Hot Sauce - from Grilled Veggies

My brother-in-law Marcus made some great hot sauce a couple of days after Thanksgiving..... Man was it good!  He also had some great chicken and rice boudin which most of us had never eaten before (he got it in Louisiana).  We all acted like we hadn't even just had a huge Thanksgiving feast two days before, it was sooo good!  The day before that some of us had gone to Canton, Texas for some shopping and when we came home he had Gumbo and Etoufee waiting for us...  again we ate like we hadn't had a big meal in days!  So much flavor in everything!

The next week I made this hot sauce in the freezing cold! I just kept thinking about how good it would be and being cooped up in the house there was a lot of cooking going on!  But still I wanted hot sauce!!  In Texas we had an ice storm but it didn't keep me away from  using the grill outside!  I make Hot Sauce a lot (link in blue of my original sauce), as good as the one I make is I love the grill taste for something different!  It reminds me of Pappasito's hot sauce and I love love theirs.  Marcus' is actually better!  Our whole family agreed and we all love Pappasito's!

You eat this hot sauce hot as in temperature! Might sound weird but it's really good!

I made this again a few weeks later and stored the leftovers in the fridge.  I ate some of the hot sauce cold out of the fridge and then I reheated some in the microwave.  I liked it both ways!

Place onions, tomatoes and jalapenos on the hot grill

 

 

This is what they look like when I took them off the grill, the peeling on the tomatoes comes right off.

 

 

I put this in a pitcher and used a hand held blender that you can place right in the pitcher.  You can also use a regular blender or food processer.

 

Delicious!

 

 

 

5 to 6 tomatoes 

3 to 4 jalapenos (or more if you like it hot, hot)!

1 onion sliced in thick slices (kept together)

Lawry's Garlic salt with the green lid

Black Pepper

 

Place tomatoes, jalapenos and onions on the hot grill.  Grill until the onions start to get a black marking then take off, same with jalapenos.  The Tomatoes will become soft and the skin will start peeling off, they are ready then..  The jalapenos you just throw with the black skin (after removing the stem but the tomatoes you peel, it will come right off after they get hot.

 

Put all in either a pitcher or blender then just pulse 4 or 5 times....don't over process or it will get pasty.   Season with garlic salt and black pepper!



Southwestern Cheese Appetizer ~ Marinated Cheese

I posted this in 2012 and I still make it around the Holidays because it’s delicious, beautiful and easy. 

Original post

This appetizer is perfect for Christmas or New Years Eve with the green and red but can be eaten all year!  I found this recipe in the Southern Living magazine at least 6 or 7 yrs ago!  They actually have two different recipes on their webiste and I have made both, I like this one the most!  The other one has balsamic vinegar in it and so it changes the color of the cheese which I didn't like as much.

Just buy 8 oz bars of cheese and slice them 1/4 inch thick and then in half.  You can see by the picture below the size the cheese should be.  It's kinda amazing how many slices you end up with with just 3 bars of cheese. 

It's very important to let it marinade over night or at least 8 hours.  This will last 3 to 5 days but it's in it's prime the 2nd and 3rd day!

I made this twice last week and didn't take step by step pictures but you can see by the picture below what it should look like.  Just whisk the marinade in a bowl and pour it over the cheese.  I do 3 lines of cheese and place it in a plastic container where the cheese fits snug so that it's not to large of a container, that way the cheese is able to be coated in the marinade.

Here is the plastic container I use and then I just put the lid on it and put it in the fridge!

*also I found the the roasted sweet red peppers at The Dollar Tree!  They are just as good as the ones I buy at the grocery store!

Southwestern Cheese Appetizers

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 (7.5-ounce) jar roasted sweet red peppers, drained and diced
3 green onions, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 (8-ounce) block sharp Cheddar cheese, chilled
1 (8-ounce) block Monterey Jack cheese with peppers, chilled
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, chilled

Whisk together first 3 ingredients until mixture is blended; stir in diced red peppers and next 6 ingredients. Set marinade aside.

Cut block of Cheddar cheese in half lengthwise. Cut halves crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Repeat procedure with Monterey Jack cheese and cream cheese.

Arrange cheese slices alternately in a shallow baking dish, standing slices on edge. Pour marinade over cheeses. Cover and chill at least 8 hours. Transfer cheese to a serving plate, and spoon remaining marinade over top. Serve with assorted crackers.

Pineapple Cream Cheese Dip

So I have mentioned I do not really care for Cream Cheese but I LOVE this dip!  Anytime I make it people can't stop eating it!  Last week I catered an event and forgot to take this lovely dip with me for the cheese table (I had plenty of other things... thank goodness).  So the next night I went over to a friends house for dinner so I took some with me... All my friends were like get that away from me!!!  It's so addicting! 

Make sure you really get all the juice out of the crushed pineapple if not it's becomes soupy and won't hold up...but if that happens just add some more cream cheese till the liquid is gone!  Also it’s very important to let it sit in your fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.  It doesn’t even taste the same until it’s able to marinate with the green onion and pineapple.

When I make this for a wedding I will triple the recipe then shape the dip into a pineapple shape.  I take whole almonds and cover it in rows...  Since I'm doing a wedding I usually have fresh pineapple so I cut the top off and cut into half so it can lay flat... Then just line club crackers around or leave it as is!

NOW the trick to this dip is you have to make it the night before or at least 4 hours before!  It does not have the same taste in the beginning!  The flavors have to blend together!

I do this often and have used whole almonds, pecans but I think I like the sliced almonds best!

The topper in this picture needs to be straightened.

Pineapple Cream Cheese Dip

2 pkg of soften cream cheese

1 can of crushed pineapples drained well - sometimes I use 3/4 of the can

¼ cup chopped green onion

¼ cup green pepper (optional)

In a bowl mix with mixer,  pineapples with cream cheese then add green onion and green pepper.  Sometimes I don’t use the whole can, I start with half then add if I think it needs it.  If there is any liquid it is harder firm up…I gage it to see how it looks… should not be at all soupy. Draining is key and sometimes even if you think you got the juice out there it is!  So start with a half  the can then keep adding. 

Just fyi I stopped adding green pepper years ago it’s just how I like it most but it is good with it.

Let this set in the fridge for at least 4 hours or over night!  Keeps well in fridge for about 2 weeks!  Cut the top of your pineapple in half so that it lays flat. 

Serve in a bowl or you can make a cheese ball by shaping

 into a ball in saran wrap and place in  fridge for an hour then roll into

pecans or sliced almonds.

Or you can shape dip in the shape of a Pineapple then outline with

Almonds and the top of a pineapple for decoration. Use a top of a

pineapple cut in half so it lays down easily.  

Serve with crackers...club crackers go very well with this!



Easy White Gravy

I've never been the greatest at gravy until now!  When you first melt the butter and add the flour you think oh no!  It looks like pie crust but once you add the milk and stir it with a whisk it just finally dissolves so nicely then thickens up!  You will need to add alot of salt and pepper but when you get it to your perfection you will love it! 

If you think it's to thick add some more milk...if it's to thin...take a bit out in a bowl or cup and add a tablespoon of flour ..stir then then pour back in...

Easy White Gravy

4 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. flour
Salt
Pepper
2 1/2 c. milk

Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour, salt and pepper; cook until smooth and bubbly. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling on medium heat, stirring constantly. Stir and boil 1 minute.

Seasoned Crackers

This is so easy it's almost too easy!  You just have to have patience to let them sit and absorb all the goodness!  I have never baked these and I have made them for years!!   Once you put the oil in they start turning brown the longer they set and they look as if you baked them!  I knew someone who baked theirs and after a while they get stale these honestly will last for months tasting totally fresh as long as you keep them in a air tight container.

1 box or bag oyster crackers  (I buy Kroger's brand in a box and Nabisco in a bag)

1 pkg ranch dry ranch dressing

¾ cup vegetable oil

In an air tight container mix all together and shake well then let soak in

For at least 4 hours but over night is best.

You might give them a shake every 30 minutes or so the first couple of hours so they all get coated evenly….. I turn the container upside down then back right side up just here and there when I think about it.  Once they are ready no more turning cause they are done!

Enjoy on salads, soups or just as a snack.

fyi.. the original recipe calls for 1 cup of veg oil but 3/4 a cup is plenty and we just saved 1/4 cup of calories!