Yellow Squash Bites

Pairing: Sancerre White Wine

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Ingredients:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

⅔ c. shredded mozzarella

¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese

½ c. canned artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

½ c. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

2 tbsp. sour cream 

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium zucchini & 2 medium yellow squash, cut into ½” rounds

Pinch red pepper flakes 

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400° and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, artichokes, spinach, sour cream, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Season with salt and pepper. 

Spread about a tablespoon of mixture on top of each zucchini/squash round. Bake until cheese is melting, about 15 minutes.

Apple Bacon Crostini

Pairing: Mulled Wine

Ingredients:

4 apples, cored and cut into slices

1 block white sharp cheddar cheese, cut into thin slices

8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Maple syrup, for drizzling

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Create rows of apple slices about ½" apart. Top with cheese and bacon. 

Bake until cheese has partially melted, 7 to 9 minutes. Drizzle with maple syrup and serve.

Mulled Wine - Serves 6

Ingredients:

4 cups apple cider

1 bottle of dry red wine

¼ cup honey

2 cinnamon sticks

4 whole cloves

3 star anise

1 orange, juiced and peeled for garnish

Directions:

Combine the cider, wine, honey, cinnamon sticks, zest, juice, cloves and star anise in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heart for 10 minutes. Pour into mugs, add an orange peel to each and serve.

Shoestring Fries with Avocado Dipping Sace 

Ingredients:

4 baking potatoes, peeled and sliced into shoestrings

3 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp coarse sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, lightly mix potatoes in olive oil. Place them evenly onto baking sheets.

Bake fries for 20 minutes or until crispy and golden brown, turning fries halfway through. Serve with avocado dipping sauce and a beer of your choice.

Avocado Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

½ cup plain Greek yogurt

½ cup ripe avocado

1 Tbsp. lime juice

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

1 clove of garlic, minced

salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in bowl of a food processor and pulse until smooth. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Pairing: Cold Pilsner Beer

Fried Artichoke Hearts

Ingredients:

2 – 14 oz. can of Whole Artichoke Hearts, halved 

¼ cup Olive Oil

Directions:

Cut the artichoke hearts in half vertically and drain on paper towels. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium high heat. Gently place artichokes in pan. 

Fry 3-4 minutes per side until slightly browned. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. 

Rosemary Garlic Aioli

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tbsp. Mayonnaise

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 Tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped

Directions:

Mix garlic, mayonnaise, oil and rosemary together in a blender or mini food chopper and pulse until well blended.

Grapefruit Aperol Spritz

Ingredients:

8 oz. grapefruit juice, fresh

2 oz. Aperol

8 oz. prosecco

Grapefruit peels, for garnish

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in a pitcher and stir. Pour into 4 glasses and add grapefruit peels to each glass for garnish.

Pairing: Grapefruit Aperol Spritz

Pairing: Pinot Noir

Rosemary Brie Puffs

Ingredients:

1 (8 oz.) tube crescent dough

Cooking spray, for pan

Flour, for surface

1 (8-oz.) wheel of brie, 

cut into small pieces

½c. whole berry 

cranberry sauce

¼ c.  pecans, chopped

6 sprigs of rosemary, for 

garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375° and grease a mini muffin tin with cooking spray. On a lightly floured surface, roll out crescent dough, and pinch together seams. Cut into 24 squares. Place squares into muffin tin holes.

Cut brie into small pieces and place inside the crescent dough. Top with a spoonful of cranberry sauce, some chopped pecans, and one little sprig of rosemary.

Bake until the crescent pastry is golden, about 15 minutes.

Feed Your Mind Cookbook

Long Beach Island's New Cookbook

The perfect day on Long Beach Island consists of a memorable day at the beach followed by sharing a great meal with family and friends as the sun sets over the bay. In Feed Your Mind: Long Beach Island’s Cookbook, seafood-lovers will dive into more than 45 original, delicious and savory dishes that offer all the right ingredients for fabulous dining with an ocean (or bay) view.

Part of the proceeds will be donated to the 

Hunger Foundation of Southern Ocean to help feed our neighbors.