Quick Meals Planner: Small Plate Friday
Shrimp Cocktail | Steamed Clams | Crab Dip | Fresh Tomato Crostini | Potato Rounds | Chicken Strips with Basil Pesto | Lemon Italian Ice
Shrimp Cocktail
Recipe Summary
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 6 |
| Category: | Appetizer |
| Meal: | Small Plate Friday (Quick Meals Planner) |
| 1 | lb | shrimp, cooked |
| 1 | recipe | cocktail sauce |
| |
Chill shrimp and cocktail sauce, serve on a platter with cocktail in center surrounded by the shrimp.
Steamed Clams
Recipe Summary
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 4 |
| Category: | Appetizer |
| Meal: | Small Plate Friday (Quick Meals Planner) |
| 4 | lb | clams, littleneck |
| 4 | Tb | butter, salted |
| 1 | small | lemons |
| |
Place about 1” of water in a large pot, put in clams, cover and boil water until clams open. Discard any clams that do not open. Melt butter and serve clams with lemon wedges.
Crab Dip
Recipe Summary
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 10 |
| Category: | Appetizer |
| Meal: | Small Plate Friday (Quick Meals Planner) |
| 3 | Tb | butter, unsalted |
| 2 | medium | shallots, sliced |
| 0.75 | tsp | pepper, fresh ground |
| 0.75 | tsp | old bay seasoning |
| 1.5 | tsp | mustard, dried |
| 0.75 | cup | cream, half and half |
| 8 | oz | cream cheese |
| 4 | oz | cheese, white cheddar |
| 3 | Tb | lemon, juice of |
| 2 | tsp | Worcestershire sauce, white |
| 10 | oz | crab, white lump |
| 1 | Tb | parsley, flat leaf |
| 0.5 | tsp | paprika, sweet |
| |
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter in a pan, add shallots and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Stir in pepper, Old Bay, and dry mustard. Add half and half, simmer. Slowly whisk in cream cheese and cheddar. Remove from heat when well mixed. Add lemon juice, Worcestershire and continue to stir. Add crab and parsley, gently stir.
Pour into an ovenproof pan; sprinkle Panko breadcrumbs on top, sprinkle paprika on top. Bake for 18-24 minutes until light brown.
Serve on crackers or toast points
Fresh Tomato Crostini
Recipe Summary
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 6 |
| Category: | Appetizer |
| Meal: | Small Plate Friday (Quick Meals Planner) |
| 1 | medium | baguette |
| 24 | spritz | PAM |
| 1 | large | tomatoes, fresh |
| 2 | cloves | garlic, minced |
| 2 | Tb | onion, red |
| 3 | Tb | roasted red peppers |
| 2 | Tb | peppers, pickled rings |
| 1 | Tb | vinegar, red wine |
| 1 | Tb | parsley, flat leaf, chopped |
| 1 | pinch | salt and pepper to taste |
| |
Slice baguette diagonally in ½ inch slices. Spray both sides with Pam and place on a cookie sheet. Place in a 400 degree oven for 6 -8 minutes until lightly golden. Mince the garlic and place in a medium bowl; cut tomato, onion, red pepper, pepper rings and parsley into a small dice. Add to the bowl. Add vinegar, stir and add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon onto the toasted baguette and serve.
Potato Rounds
Recipe Summary
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 6 |
| Category: | Appetizer |
| Meal: | Small Plate Friday (Quick Meals Planner) |
| 6 | small | potatoes, red |
| 6 | spritz | PAM |
| 2 | slices | bacon |
| 2 | Tb | cheese, cheddar, shredded |
| 3 | Tb | sour cream |
| 1 | pinch | salt and pepper to taste |
| 2 | medium | chives, chopped |
| |
Slice potatoes in ¼ inch slices. Spray with Pam and place on a cookie sheet. Place in a 400 degree oven for 4 - 6 minutes until lightly golden. Chop the bacon and place on top, return to oven until bacon is cooked 4 – 5 minutes, add cheese and return to oven for a minute. Add a dollop of sour cream to the top of each, add salt and pepper to taste and decorate with the chopped chives.
Chicken Strips with Basil Pesto
Recipe Summary
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 6 |
| Category: | Appetizer |
| Meal: | Small Plate Friday (Quick Meals Planner) |
| 0.5 | lb | breaded chicken strips |
| 0.5 | cup | basil pesto |
| |
Heat chicken according to the instructions on the package, place pesto on a plate and arrange chicken strips on top.
Lemon Italian Ice
Recipe Summary
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 6 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | Small Plate Friday (Quick Meals Planner) |
| 1 | 12 oz can | lemonade |
| 20 | oz | water |
| |
Place frozen (but softened) lemonade in an ice cream maker, add water and turn on for about 20 minutes until fluffy and white. Serve immediately or re-freeze in a separate container until needed, Thaw sightly before serving, Scape lemon ice with a spoon and layer in a bowl or glass.
