Creole Cocktail Tidbits

Servings: 4 cups

Ingredients:
60 Cocktail Meatballs, made with sauce and/or cooked, shelled shrimp
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2(14 oz) cans Italian plum tomatoes, drained, chopped
1(16 oz) can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dried leaf basil
1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf rosemany
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf savory
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayene pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup snipped Italian parsley

1. Prepare Cocktail Meatballs with bulk pork sausage instead of ground beef.
2. In a deep 3 quart casserole dish, combine olive oil, green onion, celery and garlic.
3. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH for 4:00-4:30 or until tender, stirring once.
4. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, oregano, rosemary, savory, sugar and cayenne pepper.
5. Mix well.
6. Cover loosely with waxed paper and microwave on HIGH for 22:00-24:00 or until thickened, stirring three times.
7. Stir in meatballs and/or shrimp, Parmesan cheese and parsley.
8. Cover and microwave on HIGH for 8:00-9:00 or until heated through, stirring once.
9 Serve with cocktail picks.

Spicy Orange Sauce

Servings: 2/3 cup

Ingredients:
1/2 cup orange marmalade
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1. In a 1 cup measuring cup, combine orange marmalade, sherry and ginger.
2. Mix well.
3. Microwave on HIGH for 1:00 or until warm, stirring once.
4. Serve with roast duckling, other roast poultry or turkey ham slices.

Cherry Glaze

Servings: 1 1/4 cups(for 3, 4, or 5 pound ham)

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons golden raisins
2 tablespoons dry white wine or pan juices
1 cup cherry pie filling
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1. Combine golden raisins and wine and let stand 15:00-30:00 minutes, if time permits, otherwise skip on to #2.
2. In a medium bowl, combine raisins, wine or pan juices, cherry pie filling, cinnamon and cloves.
3. Mix well.
4. When ham is done, drain liquid from casserole.
5. Spread glaze over ham.
6. Cover and microwave on MEDIUM LOW for 5:00.
7. Let ham stand, covered for 10:00 before slicing.

Pot Roast Gravy

Servings: 2 3/4 cups

 

Ingredients:

2 cups pan juices

1/3 cup all purpose flour

2/3 cup cold water

1 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet

 

1. Keep meat closely covered with plastic wrap while making gravy.

2. Measure pan juices into a 4 cup glass measuring cup.

3. In a screw top jar, shake together flour and cold water.

4. Stir flour mixture and Kitchen Bouquet into meat juices.

5. Microwave on HIGH for 3:00 or until thickened and bubbly, whisking three times.

Scrambled Eggs

Servings: 4

 

Ingredients:

4 eggs

1/4 cup milk

2 teaspoons butter or margarine

salt

pepper

 

1. In a deep 1 quart bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper.

2. Add butter or margarine.

3. Cover with vented plastic wrap.

4. Microwave on MEDIUM HIGH for 2:30 or until about half set.

5. Stir.

6. Microwave on MEDIUM HIGH for 1:15-1:30 or until almost set.

7. Stir.

8. Let stand, covered, for 1:00 before serving.

Shrimp Kabobs

Servings: 4-6

 

Ingredients:

2 pounds shrimp, cooked, shelled

12 lemon wedges

12 fresh mushroom caps

2(14 1/2 oz) cans artichoke hearts, drained

1 avocado, peeled, seeded, cut in wedges, brushed with lemon

1/2 cup bottled seafood cocktail sauce

 

1. Thread shrimp, lemon wedges, mushroom caps, artichokes and avocado alternatively on 12 inch bamboo skewers.

2. Place skewers in 12 inch square microwave baking dish, alternating tips and ends of skewers.

3. Brush skewers with cocktail sauce.

4. Cover with vented plastic wrap.

5. Microwave on HIGH for 5:00-6:00 or until heated through, giving dish half turn once.

6. Serve with additional cocktail sauce for dipping, if desired.

Turkey Cassoulet

Servings: 6

 

Ingredients:

1 pound uncooked turkey sausage

1/2 cup chopped green onion

1/2 cup chopped carrot

2(15 oz) cans garbanzo bens, drained, rinsed

1 cup cubed cooked turkey ham

1 teaspoon dried leaf parsley

1(12 oz) can beer

 

1. Crumble turkey sausage into a deep 3 quart casserole dish.

2. Add green onion and carrot.

3. Cover and microwave on HIGH for 7:00 or unil sausage is done and vegetables are tender, stirring and breaking up turkey sausage twice.

4. Drain.

5. Stir in garbanzo beans, turkey ham and parsley.

6. Mix well.

7. Stir in beer.

8. Cover and microwave on HIGH for 12:00-14:00 or until heated through, stirring once.

Soy Glaze

Servings: about one cup

 

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/4 cup soy sauce

2/3 cup water

 

1. Combine cornstarch and soy sauce in a small bowl.

2. Stir until blended.

3. Stir in water.

4. Microwave on HIGH for 2:30-3:00 or until thickened, stirring three times.

5. Brush soy glaze on poultry.

6. Grease waxed paper.

7. Place waxed paper, greased side down, over glazed poultry, forming a tent.

Plum Good Glaze

Servings: 1 cup

 

Ingredients:

1(7 3/4 oz) jar plum with tapioca baby food

3 tablespoons corn syrup

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon dried ground lemon peel

 

1. In a small bowl, combine plum baby food, corn syrup, lemon juice, cinnamon and lemon peel.

2. Mix well.

3. Microwave on HIGH for 2:00-2:30 or until warm, stirring once.

4. Brush glaze on poultry.

5. Grease waxed paper.

6. Place waxed paper, greased side down, over glazed poultry, forming a tent.

 

Canadian Style Bacon

Servings: 3

 

Ingredients:

6 slices Canadian style bacon, 1/4 inch thick

 

1. Line paper plate with white paper towel.

2. Place Canadian style bacon on paper plate.

3. Cover with another white paper towel.

4. Microwave on HIGH for 2:00 or until heated through.

5. Remove cooked bacon from towel immediately to prevent sticking.

Quick Tacos

Servings: 4

 

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef chuck

2/3 cup chopped onion

1(10 oz) can tomatoes and green chilies, cut up

1 envelope taco seasoning mix

8 taco shells

shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, shredded Cheddar cheese, sliced olives, chopped green chilies to garnish

 

1. Crumble meat into a deep 2 quart casserole dish.

2. Add onion.

3. Cover with waxed paper and microwave on HIGH for 5:00 or until meat is brown, stirring twice.

4. Pour off juices.

5. Stir in tomatoes, chilies and taco seasoning mix.

6. Microwave, uncovered on HIGH for 5:00-6:00 or until mixture boils and thickens, stirring twice.

7. Spoon into taco shells, using about 1/3 cup for each.

8. Top with lettuce, tomato, cheese, olives and chilies.

 

Applesauce

Servings: 6(3 1/4 cups)

 

Ingredients:

6 cups(2 pounds, 10 medium apples) pared, quartered, cooking apples

1/2 cup apple juice

1/3 cup sugar

 

1. In a 2 quart casserole dish, combine apples, spple juice and sugar.

2. Mix well.

3. Cover and microwave on HIGH for 10:00-12:00 or until apples are tender, stirring once.

4. Mash apples to desired consistency by hand or process in a food processor fitted with the steel blade.

Barbecued Beef Sandwiches

Servings: 4

 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chili sauce

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

1 teaspoons instant minced onion

2 teaspoons steak sauce

2 teaspoons vinegar

1 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoons prepared mustard

1/2 pound cooked beef, cut in strips

4 hamburger buns, split

1/2 cup(2 oz) shredded Cheddar cheese

 

1. In a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish, thoroughly mix chili sauce, brown sugar, steak sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and mustard.

2. Cover and microwave on HIGH for 1:00.

3. Stir in beef and cover.

4. Microwave on MEDIUM HIGH for 4:00 or until heated through, stirring once.

5. Serve on hamburgers buns topped with shredded cheese.

Herbed Chicken Cutlets

Servings: 4

 

Ingredients:

2(1 pound after boning) whole chicken breasts, skinned, boned, split lengthwise

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

1/2 cup seasoned fine dry bread crumbs

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon dried leaf thyme

1 teaspoon dried leaf rosemary

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

 

  1. Preheat a 10-inch microwave browning skillet, uncovered on HIGH for 5:00.

  2. Spoon flour onto a piece of waxed paper.

  3. In a pie plate, whisk together egg and milk.

  4. On another piece of waxed paper, combine bread crumbs, paprika, thyme and rosemary.

  5. Mix well.

  6. Coat chicken pieces with flour.

  7. Dip in egg mixture, then in bread crumb mixture.

  8. Add oil to how browning skillet.

  9. Using a hot pad, tilt skillet to coat evenly with oil.

10. Quickly add chicken with thicker portions toward outside of skillet.

11. Microwave on HIGH for 6:00.

12. Turn chicken over and rearrange.

13. Microwave on HIGH for 5:00 or until tender and juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a fork.

Creamy Caper Sauce

Servings: 1 1/3 cups

 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mayonnaise or mayonnaise style salad dressing

1/2 cup dairy sour cream

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard

1/4 cup finely chopped celery

2 tablespoons drained capers

2 tablespoons chopped pimiento

2 tablespoons snipped parsley

1 tablespoon snipped chives

 

1. In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise or salad dressing, sour cream, lemon juice, and mustard.

2. Mix well.

3. Fold in celery, capers, pimiento, parsley and chives.

4. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.

5. Serve with hot or cold fish dishes.

Poached Scallops

Servings: 2

Ingredients:
Poaching Liquid for Fish
1 pound scallops

1. Prepare Poaching Liquid for Fish.
2. Add scallops to hot poaching liquid.
3. Push scallops under liquid as much as possible.
4. Cover and microwave on HIGH for 5:00 or until scallops are opaque and firm, stirring three times.
5. Let stand, covered, 3:00.
6. Remove scallops with a slotted spoon.
7. Serve with Tangy Tartar Sauce or Creamy Caper Sauce or use as cooked scallops in recipes.
8. Strain poaching liquid through cheesecloth to use as stock.

Poached Whole Trout

Servings: 2

Ingredients:
Poaching Liquid for Fish
2(12 oz) cleaned whole trout

1. Prepare Poaching Liquid for Fish using a deep 4 qurt casserole dish.
2. Wrap each trout in cheesecloth, leaving enough cheesecloth at each end of trout to use to lift trout in and out of the casserole.
3. Lower trout into hot poaching liquid.
4. Cover and microwave on HIGH for 8:00 or until center of fish is beginning to flake when tested with a fork.
5. Turn fish over once during cooking time.
6. Let stand, covered, for 5:00.
7. Lift fish from poaching liquid using ends of cheesecloth.
8. Remove cheesecloth.
9. Serve with Tangy Tartar Sauce or Creamy Caper Sauce.
10. Strain poaching liquid through cheesecloth to use as stock.

Poaching Liquid for Fish

Servings: 1 2/3 cups

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chopped carrot
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
3 sprigs parsley
2 lemon slices
1 small bay leaf
8 peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. In a deep 3 or 4 quart casserole dish, combine water, wine, carrot, celery, onion, parsley, lemon, bat leaf, peppercorns and salt.
2. Cover and microwave on HIGH for 8:00-10:00 or until boiling.
3. Use poaching liquid in recipes for Poached Fish Fillets, Poached Whole Trout and Poached Scallops.

Poached Fish Fillets

Servings: 3-4

Ingredients:
Poaching Liquid for Fish
4(4 oz) fish fillets, 1/4-1/2 inch thick

1. Prepare Poaching Liquid for Fish.
2. Add fillets or steaks to hot poaching liquid.
3. Cover and microwave on HIGH for 2:30-3:00 or until center of fish is beginning to flake when tested with a fork.
4. Give dish a half turn once during the cooking time.
5. Let stand, covered for 5:00.
6. Remove fish from liquid with a slotted spoon.
7. Serve poached fish with Tangy Tartar Sauce or Creamy Caper Sauce.
8. You can also use this as cooked fish in recipes.
9. Strain poaching liquid through cheesecloth to use as stock

Tangy Tartar Sauce

Servings: 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients:
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup mayonnaise or mayonnaise style salad dressing
1/2 cup chopped dill pickle
1/2 cup sliced pimiento-stuffed green olives
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1. In a medium sized bowl, combine all ingredients.
2. Mix well.
3. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
4. Serve with hot or cold fish dishes, ie Poached Fish Fillets.