Smoked Trout Polenta Canapés #BrunchWeek

Smoked Trout Polenta Canapés
Welcome to day 1 of Brunch Week! Thanks go out to Christie from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures for hosting our blogging group for #BrunchWeek! Don’t forget to scroll to the end to see all this great brunch idea links!

I made these Smoked Trout Polenta Canapés with baked polenta crostini spread with black garlic cream cheese. Topped with flaked smoked trout, rehydrated sun dried tomatoes and capers. Sun dried tomato tuiles added for garnish! An elegant yet easy appetizer to wow your brunch guests!

Here’s the breakdown!

So what’s a canapé?

A canapé may also be referred to as finger food, although not all finger foods are canapés. Crackers or small slices of bread or toast or puff pastry, cut into various shapes, serve as the base for savory butters or pastes, often topped with a savory foods as meat, cheese, fish, caviar, foie gras, purées or relish. (definition courtesy of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canapé)

I wanted to do something different than a base of bread or crackers. I’ve been a polenta fan from way back and love to eat it several ways.

One of those ways is fried. Making your own polenta let’s you control the texture. That’s important when you fry it or bake it.

cheese steak skewers
For these polenta crostini I left out cheese and made a thick, spreadable texture. Once the polenta is cooked, spread it out on a parchment lined cooking sheet to about 1/4 to 1/2-inch thickness. If you have trouble spreading it, you can cover the polenta with a parchment sheet and press it down with another cooking sheet.
polenta
Chill at least an hour, then you can cut out the desired sizes. For canapés, try to keep the circles under 1 1/2 inches.
polenta circles
Bake at 375 degrees until polenta starts to brown (10 to 12 minutes). You can also give the crostini a quick shot under the broiler to brown it if baking doesn’t brown it in under 12 minutes. You want to keep the inside a bit soft.

I’m lucky to have a friend that smokes his own trout. Thanks Joe!

You can use smoked salmon not lox, smoked whitefish or even smoked sardines for a similar flavor.

If you can’t find black garlic in stores, try online. I get it at Wegman’s but try Whole Foods and even Walmart online.

Mixed with cream cheese, black garlic brings a touch of sweetness. I can compare it to how onions sweeten when caramelized.

You want to save the water from rehydrating the sun dried tomatoes to make tuiles.

These crunchy, lacey food decorations are easy to make. All you need is a ratio of 2 parts fat, 2 parts liquid and 1 part flour. These decorative tuiles are not the sweet cookie version. Using the water  from rehydrating the sun dried tomatoes produces a tomato flavor and delicate crunch.

Smoked Trout Polenta Canapés

Smoked Trout Polenta Canapés

Smoked Trout Polenta Canapés

5 from 1 vote
Servings 12 canapés

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup flaked trout or similar smoked fish
  • 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
  • 1 cup warm water

polenta

  • 1/2 cup corn meal
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

cream cheese spread

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 2 cloves black garlic
  • 1/16 teaspoon salt

tuiles batter

  • 2 tablespoons water from sundried tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • capers for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Soak sun dried tomatoes in warm water for about 30 minutes or until rehydrated. Remove tomatoes and refrigerate until use. Reserve the water for tuiles.

tuiles

  • Whisk together  2 tablespoons sundried tomato water with 2 tablespoons melted butter and 1 tablespoon flour to form a loose batter. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat for about a minute. Drop 1 teaspoon of batter onto hot skillet. Be careful of splashing. Cook batter until it starts to firm up. As the water evaporates, the holes form. Carefully remove tuiles from pan with a spatula and drain on paper towel to cool.

polenta

  • Bring broth and polenta to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and cook, whisking constantly for about  5 minutes until polenta is smooth and thickened.
    Once the polenta is cooked, spread it out on a parchment lined cooking sheet to about 1/4 to 1/2-inch thickness. If you have trouble spreading it, you can cover the polenta with a parchment sheet and press it down with another cooking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour. Cut cold polenta into pieces approximately 1 1/2 inches.
    Bake pieces at 375 degrees until polenta starts to brown (10 to 12 minutes). You can also give the crostini a quick shot under the broiler to brown it if baking doesn't brown it in under
    12 minutes. You want to keep the inside a bit soft.

cream cheese spread

  • Mix softened cream cheese, black garlic and salt together until creamy. Refrigerate
    until ready for use.

assemble

  • Place a dollop of cream cheese spread on polenta crostini, and garnish with sun dried tomatoes, capers and tuiles.

Monday #BrunchWeek Recipes

Beverages

Appetizers and Salads

Breads, Grains, and Cereals

Egg Dishes

Main Dishes

Desserts

Posted in #brunchweek, appetizer, fish, garlic, What's For Dinner? | Tagged , , , | 17 Comments

Blackberry Chicken Thighs #BBQWeek

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #BBQWeek. The sponsors, Rainier Foods and Intensity Academy, generously provided samples to participants to aid in the creation of the #BBQWeek recipes and prize packages to give away to the readers. However, all opinions are mine alone.

Blackberry Chicken Thighs

Blackberry Chicken Thighs serve moist, tender grilled chicken topped with fresh blackberries in a smoky-sweet blackberry sauce. A bit of red wine and Chambord add richness to an easy recipe that will kick up any BBQ or weeknight meal. Rainier Foods Blackberry Smoky Honey Seasoning & Rub is in the sauce and sprinkled on top.

Welcome to day 5 of the third annual #BBQWeek hosted by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures. We are excited to have 15 bloggers sharing over 50 recipes this week as we head toward grilling season. The amazing sponsors have donated some great prizes for the #BBQWeek giveaway. The giveaway is below, but make sure to read about the prize packages and our generous sponsors!

Intensity Academy Saucy Queen Prize Package

The Intensity Academy Saucy Queen has competed in the fiery food industry for over 15 years. Her all-natural gourmet hot sauces have more than 55 national awards. In 2019, the Saucy Queen earned the Tampa Bay Businesswoman of the Year in Manufacturing, Business Leader’s Woman Extraordinaire and Working Women of Tampa Bay’s! Not only does she sell amazing sauces, spice mixes, and dips, but she has anchored her career in service and non-profit organizations and helping local companies take their products from recipe to store shelves.

A prize package of 4 popular sauces:

  • Carrot Karma – A mild hot sauce made from a blend of carrots, habaneros, and a touch of lime.
  • Garlic Goodness – An essential garlic hot sauce! Each batch contains over 100 pounds of slow roasted garlic.
  • Honey Hype – A blend of crystalized honey natural rub. The crystalized honey melts perfectly over meats and veggies.
  • Chai Sweet Chili – A light sauce made with peppers and organic Chai tea that won the 2012 Golden Chile award.

Rainier Foods Prize Package

Life’s too short for boring food, spice it up with Rainier Foods. Rainier Foods is a family company located in the shadow of Mt. Rainier. They have a dedication to provide premium quality food products. Rainier Foods can source the best ingredients available to help you create delicious meals which sets them apart from other companies. All their products are made locally ensuring their products are the best that the Pacific Northwest has to offer. A portion of all sales are donated to the Washington National Park Fund.

A prize package of a meat thermometer and trio of spice mixes:

    • Meater+ wire-free meat thermometer – monitor your cooking from a phone or tablet. Monitors internal and ambient temperature at the same time.
    • The Essentials Seasoning – Salt, garlic, and pepper are the essentials of most seasonings. Three different types of sea salt blend with garlic and pepper in this delicious seasoning.
    • Smoky Honey Seasoning & Rub – Made with Pacific Northwest clover honey, Cherrywood Smoked Sea Salt, and Smoked Paprika. This seasoning blend creates a deliciously sticky and sweet flavor on anything you grill.
    • Gochu (Go-Choo) Seasoning & Rub – Gochugaru Chilis combine with sea salt and pepper along with a few other spices makes this blend unique adding an unmatchable flavor profile to everything you cook.

Connect with our sponsors on social media for new, recipes and more!

Intensity Academy Saucy Queen
https://www.saucyqueen.com/collections/gourmet-sauces
https://www.facebook.com/IntensityAcademy/
https://www.instagram.com/saucyqueen/
https://twitter.com/saucyqueen

Rainier Foods
https://rainierfoods.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Rainier-Foods-1164573733695432/
https://www.instagram.com/rainierfoods/
https://twitter.com/Rainierfoods

Don’t forget to scroll down and enter our giveaway and get more great #BBQWeek recipes!

Fruit and chicken really go well together. I love orange chicken, and chicken salad with grapes…

Pecan Chicken and Grapes Salad

and of course, berries and chicken.

Blackberry Chicken Thighs

Wine also goes well in chicken dishes. Normally I use white wines with poultry but today we go with red. Why red? Red works better with blackberries and smoky flavors. A bit of Chambord gives a raspberry undertone to the sauce. Rainier Foods Blackberry Smoky Honey Rub & Seasoning dissolves easily in the wine. The more berry flavor the better, right?

Next, I add fresh berries right into the saucepan. Fresh blackberries cook down to juice and bits in the sauce. The berry juice easily blend in when strained. You can reduce the sauce to desired thickness.

Blackberry Chicken Thighs

I like using chicken thighs. Dark meat is more forgiving on high heat like a grill. The meat stays moist inside. You can use chicken breasts but I would sear it on the grill and finish in the oven.

Serve topped with sauce or sauce on the side.

Blackberry Chicken Thighs

Blackberry Chicken Thighs

Blackberry Chicken Thighs

Servings 4 each

Ingredients
  

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon Rainier Foods Blackberry Smoky Honey Seasoning & Rub
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Sauce

  • 1 cup red wine
  • 1/4 cup Chambord
  • 1/4 cup Rainier Foods Blackberry Smoky Honey Seasoning & Rub
  • 2 cups fresh blackberries, divided

Instructions
 

  • Preheat grill to medium high. Brush thighs lightly with vegetable oil. Season with salt and Blackberry Smoky Honey Seasoning & Rub. Grill over medium heat until internal temperature reached 180 degrees. Remove from grill and keep warm.

sauce

  • In a 2-quart saucepan, whisk together wine, Chambord and Blackberry Smoky Honey Seasoning & Rub. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to ow-medium and add 1 cup blackberries. Simmer, stirring frequently until sauce begins to thicken and berries cook and break apart, about 5 minutes. Strain and return strained sauce to pan. Continue cooking until reached desired consistency.
    Remove from heat. Fold in remaining berries and spoon over chicken.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday #BBQWeek Recipes

Starters and Sides

Dinners

Desserts

Thank you #BBQWeek sponsors Saucy Queen and Rainier Foods for donating the prizes for this event. The #BBQWeek giveaway is open to U.S. residents, age 18 & up. All entries for the winner are checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning.
Two (2) winners are selected at random from entries received. The prize packages are fulfilled by and sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. #BBQWeek bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household are not eligible to enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the #BBQWeek posts or entries.

Posted in #BBQWeek, barbecue, berries, chicken, picnic, What's For Dinner? | 13 Comments

Smoky Blackberry Grilled Fruit Salad #BBQWeek

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #BBQWeek. The sponsors, Rainier Foods and Intensity Academy, generously provided samples to participants to aid in the creation of the #BBQWeek recipes and prize packages to give away to the readers. However, all opinions are mine alone.

Smoky Blackberry Grilled Fruit Salad
Smoky Blackberry Grilled Fruit Salad serves your favorite grilled fruit in a new way. A touch of smoke, sweet honey and tangy blackberry dressing made with Blackberry Smoky Honey Seasoning & Rub by Rainier Foods.

Welcome to day three of the third annual #BBQWeek hosted by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures. We are excited to have 15 bloggers sharing over 50 recipes this week as we head toward grilling season. The amazing sponsors have donated some great prizes for the #BBQWeek giveaway. The giveaway is below, but make sure to read about the prize packages and our generous sponsors!

Intensity Academy Saucy Queen Prize Package

The Intensity Academy Saucy Queen has competed in the fiery food industry for over 15 years. Her all-natural gourmet hot sauces have more than 55 national awards. In 2019, the Saucy Queen earned the Tampa Bay Businesswoman of the Year in Manufacturing, Business Leader’s Woman Extraordinaire and Working Women of Tampa Bay’s! Not only does she sell amazing sauces, spice mixes, and dips, but she has anchored her career in service and non-profit organizations and helping local companies take their products from recipe to store shelves.

A prize package of 4 popular sauces:

  • Carrot Karma – A mild hot sauce made from a blend of carrots, habaneros, and a touch of lime.
  • Garlic Goodness – An essential garlic hot sauce! Each batch contains over 100 pounds of slow roasted garlic.
  • Honey Hype – A blend of crystalized honey natural rub. The crystalized honey melts perfectly over meats and veggies.
  • Chai Sweet Chili – A light sauce made with peppers and organic Chai tea that won the 2012 Golden Chile award.

Rainier Foods Prize Package

Life’s too short for boring food, spice it up with Rainier Foods. Rainier Foods is a family company located in the shadow of Mt. Rainier. They have a dedication to provide premium quality food products. Rainier Foods can source the best ingredients available to help you create delicious meals which sets them apart from other companies. All their products are made locally ensuring their products are the best that the Pacific Northwest has to offer. A portion of all sales are donated to the Washington National Park Fund.

A prize package of a meat thermometer and trio of spice mixes:

  • Meater+ wire-free meat thermometer – monitor your cooking from a phone or tablet. Monitors internal and ambient temperature at the same time.
  • The Essentials Seasoning – Salt, garlic, and pepper are the essentials of most seasonings. Three different types of sea salt blend with garlic and pepper in this delicious seasoning.
  • Smoky Honey Seasoning & Rub – Made with Pacific Northwest clover honey, Cherrywood Smoked Sea Salt, and Smoked Paprika. This seasoning blend creates a deliciously sticky and sweet flavor on anything you grill.
  • Gochu (Go-Choo) Seasoning & Rub – Gochugaru Chilis combine with sea salt and pepper along with a few other spices makes this blend unique adding an unmatchable flavor profile to everything you cook.

Connect with our generous sponsors on social media for news, recipes and more!

Intensity Academy Saucy Queen
https://www.saucyqueen.com/collections/gourmet-sauces
https://www.facebook.com/IntensityAcademy/
https://www.instagram.com/saucyqueen/
https://twitter.com/saucyqueen

Rainier Foods

https://rainierfoods.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Rainier-Foods-1164573733695432/
https://www.instagram.com/rainierfoods/
https://twitter.com/Rainierfoods

Don’t forget to scroll down and enter our giveaway and get more great #BBQWeek recipes!

Grilling fruit brings out tremendous flavor. I lightly brush a bit of vegetable oil on sliced fruit and cook on a hot grill. I only preseason the fruit with light salt because I find it sticks less that way. Just grill the slices until a bit of char marks appear. Check frequently so it doesn’t overcook.

grilled fruit

You can grill almost any fruit that can handle heat without disintegrating. I love to use watermelon, pineapple, peaches, strawberries, pears, apples, whatever is in season. Avoid citrus unless you use it for garnish. Use the juice from juiced oranges, lemons or limes instead.

For this version I used watermelon, pineapple and pears. Kiwi is added as fresh, peeled slices.

grilled fruit
Fruit cooked this way doesn’t need to be marinated for very long. Rainier’s Blackberry Smoky Honey Seasoning & Rub adds all the undertones grilled fruit needs. I add this delicious granulated seasoning to rice vinegar, oil and a bit of salt. Toss chopped fruit in dressing and that’s it.
grilled fruit salad and jar

Smoky Blackberry Grilled Fruit Salad
Smoky Blackberry Grilled Fruit Salad

Smoky Blackberry Grilled Fruit Salad

5 from 1 vote
Servings 4 1/2 cup

Ingredients
  

  • 1 slice watermelon
  • 1 slice fresh pineapple
  • 1 pear
  • 2 kiwi peeled and sliced

dressing

  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons Rainier Foods Blackberry Smoky Honey Seasoning and Rub plus more for sprinkling
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Instructions
 

  • Preheat grill to medium heat. Brush fruit slices with vegetable oil. Sprinkle fruit slices with salt. Grill over heat until fruit is lightly charred and marked, about 2 minutes per side. Remove cooked fruit and cut into bite-sized pieces. Fold in kiwi slices.

dressing

  • Whisk together vinegar, oil and seasoning.
  • Add cut fruit to dressing. toss and marinate several minutes before serving. Sprinkle portioned fruit with additional seasoning as desired.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday #BBQWeek Recipes

Starters and Sides

Dinners

Desserts

Thank you #BBQWeek sponsors Saucy Queen and Rainier Foods for donating the prizes for this event. The #BBQWeek giveaway is open to U.S. residents, age 18 & up. All entries for the winner are checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning.
Two (2) winners are selected at random from entries received. The prize packages are fulfilled by and sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. #BBQWeek bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household are not eligible to enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the #BBQWeek posts or entries.

Posted in #Back2School, #BBQWeek, berries, fruit, grill, salad, What's For Dinner? | 15 Comments

Chai Teriyaki Shrimp Salad #BBQWeek

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #BBQWeek. The sponsors, Rainier Foods and Intensity Academy, generously provided samples to participants to aid in the creation of the #BBQWeek recipes and prize packages to give away to the readers. However, all opinions are mine alone.
Chai Teriyaki Shrimp Salad

Chai Teriyaki Shrimp Salad serves tender shrimp coated with rich, spicy teriyaki mayo with a hint of chai. Layers of flavor made possible with Intensity Academy Chai Thai Teriyaki Sauce!
Chai Thai Teriyaki Sauce

Welcome to the third annual #BBQWeek hosted by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures. We are excited to have 15 bloggers sharing over 50 recipes this week as we head toward grilling season. The amazing sponsors have donated some great prizes for the #BBQWeek giveaway. The giveaway is below, but make sure to read about the prize packages and our generous sponsors!

Intensity Academy Saucy Queen Prize Package

The Intensity Academy Saucy Queen has competed in the fiery food industry for over 15 years. Her all-natural gourmet hot sauces have more than 55 national awards. In 2019, the Saucy Queen earned the Tampa Bay Businesswoman of the Year in Manufacturing, Business Leader’s Woman Extraordinaire and Working Women of Tampa Bay’s! Not only does she sell amazing sauces, spice mixes, and dips, but she has anchored her career in service and non-profit organizations and helping local companies take their products from recipe to store shelves.

A prize package of 4 popular sauces:

  • Carrot Karma – A mild hot sauce made from a blend of carrots, habaneros, and a touch of lime.
  • Garlic Goodness – An essential garlic hot sauce! Each batch contains over 100 pounds of slow roasted garlic.
  • Honey Hype – A blend of crystalized honey natural rub. The crystalized honey melts perfectly over meats and veggies.
  • Chai Sweet Chili – A light sauce made with peppers and organic Chai tea that won the 2012 Golden Chile award.

Rainier Foods Prize Package

Life’s too short for boring food, spice it up with Rainier Foods. Rainier Foods is a family company located in the shadow of Mt. Rainier. They have a dedication to provide premium quality food products. Rainier Foods can source the best ingredients available to help you create delicious meals which sets them apart from other companies. All their products are made locally ensuring their products are the best that the Pacific Northwest has to offer. A portion of all sales are donated to the Washington National Park Fund.

A prize package of a meat thermometer and trio of spice mixes:

  • Meater+ wire-free meat thermometer – monitor your cooking from a phone or tablet. Monitors internal and ambient temperature at the same time.
  • The Essentials Seasoning – Salt, garlic, and pepper are the essentials of most seasonings. Three different types of sea salt blend with garlic and pepper in this delicious seasoning.
  • Smoky Honey Seasoning & Rub – Made with Pacific Northwest clover honey, Cherrywood Smoked Sea Salt, and Smoked Paprika. This seasoning blend creates a deliciously sticky and sweet flavor on anything you grill.
  • Gochu (Go-Choo) Seasoning & Rub – Gochugaru Chilis combine with sea salt and pepper along with a few other spices makes this blend unique adding an unmatchable flavor profile to everything you cook.

Connect with our sponsors on social media for news, recipes and more!
Intensity Academy Saucy Queen
https://www.saucyqueen.com/collections/gourmet-sauces
https://www.facebook.com/IntensityAcademy/
https://www.instagram.com/saucyqueen/
https://twitter.com/saucyqueen

Rainier Foods
https://rainierfoods.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Rainier-Foods-1164573733695432/
https://www.instagram.com/rainierfoods/
https://twitter.com/Rainierfoods

Don’t forget to scroll down and enter our giveaway and get more great #BBQWeek recipes!

My Chai Teriyaki Shrimp Salad lets you add a cold protein dish made your way to your barbecue or picnic. Shrimp cooks fast on the grill, in a pan or steamed. It doesn’t matter how you cook it. Just remember to add Chai Thai Teriyaki Sauce to the dressing!
Chai Teriyaki Shrimp Salad

I also like to add a bit of crunch with some celery and onion.
Chai Teriyaki Shrimp Salad

You can serve this shrimp salad over greens, as a side or even a main meal!

Chai Teriyaki Shrimp Salad

Chai Teriyaki Shrimp Salad

Chai Teriyaki Shrimp Salad

Servings 4 1/2 cup

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
  • 1/4 cup diced celery
  • 1.4 cup diced red onion
  • 1 teaspoon seafood seasoning
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons Intensity academy Chai Thai Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon minced parsley

Instructions
 

  • Season shrimp on both sides with seafood seasoning. Grill or pan fry for about 2 minutes per side over medium heat until opaque. If steaming, cook until opaque, about 3 minutes in a covered pan. Chill cooked shrimp.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, cream together mayonnaise, Chai Thai Teriyaki Sauce, parsley. Stir in chilled shrimp, celery and onion. Serve chilled.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday #BBQWeek Recipes

Starters and Sides

Main Dishes

Thank you #BBQWeek sponsors Saucy Queen and Rainier Foods for donating the prizes for this event. The #BBQWeek giveaway is open to U.S. residents, age 18 & up. All entries for the winner are checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning.
Two (2) winners are selected at random from entries received. The prize packages are fulfilled by and sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. #BBQWeek bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household are not eligible to enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the #BBQWeek posts or entries.

Posted in #BBQWeek, bbq, salad, shrimp, What's For Dinner? | Tagged | 16 Comments