Clams Casino with Bacon

Nice appetizer to start any meal! Easier than you think to make - way easy to eat!!!

Ingredients:

• Whole fresh clams, medium sized (3-5 per guest)
• Green bell pepper
• Garlic clove
• Celery
• Small onion
• Butter
• Grated cheese (Parmesan or Locatelli)
• Hot Sauce
• Bacon strips (cut in about 1/2" slices)
  
• Coarse salt
  

Soak the clams in cold water for about an hour or so to purge sand. Empty and refill 2-3 times over the course of the hour - the colder the water, the better. I throw a tray of ice cubes in each time I rinse.

Half clams and scrape 'meat' into the deeper shell. Set on a shallow baking pan. I sprinkle a liberal layer of coarse salt on the pan to hold the clams still during cooking.

Finely mince 1/2 bell pepper, 2 sticks of celery, garlic (1-2 cloves) and 1 small onion. In a small saucepan melt a stick of butter and add the vegetables, simmer until soft.

Add a small teaspoon of the above to each of the clams, sprinkle with grated cheese - add a dash of hot sauce and then top with a bacon slice.

Place in 350 degree preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until bacon is crisp.

Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Buffalo Wings

I have been making Buffalo Wings around the holidays for ages. When dad was alive, we made them together - over the years he morphed from baking the wings to a deep fryer method. In fact, the man of many gadgets actually had a 'wing maker'. While frying them does make them crispier - I prefer the baking as it holds more of the flavor.

Last night I had an appetizer extravaganza for one of my closest friends and her family and was surprised that everyone did not know how to make these. But how would they? Not everyone considers wings a Christmas tradition . . . So Anne, these wings are for you!!!

Ingredients:

• 2-3 lbs. of chicken wings
• 1 large bottle of Louisiana Hot Sauce
• 1 stick of butter
• 3 tablespoons of flour
• Garlic powder
• Cayenne Pepper
• Blue Cheese dressing
• Celery Sticks

Cut chicken wings into three parts at the joint - discard the wing tips (only use the meatier parts).

Arrange in a single layer in a large shallow glass baking pan, sprinkle with garlic powder and cayenne pepper. Place in 400 degree preheated oven and bake for about 45-50 minutes until wings are brown and skin begins to crisp.

In a medium saucepan, melt the stick of butter and add 3 tablespoons of flour to make a golden Rue. Once Rue is smooth, add the entire bottle of Louisiana hot sauce and bring to a boil. Sauce should be slightly thick.

Take the wings out of the oven and coat thoroughly with the Buffalo sauce - return to oven for another 15 minutes or so.

Once wings are done, serve with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing.

Simple but delicious appetizer or game day snack.

Happy Holidays to all and the best of New Years!

Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms

Some serious prep time here. . . but I generally prep well in advance, partially cook and freeze . . . this prevents major stress out when the company is due (and more time to relax and let the Chardonnay do its job).

Ingredients:

• Large white stuffing mushrooms, 12 (rule of thumb, estimate 2 per guest)
  
• 1 lb. sweet Italian sausage
  
• Parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 stick of butter
• Celery (2 sticks finely chopped)
• Onion (1 small finely chopped)
• Garlic (3 cloves, diced)
• Red pepper flakes
• Italian bread crumbs

Clean and 'de-stem' large mushrooms - place caps in a large baking pan and stems to the side.

In a small pan melt 1/2 stick of butter over a medium heat, add garlic, celery and onions and saute until transparent. Let cool.

Place sausage in a pot of rapidly boiling water and parboil (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and rinse.

Finely chop mushroom stems and place in a large mixing bowl. Remove skin from sausage and crumble into the mixture. Add celery/onion/garlic butter mix as well as 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup of Italian breadcrumbs. Break eggs into the mix and stir well until all ingredients are well coated.

Shape mixture into the mushroom caps rounding slightly - continue until all mushrooms are ready. If you have stuffing left over - add to the mushrooms - you can't have too much stuffing!!

Place in a 350 degree preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes. Serve hot.

NOTE: To pre-make as mentioned about - bake about 15 minutes and freeze. When it's time to serve, thaw thoroughly and bake for 35 minutes.

You'll love these!!!