner clipped) fill the strawberries. If desired, sprinkle with a little more grated chocolate. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Makes 32 filled strawberries

Shrimp Dip

9 oz Cream Cheese
24 oz Sour Cream
2 cans tiny shrimp
3 packages dry Good Seasons Italian dressing mix
2 Tbs Lemon juice
2 Tbs Chopped Green Pepper (optional)

Mix all together with a hand mixer and serve in bread bowl. Garnish with small tomatoes (also good to dip). Let stand overnight for full flavor.

Deviled Eggs

6 eggs
1/2 stalk celery, finely chopped
1/4 onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 dash white wine vinegar
salt to taste
1 dash hot pepper sauce
paprika, for garnish

Place eggs in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool and peel.
Cut eggs in half. Remove yolks and place in a medium bowl. Mash together with celery, onion, mayonnaise, salt and hot pepper sauce.
Stuff the egg white halves with the egg yolk mixture. Sprinkle eggs with paprika. Chill covered in the refrigerator until serving.

Spin Arti

2 (6 oz.) jars artichoke hearts, chopped
1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach (thaw and drain thoroughly)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 c sour cream
1/2 c mayonnaise
3/4 c grated parmesan cheese
3/4 c grated cheddar cheese
3/4 c grated swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 375F.
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Place into a baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly. Good served with sourdough bread. (I like it with crostini from Harmons.)

Creamy Caramel Fruit Dip

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 c packed brown sugar
1 c sour cream
1 c milk
1 (4 oz.) package vanilla instant pudding mix
2 t vanilla
2 t lemon juice

Combine the cream cheese and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Beat at medium speed until creamy. Add the sour cream, milk, pudding mix, vanilla and lemon juice, beating well after each addition. Chill, covered until serving time. Serve with assorted fresh fruit.

Jalapeno Asparagus Ham Rolls

Rectangle-cut ham lunch meat
Pickled asparagus
Pickled jalapeno slices (for nachos)
Plain cream cheese

Press a slice of ham between paper towel to rid of excess moisture. Cover one side with a thin layer of cream cheese. on one end lay a asparagus spear and jalapeno slices. (Note: I slice one side of my slices so they are long & remove the seeds) Roll tightly. Secure with toothpicks & cut into individual pieces. Chill before serving.

Chili's Shanghai Wings & Wasabi Ranch Dressing

2 chicken breast fillets
1 c all-purpose flour
2 t salt
1/2 t ground black pepper
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t paprika
1 egg
1 c milk
4 to 8 c vegetable oil (as required by fryer)

GINGER-CITRUS SAUCE:
1 1/4 c water
1 T corn starch
3/4 c dark brown sugar
1/4 c soy sauce
2 T minced fresh ginger
1 t minced garlic
2 T lime juice
1 T lemon juice
1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes

WASABI-RANCH DRESSING:
1/2 c Hidden Valley Ranch bottled salad dressing
2 T buttermilk (or whole milk)
1 t prepared horseradish
1/2 t powdered wasabi
1 drop green food coloring

Slice each chicken breast into 6 pieces. Combine flour, salt, peppers and paprika in a medium bowl. In another small bowl, whisk together egg and milk.

One or two at a time, dip each piece of chicken into the egg mixture, then into the breading blend; then repeat the process so that each piece of chicken is double-coated. When all chicken pieces have been breaded, arrange them on a plate and chill for 15 minutes.

Preheat 4 to 8 cups of oil (use the amount required by your fryer) in a deep fryer to 375 degrees.

GINGER-CITRUS SAUCE:
As the chicken is resting, make the ginger-citrus sauce by dissolving the corn starch in the water. Pour the water into a medium saucepan along with the rest of the sauce ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. When the sauce begins to bubble, reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until thick. Remove the sauce from the heat and let it cool a bit.

WASABI-RANCH DRESSING:
Make the wasabi-ranch dressing while your ginger-citrus sauce is simmering. Simply whisk together the ranch dressing, buttermilk, prepared horseradish, powdered wasabi, and green food coloring in a small bowl. Cover and chill this until the wings are done.

When the chicken has rested and you're ready to cook, lower the boneless wings into the oil and fry for 5 to 6 minutes or until each piece is browned. Depending on the size of your fryer, you may want to fry the chicken in batches so that the chicken isn't too crowded in there. When chicken pieces are done frying, remove them to a draining rack or a plate lined with a couple paper towels.

When all the chicken is fried, place the pieces into a covered container such as a large jar with a lid. Pour the Ginger-citrus Sauce over the chicken in the container, cover it up, and then gently shake everything around until each piece of chicken is coated with sauce.

Pour the chicken onto a plate and serve the dish with Wasabi-ranch Dressing on the side.

Jones Fresh Salsa

My own recipe!

4 large tomatoes, diced
2 bunches green onions, sliced
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded & minced
1-2 anaheim peppers, seeded & minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 t cumin

3 T minced fresh cilantro
1T lime juice
1/2 t black pepper
1 t salt

Louisiana Style Lil' Smokies

5 slices bacon, diced
1/2 c onion, chopped
3/4 c ketchup
1 c unsweetened pineapple juice
1/4 c green pepper, chopped
3 T green pepper sauce
16 oz. Lil' smokies sausages
hot cooked rice

Fry bacon in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat until crisp & brown, about 5 minutes. Drain. Add onion & green pepper and cook until tender, about 5 min.
Stir in pineapple juice, ketchup & green pepper sauce, mixing well.
Add sausages to sauce, bring to a boil. Reduce heat & let simmer for 10 minutes.
Serve over rice as a main dish, or alone as an appetizer.