Park Seed Customer's Recipes: Appetizers

Chas' Famous Guacamole

Submitted by Chas

Ingredients:

• 2 fresh, ripened Don Gillogly Avocados
• 1 red onion
• 1 large clove of garlic
• Juice from half of one lime
• Cumin
• Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Peel and pit avocados; mash them with a fork
2. Finely chop red onion, and peel and crush garlic clove; set both aside
3. Slowly fold garlic and a small handful of onions into the guacamole
4. Lightly but thoroughly dust the mixture with cumin
5. Fold in juice from half of one lime
6. Add salt to taste
7. Serve with your favorite chips and enjoy!

Zucchini Appetizers

Submitted by Lee Ann T.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups sliced zucchini
• 1 cup biscuit mix
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• OR 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
• Dash of pepper
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs, slightly beaten

Directions:

Heat oven to 350*. Grease (or spray with non-stick spray) a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Spread mixture in pan. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cut into small squares to serve.

Stuffed Cherry Peppers with Goat Cheese

Submitted by Denise S.

Ingredients:

• 1 dozen cherry peppers, tops cut off, washed, seeded and dried
• 1/2 lb. of chevre goat cheese (very mild) cut into small pieces
• 1/2 lb. pancetta (Italian bacon)
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano

Directions:

Saute pancetta and onion in a fry pan until pancetta is crispy and onions are translucent and soft. Toss pancetta/onion mixture with goat cheese and oregano in a small bowl. Stuff into peppers and place on cookie sheet.
Bake at 375 for 10 -15 minutes or until peppers soften.

Italian Tomato Crostini

Submitted by Denise S.

Ingredients:

• 1 baguette of crusty French bread, sliced on the diagonal 1 inch thick
• 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil infused with 4 fresh torn basil leaves (tear basil leaves and place in oil for 2 hours ahead of time
• 2 cups of heirloom tomatoes of different colors, seeded, skinned and chopped fine
• 1/2 teas. minced garlic

• 1/2 tablespoon of minced sweet onion
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup of fresh mozzarella, cut into small pieces

Directions:

Cut bread on the diagonal and on one side brush with olive oil mixture. Place oiled side up on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Set aside.

In a medium bowl combine tomatoes, garlic, onion and mozzarella. Spoon a small amount onto bread slices. Drizzle balsamic vinegar across slices and serve.

Tri-Basil Pesto

Submitted by Beth M.

Combines three delicious flavors of Basil available from Park Seed: Rich Italian, Tangy Lemon Sweet, and Peppery Red Rubin, to create a zesty and complex condiment for appetizers, seafood, and pasta:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped Italian basil
• 1/2 cup chopped Lemon Sweet basil

• 1/2 cup chopped Red Rubin basil

• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 2/3 cup pine nuts

• 6 to 8 large garlic cloves

• 1 cup olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Pulverize the pine nuts and garlic in a food processor and then blend in the basil mixture, followed by the Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Then, gradually blend in the olive oil until the pesto has the desired thickness and texture.

Pistachio-Cilantro Pesto

Submitted by Robert C.

Combines three delicious flavors of Basil available from Park Seed: Rich Italian, Tangy Lemon Sweet, and Peppery Red Rubin, to create a zesty and complex condiment for appetizers, seafood, and pasta:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw Pistachios
• 2 cups (packed) fresh Cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh Lemon Juice

• 1 Garlic clove, chopped
• ¾ teaspoon Salt
• ¾ cup Olive Oil

Directions:

Toast Pistachios in 400-degree oven or a dry frying pan, until golden.

Transfer to processor. Add Cilantro leaves, Lemon Juice, Garlic, and Salt. Using on/off turns, process until coarse paste forms. With machine running, gradually add Olive Oil. Season with Pepper to taste.

Stuffed Banana Peppers

Submitted by Nancy

Combines three delicious flavors of Basil available from Park Seed: Rich Italian, Tangy Lemon Sweet, and Peppery Red Rubin, to create a zesty and complex condiment for appetizers, seafood, and pasta:

Ingredients:

• 16 – 18 large Parks Sweet Banana peppers from your garden
• 16- ounces Fresh ground pork sausage
• 8 ounces – shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Using the largest peppers you have, cut off the tops and clean out seeds with a small knife.
Using your side burner of the grill, cook sausage until lightly browned and crumbly.
Combine sausage and cheese and stuff into peppers. You can make cheese only ones too.
Put on grill and grill 3-5 minutes each side, until cheese melts.