Chef Ingrid Gundersen from The Lincoln Home Shares a Fun Appetizer Recipe

Tue, 04/20/2021 - 9:45am
Ingrid Gundersen is part of the culinary team at The Lincoln Home. She started cooking as soon as she was able to hold a spoon, helping her mother and grandmother cook whenever they would let her. Ingrid got her first cooking job at 16 then attended Southern Maine Community College’s culinary arts program and has been working in the culinary industry for twenty years. 
 
Chef Ingrid shares, “ I absolutely love the Lincoln Home! The dietary crew I get to work with every day is amazing! I love getting to interact with the residents. My favorite part of my job is getting to prepare the food for the once a week wine and cheese hour, getting to use my creativity and love of garnishing.” 
 
Tulip BLT Bite Bouquet makes a delicious appetizer with a fun and creative presentation:
 
Ingredients:
•8 oz Cream Cheese (Room Temperature)
•4 Slices Pre-Cooked Bacon
•¼ C Mayonnaise 
•½ t Garlic Powder
•Dash of Cholula (or other hot sauce)
•Cocktail or Large Cherry Tomatoes
•Lettuce (for Garnish)
 
Grind bacon in a food processor or chop very fine by hand. 
 
Add cream cheese, mayo, garlic, and hot sauce, pulse food processor till everything is mixed well.
 
Cut an X in a tomato, then slide a paring knife around and pull out all the seeds and guts. Then set upside down to drain any extra liquid. Repeat this process with all the tomatoes. (Other small vegetables can also be good if you do not like tomatoes, such as baby bell peppers)
 
With a spoon or pipping bag, fill each tomato with mixture.
 
Shred the lettuce very small and top each tulip with a little bit. 
 
These  can be servied on a plate with a bed of lettuce or create a bouquet in a vase:
 
For the stems, you need wooden skewers and scallions. Take a scallion, cut the white end off and then carefully push the skewer in through so the scallion surrounds it making sure the pointed end is at the dark green end of the scallion. Repeat process till you have enough stems for the tulips. Then poke each tulip on to the top of the skewers and arrange in a vase. 
 
For more information about The Lincoln Home, please contact Brigit Cavanagh at 207-563-3350, or Brigit@lincoln-home.org. To learn more about activities and amenities offered, visit our new website at www.lincoln-home.org or follow us on Facebook. The Lincoln Home is a non-profit, stand alone community for independent, assisted living, and memory care residents  located at 22 River Road, Newcastle.