Thursday, December 29, 2011

Hot Spiced Meatballs

Recipe from Elaine Moran

We made these for our tapas Christmas. They were an all-around hit. 


Meatballs
3/4 lbs. ground beef
3/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 1/2 T. onion, minced
1/2 t. prepared horseradish (we omitted this ingredient)
1 drop Tabasco sauce
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

Combine all ingredients. Form into 3/4 inch meatballs. cook meatballs, pour off drippings.
        *Loosely form for tender and moist meatballs

Sauce
3/4 cup catsup
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup vinegar
1 T. onion, minced
2 T. brown sugar
2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1 t. dry mustard
1/4 t. pepper
1 1/2 t. salt
2 drops Tabasco sauce

Mix all ingredients. Pour over cooked meatballs. Cover and cook 10 minutes. Shake occasionally. Serve hot.

*Garnish with pineapple chunks

Lime-Drizzle Shrimp

From Tapas and Wine by Kyle Gruening and Dennis Kohl

We made these for our Tapas Christmas. Twas delicious.


INGREDIENTS
4 limes
12 raw jumbo shrimp
3 T. Spanish olive oil (regular olive oil works fine)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Splash of fine sherry
Salt and pepper
4 T. chopped fresh flat leaf parsley (we mostly used this as an optional garnish)

DIRECTIONS


Grate the rind and squeeze the juice from two of the limes. Cut the remaining 2 limes into wedges and set aside for later.

Peel, clean, and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails intact. Rinse the shrimp under cold water and dry well on paper towel.

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottom skillet, then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and cook for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time, or until they turn pink and start to curl. Mix in the lime rind, juice and splash of sherry to moisten, then stir well together.

Transfer the cooked shrimp to a serving dish, season to taste with salt and pepper, adn sprinkle with the parsley. Serve piping hot, accompanied by the reserved lime wedges for squeezing over the shrimp.

Gourmet Mushrooms

INGREDIENTS
1 stick of butter
2 dry pkgs. Goods Seasons Italian dressing mix
4-5 small packages of WHOLE mushrooms (wash mushrooms, but DO NOT slice into pieces)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Put cleaned mushrooms in large slow cooker. Fill to the top, just so you can get a cover on
  2. Melt butter and add the dry dressing mix. Pour over the mushrooms and cook in slow cooker.
  3. Start on High for a few hours, then reduce to low until ready to serve.
* You can have them cooking all day. DO NOT ADD ANY WATER. The mushrooms will make their own juice.