Paula Deen's Chicken Empanada's:

3 cups chopped, cooked chicken
1 (8-ounce) package shredded reduced fat Colby and Monterey Jack cheese blend
4 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
4 green onions, green part only

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 (15-ounce) packages refrigerated pie crusts
Water
1 egg

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Lightly grease a baking sheet. In a large bowl, combine the chicken and next 8 ingredients.




Unroll 1 piecrust onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 15-inch circle. Cut out rounds, using a 3-inch cookie cutter. Re-roll dough as needed to make use of scraps. Repeat procedure with remaining piecrusts. Arrange 1 round on a clean, flat surface. Lightly brush the edges of crust with water using your fingertip.



Place 1 heaping teaspoon of chicken mixture in the center of the round.



Fold the dough over the filling,



pressing the edges with a fork to seal.



Repeat with the remaining rounds and chicken mixture. (Up to this point, the recipe can be made ahead and frozen for up to 1 month). Arrange empanadas on the prepared baking sheet. Brush tops with egg. Bake for 15 minutes.

Grilled Chicken Lettuce Wrap:

This is a Paula Deen recipe.



Ingredients:

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp firmly packed brown sugar
1 tbsp plus 2 tsp minced fresh ginger, divided
1 tbsp sesame oil
3 cloves garlic
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup finely chopped water chestnuts
2 tbsp minced green onions
Lettuce Wrap Sauce (recipe follows)
2 heads butter lettuce, separated into leaves


In a large resealable plastic bag, combine cilantro, vegetable oil, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, 1 tbsp ginger, sesame oil, and garlic. Add chicken; seal bag, and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat (350 to 400 degrees F). Spray grill with nonstick nonflammable cooking spray.

Remove chicken from marinade, discarding marinade. Grill chicken, covered with grill lid, for 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Cool chicken for 10 minutes; cut into 1/2 inch pieces.

In a large bowl, combine chicken, water chestnuts, green onion, remaining 2 teaspoons ginger, and Lettuce Wrap Sauce, tossing gently to coat. Spoon onto lettuce leaves to serve.

Lettuce Wrap Sauce
Makes about 1/4 cup

Ingredients:

2 tbsp hoisin sauce
4 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar
In a small bowl, whisk together hoisin sauce, soy sauce, oil, pepper flakes, and vinegar. Cover, and chill.

Artichoke Bread:

1 large loaf of French bread
1 12 oz can of artichoke hearts
1 cup sour cream
¾ cup mayonnaise
kosher salt & teaspoon black pepper to taste
3-4 splashes Tapatio
4 slices Bacon
2 Tablespoons of Fresh Chives, minced
1 small shallot, diced
1 ½ cups grated Sharp Cheddar
¼ cup ground Parmesan


Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a sheet pan or cookie sheet with tin foil, and set aside.Slice the bread in half, evenly. Using the tip of your knife, trace the interior of each half, leaving a ¼ to ½ inch border of bread.Tear the inard's into small piece's. Drain the artichokes completely, and chop roughly. Slide into a large bowl, and add the mayonnaise, sour cream, salt, pepper, garlic powder, Tabasco or other hot sauce, and chives. Stir to combine, cover with saran wrap and chill. Meanwhile, fry the bacon until crisp.

Drain completely on a paper towel or napkins, and pour off almost all of the grease. Add the shallot, and sauté until soft, tender and golden. Cool slightly.Crumble the cooked bacon and add the shallots into the sour cream mixture. Stir well, then add 1 cup of the grated Cheddar and the Parmesan.

Stir to combine one last time, check for seasonings, adjust to taste, and fold in the reserved cup and a half of bread cubes. Divide the mixture between each loaf half .

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown. Cool for a few minutes.

Caprese Kabob's:

Based slightly on Giad's recipe from Food Network.

2 containers mozzarella balls


1 large pkg cheese tortellini, boiled drained and cooled


1-2 small packages cherry tomatoes


A jar of whole pepperoncini, chopped into strips


1 pkg fresh basil


1 10oz Italian dry salami cut into 1/4 piece's


1 jar of garlic green olives




Assemble the Kabob's, then sprinkle w/ EVOO, Sea salt and some black pepper

Chicken Empanada's:

3 cups chopped, cooked chicken
1 (8-ounce) package shredded reduced fat Sharp Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese blend
4 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
4 green onions, green part only
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 (15-ounce) packages refrigerated pie crusts
Water
1 egg


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Lightly grease a baking sheet. In a large bowl, combine the chicken and next 8 ingredients.

Unroll 1 piecrust onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 15-inch circle. Cut out rounds, using a 3-inch cookie cutter. Re-roll dough as needed to make use of scraps. Repeat procedure with remaining piecrusts. Arrange 1 round on a clean, flat surface. Lightly brush the edges of crust with water using your fingertip.

Place 1 heaping teaspoon of chicken mixture in the center of the round.

Fold the dough over the filling,

pressing the edges with a fork to seal.

Repeat with the remaining rounds and chicken mixture. (Up to this point, the recipe can be made ahead and frozen for up to 1 month). Arrange empanadas on the prepared baking sheet. Brush tops with egg. Bake for 15 minutes.