Olives
12 ounces canned olives (I used green & black) drained
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, or ½ teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or ½ teaspoon dried
Zest and juice of ½ lemon
½ tablespoon garlic paste, or 2 cloves minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt & pepper to taste
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and mix well to combine
Refrigerate 2 hours up to overnight – they’ll only get better with time
French Onion Puff Pastry
Oil
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ cup beef broth
¼ cup vermouth, or white wine
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1 egg, beaten
Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a large pan and add the onions
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes, or until they begin to caramelize
Add butter & thyme, stir well then add the beef broth a little at a time, letting it soak in before adding more
Add the vermouth, mix well
When most of the liquid has evaporated, sprinkle the flour over the top, mix in well for about a minute then remove from the heat and let cool slightly
Preheat oven to 350
Put a little flour on your work surface, roll out puff pastry and top it with the onions leaving about ½ border around the edge
Top evenly with the cheese, then starting on a long side, roll up snuggly
Pinch the seam to seal, then place on a parchment lined baking sheet
Make cuts down the middle, brush with the egg and bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and crispy
Let cool slightly before cutting and serving
Meatballs
½ cup soy
½ cup sweet chili sauce
1-2 tablespoons sriracha
2 tablespoons brown sugar
18 ounces cooked frozen meatballs, defrosted
Dehydrated onion or garlic, or toasted sesame seeds or even diced green onion for garnish
Combine the soy, sweet chili sauce, sriracha and brown sugar in a pot over medium heat
Bring to a low simmer, add the meatballs and mix well so they all get some sauce
Cook, stirring occasionally for 10 – 15 minutes, or until most of the sauce has evaporated
Put into a serving bowl and top with the onion or whatever works as a garnish for you
Mashed Potato Egg Rolls
Eggroll wrappers
Leftover mashed potatoes, cooled or
Kosher salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder
4 ounce package powdered mashed potatoes – cooked and cooled
Rectangles of cheese for the filling, approximately 3” x ¼ “
Preheat air fryer to 390, 425 for an oven
If necessary, season potatoes with the salt, pepper, garlic & onions powder – mix well
Place egg roll wrapper on the work surface, with a point facing you – dip your finger in a little water and wet the edge all the way around
Place 2 tablespoons of the mash on the wrapper, about 1/3 of the way up from the bottom point
Spread out slightly, add a block of cheese and cover with some of the potato
Fold the bottom point of the wrapper over the mash, snug back towards you slightly, fold in the edges then roll away from you being sure to seal the end point well
Spray pan, top with egg rolls, spray again then bake 4 minutes – flip over, spray the tops once more and continue baking until crispy and golden brown
Serve
Deviled Eggs with Crispy Panko
12 hard boiled eggs, peeled
1/3 cup mayo
¾ ounce ranch seasoning
Kosher salt & coarse ground black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon butter
¼ cup panko bread crumbs
Cut eggs in half, and put the yolks into a bowl
Start to mash a bit, then add the mayo, ranch, salt & pepper to taste and onion powder
Mix well, being sure to mash the yolks completely – add more mayo to suit your taste
Fill each of the egg white with some of the mix
Melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat and add the panko crumbs
Stir constantly with a spatula until just becoming golden brown, the remove to a plate right away to stop from cooking
When cooled, top each egg with some crispy panko