Wimpy Burgers

First I would like to wish all of you out there a very Happy New Year! Since our family traditions usually revolve around food I thought I would share this New Years meal with all of you.

This is my step-dad's traditional New Years Eve dinner. We have been lucky enough to have it twice now. Thank you Papa!

Wimpy Burgers

• Ground Beef (the leanest you can find)
• French Bread Baguette
• Any burger condiments you like; mustard, ketchup, relish....etc

Slice your baguette into 1/2 inch thick slices.
Now just put a little bit of ground beef on each slice of baguette.

Put them in a jelly roll pan and broil them until done. Watch it very closely. They cook very fast. The bread and the meet will get brown on the edge. That is a good time to take them out of the oven. They will finish cooking for a few minutes on their own.

My step-dad serves his wimpy burgers with cheese fondue. Some wonderful french bread and a fruit to dip into the fondue.

Add a wonderful glass of wine or a beer and sit and enjoy this fun meal with some good friends and family.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Fresh Tomato-Basil Caprese Kabobs

This was the other appetizer I made for our potluck. It was easy and fun to make. Even the kids loved them.

Fresh Tomato-Basil Caprese Kabobs

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Start to Finish: 1 hour 30 minutes

Makes: 34 Kabobs

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

2/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil or lemon basil leaves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pint red cherry tomatoes

1 pint yellow cherry tomatoes

2 medium zucchini or yellow squash, cubed

1 lb fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed

34 (6 inch) bamboo skewers

Fresh basil leaves, if desired

1 In large bowl, mix oil, lemon juice, basil, salt and pepper, using wire whisk. Add tomatoes, zucchini and cheese. Cover and refrigerate about 30 minutes.

2 Drain vegetables, reserving olive oil mixture. Thread skewers alternately with tomatoes, zucchini and cheese; top with basil leaf. Serve kabobs with reserved olive oil mixture.

When I made this the grocery store didn't have yellow cherry tomatoes. I just bought 2 pints of the red cherry tomatoes and put one cherry tomatoe at each end. 

Virtually any skewer-able vegetable will work in this recipe. Try red, green or yellow bell pepper pieces or fresh pea pods.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft); No change

Per Kabob: Calories 60; Total Fat 4.5g; Sodium 90mg; Dietary Fiber Og

Caramelized Onion Puffs

This is a recipe I found in a Pillsbury grocery store cookbook. You know the little cookbooks at the check out stand. I love those little books. I have dozens of them.

Anyway, we had a potluck get-together with friends and I was scheduled to bring some appetizers. I didn't want to just bring chips and dip. I wanted to bring something different. Here is one of the two dishes I brought. It was very easy to make and everyone loved it.

Caramelized Onion Puffs

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Start to Finish: 50 minutes

Makes: 24 Appetizers

2 Tablespoons butter

3/4 cup coarsely chopped onion

1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

2 eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon red pepper sauce (I used Tabasco)

3/4 cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese (3 oz)

1 can (80z) Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

1 Heat oven to 400˚F. Spray 24 mini muffin cups with cooking spray. In 10-inch skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add 3/4 cup onion; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium; add bell pepper. Cook 5 to 7 minutes longer, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and golden brown. Remove from heat.

2 In medium bowl, beat eggs. Stir in sour cream, salt and pepper sauce. Stir in cooked onion and 1/4 cup of the cheese. Spoon mixture evenly into mini muffin cups.

3 Unroll dough into 1 large rectangle; press perforations and edges to seal. Using a 1-1/2 inch biscuit or cookie cutter, cut dough into small rounds. Place dough round on top of onion mixture. Top with remaining cheese.

4 Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown and set in center. Cool 5 minutes; run knife around edge of each muffin cup. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tip: Try using Monterey Jack or mozzarella in place of the Cheddar cheese.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): No change

Per Appetizer: Calories 80; Total Fat 6g; Sodium 135mg; Dietary Fiber 0g