Recipe: Making Foods on a Stick
I dropped by Studio 10 to offer some fun and easy summer entertaining tips by making four different foods on a stick. They are colorful, great conversation pieces and best of all no plates and silverware to wash.
| Foods on a Stick |
- 1 pack of bamboo skewers
- 12 cherry tomatoes
- 12 bite-sized pieces of mozzarella
- 12 basil leaves
- 1 bottle spray dressing like Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bit-sized pieces
- cup Buffalo wing sauce
- cup Buffalo wing flavored corn or potato chips, crushed
- cup honey
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- cup peanut butter
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- Chinese five spice to taste
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- Salad on a Stick
- Impale a cherry tomato with a skewer.
- Fold a basil leaf in half and add to the stick.
- Then add a bite of mozzarella.
- Spritz with dressing.
- Harlem Sauce
- Combine honey and chili flakes.
- Heat in a microwave for no more than 10 seconds.
- Thai Peanut Sauce
- Combine peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil and Five Spice and set aside.
- Chicken on a Stick
- In a pan over medium-high heat cook the chicken bites until done.
- Impale each bite on a skewer.
- Dunk each bit in one of three sauces.
- For Buffalo bites sprinkle crushed chips on top.
- For Thai chicken bites sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
Instead of spritzing with vinaigrette you could drizzle extra virgin olive oil.
July Fourth Recipe: Pesto Pasta Salad
This recipe was one of the favorites from my days at Mars Hill Cafe. It is almost too simple to make. In essence it is just pasta tossed in pesto mayo. You can easily alter to fit your own tastes like adding sun dried tomatoes or perhaps a little Italian olive salad. Heck, you can even add both; I won’t judge you. Listed below is the base recipe. Don’t hesitate to freestyle. Check this out:
Going Coastal Recipe: Mardi Gras Slaw
I have never been a fan of traditional mayonnaise-based Cole slaw. I have never been able to figure out why either? I like mayo, I like cabbage, I dig carrots but not all in the same little shredded goo. I am not alone either, for every person I know that likes Cole slaw I know a dozen that share my dislike for it.
I have found that I am a fan of vinegar-based slaws like curtido from Central America and the slaws found at many Jewish delicatessens. When I make a slaw I usually toss it with a dressing of some sort like an Asian ginger-sesame vinaigrette. I developed a slaw at one restaurant we called Mardi Gras Slaw because it contained the three colors of carnival: purple, green and gold. Purple was easy, purple cabbage instead of green. Green came from finely diced jalapeño. The gold was from golden raisins. It’s perfect for a Mardi Gras themed party, a Fourth of July cook-out or just as a colorful addition to most any meal. Here’s the recipe:
Mardi Gras Slaw
1 head purple cabbage, shredded
2 jalapeños, seeds and membrane removed then finely diced
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/2 teaspoon onion powder or 1 tablespoon finely diced green onion
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
2/3 cup Roasted Garlic Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
In a large bowl toss the cabbage with the celery salt, mixing thoroughly. Add the jalapeño, raisins and onion powder (or green onion) then toss. Incorporate the vinaigrette thoroughly and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Roasted Garlic Balsamic Vinaigrette
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup garlic infused oil*
1 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon Creole or other whole grain mustard
1/4 cup sugar
In a small sauce pan, mix the balsamic and the sugar. Heat on low to reduce by half. Once cool, pour the reduction into a blender and add mustard, salt and pepper then blend (don’t forget the lid). Remove the blender’s small cap slowly pour in the oil in a thin steady stream. Once all oil is in, put the cap back on and blend on high for one minute.
*Making garlic infused oil is easy. Break down a head of garlic so that all of the cloves are separated and their paper (peel) removed. Place a small sauce pan over medium heat and add a cup of canola oil. When the oil is hot, drop the garlic into the oil and basically fry it until it is a deep caramel color, roughly 20 minutes. Allow the oil to cool before using. With a fork mash the fried garlic cloves and spread on toasted French bread because it is tastilicious.
Everyday Recipe for Newman’s Own
Hey, here’s a new video recipe for you. This is me selling out to the man. The man that started a company of healthy, all natural food products the proceeds from which all go to charity. So if you wanna judge; judge me. I don’t care; I got a whole butt load of Newman’s Own swag and you didn’t. I’m winning.
Anyway, I prepare Italian Skirt Steak with Caesar Tortellini Pasta Salad.
