Chicken Sliders

I know that a while back I was baffled by those tiny little burgers called slider. Truth be told, I still am, but as a caterer, they just make sense and as a hostess they couldn't be a better choice. These babies are quick little bites that disappear quickly. (They're also super easy to make!)

For the Sauce:
1/2 C. Mayo
3 t. Curry Powder
3/4 T. Plain Yogurt
3/4 T. Ketchup
1 Clove Garlic, minced

Combine all of the ingredients above & refrigerate until sliders are prepared.

For the sliders:
2# Ground Chicken
6 T. Fresh Cilantro, Chopped
1/4 C. Green Onions, Chopped
2 T. Fresh Ginger, Peeled & Minced
2 t. Ground Cumin
3/4 t. Chili Powder
1 t. Kosher Salt
24 Small Dinner Rolls, split & toasted

1. Use pre-ground chicken & combine all of the ingredients minus the rolls. Form into 24 small patties (they should be about the same size as your rolls). If you find that the meat is sticking to your hands, wet them with a little water. You'll find it easier to form the patties with wet hands.

2. Once the patties are formed, grill or broil the sliders until done, about 3-4 minutes per side.

3. Spread curried mayo on one side of each bun, top with a slider and serve warm.

Orange Rosemary Turkey

Adding any flavor under the skin of a bird will always result in better seasoning. Adding butter under the skin will yield a crispy, golden brown skin that no one will want to pass up. Try this Orange Rosemary Butter under your next Turkey for a fresh twist on an old bird...

1/2 C. Unsalted Butter, room temperature
2 T. Orange Zest
4 t. Fresh Rosemary, Minced
TT (to taste) Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper


Method:
1. Combine all ingredients
2. Working from tail end of turkey, gently slide your fingers between skin and flesh on breast, legs and as much of the thighs as you can.
3. Next, slide your fingers between skin and breast of turkey from neck end. Spread about half the rosemary-orange butter underneath skin and over meat on turkey breast, legs and thighs. 4. Spread remaining butter over outside of skin.
5. Roast turkey as usual

Gooey Pumpkin Bars

A friend of mine brought these into work the other day and completely wow'd the office. If you're looking for an alternative to traditional pumpkin pie, check out these Gooey Pumpkin Bars.

Crust:
1 Package Yellow Cake Mix
1 Egg
8 T. Butter, Melted



Filling:
8 Oz. Cream Cheese, Room Temperature
1 (15 oz) Can Pumpkin
3 Eggs
1 t. Vanilla
8 T. Butter, Melted
16 Oz. Powdered Sugar
1 t. Cinnamon
1 t. Nutmeg


Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Prepare Crust: Combine all the ingredients and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

3. Prepare filling. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well.

4. Spread pumpkin mixture over the cake batter and bake for 40-50 minutes. Make sure not to over bake as the center should be a little gooey.


Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Shaken...or Stirred

It's entirely possible that martini's were popular quite some time ago and that I am just now recognizing how trendy they are. It seems like everywhere I go these days I either run into a cupcake bakery or a martini bar! Not that this girl is complaining, mind you-when done right, both of those things sing to my soul-I'm just slow on the uptake.

This Thanksgiving, get your cranberry fix in a martini glass instead of a can...

Also included is a "virgin" version of this drink so as not to exclude anyone-truth be told, this version might just be tastier than the high octane one! (Maybe)

Crantini:
Ice cubes
1 C. Vodka
1/4 C. Dry Vermouth
1/2 C. Cranberry Juice
8 Cranberries, frozen
4 Lime Zest twists

Virgin Crantini:
Ice cubes
1 C. Cranberry Juice
1 C. Fresh Tangerine Juice
1/4 C. Fresh Lime Juice
4 Lime Zest Twists

Yields 8 Cocktails


Note:
While searching for the perfect cranberry juice this afternoon I came across a Cranberry-Tangerine juice. Being that the virgin version of this drink calls for fresh tangerine juice, I decided to take a chance and experiment on my old recipe. Instead of using plain cranberry juice as a mixer, I used this new cran-tan juice, added a bit of lime juice and shook it all up. It was fantastic!

I'm not entirely sure how readily available this juice is to everyone, otherwise the recipe would be changed for sure. This drink was sweeter than the original and had just a hint of tangerine which brightened it right up. I highly recommend that if you can find this juice in your store that you try it instead of just the plain cranberry juice.

Green Bean Casserole: Revisited

Have you always wondered how to make the perfect mashed potatoes? Do you struggle to find just the right gift for your boss or a co-worker? If so, join me here every Saturday at noon from now until 12/20 where each week a new holiday recipe will be featured. November's recipes will focus on Thanksgiving dishes (including a super tasty alternative to pumpkin pie) while December will have a few homemade gift ideas and tasty cookie recipes you can share with your friends and family.

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There's usually no middle ground when it comes to green bean casserole-either you love it, or you hate it. Chances are, if someone in your family (usually a crazy aunt) insists on making this dish, they also insist you eat it. But green bean casserole does not (and should not) mean processed soup from a can and greasy fried onions. Sure, it takes a little bit more effort, but going the extra mile will always result in delicious results.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 # Green Beans
1 Yellow Onion, peeled and chopped
1/2 # White Mushrooms, sliced
5 slices Bacon, Cooked and Chopped
1 1/2 C. Milk
3 T. Flour
3 T. Butter
1/2 C. Heavy Cream
1 t. Salt
1/2 t. Pepper
1/2 t. Thyme
1 T. Minced Garlic
1/2 C. Italian Bread crumbs
3 T. Grated Parmesan Cheese
**Optional: 1-2 T. Sherry

Method:
1. In a heavily salted pot of boiling water, blanch cleaned green beans for 2-3 minutes. Remove from hot water and shock them in a bowl of cold ice water. Once cool, remove from water and set aside.

2. Saute bacon & onion until translucent. Add mushroom & Garlic & saute until soft. If there is not enough fat in the pan, add about 1 T of butter. Remove from pan & combine with green beans.

3. In the same pan add remaining butter & flour. Stir to cook the flour for about a minute, but do not allow the flour to brown. Add milk and bring to a boil. Stir to thicken. Add salt, pepper, and thyme. Add cream and whisk to blend.

**Optional**
Add about 1 T. of Sherry to the cream sauce before proceeding to next step.

3. Pour sauce over green bean mixture and season to taste. Place in baking dish top casserole with seasoned bread crumbs and drizzle with olive oil. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.