Mini Chicken and Waffles with Pepper Jelly Syrup (Mini- Year Six: Volume 5; August, 2015)

Prep time: 30 min
Chill time: 4 hours- overnight

Cook time: 15- 30 min
Ready in: 4 hours, 45 min- overnight
Serves: 6- 12

Ingredients: 

1/4 c. spicy, pepper jelly

1 c. maple syrup

2 lb. chicken tenderloins
3- 4 c. vegetable oil (for cooking)

1 box mini, frozen waffles

Toothpicks

MARINADE:
1 c. buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. paprika

BREADING:
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
3/4 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3 T. buttermilk

Directions:
- Mix syrup and jelly until well combined
- Cover and keep in refrigerator until ready to serve
- Cut chicken tenders into bite-sized pieces
- Combine tenders with all marinade ingredients in a large, Ziploc bag
- Seal bag tightly and shake well to ensure chicken tenders are evenly coated with buttermilk and seasoning
- Place in a bowl (in case of leakage) and refrigerate 4 hours- overnight
- Make breading by combining flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and baking powder in a large bowl
- Whisk until well combined
- Add buttermilk to breading mixture and stir with a fork until mixture is evenly clumpy
- Line a baking sheet with foil
- Remove chicken tenders from marinade, a few at a time, and toss in breading mixture
- Be sure to press chicken firmly into breading so clumps adhere to the meat
- Set breaded tenders on prepared baking sheet
- Line another baking sheet with a few layers of paper towels and set aside
- Add oil to a large, high-sided pot until about 3/4" deep
- Heat over high heat until oil is shimmering
- Using tongs, place several chicken tenders in the hot oil without crowding pan
- Cook until golden brown on bottom side, a few min, then flip and cook until second side is also golden, a few min more
- Set cooked tenders on baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain
- Fry remaining tenders in batches
- Toast waffles
- Top each mini waffle with a chicken bite
- Drizzle with pepper jelly syrup
- Spear each bite with a toothpick

*Jen found recipes here and here

Mini Beef Wellingtons (Mini- Year Six: Volume 5; August, 2015)

Prep time: 25 min

Cook time: 45 min
Ready in: 1 hour, 10 min
Serves: 4- 8

Ingredients: 
2 T. olive oil
2 lb. beef tenderloin- cut into 24 (1") cubes
Salt

Pepper
10 oz. cremini mushrooms- stemmed, finely chopped
1 large shallot- finely chopped
2 sheets frozen puff pastry- thawed

Directions:
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat
- Pat beef dry with a paper towel
- Season all sides with salt and pepper
- Quickly sear beef on 2 sides only until deep golden brown (do not overcook), about 4 min total
- Transfer to a plate to cool
- Add mushrooms and cook until beginning to brown and release liquid, about 5 min
- Add shallots and continue cooking until mushroom mixture dries out, is golden brown, and shallots are soft, about 10 min
- Remove from heat and cool
- Preheat oven to 400
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
- On a work surface, roll 1 sheet of puff pastry to a 10x14" rectangle
- Put teaspoon-sized mounds of mushroom mixture on the pastry, evenly spacing them in 4 rows of 3
- Top each mushroom mound with a piece of beef, seared side up
- With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut pastry into even squares around meat and mushrooms
- Working 1 at a time, pull 2 opposite sides of pastry up over each beef piece, then fold ends over the top to make a packet
- Invert and arrange packets seam side down on baking sheet and press lightly to seal pastry
- Repeat with remaining beef, mushrooms, and pastry
- Bake Wellingtons until golden brown, 20- 25 min
- Remove from oven to a serving platter and let cool at least 10 min before serving

*Karen found recipe here

Lasagna Cups (Mini- Year Six: Volume 5; August, 2015)

Prep time: 20 min

Cook time: 20 min
Ready in: 40 min
Serves: 6- 12

Ingredients: 
1 T. olive oil
2 Italian sausage links- casing removed
1 c. marinara sauce
1 1/2 c. ricotta cheese
Salt- to taste
Pepper- to taste
24 (2") won ton wrappers
1 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese- shredded
2 T. fresh parsley leaves- chopped (for garnish)

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375
- Lightly oil a 12-cup standard muffin tin
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat
- Add Italian sausage and cook until browned, making sure to crumble the sausage as it cooks, about 3- 5 min
- Drain excess fat
- Stir in marinara sauce
- Season ricotta cheese with salt and pepper, to taste, and set aside
- Fit wonton wrappers into each of the 12 muffin tins, pressing carefully to make sure there is an opening in the center
- Fill each cup with 1 T. ricotta cheese
- Top with 1 T. marinara mixture and 1 T. mozzarella cheese
- Repeat with one more layer
- Bake until cheese has melted and wonton wrappers are golden brown, about 10-12 min
- Serve immediately, garnished with parsley

*Julie found recipe here

Quinoa Jalapeño Poppers (Mini- Year Six: Volume 5; August, 2015)

Prep time: 20 min

Cook time: 30- 40 min
Ready in: 50 min- 1 hour
Serves: 6- 12

Ingredients:
3/4 c. quinoa- rinsed
1 1/2 c. water
1 c. yellow onion- finely chopped
1/2 c. jalapeño peppers- chopped
2 garlic cloves- minced
2 eggs- lightly beaten
2 T. cream cheese- cut into small pieces
1 1/2 c. Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:- In a medium sauce pan, cook quinoa according to package directions
- Let cool
- Preheat oven to 350
- Spray mini muffin tins with cooking spray
- In a large bowl, combine cooled quinoa, onion, peppers, garlic, eggs, cream cheese and cheese
- Put a heaping tablespoonful of quinoa mixture into prepared muffin cups
- Bake until edges turn golden brown, 15- 20 min
- Remove from oven and let cool for 5 min
- Gently remove from pan to cool completely

*Dina found recipe here

Pea Soup Shooters (Mini- Year Six: Volume 5; August, 2015)

Prep time: 5 min

Cook time: 15- 20 min
Ready in: 20- 25 min
Serves: 2- 6

Ingredients: 
16 oz. peas
1 onion- thinly sliced
2 T. olive oil
1 c. vegetable broth
1 1/2 c. water
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

Coarsely ground pepper (for garnish)

Crispy fried onions (for garnish)

Directions:
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat
- Toss in onions and sauté until they start to brown, about 7- 10 min
- Add vegetable broth and water and bring to a boil
- Once boiling, add peas and return to a boil
- When mixture starts to boil, drop temperature to a simmer and cook until peas are soft, about 8-10 min
- Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 min
- Use an immersion blender to puree soup
- Garnish with coarsely ground pepper and crispy fried onions

*I found recipe here

Strawberry Rhubarb Tartlets (Mini- Year Six: Volume 5; August, 2015)

Prep time: 1 hour, 40 min

Cook time: 30 min
Ready in: 2 hours, 10 min
Serves: 6- 12

Ingredients: 
CRUST:
1 1/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. shortening
1/4 c. butter
5 T. ice water

FILLING:
3 c. fresh rhubarb- roughly chopped
1/2 c. sugar
1 T. cornstarch
16 oz. fresh strawberries- washed, hulled, diced
1/2 c. sweetened whipped cream (for garnish)

Directions:
- Combine flour and salt in a large bowl
- Cut shortening into flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal
- Slice butter thinly, and toss slices in flour mixture to coat
- Add in ice water, 1 T. at a time, until dough begins to come together in a ball
- Wrap dough tightly and chill for 30 min
- Sprinkle work surface and rolling pin with flour and roll dough to 1/2" thickness
- Fold in thirds, and roll to 1/2" thick again
- Turn 90 degrees, and repeat one more time
- Wrap and chill for 30 min
- Preheat oven to 350
- Roll out dough to 1/8" thick and cut 4" diameter rounds with a biscuit cutter
- Lay rounds over back side of a muffin tin and prick with a fork
- Bake for 30 min
- Cool completely
- In a small saucepan, combine rhubarb with sugar and cornstarch
- Cook over medium heat until rhubarb is soft and the compote is thickened
- Cool completely
- Fold in fresh strawberries
- Spoon a few tablespoons of filling into each tart shell and top with sweetened whipped cream to serve

*Liz found recipe here