Lettuce Wraps (Emlyn)

In a wok or large frying pan, brown ground turkey with Teriyaki sauce. Add ginger, garlic, chopped/shredded carrots, shredded coconut and finely chopped peanuts. Add Mandarin sauce to all. Serve with lettuce cups and additional Mandarin sauce for dipping.

Swiss Cheese Fondue (Emlyn)

Ingredients
1 clove garlic
1 (12 oz.) can PET® Evaporated Milk
4 cups shredded Swiss cheese (1 lb.)
Pinch nutmeg
Granny Smith apples
1 French baguette bread

Preparation Directions
1.
RUB inside of fondue pot or heavy saucepan with garlic.
2.
HEAT evaporated milk over medium-low heat in medium saucepan until bubbles form around edges, but not boiling. Gradually stir in cheese. Continue to cook until cheese is melted and smooth. Stir in nutmeg. Pour into fondue pot or prepared saucepan.
3.
SERVE with apples and bread cubes for dipping.

Olive Garden Bruschetta (Emlyn)

This Italian restaurant favorite is always a great option for an appetizer. You can make the filling ahead of time and just throw together right before guests come.

Ingredients
3 firm Roma tomatoes, finely diced (about 1 1/2 C.)
1 Tbs. minced fresh basil
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
9-10 slices ciabatta bread (or Italian bread)
1 Tbs. grated parmesan cheese
Pinch dried parsley flakes

Directions

Toss diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and salt in a medium bowl. Cover and chill 1 hour. When you are ready to serve the dish, preheat oven to 450F. Combine parmesan cheese with dried parsley in a small bowl. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet. Sprinkle a couple pinches of the parmesan cheese mixture over each bread slice. Bake for 5 minutes or until bread is starting to crisp. Pour tomato mixture into a serving dish, and serve alongside the toasted bread slices.

Samosas (Emlyn)

SAMOSAS

For the pastry:
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. oil
4 Tbsp. water
1. For the stuffing:
4-5 medium potatoes, boiled in their jackets and allowed to cool
4 Tbsp. oil
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup (175 g) shelled peas
1 Tbsp. finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 fresh hot green chili, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. very finely chopped fresh green coriander (cilantro)
3 Tbsp. water
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground coriander seeds
1 tsp. garam masala
1 tsp. ground roasted cumin seeds
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
oil for deep frying
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Add the 4 tablespoons on oil and rub it in with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Slowly add about 4 tablespoons water -- or a tiny bit more -- and gather the dough into a stiff ball.

Empty the ball out on to clean work surface. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes or until it is smooth. Make a ball. Rub the ball with about 1/4 teaspoon oil and slip it into a plastic bag. Set aside for 30 minutes or longer.

Make the stuffing. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1/4 inch dice. Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a large frying pan over a medium flame. When hot, put in the onion. Stir and fry until brown at the edges. Add the peas, ginger, green chili, fresh coriander (cilantro), and 3 tablespoons water. Cover, lower heat and simmer until peas are cooked. Stir every now and then and add a little more water if the frying pan seems to dry out.

Add the diced potatoes, salt, coriander seeds, garam masala, roasted cumin, cayenne, and lemon juice. Stir to mix. Cook on low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring gently as you do so. Check balance of salt and lemon juice. You may want more of both. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool.

Knead the pastry dough again and divide it into eight balls. Keep 7 covered while you work with the eight. Roll this ball out into a 7 inch (18 cm) round. Cut it into half with a sharp, pointed knife. Pick up one half and form a cone, making a 1/4 inch wide (5 mm), overlapping seam. Glue this seam together with a little water. Fill the cone with about 2 1/2 tablespoons of the potato mixture. Close the top of the cone by sticking the open edges together with a little water. Again, your seam should be about 1/4 inch (5 mm) wide. Press the top seam down with the prongs of a fork or flute it with your fingers. Make 7 more samosas.

Heat about 1 1/2 to 2 inches (4-5 cm) of oil for deep frying over a medium-low flame. You may use a small, deep, frying pan for this or an Indian wok. When the oil is medium hot, put in as many samosas as the pan will hold in a single layer. Fry slowly, turning the samosas frequently until they are golden brown and crisp. Drain on paper towel and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Jerk Chicken with Mango Salsa (Emlyn)

Jerk Chicken

3 lbs chicken thighs
Jamaican jerk rub
3 cups pineapple juice
Juice from 3 limes
Half bunch of Cilantro
Small can crushed pineapple

Rub chicken with spices. Place in slow cooker and cover with pineapple juice, lime juice, cilantro and pineapple. Cook in Crock-Pot on low for 4 hours. Serve with rice or over salad and with Mango Salsa.

Mango Salsa

1 mango diced
1 tomato seeded and diced
Half bunch of cilantro
Juice from 1 lime
Half a red onion diced
3 tablespoons crushed pineapple
dash of salt
1 jalapeno seeded and diced

Combine and let mingle in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Sweet Corn and Bean and Orange Salsa (Emlyn)

1 can (15 oz.) yellow and white corn drained (I just used white corn)
2 small or 1 large (15 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 Haas avocado, peeled, pitted, and chopped
Juice of 1 lime (be generous)
1 C. loosely packed chopped cilantro
Kosher salt, to taste (2 tsp. or less – I thought 2 t. was too salty)
¼ C. finely chopped sweet onion
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (optional)

Combine all ingredients and chill.

Picco de Gallo Salsa (Emlyn)

2 large tomatos, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Jalapeno pepper, minced
3 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, minced
Juice from 2 limes

Mix all together and enjoy!

Cheese Ball (Maci)

Mix:
about 1 and a half 8 oz. packages cream cheese ( if it's softened it makes it easier to work with)
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup crushed pineapple
Once it's mixed then you just form it and roll it around in chopped pecans until covered!