Baked Perogies

I saw this recipe on the back of a box of Mrs. T.'s Mini Perogies and love it.  It works for any size perogie and is a nice variation if you are tired of sauteing perogies or boiling them.

The mini perogies can be used for either a meal or an appetizer.

Ingedients:

• 1 box of frozen perogies
• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 T. chili powder
• 1 T. hot sauce

Directions:

• Heat the over to 400.
• Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray.
• In a plastic bag, mix the perogies, olive oil, chili powder and hot sauce until the perogies are coated thoroughly.
• Place the perogies on the baking sheet in a single layer.
• Bake for 20 minutes, turning the perogies over half way through.
• Serve with sliced celery and ranch or blue cheese dressing.

Baked Zucchini Sticks

Over the summer, I was trying to get my daughter to try new vegetables and introduced her to zucchini using this recipe.  I cannot remember where I found this recipe.  I would love to find the recipe that is used at Tambellini's Restaurant in downtown Pittsburgh.  Their baked zucchini strips are awesome!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium zucchini, cut into sticks or strips
• 1 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 1 cup flour
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten

Heat the over to 350.

Mix the bread crumbs, salt and pepper in a bowl or ziplock bag.  Dip zucchini first into flour and then into the beaten eggs.  Roll the zucchini in the bread crumbs until well covered.  Place on a non-stick baking sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes until the zucchini is tender and the coating is crisp.

Serve with marinara sauce.

Italian Sausage and Sun Dried Tomato Tartlets

My sister-in-law always has the best hors d'oeuvres at her Christmas parties and there are hardly ever any leftovers.  I used this recipe that she had for a party that we had and we didn't have any leftovers.

Italian Sausage and Sun Dried Tomato Tartlets

Yield: 12 tartlets

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet of frozen puffed pastry, thawed (I used Pepperidge Farm with good results)
• 1 large or 2 small Italian Sweet Sausage  (I bought bulk sausage at the market district instead)
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup of grated parmesan or to taste, plus extra for topping
• 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, softened and minced
• 12 pieces of jack or mozzarella cheese cut to fit the tops of the tartlets
  

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Cut the pastry into 2 1/2 inch circles using wineglass or biscuit cutter.  Press each circle into mini muffin tin.
3.  Prick the sausages with a fork, wrap in a paper towel, place on a plate and microwave for 2 minutes on high.  Or heat in a 350F oven for 20 minutes.  Slice the sausage in 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices. (If you do it this way you still have the casing on each slice.  I didn't like that, so that's why I crumbled bulk sausage onto each tartlet instead.)
4.Combine the ricotta cheese with the parmesan and tomatoes.  Place some in each pastry cup, top with a little more parmesan, sausage and top with the jack cheese.
5. Bake until hot and the cheese is melted, about 8 minutes.

Can assemble up to 1 day in advance and refrigerate.  (They don't freeze well - they get soggy.)

Other Notes:
To make 48 only need to triple ( not 4X) the filling.  48 takes 2 boxes of puff pastry and an 8 ounce log of monteray jack cheese and 1 lb bulk sausage. 

Corn Dip

My cousin gave me this recipe and I love it!  It is definitely not something that you can eat all the time, but is great!

Corn Dip

Ingredients:2 cans Mexican Corn - drained (I have used regular corn and frozen corn)

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 cups shredded cheese (Mexican or 4 cheese)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Mix together and bake in a shallow baking dish @ 350 for 1/2 hour uncovered.   Serve with chips or crackers

If it seems to runny - just sprinkle with more parm. cheese.