Proscuitto Wrapped Shrimp with Goat Cheese and Basil

This will be my last post until sometime after Christmas.  While in previous years I'm usually organized at this point, this year I seem to be a wee bit behind.  My inner crazy is going to start to show unless I get my arse in gear!  No amount of making lists has saved me thus far.
This delcious Shrimp appetizer is a creation by my cousin Sandra.  She served this at a Christmas gathering earlier this month and since then, I've made it 3 times.  It's soooo good.  I've served it as an app and also over rice to make it a meal. It would great on salad for a light dinner or even over a simple pasta.  It's highly addictive. 
The second time I made this, I wasn't impressed with the basil at the grocery store so I opted for some pesto I had made and kept in the freezer (I blogged earlier about the pesto).  Equally as delicious.  Make this.  It's a must.
I can't give you exact ingredients because I never did use any.  I will do my best to give you an idea of what you'll need.  You can stick a toothpick through the shrimp to hold them together but it's not neccesary.  If you do, soak the toothpicks in hot water for at least 10 minutes to prevent them from burning.  These can be made up to 6 hours ahead and kept in the fridge until it's time to broil. Once they're under the broiler, don't walk away from them.  Enjoy!

Proscuitto Wrapped Shrimp with Goat Cheese and Basil

1 lb raw shrmip, peeled and deveined
1 clove garlic, chopped
juice and rind of half a lemon
1 tsp honey
Soft Goat Cheese, approx 1/4 cup (more if needed)
Basil leaves (large leaves torn in half)
Proscuitto (half a slice per shrimp)

Toss the shrimp in a bowl with the garlic, lemon juice, rind and honey.  Let it marinate no more than 20 minutes, any longer and the lemon will cook the shrimp.  Lay a piece of proscuitto on a board, top with a basil leaf, goat cheese (1/2tsp - 1 tsp per shrimp) and then wrap around the shrimp.  Lay the shrimp seam side down on a foil lined baking sheet and pop under the broiler for 5 minutes (keep and eye on them so they don't burn!), or until the shrimp are just cooked through and pink, flipping once, halfway through. YUM!

Poached Whole Chicken

This isn't so much a recipe as it is a great idea.  I had a 3 1/2 pound bird I thawed out when I realized I was in no mood to roast a chicken.  Then it came to me - poach it.  I had lot's of yummy moist meat for salads, sandwiches and even quesadilla's.  You could throw it into soup, pasta or casseroles. I also wound up with 2 large zip lock bags of delicious broth for the freezer.
This is so easy and it can be done early in the day.  The chicken will keep well in the fridge for about 3 days.
You'll notice there's no picture and for good reason.  Poached chicken isn't pretty.  It's pale and it falls apart as soon as you touch it but boy is it good. 

1 3-4lb Whole Chicken
Onion, cut in half
Stalk of Celery
Carrot Chopped
Couple cloves of Garlic
Few Peppercorns
Sprig of Rosemary, or Thyme or Parsley
Big pinch of Salt
Couple of Bay Leaves

Toss it all into a large pot and put enough water in to cover the bird.  Bring it to a boil for about 8-10 minutes and then turn it down and simmer it for about 1 hour and 20 minutes.  Pull the chicken out and strain the broth.  Remove the skin and bones and shred the meat. Note: Always check that your the juices from the chicken run clear.

Bacon and Blue Pinwheels

It's that time of year and I'll be posting a lot of appetizer recipes because that's how I roll.  Tis the season for finger foods, Christmas parties, drop in's & pop by's. 
I made these last night so I could toss them in the freezer and have them for our Christmas party in a couple of weeks.  There are all things good in this recipe.  Blue Cheese or Stilton, caramalized onion and bacon.  It just doesn't get any better than that.  I came up with this moments before I began making them and boy am I glad I did.  They are super yum. 
If you do want to make them ahead, simply make them and roll them in foil unbaked, and then freeze them.  Let them thaw at room temperature for 10 minutes, slice them and then bake them as directed. 

Bacon and Blue Pinwheels

Makes between 30-40
2 packages of Puff Pastry, thawed
5 slices of bacon
1 large onion, quartered and sliced thinly
pinch of thyme
1 tbsp real Maple Syrup
Salt & Pepper
Blue Cheese (depends on how much you want, 4-5 tbsp works well)
Fresh Parmesan (optional)
1 egg, beaten

Cook the bacon until just crisp and set aside.  Drain all but 1 tbsp of fat and over low heat, cook the onion for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Season the onion with a pinch of salt and a pinch of thyme and the maple syrup.  Cook another minute or two.  Finely chop the bacon into a bowl and add the onion mixture.  Let it cool.
Roll out the thawed puff pastry into a 20x15 inch rectangle.  Cut it in half horizontaly, so you have 2 pieces. 
On the botton half of the puff pastry, spread a 1/4 of the onion mixture an inch high (remember you're spreading the mixture on the long edge).  Sprinkle with 1/4 of the blue cheese and a grating of parmesan.  Brush the top edge of the pastry with the egg. 
Roll up the pastry into a log, sealing the edge with the egg.  At this point you can freeze the rolls or simply slice into rounds and bake at 400 F for 15-20 minutes.