From James's kitchen
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Appetizers · 37 recipes
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01This is an easy and delicious appetizer, especially when you can find the best authentic Greek feta. It's great with wedges of warm pita bread or slices of baguette. Even after the feta has been eaten, the remaining oil is great for dipping with bread.
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02Years ago my friend Robert’s mother was visiting from Mexico and taught me how to make her famous fruit filled guacamole ( Anita Kass Guacamole recipe ), but it came with a warning, “don’t make this if you’re going to use store bought tortilla chips” – they…
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03“Impossible Pie” was a recipe most often found on the back of Bisquick boxes. I don’t think I ever made one, but the idea intrigued me. I stumbled on a recipe in Cooks Country Magazine (February/March 2013 issue) which, as usual, they had improved greatly.…
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04I think homemade gifts are always appropriate, especially around the holidays. Baked goods, like cookies or brownies are nice, but can be a challenge, because they often need to baked, wrapped, delivered and consumed within 48 hours. Nuts on the other hand,…
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05This is a fantastic and easy recipe from my dear friend Pat Loud which was passed down from her mother. She serves it at nearly every party that I’ve ever attended and it’s always a big hit. As with most good recipes, the amounts are somewhat flexible – in…
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06Salsa Verde makes a perfect dip during the summer and also adds a refreshing burst of flavor to all type of dishes. It is a great marinade and topping for grilled fish, seafood, chicken, beef, and lamb. Some recipes call for boiling the tomatillos, but roas…
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07Hummus makes a great appetizer to keep on hand and has a wide variety of uses. It’s perfect as a dip with pita chips or veggies, great as a spread on sandwiches and wraps, or as a side dish with grilled chicken or lamb kabobs. The popularity of this Middle…
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08This is one of the simplest recipes but always a crowd pleaser. Everything can be picked up at the grocery store – unless you’re in the mood to roast your own peppers – and assembled quickly at home. The recipe can easily be increased to make as many servin…
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09I first tried this exotic guacamole a couple of years ago at my good friend Robert’s Christmas party. His mother was in town that year and helped prepare some most of the incredible food on the buffet table. You can read more about his holiday preparations…
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10There's nothing like homemade fresh guacamole - an it's so easy to make - that's there's no need to ever buy store-bought. The secret is perfectly ripe avocados!
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11SPANISH-STYLE GARLIC SHRIMP (Gambas al Ajillo)
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12I have just returned from an incredible week sailing the Aegean on the luxurious Seabourn Quest. ( http://www.seabourn.com ) It’s truly a wonderful way travel and I highly recommend the experience. A week of Mediterranean cuisine will undoubtedly influence…
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13A friend of mine called and asked me what was the best way to use up a bunch of apples and I naturally suggested applesauce. I often find the crisper drawer in my own refrigerator filled with a variety of apples and end up throwing them into a pot with a fe…
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14Celebrate Mardi Gras with this quick and easy dinner for two, inspired by traditional Louisiana cooking. Uglesich's Restaurant in New Orleans ( Uglesich website ) serves one of the best shrimp and grits that I ever tasted, although, just about everything th…
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15These scallops make a great first course, but you can easily serve it as main course by mixing the pesto with pasta. I use cilantro because it grows so well in the garden, but you can easily substitute your favorite pesto – basil or sun dried tomato would w…
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16Beet and goat cheese salad is probably one of my favorites and this recipe creates perfect individual bites. Roasting the beets gives great depth of flavor, but canned beets speeds up the process. The flavors improve as it sits, it’s great to make a day ahe…
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17These are always a big hit at parties, so I when I saw this recipe on Cook’s Country I knew I had to try them. The most common method is to use store bought crescent dough or puff pastry, but the crust used here is based on a cream biscuit recipe. You can m…
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18These make a great gift and can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks. Do not use salted nuts. Recipe can easily be halved .
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19Homemade hummus is so easy to throw together and requires only a few ingredients. I prefer hummus with a light creamy texture with a nice amount of fresh lemon juice.
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20This is a super fast appetizer inspired by the Italian classic Caprese Salad. They are perfect for summer parties when the tomato and basil flavors are at their peak. Be sure to use high quality olive oil and fresh mozzarella.
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21This is a great spring time recipe that works well as a first course or a side dish. I love the sweet flavor of English peas, but frozen ones will work fine. You can easily substitute asparagus for the peas. Just snap the ends off 1 pound of thin asparagus…
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22These chips are great with Homemade Onion Dip ( Click here for recipe ) or any favorite salsa, hummus, or dip. You can also make great Tortilla chips using the same method.
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23This makes a great appetizer (to take to a Super Bowl party) and is so easy to do that you’ll never bother with the dried onion soup mix version. Serve with crackers, red bell pepper sticks or better yet, make some homemade pita chips.
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24These spicy little chicken tenders are quick and easy to make and a perfect party appetizer. You can save a little time by using store bought taco seasoning, but it's worth making up a batch of the homemade.
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