Spicy Beef Wontons with Chili Dipping Sauce

These wontons were a part of our football eats for this past weekend.

OMG....they were awesome.

Very few of them actually made it on to a plate, lol.

I wish I would have gotten a picture of the inside of one. 

To me, these pictures don't give a great representation of the flavor packed in these beauties.

I made a Spicy Chili Dipping Sauce to serve them with, which made for a perfect combination 

with just the right amount of spiciness.

Linked with Weekend Potluck & Foodie Friday.

Spicy Beef Wontons
Makes 32-35 wontons

2 tsp olive oil
1/2 lb ground chuck
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup finely diced red pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chipotle chile powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 oz cream cheese
1 tbsp lime juice
Wonton wrappers
Water for sealing wontons
Vegetable oil for frying
Spicy Chili Dipping Sauce

Heat skillet with olive oil over medium heat. Add meat and cook until almost done. Stir in onion, red pepper, cumin, salt, chipotle chile powder, cayenne pepper and cinnamon. Cook stirring occasionally until meat is cooked through and onion and pepper is tender.

Stir in cream cheese to melt and lime juice. Cool to almost room temp.

Fill wrapper with 1 tbsp of filling; dampen all 4 edges of wonton with finger dipped in water; fold and seal.

Pour amount of vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet to reach 1 inch deep. Heat over medium heat to 350*. Fry wontons 4 or 5 at a time until golden brown turning 1/2 way through. Approx. 15-20 seconds per side. Keep an eye on them, it doesn't take long.

Spicy Chili Dipping Sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup plus 2 tsp low sodium soy sauce
3 1/2 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp corn starch
1/4 cup water

Whisk together ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer 3-4 minutes.

Grilled Shrimp Burgers with Sweet & Spicy Tartar Sauce

What a great change up for a burger.

Super easy to make with a few simple ingredients.

My original recipe calls for cornbread crackers. I didn't have any so I substituted saltines, which worked out wonderfully. Instead of adding the 1/2 teaspoon of salt, I kept that to a pinch because of the additional salt in the cracker.

So good. Especially with the tartar sauce.

Linked with Foodie Friday and Weekend Potluck.

Grilled Shrimp Burgers with Sweet & Spicy Tartar Sauce

Makes 4 Burgers

1 1/4 lb. med. shrimp, peeled & deveined

1 x-large egg, lightly beaten

1 tbsp mayonnaise

2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground red pepper, or more to taste

3 tbsp celery, finely chopped

2 tbsp green onion, chopped

1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

1 1/4 cups crushed cornbread crackers, appx 1 sleeve

4 hamburger buns (I like an onion bun or a Kaiser)

Bibb lettuce

Sweet & Spicy Tarter Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

2 tbsp horseradish

1 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning

1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

Pinch of red pepper, if desired

Mix together, cover and chill 30 minutes to 24 hours.

Cut shrimp into 3rds.

Line a baking sheet with tinfoil and spray with cooking spray.

Stir together egg and next 4 ingredients until blended; stir in celery, green onion and parsley. Fold in shrimp and cracker crumbs (mixture will be very thick). Shape into 4 (4 inch wide, 1 inch thick) patties. Place patties on prepared pan. Cover and chill 1 to 24 hours. Transfer to freezer, and freeze 30 minutes.

Coat cold cooking grate of grill with cooking spray, and place on grill. Preheat grill to 350 to 400 degrees (medium-high heat). Grill burgers, covered with grill lid, 5-6 minutes or until burgers lift easily from cooking grate using a large spatula. Carefully turn burgers, and grill 5-6 minutes or until shrimp turn pink and burgers are cooked through and lightly crisp.

Grill buns on grill 1-2 minutes or until lightly toasted. 

Serve on buns with tarter sauce and lettuce.

Simple Mango Salsa

This is such a delicious and easy salsa to whip up.

It makes a great change from the ordinary and leftovers go great with chicken or fish.

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Simple Mango Salsa

1 mango, peeled and chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered, depending on size
1 jalapeno or fresno pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 red or yellow onion, diced
Juice of 1 lime
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and Pepper

Creole Shrimp and Sausage

I've been on a bit of a kick making recipes that have some sort of tomatoes and peppers, 

which makes sense to me, because I have a bunch of peppers.

 I don't apologize. Every one has been super tasty.

This is actually my take on creole food. Correct or incorrect, I couldn't tell ya. 

All I know is I like it! And it's easy, which makes me like it even more. 

It's a safe bet to say my son likes it too. He doesn't even wait for a plate.

It's spicy, full of flavor and fast to make. Serve it up with some rice, or 

even grits would be really good, along with a big piece of crusty bread.

Linked with Sunflower Super Club: Weekend Potluck, Rattlebridge Farm: Foodie Friday,
Foodie Friends Friday and Six Sister's Stuff: Strut Your Stuff Saturday. 

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Creole Shrimp and Sausage

2 tbsp oil, divided use

12 oz. large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tsp New Orleans seasoning (Cajun, creole or Old Bay will work)

14 oz. pkg Smoked Turkey Sausage, cut into bite size pieces

1 large onion, chopped

1 red or green pepper, chopped

1 fresno or jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp flour

1 cup chicken broth

1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes, chili ready

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp celery seed

1 tbsp Frank’s hot sauce

Salt and Pepper

Fresh chopped parsley

Heat up 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Place shrimp and New Orleans/Creole seasoning in a medium size bowl; stir to combine. Add the shrimp to the heated skillet and cook for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes on each size. Remove to a plate and reserve.

Add another 1 1/2 tsp oil and sausage. Brown on both sides and remove to the plate holding the shrimp.

To the same skillet, add remaining oil and sauté onion and peppers until they start to soften. Add garlic, stir and cook 2-3 minutes more. Add the flour and cook 1 minute, stirring continuously.

Stir in broth, scraping bottom of the skillet to get up any brown bits. Add tomatoes and tomato paste, along with remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Add reserved shrimp and sausage and simmer an additional 5-10 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt and/or pepper if needed.

Serve over rice or grits with additional Frank’s hot sauce and parsley.

Baked Buffalo Chicken Taquitos

I put these together the other night in about 10 minutes.

Rotisserie chicken is such a tasty shortcut.

If you're not a blue cheese fan, don't worry. I wouldn't leave it out though. 

I don't think it gives it a strong enough flavor that you would recognize what is is, but does add another layer of  deliciousness. 

Linked with Weekend Potluck and Foodie Friday.

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Baked Buffalo Chicken Taquitos

3 cups chicken, cooked and shredded

4 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated

4 oz. Philadelphia cream cheese, room temp.

4 oz. can chopped green chiles

1 1/2 - 2 tbsp Frank’s hot sauce

2 tbsp blue cheese dressing

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Pinch of salt and pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

8-10 Soft flour tortillas

Spicy Blue Cheese Dip

4 tbsp blue cheese dressing

1 tbsp Franks’s Hot Sauce

Stir to combine.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425*.

Mix all ingredients except chicken together until combined; stir in chicken.

Wrap soft shells in a kitchen towel and microwave until warm, 10 - 20 seconds.

Place filling down the middle of each tortilla, roll it up and place it on an oiled baking sheet. Brush the tops and sides of the taquitos with olive oil. Cook for 8 minutes; turn and cook for an additional 8 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Serve with Spicy Blue Cheese Dip.

Jalapeno Cheddar Skillet Cornbread

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This cornbread was the bomb. I mean seriously good.

Loved the flavor combinations. You had that rich cheesy flavor with just the right amount of spiciness from the peppers, then that hint of sweetness when you got a bite of the sweet corn. Yummy! 

I think using pickled and fresh jalapenos makes a huge difference.
Gives it just that added umph of flavor.

As far as cornbread goes, this is my new favorite. 

I can't remember any other I've tried coming even close. Don't miss out, you gotta try it.

Jalapeno Cheddar Skillet Cornbread

1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
2 tbsp plus 1 tsp sugar
2 ½ tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
6 tbsp butter, melted, divided use
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, divided use
3 scallions, chopped
2 small corn on the cob, or 1/2 cup frozen, thawed
2 tbsp pickled jalapeno, minced

1 jalapeno, seeded, 1/2 minced, 1/2 cut into moon shape

Add shucked corn to a medium pot of boiling water, cover and let sit 5-10 minutes. Remove and cool enough to handle. Stand corn on end and remove kernels with a sharp knife.

Heat up oven proof/cast iron skillet in a 400* oven.

Melt butter in a small bowl, set aside to cool.

Whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Stir in 1 cup of cheese.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, 5 tbsps of butter and eggs. Stir in scallions, corn, pickled jalapeno and the minced 1/2 of the fresh jalapeno.

Stir wet ingredients into your dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Reduce oven to 375*. Add remaining butter to skillet (may spatter), and pour in batter. Top with remaining cheese and sliced jalapeno. Bake until edges are a golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool slightly before cutting.