SHRIMP AND CHORIZO QUESADILLAS WITH SMOKY GUACAMOLE

This is one of my favorite Rachel Ray recipes from her 30 minute meals show and with the upcoming Super Bowl, I just had to share it with you. This is quick and easy to make and it packs incredible flavor outburst!!

Shrimp and Chorizo Quesadillas w/Smoky Guacamole (serves 4) 
Feel free to adjust ingredients to accommodate the size of your party

• 2 ripe Haas avocados
• 1 lime, juiced
• A couple pinches salt
• 1/4 cup sour cream, 3 rounded tablespoonfuls
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, available in cans on specialty food aisle in Mexican section
• 1/2 pound chorizo sausage, sliced thin on an angle
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
• 1 clove garlic, cracked away from skin and crushed
• 12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed, ask for easy-peels at fish counter
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 (12- inch) flour tortillas
• 1/2 pound, 2 cups, shredded pepper Jack cheese
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Cut avocados all the way around with a sharp knife. Scoop out the pit, then spoon avocado flesh away from skin into a food processor. Add the juice of 1 lime, a couple of pinches salt, sour cream and chipotles in adobo. Pulse guacamole until smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl.
Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Brown chorizo 2 to 3 minutes, then remove from pan. Add oil, garlic, then shrimp. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and cook shrimp until pink, 2 or 3 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a cutting board and coarsely chop.
Add a drizzle of oil to the pan and a large tortilla. Cook tortilla 30 seconds, then turn. Cover 1/2 of the tortilla with a couple of handfuls of cheese. Arrange a layer of chorizo and shrimp over the cheese and fold tortilla over. Press down gently with a spatula and cook tortilla a minute or so on each side to melt cheese and crisp. Remove quesadilla to large cutting board and repeat with remaining ingredients. Cut each quesadilla into 5 wedges and transfer to plates with your spatula. Top wedges of quesadillas with liberal amounts of smoky guacamole.


Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray on FoodNetwork.com

SPINACH AND GOAT CHEESE TARTLETS

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• Spinach and Goat Cheese Tartlets (makes 24 tartlets) 
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• Vegetable oil, for brushing
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup milk
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 1/2 ounces mild goat cheese, softened
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 1 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• Chopped chives, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt 1 tablespoon butter. Place 1 phyllo sheet on a clean surface (cover the other sheets with a damp towel), brush with melted butter and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon parmesan. Cover with another phyllo sheet, brush with more butter and sprinkle with another teaspoon parmesan. Top with the remaining phyllo sheet and brush with butter. Cut the phyllo stack into 24 squares, about 3 inches each. Brush a 24-cup mini muffin tin with oil, then firmly press a phyllo square, buttered-side down, into each cup. Bake until golden, 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until translucent. Stir in the flour, then add the milk and stir until the mixture is smooth, 1 minute. Add the nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Stir in the goat cheese, lemon zest and vinegar until the cheese melts. Remove from the heat and mix in the egg yolks, then the spinach.

Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold into the spinach filling. Spoon about 1 tablespoon filling into each phyllo cup and top with the remaining parmesan. Bake until the filling is set, 15 minutes. Cool slightly in the pan; remove and top with the chives.

Recipe courtesy Susan Stockton for Food Network Magazine ~ Photograph by Kate Sears

HAPPY NEW YEAR BLOODY MARY

One Dish At A Time wishes everyone a healthy & prosperous 2013 ~ HAPPY NEW YEAR!




The perfect cure for a long night of New Year's Eve celebrations, a Bloody Mary.

Morning After Bloody Mary
1.5 oz. Tequila
6 dashes tabasco
6 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1 pinch celery salt
1 pinch pepper
1 teaspoon horseradish
2 teaspoon lemon juice
7 oz. tomato juice
Pickle Wedges

In a large glass build ingredients and stir with a bar-spoon.

Garnish with pickle wedges.

Optional: rim glass with lime juice and dip into a mixture of celery salt & pepper.

CHEERS TO THE NEW YEAR!!!

HOT MAPLE CIDER COCKTAIL

This is the perfect drink after an amazing holiday feast with dessert or for those cold winter evenings by the fire place.

Maple Cider
1.5 oz Crown Royal Maple Finished Whisky
2 oz hot Apple or Peach cider
1 splash(es) hot water]
Butter
Cinnamon Stick

How To Mix

• Mix all ingredients in a coffee mug.
• Garnish with a half pat of butter & cinnamon stick

Recipe courtesy of thebar.com

CHOCOLATE MARSHMALLOW MARTINI

Now that the holiday season has begun, I want to share with you a few delicious cocktail recipes I have handy for entertaining and family dinners.

Chocolate Marshmallow Martini

1.5 oz Marshmallow Flavored Vodka (I recommend Smirnoff Fluffed Marshmallow)

1 oz Chocolate liqueur

1 dash(es) half & half

Cocoa powder

How To Mix:

• In an ice filled shaker combine all the ingredients.
• Shake well. For about 1-2 minutes.
• Strain into a chilled martini glass.
• Dust cocoa powder over the top.

Recipe courtesy of thebar.com

RACK OF LAMB WITH PIMENTON, GARLIC & OLIVE OIL

Rack of Lamb With Pimentón, Garlic and Olive Oil (serves 4)
1 rack of lamb (about 2 pounds)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon pimentón (smoked paprika)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium slice rye bread, broken into pieces

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Trim the lamb of excess fat, but leave a layer of fat over the meat. Cut about halfway down the bones between the chops; this allows the meat between them to become crisp.

Put the oil, garlic, paprika and a sprinkle of salt and pepper in a food processor and purée; add the bread and pulse a few times to make rough crumbs. Rub this mixture over the meat side of the rack and sprinkle with more salt and pepper. Put it in a roasting pan and into the oven; roast for 18 to 20 minutes. Insert an instant-read meat thermometer straight in from one end into the meatiest part. If it reads 125 degrees or more, remove the lamb immediately. If it reads less, put the lamb back for 5 minutes, no more. Remove and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve, separating the ribs by cutting down straight through them.

Recipe courtesy of nytimes.com

CHILEAN SEA BASS CEVICHE

Chilean Sea Bass Ceviche (Serves 6)

1lb Chilean Sea Bass Fillet
6oz Diced Tomatoes
4oz Diced Red Onions
2-3oz Chopped Cilantro
2oz Finely Diced Green Peppers
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1qt Lime Juice
1 Diced Hass avocado
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Cut Sea Bass into small pieces and combine with the lime juice (diluted with 1 cup of water) to marinate for 2 hrs.

In a non-reactive metal bowl mix all the solid ingredients except the avocado. Add the oil and the salt & pepper to taste and set aside.

Drain the fish leaving 15% of the juice.

Fold the fish and remaining juice in with the rest of the ingredients with a rubber spatula gently and carefully not to brake the fish in pieces.

Chill for another half hour, dice avocado and gently mix in with the other ingredients. Serve with tortilla or plantain chips.