Snacks & Appetizers

Index of Snack & Appetizer Recipes:

Hazelnut Parmesan Crisps

1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup finely chopped, toasted Oregon hazelnuts
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (or to taste)

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix all ingedients together in small bowl. Scoop up a heaping tablespoon of the mixture and pack it firmly into the spoon. Turn the spoon upside down and tap to release mixture on to an ungreased baking sheet. With the palm of your hand press into a thin 2 inch round. Leave at least 1 inch between each wafer.
Bake in a 375 degree oven until golden, about 12 to 14 minutes. Let stand fo rabout 2 to 3 minutes and remove with spatula to cooling racks. Makes 12.

These crispy wafers are delicious as an appetizer, alone, or with a topping like smoked salmon. They may also be crumbled and added to tossed salads. Be sure to remove from oven when they just start to turn golden.

Seasoned Toasted Hazelnuts

2 cups Oregon hazelnuts
1/6 cup butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
dash Tabasco

Melt butter in saucepan; stir in salt, Worcestershire, garlic powder, Tabasco and hazelnuts. Turn into shallow pan. Bake in 275 oven for 20 minutes.

Oregon Hazelnut Appetizer

10 strips sliced bacon
3/4 cup chopped Oregon hazelnuts
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon parsley, snipped
1 teaspoon grated onion
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
dash cayenne pepper
12 slices thin wheat bread

Yield: 48 appetizers

Cook bacon until crisp; drain and crumble. Blend with Oregon hazelnuts and remaining ingredients, except bread. Remove crusts from bread, cut into quarters and spread mixture on top of squares. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Honey Spiced Oregon Hazelnuts

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1-1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 cup honey
4 cups roasted Oregon hazelnuts

Yield: about 4 cups

In a sauté pan over medium heat, warm olive oil. Add garlic, cumin, Tabasco and honey. Stir the mixture, reduce heat and let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often. Do not burn. Add the nuts and stir to coat well. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper or foil. Spread the coated nuts in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely. Serve as a snack or as a garnish for soups or salads.

Crunchy Chicken Bites

1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons dry sherry
2 egg whites
1 whole chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
3/4 cup roasted & chopped Oregon hazelnuts
oil for frying

Combine cornstarch, salt and sugar. Stir in sherry. Beat egg whites until foamy. Stir in cornstarch mixture. Dip chicken in mixture and roll in nuts, pressing nuts into chicken. Place on rack to dry. Fry in hot oil until done. Drain and serve with a mustard sauce, if desired.

Mustard sauce:

1/4 cup dairy sour cream
1/4 cup salad dressing or mayonnaise
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon sugar

Blend all ingredients together and serve.

Hazelnut Chips

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cop butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sliced Oregon Hazelnuts, toasted

Yield: Approximately 4 Dozen (48 Pieces)

Combine flour and butter. Rub to form a coarse meal consistency. Combine baking powder, salt with above and mix in milk to incorporate thrououghly, about 2 minutes. Add the hazelnuts to the above mixture and work in thoroughly on a floured work surface. Turn out the dough and roll wafer thin (1/8 of inch) and cut into triangles. Brush with egg while and sprinkle with salt.

Bake at 305 degrees F on a parchment-lined sheet pan until golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Hazelnut Shrimp Cheese Puffs

1 8-1/4 ounce can pineapple, well drained
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/2 lb. ricotta cheese
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 4-1/2 ounce cans small shrimp, drained
2 hard cooked eggs, chopped
1/2 cup roasted & chopped Oregon hazelnuts
1 recipe Appetizer Cream Puffs*

Yield: 35 to 40 puffs.

Combine first five ingredients. Fold in shrimp, eggs and nuts. Cover and chill. Just before serving, spoon a rounded tablespoon of filling into each cream puff.

*Appetizer Cream Puffs: In a saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter or margarine in 1 cup boiling water. Add 1 cup all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt all at once; stir vigorously. Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball that does not separate. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Add 4 eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth after each. Drop level tablespoons of dough 3 inches apart on greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes. Cool on rack. Cut off the top third of each puff. Remove any soft dough from inside.

Hazelnut, Brie & Apple Appetizer

1 cup roasted & chopped Oregon hazelnuts
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
8 ounces brie cheese (rind trimmed), room temperature
1 tart apple, grated

Blend well the cream cheese with the brie cheese. Add the hazelnuts and apple; blend. Spread on melba toast or crackers.

Hazelnut Fried Mushrooms

2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/3 cup ground hazelnuts (1-1/2 oz.)
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 lb. mushrooms, washed and dried
solid all-vegetable shortening for deep frying

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

In small bowl, slightly beat eggs with salt, pepper and nutmeg. In separate bowl, mix together Oregon hazelnuts and bread crumbs. Dip mushrooms in egg mixture, then coat with Oregon hazelnut mixture. Heat shortening to 365 in deep pan and fry mushrooms, a few at a time, 6 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown on all sides. Drain on paper towel and sprinkle with additional salt, if desired.

Holiday Muncher

1/2 cup dark seedless raisins
1/2 cup golden seedless raisins
1/3 cup cognac or apple cider
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 cup (about 8 oz.) chopped California dried figs
2 cups (about 8 oz.) roasted Oregon hazelnuts

Yield: 4 cups

Combine raisins, cognac or cider and lemon peel in small saucepan. Simmer until liquid is absorbed; cool. Mix with figs and Oregon hazelnuts. Serve as a snack

Salty Glazed Hazelnuts

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 cups Oregon hazelnuts (about 8 oz.)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar

Yield: about 2 cups

Melt butter in skillet and add hazelnuts. Stir over medium heat, until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Add salt and sugar and stir for another 8 to 10 minutes longer, or until sugar carmelizes over hazelnuts.

Oregon Hazelnut Trail Mix

6 cups Kix cereal
1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped or whole, roasted Oregon hazelnuts
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup banana chips
1 small package non-instant vanilla pudding
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup peanut butter

Mix cereal, nuts, raisins and banana chips together. In saucepan, combine vanilla pudding and honey; bring to a boil and boil 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter; mix well. Pour over cereal mix and mix until coated. Put on cookie sheet to cool.

Curried Hazelnuts

2 cups Oregon hazelnuts
1/6 cup butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Melt butter in sauce pan; stir in curry powder, salt and hazelnuts. Turn into shallow baking pan. Bake in a 275 oven for 20 minutes.

Hazelnut Olive Cheese Ball

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
8 ounces (2 cups) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, room temperature
1/2 cup chopped stuffed green olives
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1 tablespoon minced green onion
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 cup finely chopped, roasted Oregon hazelnuts

In a large bowl, cream together the cream and sharp cheeses. Stir in olives, parsley, green onion and hot pepper sauce until well mixed. Shape into a ball and roll in the chopped hazelnuts. Cover and chill 1 to 24 hours. Serve with crackers.

Chili Hazelnuts

2 cups Oregon hazelnuts
1/6 cup butter or margarine
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
dash salt

Melt butter in sauce pan; stir in chili powder, salt and hazelnuts. Turn into shallow baking pan. Bake in a 275 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Hazelnut-Orange Cheese Ball

1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 tablespoon grated onion
1-1/2 cups roasted & chopped Oregon hazelnuts
3/4 teaspoon grated orange peel

In a bowl, mix cream cheese and margarine together until smooth. Stir in onion, 1 cup hazelnuts and orange peel. Shape into a ball. Roll in remaining hazelnuts, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill until firm. Best if allowed to season overnight. Serve with crackers.

Broiled Mussels with Saffron

2 to 3 pounds small, fresh mussels
1/2 cup finely chopped toasted hazelnuts
water

Under cold, running water, scrub the mussels with a firm brush. Remove the beards by snipping with scissors. Place about two inches of cold water in a four-quart kettle and bring to a boil. Add cleaned mussels, cover and return to boil. Reduce heat and steam until shells open, about five minutes, stirring several times so the mussels are evenly cooked. Remove from liquid and discard any mussels that do not open.

Preheat broiler. Place mussels on the broiler pan. Be sure the upper shell is open wide enough to expose the meat to the heat. Divide Saffron Sauce among the mussels, sprinkle with hazelnuts and broil approximately three inches from the heat for about one minute or until nuts start to brown. Serve immediately.

Saffron Sauce

1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
2 tablespoons mussel cooking liquid
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon
salt and pepper to taste

In a small measuring cup, sprinkle saffron threads over mussel liquid. Let stand for at least ten minutes for saffron to soften. Stir well. Combine the liquid with mayonnaise, lemon juice and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

East West Pillows

1/2 cup coarsely chopped Pink Bay Shrimp
1/3 cup coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
1/3 cup grated carrot
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
2 tablespoons diced sweet red pepper
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon finely crushed red pepper flakes
1 egg white
8 sheets Phyllo (Fillo) dough, unthawed
1/2 cup clarified butter

Heat oven to 400 degrees
In a small bowl, mix together all ingredients up through and including red pepper flakes. Whisk egg white until frothy and stir into mixture. Set aside.

On a flat surface, lay out one full sheet of fillo and brush lightly with melted butter. Lay a second sheet on top and brush with melted butter. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut sheet into six crosswise strips.

Spoon about two tablespoons of the filling in the bottom right hand corner of each strip, about one inch up from the bottom. Fold the left corner up and over the filling, making a diagonal fold. Continue folding, flagstyle, until all of the strip is folded into a multi-layered triangle. Brush with melted butter and repeat with the remaining strips, continuing until all of the filling is used.

The pastries may be frozen at this point and baked frozen or they may be refrigerated for several hours. Just make sure they are tightly covered. Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Add several minutes to baking time if frozen.

Oregon Bounty Cheese Spread

10 oz. Grated sharp cheddar cheese
8 oz. Softened cream cheese
2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons grated onion
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
1/2 cup roasted hazelnuts finely chopped
2 sliced Pears

Combine the first five items in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until well blended. Slice the pears into wedges and place on a tray. Place a half ounce dollop on each pear slice and sprinkle with hazelnuts.