Category Archives: Appetizers

Black Eye Pea Dip

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Ingredients

1 lb chorizo
2 cans black eyed peas
1 small white onion (diced)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 1/2 chipotles (minced)
10 oz Pace mild picante sauce
10 oz cream of mushroom soup
10 oz cream of chicken soup
10 oz mild enchilada sauce
2 tablespoons Emeril’s Southwest Essence
1/2 lb grated cheddar cheese

Method

Brown the chorizo, then slide it over to one side of the pot. Add the onions and cook until they start to become translucent. Add garlic and chipotles and cook another minute.

Add the rest of the ingredients, except the cheese. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the cheese and cook until it’s melted, stirring constantly, so the cheese doesn’t burn to the bottom of the pan.

Serve with corn chips.

Hot Sausage Dip

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Ingredients

2 lbs spicy breakfast sausage
1 medium white onion (diced)
16 oz cream cheese
16 oz sour cream
2 small cans diced green chilies (rinsed)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin

Method

Brown the sausage then remove it. Cook the onions in the sausage grease until they start to become translucent. Add the remaining ingredients, and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for one hour.

Serve with corn chips and Ritz crackers.

For a nice twist, garnish with fresh diced tomatoes.

Pepperoni Rolls

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A super-fast, simple appetizer using off-the-shelf crescent rolls.

Ingredients:

1 tube of 8 crescent rolls
32 slices of pepperoni
5 tablespoons garlic butter

Method:

While the oven is preheating to to 375˚, unroll and layout all the crescent rolls. Spread garlic butter on them…

…and then top each roll with 4 slices of pepperoni…

Roll them up…

…and bake as directed (12 minutes was perfect in my oven).

Serve as a starter with pizza sauce for dipping.

New Mexican Egg Rolls

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Ingredients

12 Egg roll wrapers, Large
⅓ pound Ground beef
8 ounces Diced green chilies
¼ pound Shredded hash brown potatoes
8 ounces Shredded colby-jack cheese
Canola oil
Taco seasoning
1 Egg, beaten

Method

Fry the hash browns.

Brown the ground beef and season with taco seasoning.

While you’re prepping the egg rolls, heat 3/4″ of canola oil in a skillet.
Lay out 4 egg roll wrappers. Add a scoop of each: Potatoes, ground beef, and diced green chilies. Then add as much cheese as you think you’ll be able to conceal in the egg roll wrapper. The more, the better.

Roll up the egg roll wrappers (directions should be on the package), using the egg wash to seal the edges.

Fry on one side until golden brown (3-4 minutes), then turn and brown the others side for a minute or two.

For best results, serve smothered with green chili sauce and topped with shredded lettuce.

Southwest Heart Attack

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Ingredients:

1 lb bacon
12 medium-sized shrimp
2 medium-to-large white mushrooms
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons roasted/diced green chilies
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 lb shredded colby-jack cheese
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Weave the bacon into a bacon quilt. Place the bacon quilt on a cooling rack, and place the cooling rack on a cookie sheet.

Bake the bacon until it’s just about done, but not crisp.

If your chilie isn’t already prepped, now would be the time to do that. Roast them over an open flame (I use an element on my gas stove). Once they’re blackened everywhere, place them under a bowl for about 10 minutes to sweat. Then rinse under running water while wiping the skin away. Pat dry and dice.

While the bacon is in the oven, sauté the mushrooms in the butter and kosher salt. When they’re almost done, Add the shrimp and the garlic. Continue cooking until the shrimp is done.

When your bacon is almost done, spread the sautéed mixture over it. Dump the cheese on, roll it up, then bake for an additional 7-10 minutes. Just long enough to melt the cheese.

When done, let it cool for a few minutes, then slice and serve.

Chipotle Snappers

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Here is a delicious twist on the ol’ jalapeno poppers. Choose your chilies wisely, as these can really kick your butt if you get hot ones.

Ingredients:

6 chipotle chilies
9 medium shrimp
1 cup cheddar/jack cheese blend
1/4 cup bacon crumbles
1/2 tablespoon butter
Kosher salt

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 350°.

Quickly fry the shrimp in the butter. Be very careful not to over-cook, as they will end up in the oven for a bit later.

Cut the chipotles in half, from end-to-end. Remove the seeds and scrape the white stuff off the walls. Then lay them out on a baking sheet.

Season the chipotle shells with salt, then top with bacon crumbles, chopped shrimp and cheese.

Bake until cheese is melted (7-8 minutes).