By Bev Davis
When it comes to preparing appetizers, Lesley Weigel looks for recipes that don’t skimp on flavor and texture. She’s never afraid to try something new.
“Sharon’s quick onion dip,” for example, is a simple recipe provided by a friend. The trick is using a sweet onion, Weigel said.
“This is one of the easiest dips in the world to make. There are three ingredients, and it’s a great dip for crackers or for vegetables.”
Her husband, Ted Weigel, convinced her to try a new recipe for deviled eggs. “This was his dad’s recipe. When Ted told me about it, I couldn’t believe there was much you could do differently with deviled eggs, but this recipe is really good. Any time I’ve served them, people have told us they’ve never tasted deviled eggs quite like them.” It may be the relish that makes “Ted’s favorite deviled eggs” a popular favorite.
Weigel borrowed from Paula Deen’s inspiration for her sweet chicken bacon wraps.
“You can make the wraps ahead of time and have them ready to dip into the brown sugar and chili powder just before you bake them,” she said. “They’re worth the time it takes to make them.”
Like many working women, she’s found tremendous value in using a Crock Pot.
“There are so many things you can put in there and either cook overnight or put on before you leave in the morning, and dinner is basically ready when you get home,” she said.
She uses the slow-cooking method for her Crock Pot ribs. She broils them about 10 minutes on each side to remove fat, then adds them to the Crock Pot with barbecue sauce. “I don’t like greasy ribs, and this is a good way to get that deep, rich flavor without the grease. I think you get more of the flavor of the meat by cooking them this way.”
When it comes to chicken wings, some Asian influence adds zest without too much heat.
“I don’t like wings screaming hot and I don’t like them bland. When I found this recipe, I liked it the first time I tried it because it has just enough bite to be tasty, but mellow enough to enjoy them.”
The ginger-garlic buffalo chicken wings combine sweet and sour flavors with just a touch of hot sauce.
Her baked Reuben slices combine four simple ingredients to get a new spin on a popular corned beef favorite. Weigel uses canned Crescent biscuits, corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese. Once baked, they are served with a Thousand Island sauce.
Sharon’s quick onion dip
1 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise
1 cup finely chopped sweet onion (must be sweet)
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
Mix everything together in a 1-quart baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees F. for about an hour (until top browns nicely). Serve with crackers.
Peanut butter chocolate cheesecake pie
One 9-inch prepared chocolate crumb crust
l/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted peanuts, chopped (divided)
2 tablespoons caramel topping (divided)
11-ounce package Nestle Peanut Butter and Milk Chocolate Morsels
1/4 cup milk
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups Cool Whip, thawed
Sprinkle 1/4 cup peanuts onto bottom of crust. Drizzle with a tablespoon caramel topping. Combine morsels and milk in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium-high (70 percent) for 45 seconds; stir.
If necessary, microwave an additional 10-15 seconds until smooth.
Beat cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Beat in chocolate mixture. Add whipped topping and
stir until well blended. Spoon into crust, sprinkle with remaining chopped peanuts and drizzle remaining caramel topping. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Ginger-garlic Buffalo chicken wings
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons finely grated ginger (or prepared)
l/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 2 tablespoons. Frank's hot sauce
1/4 rice vinegar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 l/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup orange marmalade (optional)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Chicken drummettes (3-pound bag)
In saucepan add all glaze ingredients and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove and taste for seasoning. Adjust to personal preference.
Bake drummettes at 400 degrees F. in oven one rack higher than the middle one for 30 minutes.
Turn after 15 minutes. Bake until crisp. Remove to large bowl, add glaze and toss.
Sweet chicken-bacon wraps (from Paula Deen)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1-pound package sliced bacon
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons chili powder
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut chicken breasts in 1-inch cubes. Cut each bacon slice in thirds. Wrap each chicken cube with bacon and secure with toothpick. Stir together brown sugar and chili powder. Dredge wrapped chicken in mixture.
Coat a rack and broiler pan with cooking spray. Place chicken wrap on rack in broiler pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until bacon is crisp.
Ted’s favorite deviled eggs
1 dozen boiled eggs
1 tablespoon Miracle Whip
1 l/2 teaspoons Mustard
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Dash of salt
Half the eggs lengthwise, remove yolks. Set aside whites. Mix together all remaining ingredients until smooth.
Fill egg whites with mixture, chill for at least an hour before serving. Garnish with paprika if desired.
Baked Reuben slices
1 can crescent rolls
1/4 pound deli thinly sliced corned beef
l/2 cup finely shredded Swiss cheese
1/3 cup well-drained sauerkraut
Sauce:
1/2 cup Thousand Island dressing
1 tablespoon milk
Unroll dough into 2 long rectangles. Press perforations to seal. Layer half of corned beef on each rectangle.
Top each with l/2 of Swiss cheese and 1/2 sauerkraut. Roll up tightly and make sure edges are sealed. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake in preheated 375-degree oven 14 minutes or until golden brown.
Mix together dressing and milk.
Cut rolls into 1-inch slices, place on platter and serve with sauce.
Crock pot ribs
3 pounds baby back ribs
1 onion, sliced
BBQ sauce (we like Bulls Eye Original)
Dash of salt/pepper
Preheat oven to broil setting. Place ribs in baking pan. Broil each side about 10 minutes to remove fat. Drain.
Place sliced onion in bottom of crock pot, top with 1/2 cup barbecue sauce. Add ribs and add another l/2 cup sauce. Cook on low for 4 hours. Check after 3 hours to see if you need to add 1/3 cup water. Do not let it cook until dry.
— E-mail: bdavis@register-herald.com
