Celebrate the New Year with a touch of sophistication by serving individual snow crab tortellini on a spoon at your upcoming chic soirée. Elevate your party with this exquisite bite-sized culinary creation that promises to captivate your guests.

The Art of Snow Crab Tortellini

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh snow crab meat, picked
• Homemade tortellini dough (see recipe below)
• Zest of one lemon
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Egg wash (1 beaten egg with a splash of water)

Homemade Tortellini Dough:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Recipe:

1. Homemade Tortellini Dough: a. On a clean surface, mound the flour and make a well in the center. b. Crack the eggs into the well, add salt, and gradually incorporate the flour into the eggs until a dough forms. c. Knead the dough for about 8-10 minutes until smooth, then cover and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.

2. Snow Crab Filling: a. In a bowl, combine the picked snow crab meat, lemon zest, chopped chives, salt, and pepper. Mix gently to combine.

3. Assembling the Tortellini: a. Roll out the tortellini dough into thin sheets. b. Cut circles using a round cutter and place a small amount of crab filling in the center of each circle. c. Fold the circles into half-moons, pressing the edges to seal. d. Bring the ends together to form tortellini, pinching the tips together.

4. Cooking: a. Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. b. Cook the tortellini for 3 to 5 minutes or until they float to the surface. c. Gently drain them.

Serving:

5. Presentation: a. Arrange the individual snow crab tortellini on small, elegant spoons for a stylish presentation. b. Garnish with additional chives or a sprinkle of lemon zest.

Pairing Perfection

Complement the snow crab tortellini with a light, crisp champagne or sparkling wine to enhance the luxurious experience. The effervescence will dance on your palate, creating a perfect harmony with the savory notes of the crab.

The Wow Factor: Impress Your Guests

As the clock strikes midnight, offer your guests a gastronomic journey that mirrors the elegance of the occasion. The individual snow crab tortellini on a spoon is not just a dish; it’s a statement, a conversation starter, and a testament to your commitment to creating unforgettable moments for your guests.

Get Ready to Shine

This New Year’s Eve, let your table be a reflection of your impeccable taste and style. Elevate your celebration with the sophistication of individual snow crab tortellini served on a spoon, leaving your guests with a memorable and mouthwatering experience that sets the tone for a year filled with culinary delights and festive joy. Cheers to a spectacular New Year!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 pound cleaned chicken livers, rinsed and patted dry

3 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

2 medium-size yellow onions, chopped

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

2 tablespoons brandy (optional)

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled

1 cup unsalted butter (8 ounces), softened and cut into pieces

Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Toasted baguette slices are ideal – you can also use crackers

Preparation:

Heat your oil in a large skillet over medium-high until it starts to simmer. Season both sides of chicken livers with 2 teaspoons salt and pepper. Cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Reduce heat to medium-low; add onions, 1/4 cup butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are deep golden brown,  which should take about 20 minutes, stirring in thyme and garlic during the last 2 minutes of cooking time. Remove from heat. Immediately add brandy and sugar, stirring and scraping to loosen browned bits on the bottom of the skillet. Let cool for 20 minutes.

Place eggs, onion mixture, livers, and remaining 11/4 teaspoons salt in a food processor. Process until a coarse puree forms, about 20 seconds. With processor running, add 1 cup softened butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, processing until blended and mostly smooth, about 1 minute. Store in the fridge until you see that it’s slightly firm but spreadable, that usually takes about 2 hours. Transfer to a serving bowl; garnish with parsley. Serve with baguette,or crackers, even jams.

We love the Holidays because it’s definitely a time to try all sorts of appetizers and snacks, and this is one of our favourites! If you’ve been curious about trying it out, start with this recipe!
If you make this recipe and want to share with us, tag us on Instagram @stokesstores and use the hashtag #StokesMoments.

Ingredients:

Samosa Dough:
2 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon toasted cumin seeds (optional)

2 tablespoons oil, can be substituted with ghee or clarified butter

¾ cup water

¼ tsp salt

Filling:

2 potatoes, medium to large size, preferably Yukon Gold

2 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided: 1 tbsp for spices, 1 tbsp for air frying

1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 teaspoon Asafoetida

1 teaspoon red chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup frozen peas

1 teaspoon chopped cilantro, optional

Preparation:

Samosa Dough:

Add flour, salt, cumin seeds and 1 tablespoon of oil to a mixing bowl and mix using a fork. 

Slowly add water and knead slowly into a ball. Add ¼ cup at a time, until the dough falls into a smooth ball.

Tip: You can add baking soda if you’d like to make it crispier! Dab the rolled dough with a little bit of oil, and set aside for at least 15-20 minutes so the dough can rest.

Filling:

 
Start by boiling your potatoes! Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil on a high heat. In the meantime, quarter the potatoes. Once the water has boiled, turn down to medium heat, add potatoes and cover with a lid. Cook for 20-25 minutes until the fork inserted goes in smoothly and comes out clean.

Once the potatoes have boiled, drain the water, remove the peels and then mash the potatoes with a spatula or masher.

In a medium skillet, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and turn the stove to medium heat.

Add the mashed potatoes, and all of your seasoning and spices. Stir the spices to evenly coat the potatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes, tasting and adjusting along the way for your preference.

Add peas and stir them into the mix for about 30-45 seconds. Turn off the heat, and add a few sprigs of cilantro (if you choose to include them). Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Folding The Samosa 

Take the kneaded dough and roll it out into a long cylinder, roughly as long as your two hands side-to-side ( approximately 7-8 inches long)
Using a knife or sharp edge, portion this cylinder into 8-9 smaller pieces. Take one of the pieces and roll into a smooth ball (while you set the others aside)
Now, dust this ball with a bit of flour, and then using a rolling pin, roll it into a circular shape, roughly 6-7 inches in diameter (for reference, the rolled out dough should be slightly larger than the size of your hand) 

Slice this dough diagonally so you get two semi-circular pieces – they don’t have to be perfect! Pick up one of these pieces and lay it on your left hand so the straight edge lines up against the left side of your hand. 

Wet the straight edge with some water and form a cone so that the top is wider and also open for you to stuff the filling. Add 2 heaping teaspoons of filling per samosa and push it in so it evenly fills out (but only till about ¾ of the cone). 

Add a bit of water to the edge of the cone and seal it shut (either by pressing together or folding one edge over the other) 

Coat with enough oil to cover all the sides and place aside. Repeat for the rest of the samosas.

Air-Frying Your Samosas

Preheat your air fryer to 425 F. One thing to watch out for is to not overcrowd the samosas since that will prevent the dough from cooking properly.
Place the samosas carefully in the air fryer and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, and then flip the sides and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes. When it’s done, the samosas should be crisp on the outside and a nice golden brown color on both sides.

With some time and careful repetition, you’ve just created delicious and filling samosas, perfect to spice up any party or gathering – or just great on the go, samosas make excellent picnic or road trip food! If you make this recipe and want to share with us, tag us on Instagram @stokesstores and use the hashtag #StokesMoments.

Here is what we’re making:

French Fries: 

Ingredients:

2 russet potatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon garlic powder or to taste

½ teaspoon seasoned salt or to taste

Instructions:

Scrub potatoes and peel if desired. Cut into ¼” fries.

Place fries in a large bowl and fill with cold water. Soak at least 30 minutes.

Drain well and dab fries dry with a kitchen towel.

Preheat the air fryer to 390°F.

Toss potatoes with oil, garlic powder, and seasoned salt to taste.

Place the potatoes in the basket and cook for 10 minutes. Shake/flip the potatoes and cook for an additional 6-8 minutes or until crisp. Add additional salt to taste.

Mozzarella Sticks

Use home-made or store bought mozzarella sticks – just make sure they’re seasoned and frozen!

Instructions:

Set your air fryer to 390°F. Spray the air fryer basket and the mozzarella sticks with a nonstick cooking spray. Air fry the mozzarella sticks (in batches if desired or necessary, as space permits) for 6 to 8 minutes until the exterior is golden and crispy.

Chicken Wings:

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken wings split into flats and drumettes

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp lemon pepper

Instructions:

Thoroughly pat dry chicken wings with paper towels and place in a mixing bowl.

Coat in 1 Tbsp oil then sprinkle on 2 tsp garlic salt and 1 tsp lemon pepper. Toss to evenly coat with seasoning.

Place in your air frying basket, spacing evenly and air fry at 400˚F for 8 minutes per side, or a total of 16 minutes, or until chicken wings are crisp and golden brown on the outside.

Just like that, you’ve prepared 3 different appetizers, super quick and easy – and so rewarding! For a fun twist, we thought it would be nice to use shot glasses to present them in. Fill the bottom with your favourite dips or sauces, even guacamole, and dunk in a few fries, a mozzarella stick or two and wings, and you have yourself a beautiful display of delicious food!

If you make this recipe and want to share it with us, please tag us on Instagram @stokesstores and use the hashtag #StokesMoments.

In collaboration with blogger and recipe developer Margherita, of La Petite Casserole, we’ve made sure your palate will be thanking you going into 2018. With three appetizer recipes that take mere minutes to prepare, Margherita has the New Year’s recipes you’ve been looking for. To start, no party is complete without a delightfully cheesy element: Cheese And Jam Squares. You can top it with a hazelnut to make it extra festive. Next, it’s always important to have a vegetarian-friendly option, so we have a White Bean Hummus with Oven Roasted Tomatoes. Blended in the thinkkitchen Electric Food Processor, you can place the hummus and tomatoes on your favourite country bread or baguette, crostini style. Finally, the Potato Tortilla, which will have people flocking. You can serve this egg, onion and potato delight in pizza slice-like wedges.

Choose one, or make them all, your fellow merrymakers will delight in these savoury bites.

Happy New Year to all, and to all a good bite!

I once said “I will never write a blog”…but I’ve also said “ never say never”… and here I am! Let me introduce myself. My name is Margherita, I am from Florence and 100% Italian. I became Canadian for the sake of love. I started cooking when I was a child because of the pleasure I found watching a cake rise in the oven. Then, year after year I started to cook because of the pleasure it brought me to have my friends come over, and watching them sit at my table and devour everything I had prepared. Dinner after dinner, the pleasure of thinking about which recipes to prepare and how many people to invite over has become my favourite way to express myself. Each recipe I create shares a little bit about myself and about my story. You can find out the contribution of my family, my husband and all of my friends who have supported me during all these years, the same who have tested and eaten up all my dishes! There is one point I want to make clear: I’m not that good with dealing with precise quantities, such as mg, ml, cc, etc… To me, taste is more important than grams! Find more of my recipes at www.lapetitecasserole.com.