Jalapeño Shrimp Bites with Tomato Apricot Chutney

This simple recipe can be prepared the day before and grilled right before serving, says owners Andrea & Mitchell ”Milky” Maricich. The recipe for the jalapeños themselves is only for one, multiply as necessary. Don’t be shy—the Mariciches promise they will go fast!

1 each large fresh jalapeño
1 piece jack cheese cut to approx. 1" x 1/2" x  1/4"
1 shrimp, deveined and sliced in half lengthwise
1/2 slice of smoky bacon

When working with jalapeños, it is advisable to wear gloves. Cut the top and the stem off of the jalapeño. Slice it lengthwise on one side, just to open the pepper, not to cut it in half. Carefully, open the pepper and scrape or cut out the seeds. Place the jalapeños on a sheet tray and roast in 350º oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool before stuffing. Place the piece of cheese beside the shrimp half and enclose it in the jalapeño. Don’t worry if the jalapeño breaks—when you wrap it in the bacon, it will be fine. Wrap the pepper tightly in the bacon and skewer.

Bake at 350° on a lined sheet tray for approximately 5 to 20 minutes, or until bacon is crispy and jalapeño is a bit tender. Eat them now or let cool and finish them on the grill later in the day, or 2 to 3 days later.


For the Tomato Apricot Chutney:
Yields 2 cups. Can be made in advance. Serve at room temperature or heat as you need it in a sauce pan with a little water.

2 lbs. fresh plum tomatoes, large diced
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 c. onions, minced
1 oz. olive oil
 1/4 lb. of dried apricots, medium diced
 1/4 c. cider vinegar
3/4 c. sugar
 1/4 tbs. yellow mustard seeds
 1/4 tbs. black mustard seeds
1 bay leaf
1/4 t sp. white pepper
1/2 tsp. salt

Sauté onions and garlic in the olive oil, until clear. Add the tomatoes and peaches. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients to the tomato and peach mixture. Simmer on low heat until the chutney has thickened.

Web Only: Milky Way Mac ‘n Cheese | Serves 2

1 1/2 lb. Velveeta Cheese
6 oz. butter
2 1/4 c. milk
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 1/2 c. macaroni noodles
1 piece slab bacon
1 c. medium cheddar cheese, grated
1 c. Pecorino cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to taste

For cheese sauce:
On high heat, mix milk, Velveeta, butter and cayenne in a heavy-bottomed sauce pot. Stir continuously so ingredients don’t scorch.

For bacon:
Dice bacon into 1/2-inch pieces. Bake until golden. Lay on paper towels to drain excess grease.

For macaroni:
Cook and drain. Chill in an ice bath.

In frying pan, mix macaroni, 1 c. cheese sauce (or more if you prefer), a generous tablespoon of bacon, and a sprinkle of cheddar and pecorino. Bring to simmer, allowing the cheeses to melt. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve:
Put macaroni on plate, Top with the rest of the cheddar and pecorino. Additionally, you may add a few drops of white truffle oil on top for “white truffle mac n’ cheese.”

Web Only: The Milky Way's Bread Puddin' | Serves 6

This sinfully delicious bread puddin' is composed of four layers: a bread base, chocolate followed by bread, and then a crème brûlée top.

1 loaf white bread, divided in half
8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 c. heavy cream
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 vanilla bean or 1/2 tbs. vanilla extract
8 egg yolks

For each bread loaf half:
Trim off crusts. Cut each bread slice into 9 square pieces.

For the crème brûlée:
Bring cream, sugar and vanilla bean just to a boil, then turn heat off. While whisking egg yolks quickly, slowly temper in the hot cream mix. If using vanilla extract instead of bean, add when cream/sugar/yolk mix is cool.

For preparation:
Coat a deep terrine mold or large bread pan (4-inches deep) in butter or non-stick spray. Evenly layer half the bread, then the chocolate and the remaining bread. Pour the crème brulee over the top ensuring it's absorbed evenly. Place the 4-inch deep pan in a 6-inch-deep pan of the same shape. The 6-inch pan should have 2-inches of water at the bottom. Cover in foil, bake at 325 degrees for almost 3 hours (less time if the bread puddin' is shallow), rotating the pan at least once.

When the bread pudding has a firm jiggle in the center, or the puddin'
slightly souffes evenly, remove the foil and brown the top for about 10
minutes.

For serving:
Serve warm, about 1 hour after you take it out of the oven. Serve withhot caramel sauce and whipped cream, or 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream.