Cheezy Garlic Bread:

  • 1 loaf French bread, sliced in half horizontally
  • 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • 10 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 1/4 cups grated parmesan
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl, mix mayonnaise, shallots, garlic, parsley, parmesan and salt and pepper together. Spread mixture evenly over both bottom half and top half of bread. Bake cheezy side up in oven for 5 – 7 minutes. If top is not bubbly and brown, change oven to broil and place directly underneath broiler, watching carefully until it turns crusty and golden brown, rotating bread as necessary for approximately 1 – 2 minutes.

  • Yield: 6 – 8 servings
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Ease of Preparation: Easy
  • Type: Side Dish

Shrimp with Spicy Mango Salsa:

To make the Shrimp:

  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ½ cup chopped red onion
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground cracked pepper
  • 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
  • 1 ½ pounds peeled jumbo shrimp
  • 10 crisp lettuce leaves *only if making appetizer

To make the Salsa:

  • 2 ripe mangos, peeled and diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons chopped red onion
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, diced
  • 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
  • 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • Salt and freshly ground cracked pepper to taste

For sauce:

In a saucepan, take 1 small jar of red pepper jelly or jalepeno jelly and combine with 1/4 cup water over medium low heat until combined and warm.

For salsa:

In medium bowl, combine all ingredients and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

For shrimp:

In large bowl, combine all ingredients and toss well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Remove shrimp from marinade and grill either on skewers or alone at medium high heat for 2 – 3 minutes until pink. Serve with salsa and drizzle with warm red pepper jelly. Serve as a main dish accompanied with white sticky rice. If serving as an appetizer, serve alone or feel free to wrap shrimp, salsa and sauce in a crisp lettuce leaf, secure with a toothpick and serve.

  • Yield: 8 – 10 servings
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 minutes
  • Inactive Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Type: Main Dish or Appetizer

Grilled Figs with Blue Cheese and Prosciutto:

  • 8 fresh figs, halved
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 8 ounces blue cheese
  • 8 slices prosciutto (thinly sliced)
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1 cup balsamic vinegar, reduced to half

Put balsamic vinegar on medium/medium low heat to reduce by ½. Toss halved figs in olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Press 1 generous tablespoon blue cheese into center of fig half and wrap with 1 slice of prosciutto. Grill or broil for 2 – 3 minutes. Place on plates and drizzle with reduced balsamic vinegar.

  • Yield: 8 servings
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 3 minutes
  • Ease of preparation: Easy
  • Type: Appetizer or Side Dish

Cheezy Cauliflower:

  • 1 large head of fresh cauliflower, trimmed and base peeled
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ cup of mayonnaise
  • 2 shallots, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 7 slices sharp cheddar cheese
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Trim outer green leaves and peel base of cauliflower. Place into microwave safe container with ¼ cup water in bottom. Add lid and microwave on high heat until ¾ of the way done, but still somewhat rigid to a fork poke, approximately 4 – 5 minutes. Take out of microwave. In small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, shallots, garlic and dry mustard and spread over whole head of cauliflower. Add 7 slices of sharp cheddar cheese on top and place into the oven with no lid and continue to cook until bubbly and brown and cooked through but still crisp-tender, approximately 5 – 6 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

  • Yield: 5 servings
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Ease of Preparation: Easy
  • Type: Side Dish