Cheese Filled Tots

I saw this on Facebook today, it looks delightful!

• 2 lbs frozen hash browns, thawed
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tbsp salt (or more to taste)
• 1 tbsp ground black pepper
• 3 eggs
• brick of cheddar cheese, cut into small, rectangular cubes
• vegetable oil, for frying

1. Combine thawed hash browns, flour, salt, pepper, and eggs in a bowl. 
2. Take a piece of cheese and wrap a palm full of the mixture around it, shaping it into a tot (you may have to squeeze out some excess moisture to make it nice and tight).
3. Fill a large, deep skillet halfway with oil and heat over medium. When the oil is hot, drop in some tots, turning them along the way until they're crispy and golden brown. 
4. Let them cool a bit, then enjoy!

Southwest Cheese and Chicken Sandwich

INGREDIENTS

• 4 frozen soft white dinner rolls (from 12.4-oz bag)
• 1/4cup salsa
• 4thin slices cooked chicken breast or turkey breast (about 1 oz)
• 4thin slices pepper Jack cheese (about 1 oz)
• Additional salsa, if desired

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Bake rolls as directed on bag. Cool completely, about 10 minutes.
2. Heat oven to broil. Cut rolls in half crosswise; place bottom halves on cookie sheet. Spread bottom halves each with 1 tablespoon of the salsa. Top with chicken slices and cheese.
3. Broil with tops about 4 inches from heat 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top with remaining roll halves. Serve with additional salsa.

Really turn up the heat when you add chopped jalapeño chiles to the salsa.

Veggie Fries

INGREDIENTS

Dip

• 1 container (6 oz) Yoplait® Greek Fat Free plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh herbs (basil, dill, oregano and/or thyme)

Vegetable Fries

• 1 cup Progresso® panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon fresh herbs (basil, dill, oregano and/or thyme)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1.5 lb sugar snap peas, broccolini, asparagus and/or zucchini
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

1. In small bowl, mix dip ingredients. Cover and refrigerate.
2. Heat oven to 400°F. Line large cookie sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray; set aside.
3. In small bowl, mix bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon fresh herbs and the salt. Line up 3 baking dishes or shallow bowls. Place flour in first dish. Place eggs in second dish. Place bread crumb mixture in third dish. Dip and roll vegetables into flour to coat, dip into eggs, then coat with bread crumb mixture. Place coated vegetables on cookie sheet. Sprinkle any remaining crumb mixture over vegetables. Drizzle with melted butter.
4. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender and coating is light golden brown. Serve with dip.

Chili Shrimp

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher (coarse) salt
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/8 teaspoon chipotle chili powder or ground red pepper (cayenne)
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 lb uncooked large shrimp (21 to 30 shrimp), peeled with tails left on, deveined
• 1/4 medium fresh lime

Directions

1. Heat oven to 500°F. Line 15x10x1-inch pan with foil; spray foil with cooking spray.
2. In resealable 1-gallon food-storage plastic bag, mix all ingredients except shrimp and lime. Add shrimp; seal bag and shake to coat with sugar mixture. Arrange shrimp with sugar mixture in single layer in pan.
3. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until sugar is caramelized. Remove from oven. Using pancake turner, turn shrimp; squeeze juice from lime over shrimp. Place on serving platter; serve immediately.

New Year's Eve Food: 4-Pepper Deviled Eggs

Ingredients

• 6 hard boiled eggs, cooled and peeled
• 1 teaspoon whole pink peppercorns, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon whole white peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoon whole green peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoon caper liquid
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• Pinch sugar

Directions

Slice the eggs in half from top to bottom. Scoop the yolks into a medium mixing bowl and lay the whites aside. Place all of the peppercorns, except 1/2 teaspoon of the pink peppercorns, into a spice grinder and process until ground well. Add the ground peppers, caper liquid, mayonnaise, mustard, salt and sugar to the egg yolks and using a fork, stir to thoroughly combine. Place the mixture into a zip-top plastic bag and cut a small hole at one of the corners. Pipe the mixture into each of the white halves. Coarsely grind the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of pink peppercorns and use to garnish the top of each egg.

Chill for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator before serving.

New Year's Eve Food: Crostini Alla Romana

Ingredients

• 12 1/2-inch thick slices ciabatta bread
• 12 slices thinly sliced prosciutto (about 6 ounces)
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into thin slices
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 6 sage leaves
• Pinch salt
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the slices of ciabatta on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake until crisp and golden around the edges, about 8 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven. Place the prosciutto slices and mozzarella on the crostini toast and return to the oven to melt the cheese, about 8 more minutes.

Meanwhile combine the butter and the sage leaves in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the butter is melted and starting to brown in spots and the sage leaves are crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the salt and pepper.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Transfer the crostini to a serving plate. Drizzle the crostini with the sage butter and serve immediately.

New Year's Eve Food: Brie En Croute

Ingredients

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, pre-packaged
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 (8-ounce) wheel Brie
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• Crackers, for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Defrost puff pastry for approximately 15 to 20 minutes and unfold.

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Saute the walnuts in the butter until golden brown, approximately 5 minutes. Add the cinnamon and stir until walnuts are coated well. Place the walnut mixture on top of the Brie and sprinkle the brown sugar over the mixture. Lay the puff pastry out on a flat surface. Place the brie in the center of the pastry. Gather up the edges of the brie, pressing around the brie and gather at the top. Gently squeeze together the excess dough and tie together with a piece of kitchen twine. Brush the beaten egg over top and side of Brie. Place Brie on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes until pastry is golden brown.

Serve with crackers.

To give a special look, cut extra pastry into heart or flower shapes and bake until golden.