The Skye Trilogy: Isle of Skye, Isle of Night, and Isle of Dawn. * Bonus: Scrumptious Skye Confections Cookbook*
Page 99
1 (6oz.) jar of marinated artichoke hearts, drained
¼ cup roasted red peppers
5 oz. fresh baby spinach
¼ cup of half-half cream
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
¼ cup of sour cream
½ cup Italian cheese blend, divided
½ tsp. salt and pepper
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 2-cup baking dish with cooking spray
2) In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until tender, about eight minutes. Add artichoke hearts and roasted red peppers and cook for two minutes. Add the spinach in two batches, letting first-batch wilt before adding the second. Cook until spinach is wilted.
3) Strain mixture, pressing to release all liquids; set aside
4) In the same pan, warm half-half over medium-high heat. Stir in cream cheese and sour cream. Cook until cream cheese is melted, and mixture is smooth. Add spinach mixture and ¼ cup of cheese, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
5) Pour into prepared pan and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with pita chips or toasted baguette chips.
Toasted Baguette Chips
1/2 loaf of French bread, sliced ¼ inch thick
½ cup butter, melted
Garlic salt & parsley, to taste
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside
2) Brush both sides of bread with butter. Sprinkle with garlic salt and parsley. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Hello everyone! I am so happy that Willa is doing this, and I knew I had to put this recipe in her cookbook. I have been making this appetizer for years, and I’m sure it will be gobbled up just as fast as when I make it for parties. ~ Cecily
Mom’s Cheesy artichoke Dip
14 oz. of marinated artichoke hearts, drained
¾ cup mozzarella cheese
¾ cup parmesan cheese
½ cup mayonnaise
4 oz. green chilies, drained
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2) Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and pour into a greased 2-cup baking dish.
3) Bake for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips. I personally like Frito Lay Scoops for this dip!
Hot Crab Dip
3 TBLS. butter
2-medium shallots, minced
¾ tsp. Old Bay seasoning
1 ½ tsp. dry mustard
¾ cup half-half cream
8 oz. cream cheese, cut into cubes
4 oz. grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
3 TBLS. lemon juice
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
10 oz. crab meat
½ cup fresh parsley
2 slices of white bread, crust removed and torn into 1-inch strips
½ tsp. paprika
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2) Melt the butter in a sauté pan and add shallots, cook for 2 minutes. Add 1 TBLS. water and simmer for 30 seconds. Stir in cayenne, Old Bay seasoning, and dried mustard. Add half-half and bring to a simmer. Slowly add cream cheese chunks and stir until well incorporated. Whisk in cheddar; stir for two minutes. Remove from heat and add lemon juice and Worcestershire. Gently fold in crab meat and half of parsley.
3) Transfer mixture to a greased baking dish and sprinkle with bread pieces. Dot bread with remaining butter, parsley and paprika.
4) Bake for 18-20 minutes
Hey, Chicas and Chico’s! I’m a wood Nymph, so I love me some mushrooms. Willa doesn’t dig on fungi, but I told her that she had to include my simple stuffed mushroom recipe.
Catch ya on the flip side ~ Polly
Polly’s Stuffed Mushrooms
8 oz. bacon
½ cup finely minced onion
1-clove garlic, minced
16 oz. of white button mushrooms
4 oz. cream cheese
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut bacon into small pieces and cook in a sauté pan over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove the bacon and let drain on a paper towel. Reserve 2 TBLS. of bacon drippings and discard the rest.
2) Remove mushroom stems from caps and chop into small pieces. In the same pan bacon was cooked, sauté onion with reserve bacon drippings for two minutes. Add the garlic and cook two more minutes. Add chopped mushroom caps to mixture and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and slowly add cream cheese and parmesan. Stir well and add bacon. Season with salt and pepper.
3) Remove from heat and let cool a few minutes. Stuff mushrooms with mixture and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
4) * You can also add tiny shrimp or lump crabmeat to the mixture*
5) Enjoy and long live the fungi!
During the Fae’s visit to the Isle of Skye (which ended so well...Not) my fairy grandparents came over to my house for brunch. Since that visit, the one thing they always request I make is my wrapped asparagus appetizer.
Prosciutto- Wrapped Asparagus
12 jumbo asparagus spears, trimmed
12 thin prosciutto slices
1 TBLS. fresh parsley
1 tsp. lemon zest
½ tsp. of salt and pepper
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
1) In a large saucepan, cook asparagus spears in boiling water for 1 minute or until crisp-tender; drain. Plunge asparagus into ice water to stop the cooking process. Let stand until cooled, about 20 minutes. Remove from ice water and pat dry.
2) Wrap each asparagus spear with a prosciutto slice. Arrange on a serving platter and sprinkle with parsley, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Serve with olive oil.
This is another recipe of my mom’s that is a total crowd pleaser.
Cecily’s Sautéed Shrimp with a Holy Moley Spicy Aioli dipping sauce
1 lb. raw medium size shrimp
1 TBLS. olive oil
Aioli
1-cup low-fat mayonnaise
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBLS. Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 lemon, juiced
Directions:
1) Mix aioli ingredients and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
2) In a skillet, sauté shrimp with 1 TBLS. of olive oil until shrimp is pink, about 4-5 minutes. Remove shrimp from heat and place in a serving bowl or on a platter
3) Remove aioli from refrigerator and serve.
My aunt Gussie is not known for her cooking ability. The castle cook John has barred her from ever stepping foot in his kitchen again. There is one dish that she does make pretty darn well. I’m not sure if it’s because there is no real cooking involved, aside from the bacon, but when she makes these little bites they tend to disappear fairly quickly!
Aunt Gussie’s Tomato Bites
20-cherry tomatoes
½ cup of bacon, cooked and crumbled
½ cup mayonnaise
1/3-cup green onions chopped finely
3 TBLS parmesan cheese
2 TBLS. fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Directions:
1) Cut a thin slice off the top of each tomato and scoop out insides
2) In a small bowl combine all other ingredients.
3) Spoon mixture into tomato
4) Chill and serve
Hey there, it’s Uncle Cuddy. Now I’m a man of many talents, but I will say cooking is not one of them. One thing I do like to make is American style hot Buffalo wings. Ever since Willa made them for me one time, I’ve been addicted. I think if John Wayne were alive today he would be a hot wing man. I had to come up with a few different sauces though because my new daughter in law and son in law are vampires.
Veronica enjoys the teriyaki
version while Riah, well he’s a honey mustard guy all the way.
Uncle Cuddy’s Hot Wings
½ cup flour
¼ tsp. paprika
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
10-chicken wings
Oil for deep frying
¼ cup butter
¼ cup hot sauce
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
Directions:
1) In a small bowl mix flour, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt. Place chicken wings in a large glass bowl and sprinkle flour over them until they are evenly coated. Cover dish and refrigerate for 60-90 minutes.
2) Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees. Combine the butter, hot sauce, pepper and garlic powder in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir together and heat until butter is melted, and mixture is well blended. Remove from heat and set aside.
3) Fry coated hot wings in oil for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and place on a paper towel to get rid of excess oil. Place chicken wings in a serving bowl and add hot sauce until well combined.
V’s Teriyaki Sauce
1 cup of water
1-cup soy sauce
1 cup of sugar
¼ cup pineapple juice
¼ cup vegetable oil
1TBLS. minced garlic
1 TBLS. minced ginger
Directions:
1) Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and heat to boiling over medium-high heat. Let simmer for five minutes and then pour into a bowl to cool. Add cooked wings to coat before serving
*Prepare chicken like above but this time cutout the cayenne pepper and add some black pepper. Throw then in the fryer to cook and top with sauce.*
Riah’s Honey Mustard Wing Sauce
½ cup spicy brown mustard or regular mustard for vamps
½ cup honey
¼ cup butter
2 TBLS. lemon juice
Directions:
1) Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and heat until boiling. Reduce and simmer for ten minutes. Pour over cooked wings.
Oh, Christ Willa, I’m sure they know to prepare the chicken wings like the teriyaki wings but in case you’re a moron, omit the cayenne to the flour mixture and add black pepper.
Deviled eggs are one of my favorite foods to eat. I love the taste and the texture. Several years ago I decided to mix things up a bit and came up with two different versions of this classic appetizer. Both are usually the first things that disappear when I throw a party so if I may offer a little tip; keep a few hidden in the fridge for yourself!
Deviled Eggs 2 Ways
Roasted Red Pepper Deviled Eggs
6 hard-boiled eggs
6 TBLS. mayonnaise
1½ TBLS. roasted red pepper puree * recipe follows*
½ TBLS. sherry vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste
Chives for garnish
Directions:
1) To make puree: Pulse about 1 large or 1 cup of roasted pepper strips in a food processor until smooth. Place puree into a strainer to get as much excess moisture out as possible.
2) Carefully peel and slice in half hard boiled eggs. Gently scoop out egg yolk and place in a bowl. Mix yolk, puree, sherry vinegar, and salt and pepper. Stuff eggs with mixture and garnish with chives.
Blue Cheese Deviled Eggs
2 TBLS. of olive oil
3 slices of prosciutto, chopped
½ tsp. minced garlic
6 large hard-boiled and peeled eggs
¼ cup of mayonnaise
2 TBLS. crumbled blue cheese
½ tsp. Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
Fresh parsley for garnish
Directions:
1) In a small skillet heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add prosciutto and garlic; cook for five minutes, constantly stirring. Remove from heat; set aside to cool.
2) Halve eggs lengthwise. Remove yolks and place in a small bowl. Mash yolks with fork and stir in mayonnaise, blue cheese, mustard, pepper and prosciutto until well combined.
3) Fill eggs evenly with yolk mixture. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
Perfect Hard Boiled Egg
Place eggs in a pot and fill with cold water. Bring water to boil and remove from heat. Cover and let eggs sit for 12 minutes. Remove from pot and let cool.
Mathias isn’t a big fan of mayonnaise, which I think is hilarious since everyone over here in England seems to love mayo on everything. I came up with this roasted potato salad recipe in hopes my hubby would get in the mood for a BBQ and sure enough he always eats a small bowl whenever I make it for any occasion.
Roasted Potato Salad
3 pounds small red potatoes cut into 1-inch cubes
1 TBLS. olive oil
2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. kosher salt
2-bacon slices (uncooked) chopped
2 cups green onions, chopped
2-garlic cloves, minced
3TBLS. Dijon mustard
1 ½ TBLS. Balsamic vinegar
2 TBLS. reduced fat mayonnaise
1 ½ TBLS. honey
¼ cup fresh parsley
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2) Combine first four ingredients in a large bowl; toss to coat. Arrange potatoes on a large baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until tender. Transfer cooled potatoes to a large bowl.
3) Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Add green onions and cook two more minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove from pan and place on top of a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Add to potatoes and toss gently.
4) Combine mustard, mayo, honey, and vinegar in a small bowl; stir with a whisk until well combined. Add mustard mixture and parsley to the potatoes and toss gently.
I have a confession to make. This recipe is my go to summer salad. I make this all the time. It’s perfect for a barbeque or just to have in the fridge to munch on during those days when you just don’t want to cook.
Willa’s Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad
2 squash
2 small zucchini
2 large tomatoes
1 large green pepper
1 large red pepper
1 red onion, sliced thinly
2 jars of marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1 bottle of sun dried tomato vinaigrette
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of light mayonnaise
¼ cup Dijon mustard
2 TBLS. Balsamic vinegar
1 TBLS. hot sauce
1 package of feta cheese crumbles
1 pound of penne pasta
½ pound of whole wheat pasta
Directions:
1) Slice squash, zucchini, tomatoes, green pepper and onion. Place vegetables in a large baking dish; add artichoke hearts. Season with salt and pepper and pour bottled dressing over vegetables. Combine thoroughly and bake in a preheated oven at 425 degrees for 45- 50 minutes. Take out of the oven to cool.
2) Cook pasta according to package instructions; set aside
3) In a large bowl combine cooked pasta, mayo, mustard, vinegar and hot sauce. Stir well and add cooked vegetables (juice and all) over pasta mix well.
4) Top with crumbled feta.
Potato skins are truly an invention of food culinary bliss for a carb-loving girl like me.
Parmesan –Stuffed Potato Skins
4-baking potatoes halved lengthwise
3 TBLS. olive oil
½ cup milk
3 TBLS. butter
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
5 oz. salami, coarsely chopped
¼ cup unseasoned bread crumbs
¾ cup sour cream
3 TBLS. finely chopped jalapenos
Salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. P
lace potatoes cut side down on the baking sheet and brush the skins with 1TBLS. of olive oil. Bake until tender, about 30 minutes; cut in half lengthwise and let cool slightly. Scoop out the potato slices into a medium saucepan, leaving ¼-inch-thick shells. Place shells cut side up on a baking sheet and brush with remaining oil. Add the milk and butter to the potatoes in the pot and mash until smooth. Stir in half of the parmesan and ¼ of the salami.
2) In a small bowl, toss remaining parmesan and salami with the breadcrumbs. Press some of the mixture into each potato shell. Bake until crisp, about 25 minutes.
3) Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the sour cream and jalapenos; season with salt. Reheat the mashed potato mixture and place small mounds onto each baked potato skin. Top with sour cream jalapenos sour cream and serve.
My mom hired a beautiful woman named Karen to help out at the bakery, and now the two of them are as thick as thieves. This salad is a lovely and refreshing dish for any gathering.
Cabbage Salad
1-package chicken flavored ramen noodles, chopped
½ cup slivered almonds
2 TBLS. sesame seeds
½ head of cabbage, chopped
½ head of broccoli, chopped
½ head of cauliflower, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
Dressing:
½ cup vegetable oil
3 TBLS. apple cider vinegar
2 TBLS. sugar
1 tsp. salt & pepper
1-flavor pack from ramen noodle package
Directions:
1) Combine first seven ingredients in a large bowl. Mix dressing well and combine before serving.
Oh, I love a good chowder. You can take tomato based chowder and stick it where the sun doesn’t shine because cream based is the only way to go in my book.
Elegant Scallop Chowder
3-medium potatoes chopped into bite size pieces
1 medium, chopped finely
2 stalks of celery, chopped