Devilled Eggs (Great if you have leftover boiled eggs from the day before or in pickling)

Ingredients:

• 1-3 COLD Hard Boiled Eggs
• 1-3 tablespoons of mayonnaise
• salt, pepper, paprika, oregano/parsley

• Remove egg shells, and cut eggs vertically in half
• With a spoon extract the boiled egg yolks from the whites
• In a very small mixing bowl add boiled egg yolks, and all other ingredients -- Whip mixture well until smooth
• Scoop a spoonful of egg mixture for each egg half
• For aesthetics, you may want to add a twig of parsley on top

Vietnamese Salad Rolls (Zingy and Refreshing)

Ingredients:

• Rice Paper Sheets (2-3 per person)
• A Handful of Rice Vermicelli (Thin Rice Noodles)
• 2 Green Onions, Sliced horizontally and thinly
• Lettuce Leaves (2 per person)
• Chopped herbs for garnishing
• 1/2 cup of hoisin sauce
• 1/4 cup of satay sauce
• Water to dilute the dipping sauce

• Boil small pot of water and then turn off the heat
• Add vermicelli noodles and let it soak for 5 minutes
• Rinse noodles with cold water and drain well
• Fill a large plate with warm water
• Immerse one sheet of rice paper in the plate of water, let sit for 1/2 minute, and set aside until it softens
• Fold over bottom 1/3rd of paper and place 1-2 lettuce leaves on the folded portion
• Arrange a line of vermicelli noodles (as thick as two fingers) lengthwise ontop of the lettuce
• Add shrimp, green onion and other garnishes as desired ontop of noodles
• Fold the sides of the paper inward
• Roll the folded bottom edge away from you, envelopping the ingredients, and making a tight roll
• Repear with the remaining sheets of rice paper
• For the sauce, mix hoisin with satay sauce, and thin with water as desired.

Stuffed Artichokes (Interesting Taste, Somewhat intensive eating process)

Ingredients:

• 4 Large Green Globe Artichokes
• 1 Cup of Italian Bread Crumbs
• 4 tbs of each Parmesan and Romano Cheeses
• 2 Cloves of Garlic, Crushed
• 1 tsp of each salt and pepper
• 2 Cups Chicken stock
• 1 tsp Olive Oil

• Pull off lower, outer petals of artichokes; cut off top third of artichoke. Cut stem to one inch or less (so that it can stand in a baking dish).
• Combine bread crumbs, cheeses, garlic, salt, 2 table spoons stock and oil.
• Stuff bread mixture in center of artichokes and between artichoke leaves.
• Place stuffed artichokes in a large pan with 2 cups boiled stock.
• Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 mins or until petal near center pulls out easily.

Cantonese Rice Noodles (Cheung Fun)

Ingredients:
Noodles:

• 2 Cups of Rice Noodle Flour (specialty floor)
• 1/4 Cup White cornstarch
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/4 Cup Oil
• 2 2/3 Cup Cold Water

• 3/4 Cup Ham, cooked, finely minced
• 1/2 Cup Green Onion, finely diced
• 1/2 Cup Cilentro, finely minced
• 2 tbs Sesame Seeds

• Mix in order given above. Make sure the batter is smooth and free of lumps.
• Ladle 1/3 Cup into an stick-free 9" pie pan. Sprinkle filling on top.
• Steam for 5 mins. Cool. Roll-up like a crepe.
• Wipe pie pan clean and repeat procedure until all the batter is used. Or, to facilitate process, use two pie pans.

Cantonese Steamed BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao)

Ingredients: Buns:

• 1/3 cup warm water
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 pkg. dry yeast
• 5 cups steam bun flour
• 4 tbs sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbs shortening
• 1 1/4 cup milk

• 2 tbs Oil
• 1 Chive, Chopped fine
• 1 Clove of Garlic, Chopped Fine
• 1/2 Lb BBQ Pork (preprepared and cooked), Diced
• 2 tbs Light Soy Sauce
• 1 tbs Oyster Sauce
• 1 tbs Hoisin Sauce
• 1 tbs Sugar
• 1 tbs White Cornstarch, Dissolved in 2 tbs water

• Mix together the warm water, 1/2 teaspoon sugar and yeast in an 8 ounce measuring cup. Let the mixture stand until it rises to the 8 ounce level (about 20 minutes).
• Mix the flour, sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the shortening, yeast mixture and milk.
• Knead the mixture for 5 minutes to form a dough. Cover it with a damp cloth and set the dough in a warm place. Allow the dough to rise for 3 hours.
• Prepare Filling.
• After the dough has risen for 2 hours, shape it into rolls about 2 inches in diameter. Cut each roll into 1-1/2 inch pieces.
• Shape each piece into a shallow bowl shape.
• Put 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center of each piece of dough, close and twist the dough to form a bun. Put the bun on a 2-inch square of white paper. (This prevents the bun from becoming soggy while steaming.)
• Place 8 buns in a pie pan and allow them to set and rise for 15 minutes in a warm place.
• Steam for 25 minutes.

Filling:

• Heat 2 tbs oil in wok. Stir fry scallion and garlic for 30 secs. Add pork. Stir fry for 1 min. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar.
• Pour in dissolved cornstarch. Stirfry quickly until pork is glazed. Remove to bowl and allow to cool.

Cantonese Shrimp Dumplings (Har Gau)

Ingredients: Wrappers:

• 1/2 cup wheat starch
• 1/6 cup cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup boiling water

Filling:

• 1/3 pound medium raw shrimp
• 1/8 cup finely chopped bamboo shoots
• 1/2 egg white
• 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon rice wine or dry sherry
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

• 3/4 tablespoons cooking oil or solid vegetable shortening
• Soy sauce and chili oil

Instructions:
Makes about 15 dumplings

Wrappers:

• Mix the wheat starch, cornstarch, and salt together in a bowl. Add the boiling water to the mixture and stir until the dough is moist all over. Cover it with a towel and let sit for approximately 20 minutes.
• While the dough is sitting, begin preparing the filling. Remove the shells from the shrimp, and devein by cutting a slice down the back of the shrimp and removing the vein. Rinse the shrimp in cold water, drain and place in a bowl with the other filling ingredients.
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured cutting board and knead until smooth. Add the cooking oil, a teaspoon at a time, kneading the dough after each addition. The dough should be smooth and shiny.
• Cut the dough into two equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 15-inch cylinder. Split each cylinder into 1-inch pieces, and form each piece into a ball. Cover the dough while you are making the dumplings to prevent it from drying.

Dumplings:

• Roll a portion of the dough into a 3 to 3 1/2-inch circle. Place about a teaspoon of filling in the centre, and fold the skin in half, forming a semicircle or half-moon shape. Press to seal the edges. Cover the dumpling with a damp cloth while you are making the remaining dumplings.

Steaming:

• Line the bottom of the steamer with Napa cabbage or a damp cloth to keep the dumplings from sticking. Steam the dumplings until translucent (this will take approximately 18 - 20 minutes).
• Serve immediately with the soy sauce and chili oil

American Pretzels

Ingredients:

• 1 Package of Active Dry Yeast
• 1 1/3 Cups of Warm Water (If water is too hot, it will kill the yeast)
• 1 tbs Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 3 1/2 Cups of All-Purpose Flour
• 1 Egg
• 1 tbs Water
• 2 tbs Coarse Salt

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
• Grease two large baking sheets.
• In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over warm water. Stir with rubber spatula until well blended and yeast is dissolved.
• With wooden spoon, gradually stir in sugar, salt, and flour until a soft and slightly sticky dough forms.
• Turn dough onto well-floured board or countertop. Knead dough (fold dough towards you with the heels of your hands push dough away with short rocking motions. Rotate dough a and repeat above motion.) Knead and turn for 5-7 minutes. Add another 1/2 cup flour if necessary, until dough is smooth and elastic. Dough should not stick to board or hands.
• Cut dough in half, then each half into 6 equal-sized pieces.
• With floured hands, roll one piece of dough to form a long rope shape until it is 15 inches long.
• To form pretzel shape, place rope on baking sheet, cross left side over to the middle of rope joining the dough. Then fold right side of the rope up and over the first loop to form pretzel shape. Continue with remaining dough, placing pretzels 3" apart on baking sheet. Enlarge holes in pretzels to prevent them from closing during baking.
• In a small bowl, mix together 1 egg and 1 tbs water. Brush on pretzels.
• Sprinkle pretzels with coarse salt.
• Bake 15 - 20 mins or until golden brown. Enjoy when still warm and fresh.

Hot Cheese Dip

• 1 227-gm bar old white cheddar (emphasis on 'old' and 'white' - the'medium' orange stuff won't do)
• 1 cup hellmann's mayonnaise
• 4 tablespoons minced (white) onion
• 1 box crackers ('stone wheat' are good for this)

Instructions:

• grate the cheese
• combine with mayo and minced onion,
• then bake in small oven-proof dish at 375F (pre-heated) for about 20 min until top has golden hue.
• NOTE: if it's gonna be the only appetizer there, i'd double the batch esp. cos people love this stuff, amongst 7 or 8 people it'll be gone in a flash
• NOTE: if there is any leftover, it'll keep in fridge indefinitely and can be re-heated/microwaved to it's former glory in about 15 seconds.

Middle Eastern Hummus Spread

• 1/2 Cup Sesame Seed Paste (Tahini)
• 2 tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
• 2 Cups Cooked Dried or Canned Garbanzo Beans
• 1/4 Cup Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
• Salt
• Fresh mind Sprigs for Garnish (optional)

Instructions:

• In a food processor, combine the sesame seed paste, 2 tbsp of the oil, and the garlic and blend well.
• Drain the beans and reserve the liquid.
• Transfer the beans and 1/2 cup of the reserved liquid to the sesame seed mixture.
• Add the lemon juice and blend to a creamy consistency, adding more of the reserved bean liquid if necessary.
• Season to taste with salt and more lemon juice if needed.
• Transfer to a bowl, cover, and set aside at room temperature for about 2 hours or refrigerate overnight. Return to room temperature before serving.