Our Christmas Filed under ( Appetizers, cheese, holiday food, onions, quick and easy, veggies )

The few days after Christmas is always a little bitter-sweet isn't it. You start boxing up your decorations, cleaning out your fridge and reminisce over Christmases past. We just barely cleaned up from Christmas, including vacuuming about ten pounds of dead pine needles. It feels good to have our house back to normal, but there's also a small emptiness it leaves behind.

We had such a lovely Christmas this year. Normally we go back to Idaho to spend it with family, but this year we stayed in Philly and kept things fairly quiet. I was a little homesick, but ultimately it was really nice not to have to travel and we got to establish traditions for our own little family.

Once of those traditions has always been to eat nothing but appetizers on Christmas Eve and watch Christmas movies until we go to bed. It's a lot of fun and adds to the excitement of the upcoming morning.

Since I was too excited to dig in, my pictures are less then blogworthy, but here's what we enjoyed Christmas Eve with the help of some friends...

Mini Caprese Skewers sitting in a layer of pesto, one of my favorite combos of all time!

I tried my hand at another cheese platter this year. Brie, Gouda and a very pungent Stilton made for a very delicious cheese platter, along with fruit and crackers. The Gouda was by far the crowd pleaser. This was actually my first time trying it and it just might be my new favorite cheese.

We also had a veggie tray, green olives, cured meats, a shrimp platter and a french onion dip with potato chips.
Gotta have chocolate chip cookies for Santa, they're his favorite ;)

Homemade baklava brought by our friends. It was so delicious that my husband ate some despite his pecan allergy. He said it was worth it.


Cream puffs, so easy to pop in my mouth, which is exactly what I did.

These were easily the star of the show. Baguette with Brie and caramelized onions. My friend brought these and I ate about four of them. The onions are sweet and the cheese is creamy, making these an almost dessert-like treat. With the extra Brie left in my fridge, I'm pretty sure I know what I'm doing for New Years!

There were also bacon wrapped scallops and water chestnuts, but I'm pretty sure they were eaten too quickly for pictures. And while I think I'm still full a week later from this feast, what are the holidays without good food right? I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season too, enjoy your last two days of 2010!

Gingerbread House Party and Happy Holidays! Filed under ( Appetizers, cakeballs, candy, Cookies, gingerbread houses, party food, veggies )

Seeing as this is in fact a Blog About Food, I figured it would be only appropriate to post my gingerbread house party. This is the second one I've done in a row, and I'm really hoping it becomes an annual thing, it's so much fun, especially since the entire thing is involving food!

About a month before the party I make the gingerbread houses, which are the same houses my mom has been making for us our entire lives. They are small and simple, but made out of real gingerbread and are so cute. I freeze them, and then the day before the party, I assemble them with hot glue. It's probably not the most traditional way to assemble them, but it's non-toxic, peels right off, and ensures the fewest broken down houses. I also provided the frosting and piping bags, and then everyone brings a different candy to decorate with.


And here you have the fabulous people that came! You'll notice there are no kids, I think adults should be able to have some good, old fashioned Christmas fun too, don't you! I love these girls. Lots of laughing, eating, and staying up way too late, so fun!

And on to the food.

In the crockpot are Li'l Smokies, dressed in a very complicated sauce of ketchup and mustard. Sounds a bit too simple, but trust me, it's fantastic, and everyone is surprised when they find out that's all it is. There was also a veggie tray with a side of ranch dip (gotta keep the veggies around during the holidays!)

Alissa, from Spunky Girl Eats, brought her fabulous stuffed mushrooms, which disappeared SO quickly. Oh my gosh these were good!

I made Melanie, from My Kitchen Cafe's fantastic cheesecake cookies, bejeweled in a strawberry and blueberry pie filling, how pretty are these, great cookies Melanie!

And of course I had to make cakeballs. I made dark chocolate and mint chocolate cake balls, both made with chocolate cake and chocolate frosting. The mint cakeballs are coated in a mint-chocolate shell using the Wilton candy chips. They were good, but not quite minty enough for me, next time I'm going to put some chopped Andes mints right into the cakeballs.

We had other people bring fantastic treats too, but unfortunately I didn't get pictures of it all. Suffice it to say, there was plenty of food to go around!

I'm so happy with the way things turned out, and I'm already looking forward to doing it again next year. Thank you so much girls for making it a fun night!

And now we're getting ready to board a plane tomorrow to Idaho to spend two blissful weeks with my favorite people in the world. Because of that, I'm probably going to be signing off for the year 2009, it's been a great year hasn't it! So a toast!



My family does an eggnog toast every Christmas Eve, but inevitably they get really silly and by the end of the toast we're all in stitches. Since eggnog is so rich, I can't drink a lot of it, but my friend suggested thinning it out with a bit of Sprite or 7up. It might sound a bit crazy, but it's really delicious and cuts the thickness without losing a lot of flavor. I also love that it's bubbly! So here's to a wonderful holiday and a promising new year! Thank you everyone for all of your support and willingness to read throughout the months, it has made food blogging so very enjoyable. I'll see you all in 2010!
Cheers!

Cheese and Pesto Puff Pastries Filed under ( Appetizers, bacon, bread, cheese, party food, pesto, puff pastry )

I know these might not be much to look at, but trust me when i say that this might be the most delicious appetizer you ever make, if not the richest! These puff pastries are stuffed with a sharp provolone cheese sauce, a tangy pesto, crunchy bacon bits, and bright tomato to even it all out. The first time I made these, I didn't add tomato because I didn't think I could make it fit with all the other ingredients, well, I would try hard to make it fit because they are the perfect ingredient to round out the richness of the other ingredients. This is such a delicious party food, and they'll disappear in no time!

I am going to post the original recipe, but here are my notes. I really only need half of the cheese sauce that you are instructed to make, I will definitely half it next time. Also, I wouldn't bother letting this sit in your fridge before cooking. In fact, I think it made them a bit soggy and greasy. The second time I made them, they came out so puffy and crispy, much better. Enjoy!

Cheese and Pesto Puff Pastries
By Favorite Brand Name Appetizers

Ingredients

1 package puff pastry dough, thawed
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
6 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup flour
2 1/4 cups heavy cream
8 ounces sharp provolone cheese, shredded
4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper
fresh plum tomatoes, diced
basil pesto (the refrigerated stuff in the grocery store is the best)
Cooked bacon (4-5 slices) crumbled

Directions

1. Roll puff pastry dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut dough into 3-inch circles. Mix egg and water in small bowl. Brush surface of each circle lightly with egg mixture. Set aside.

2. Melt butter in heavy saucepan. Whisk flour, then cream. Continue stirring until mixture thickens and becomes smooth. Remove from heat. Add Provolone, Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste. Place 2 teaspoons of mixture onto each pastry circle and top each with several pieces of tomato. Add 1/4 teaspoon pesto and a few pieces crumbled bacon to each circle. Cover pastry with another circle of dough and using your fingers, press the edges together to seal. Place pastries on lightly greased baking sheets. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours, or overnight (nah).

3. Preheat oven to 375F. Bake pastries about 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately.


Does this look familiar to anyone? If you are a visitor of Biz's blog, Biggest Diabetic Loser, you know that she's always got such fantastic pictures and food. I always look forward to seeing what she's up to. Well, a few weeks ago, she posted this gorgeous picture after going on a walk during a foggy day. I had commented that I wanted to blow that picture up and hang it on my wall. A day or two later, she sent me the file and I was able to do just that. Isn't it gorgeous! I love my bloggy friends. Thanks Biz, we love it!

Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip Filed under ( Appetizers, artichokes, cream cheese, Dips, party food, spinach, vegetarian, veggies )

I LOVE the holidays!! I love the gatherings, the parties, the music, the lights, even the chill in the air and the occasional snow storm. It is, without a doubt, my favorite time of year. And of course, having the love for food that I do doesn't hurt either. The holidays basically hand you a license to go hog-wild in the kitchen, and it's okay! It's the holidays! It would practically be wrong not to.


This is a dip I served for Thanksgiving, which in our house isn't so much an event, as it is a kick-off, to all of the gorging that will happen for the next month. And now that I've made this dip, I can guarantee that it's going to be making a gooey, cheesy appearance often in our household. This is an Alton Brown recipe, which not only has five stars from a million reviews, but it also takes literally two minutes to make. There is no baking, sauteing, or cooking of any kind. Just a quick mix, and into the warmer (crockpot) it goes, providing giddy flavorful love for all in attendance. Make this dip, use carrots, cracker, bread, a spoon, legos, whatever your heart fancies to dip it in. It will all be delicious!


Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Adapted from Alton Brown

Ingredients

1 cup thawed, chopped frozen spinach
1 1/2 cups canned or jarred artichoke hearts
6 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

Heat cream cheese in microwave for 1 minute or until hot and soft. Stir in rest of ingredients and serve hot. Keep in crockpot if you plan to party all night long.

Corn Fritters with Roasted Tomatoes and Lime Aioli Filed under ( Appetizers, bread, light recipes, main dishes, meat, veggies )

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away?! It's so hard to believe how fast this month has been going. I am starting to look forward to my turkey and mashed potatoes!

I made this a few months ago as a summer dish, but I also think it would serve as a pretty great appetizer for you Thanksgiving spread. The corn fritters are savory with a hint of sweetness, and paired with the roasted tomatoes, prosciutto and aioli, it's a dynamite combo. And if you're not up for adding another dish to Thanksgiving, it can stand pretty well on it's own, we actually enjoyed these for dinner. Enjoy and happy Wednesday!


Corn Fritters with Roasted Tomatoes and Lime Aioli
By Cooking Light

Ingredients

4 ripe tomatoes, halved (about 1 pound)
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
2.25 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/2 cup)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup fat-free milk
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (3 ears)
1/3 cup finely chopped green onions
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon cold water
4 cups loosely packed arugula
4 (1/4-ounce) slices prosciutto

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Arrange tomato halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet. Drizzle tomatoes with 1 teaspoon oil; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bake at 375° for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until tomatoes are soft and have lost a lot of their moisture.

3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and baking powder in a medium bowl. Add milk and egg; stir until smooth. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, corn, green onions, and salt.

4. Heat 1/2 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Drop batter by level tablespoonfuls into pan to make 6 fritters; cook 2 minutes or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges are golden. Carefully turn fritters over; cook 2 minutes or until golden. Repeat procedure with remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil and remaining batter.

5. Combine mayonnaise, juice, garlic, and water. Place 1 fritter on each of 4 plates. Top each with 1 tomato half and 1/2 cup arugula. Repeat layers with remaining fritters, tomato halves, and arugula, ending with fritters. Top each serving with 1 prosciutto slice; drizzle with 4 teaspoons aioli.

Spooky Eight Layer Bean Dip Filed under ( Appetizers, party food, quick and easy )

I may have just added the spider web as an excuse to make an eight layer bean dip for a Halloween party! I know that these kinds of bean dips are common and made frequently, but I'm actually pretty proud of mine, it's so yummy! The picture shows the bean dip in a smaller pan, but I'm going to give the recipe for a 9x13, just because it's easier. If you want it smaller, just half it, there's really no science to it.

Ingredients

1 can refried beans

1 8oz pkge sour cream

1 8oz pkge cream cheese

1 pkge dry taco mix

1 1/2 cups guacamole or diced avocados

1 can sliced olives

1 bunch slices scallions

1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese

3 tomatoes seeded and chopped

1 head romaine or iceburg lettuce chopped

Directions

With your kitchen mixer combine sour cream, cream cheese and taco seasoning. Beat until smooth. In 9x13 inch pan spread refried beans, cream cheese mixture, guacamole, olives, scallions, tomatoes, cheese and lettuce. Chill until served. Serve with tortilla chips.

Baked Caprese Salad on Ciabatta Filed under ( Appetizers, bread, cheese, quick and easy )

I think one of the biggest reasons I keep food blogging is because of how much I enjoy getting to know my food bloggy friends. Even though we only know each other through the world wide web, I still feel as though I have made great friends who share the same love for food.

However, I also have the pleasure of know two of my food bloggy friends in person, Sara from Sara in the Kitchen, and Alissa from Spunky Girl Eats, and it's been so fun having friends that are perfectly content discussing food for hours on end (because I know I can!). So we finally decided that it was time we come together and enjoy good food and good company for a food blogger's lunch.

I contributed the appetizer and salad, which I will feature tomorrow. I kept the appetizer very simple, but oh so delicious by making a baked caprese salad on ciabatta. I don't think I could possibly ever get enough of the tomato, mozzarella and basil combination, it's without a doubt the best threesome out there (Donna, that's for you!)

This is such a cheesy and flavorful appetizer, and converts very easily into a panini if you'd prefer it as a meal instead. It requires few ingredients and takes about ten minutes to throw together. Just be sure to use FRESH mozzarella. It melts so much better and has such a good flavor, cheesetastic!


Baked Caprese Salad on Ciabatta

Ingredients

1 ciabatta baguette, sliced
1 small block fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced thinly
4-5 Roma or campari tomatoes, sliced
6-7 fresh basil leaves, sliced into ribbons
olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions

Place ciabatta slices on baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and bake at 400 for 3-5 minutes, or until browned and toasted. Top with 1-2 tomato slices each, sprinkle salt and pepper. Then top with 1 slice of mozzarella. Sprinkle salt and pepper again and bake at 400 for 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted and just starting to bubble. Just before serving, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle fresh basil. Serve warm.

Be sure to check out Sara and Alissa's blogs for additional fantastic recipes!

Lettuce Wraps Filed under ( Appetizers, main dishes, party food )

If you ever go to Cheesecake Factory, you MUST try the lettuce wraps. They are meant to be eaten as an appetizer, but I like to enjoy them as my main course. I like them a little better than PF Changs, just because they are fresher and have much more substance. They also come with three choices of sauce, all of them AMAZING!

But, if you're not planning to go to Cheesecake Factory any time soon, here is my version of the lettuce wrap. I love them in the spring and summer, they are delicious and very healthy.

This recipe can serve 1-4 people, and they store great as leftovers

1 head butter or bib lettuce (you can use iceburg, but it's not near as flexible and velvety as bib or butter)

1-2 cups cooked chicken, either coursely chopped or sliced

1-2 cups shredded carrots

1-2 cups bean sprouts

1-2 cups shredded red cabbage

1-2 cups cooked soba, rice, or spaghetti noodles

1-2 cups salted peanuts

1/2 cup chopped cilantro, if desired

Favorite asian dipping sauce-peanut sauce is my favorite, but there are sweet chili sauces, cilantro sauces, etc that are delicious. Have fun discovering.

Take one lettuce leaf and fill with following ingredients. Either drizzle sauce on top, wrap and eat, or use sauce to dip lettuce wrap. SO GOOD!

This would be an easy and fun food to entertain with, people are always pleasantly surprised with how good they are despite their simplicity.

1-2

Prosciutto and Gorgonzola Toasts with Herb Garlic Cream Filed under ( Appetizers )

I know you're probably getting sick of all these appetizers, I just can't help myself! I found this one in Cooking Light, and it actually calls for trimmed beef tenderloin, but I used diced prosciutto instead. It was so good that I really could have just had these for dinner!

1 pkge diced prosciutto (or sliced ham, trimmed beef tenderloin, sliced roast beef, whatever sounds good)

30 1/4 inch thick slices diagonally cut french bread baguette, toasted (or not, I actually didn't toast mine)

10 TB herb garlic cream (recipe to follow)

30 baby spinach leaves

5 TB crumbled gorganzola cheese

Spread each baguette slice with 1 tsp herb-garlic cream; top each with 1 spinach leaf. Divide evenly among bread slices; sprinkle each iwth 1/2 tsp cheese. Yield 30 appetizers.

Herb Garlic Cream

2/3 cup fat-free sour cream

2 TB minced fresh chives

2 TB low-fat mayo

1 1/2 TB chopped fresh thyme (I used dried and it was fine)

1 1/2 tsp Worchestershire sauce

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 garlic clove minced

*I had quite a bit of leftover ingredients after making this, so I made a panini the next day by hallowing out half a loaf of regular french bread, spreading herb-garlic spread and adding prosciutto, gorganzola, spinach, tomatos and salt and pepper. I pressed in on a hot skillet for about five minutes on each side and it was HEAVEN. It made me want to buy a panini press!

Sweet Chips and Salsa Filed under ( Appetizers, party food )

I found this idea in a magazine and became very intrigued. It turned out to be a BOWL of HEAVEN. The guests loved it, I loved it, and it was gone by the end of the day.

10-8inch tortillas, cut into 8 triangles each

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cinnamon sugar

small carton strawberries, rinsed and diced into 1 cm cubes

3-4 kiwi chopped same

2-3 oranges chopped same

small can pineapple tidbits rinsed

2-3Tb sugar

1-2 tsp lemon juice

Brush tortilla triangles with butter, sprinkles each chip generously with cinnamon sugar. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes, until crisp. Combine fruit, add sugar and lemon juice.

*If you are not going to serve this right away, you may want to drain it right before serving it. It gets juicy pretty quick.

Combine

Let the grocery store help you out. Filed under ( Appetizers, food tip, grocery treasures, party food )

One of my favorite things about cooking is the actual process that it takes to create a dish and make it look appealing. BUT, there are also times when stress and busy schedules have gotten the best of you and you need some help. That is when you cheat and look for some easy shortcuts.

The latest shortcut I found were these little phyllo dough tart cups at the grocery store freezer in the pastry section. They come empty, but you can fill them with anything you want, bake them and you're done. Chocolate, a pastry cream, spinach, blue cheese and cranberries, not all at once though, that would be gross! These bacon quiche cups probably took me a collective 10 minutes to make, minus baking time. Here was my filling:

1/2 cup ricotta (use low-fat, you can't tell a difference)

1 egg

1/2 cup mozz

1/2 cup cheddar

6 oz bacon

1 onion chopped finely

1/2 tsp garlic powder

dash cayenne

dash black pepper

You could probably fill about 60-70 tarts with just this, so you may want to half it with a smaller crowd.

Mix all ingredients together, fill phyllo cups and bake at 350 for 10 minutes. These are good warm and at room temp. This was another dish that disappeared first, but they are also very tiny, so don't be shy about serving a lot, they will be gone by the end of your party.

One of the BEST summer dips Filed under ( Appetizers, Dips, onions, party food, tomatoes )

This is such a healthy and refreshing dip to serve when the weather gets warm. It's also so easy:

2 cans black beans-drained and rinsed

2 can corn-drained

1 red onion chopped

2 avocadoes chopped

1 red pepper chopped

1 yellow or orange pepper chopped

2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes halved

1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 TB lime juice

1-2 tsp chili powder

1-2 tsp salt (kosher salt if you have it)

1-2 TB olive oil

Combine all of the veggies, including cilantro. In a small bowl combine lime juice, chili powder and salt. Then, wisk in olive oil to desired consistency. Add dressing to salad and toss well. Serve with tortilla chips.

Tips:
When making any sort of dish like this, it is best when all ingredients are chopped, as close to the same size as possible.

Citrus is so important when making anything with fruit or vegetables in it. It prevents browning and maintains freshness longer.

Some other easy party ideas Filed under ( Appetizers, party food )

Make small toothpick kabobs using different kinds of olives, cheeses and meats. Adding pickles, crackers and other veggies tops this appetizer well, and people will love how easy they can grab one with no need for utensils.

Spinach-Feta Puff Pastries Filed under ( Appetizers )

I entertain a lot, so I'm always looking for good appetiziers/party food. I came across these and ended up making them a few more times after receiving such positive responses. They aren't difficult at all and require few ingredients.

Keep in mind, I don't really measure when I cook, it bores me, so I'm not exact on my measurements, but don't let that stop you. Decide yourself if you like it better one way or another and go with it. The food will taste better and the experience will be much more enjoyable.

Spinach Puff Pastries

1 pkge frozen puff pastries-thawed

1 small box frozen spinach-thawed and squeezed dry

4 oz feta cheese crumbled

2 garlic cloves

salt and pepper to taste

Combine spinach, feta, garlic and s&p.

Using flour roll out puff pastries individually until they are about twice the size you began with. Cut pastry into three inch squares. Fill each square with about a tsp of spinach mixture. Use your fingers to trace water along the sides of the pastry and fold one corner to the corner across diagonally, forming a triangle. Seal the pastries by pressing a fork along the edges. Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes, or until brown and puffed. Best if served warm.

Roast Beef Finger Sandwiches with Herb Cream Filed under ( Appetizers, beef, cheese, main dishes, party food, sandwiches )

Don't let the simple look of these little sandwiches fool you, they pack a powerful punch!

About two years ago, when my little food blog was but an infant and I wasn't sure if I was going to catch the food blogging bug or not, I posted this appetizer recipe. I had gotten the idea from a Cooking Light magazine, and they were so good that for the past two years I've never completely gotten them out of my head.

I did things a bit different this time and turned these into finger sandwiches instead of toasts, which is how they originally appear in the recipe. For toppings I used roast beef, Gorgonzola cheese, salami and a mixture arugula and spinach. But what really makes these babies pop is the sauce you use to coat both pieces of bread. It's a very simple mixture of sour cream, mayo, Worcestershire, garlic and herbs, but the taste is so unique and unforgettable, and absolutely perfect for a whole variety of different toppings. I'm already planning on making myself a nice little panini with the stuff tomorrow! These little sandwiches are perfect for parties, baby or bridal showers, or just those quiet moments when your kids are napping. Hope you enjoy!

Finger Sandwiches with Herb Cream
Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients

1 loaf soft white or sour dough bread
1 package deli thin sliced roast beef (or preferred meat), cut to fit size of sandwich
1 package salami, cut to fit sandwich
1/2 cup Gorgonzola
handful of spinach and arugula

Herb Cream:
2/3 cup fat-free sour cream
2 TB minced fresh chives
2 TB low-fat mayo
1 1/2 TB chopped fresh thyme (I used dried and it was fine)
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove minced

Directions

Stack bread on top of each other, about four high. Slice in half, and then trim off all crust. To assemble sandwiches, spread herb cream on each slice of bread. Add all ingredients to one slice of bread, and top with the second. Press gently on sandwich and secure with toothpick if desired. The bread will dry out quickly, so keep covered as much as possible until serving.

Roasted Red Pepper Spread Filed under ( Appetizers, Dips, party food, veggies )

I don't know why, but of all the foods out there, party foods and appetizers are without a doubt my favorite. They are so fun and tasty, and, hence the name party food, they bring people together! I found this recipe in a book called Favorite Brand Name Appetizers. It's supposed to be a spread for slices of baguette, but the flavor of the ranch ended up being WAY too strong, so I thinned it out with plain, fat-free yogurt. Once it became thinner like a dip, I think it really could have gone well with so many things, potato chips, tortilla chips, veggies, a spoon, you name it. It has the flavor of ranch dip, with the sweet, pleasant surprise of the roasted red peppers. I'll post this as I originally found it, but if you want it as a dip rather then a spread, thin it out with yogurt or sour cream.

Roasted Red Pepper Spread

Ingredients

1 cup roasted red peppers rinsed and drained (I used jarred peppers, but roasting your own would be SO good)
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1-1 oz packet ranch salad dressing and seasoning mix
Baguette, chips, or veggies to dip

Directions

Blot dry red peppers. IN a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine peppers, cream cheese, adn salad dressing mix; process until smooth. Spread on baguette, or use chips and veggies to dip.

Delicious Spinach Appetizer Filed under ( Appetizers, cheese, party food, veggies )

The first thing I want to say right now is that this is not a quiche. It really doesn't taste anything like a quiche. In fact, the first time I made this, I mistakenly made this as a breakfast casserole thinking that I could pass it as a quiche, and was mistaken. It has only a few eggs, and a TON of cheese, and so it's very rich.

Having said that, this is an incredible DELICIOUS appetizer. I love spinach, I'd put it in everything if my husband would consent, so this is definitely one of my favorites. It's very easy to make, and can be served at room temperature. If you are entertaining, and you know you'll have some spinach lovers, this won't disappoint!

Spinach Appetizer

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 10-oz packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
4 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup diced red pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Melt butter in 13x9 inch pan.

2. Beat eggs in medium bowl. Add milk, flour, baking powder, adn salt; beat until well blended. Stir in spinach, cheese, and bell pepper; mix well. spread mixture over melted butter in pan.

3. Bake 40-45 minutes or until set. Let stand 10 minutes, cut into triangles and serve.

Should make 4 dozen pieces-this is a rich appetizer, so cut them small.

CEiMB: Kind-a, Sort-a...Not really... Filed under ( Appetizers, asian, CEiMB, chicken, light recipes, main dishes, sauces, shrimp, veggies )

I am crazy for spring rolls. I love how fresh and healthy they are, but with a ton of flavor. So when my turn to host Craving Ellie in My Belly came up, I immediately went for the Soft Asian Summer Rolls with Sweet and Tangy Dipping Sauce. I went to the grocery store(s), only to find that rice paper rounds are no where to be found...anywhere! Arrrrgh! I thought about a variety of substitutes, including the nori wraps used for sushi, but I just couldn't see myself using that for something as delicate as a spring roll.

Finally it hit me that the closest thing to rice paper would be a soft butter lettuce leaf. They're velvety and mild in flavor, plus you get the extra benefit of nutrients and vitamins. This was the moment that Spring Rolls became Lettuce Wraps.



Instead of assembling all of the wraps like you would a spring rolls, I simply laid out all of the ingredients for people to pick and choose what they wanted. I had shredded carrot, cilantro, salted peanuts, cucumbers, rice noodles tossed in sesame oil, chopped chicken and shrimp. I also made the Sweet and Savory sauce in the spring roll recipe, as well as giving the option for a peanut sauce and a sweet chili sauce. I used all three in each of my wraps!

The result? A lunch that I will have again and again! It's quick, easy to assemble, and I feel healthier when I eat it! Later that night since I hadn't quite had enough, I filled a bowl with the rice noodles, piled on a bunch of ingredients with the sauces and went to town. Oh! I love this stuff!

My apologies to CEiMB for not making the Spring Rolls that I in fact chose, but I really did try! Hopefully the lettuce wraps will make a good substitute!

Mini Quiches Filed under ( Appetizers, bacon, cheese, eggs, party food, quiche, side dish )

I always think about quiche this time of year. Maybe it's the eggs, representing Easter. Maybe it's the bright yellow color representing spring. Either way, I'm not complaining because quiche is awesome!

I made these sweeties for a baby shower. I have a thing about turning food mini and these little quiches are much easier to make then you think. A store bought pie crust helps a lot, just line your mini muffin tins with a cut out piece of pastry, fill and bake! They're the best warm, but also taste great at room temp, making them perfect for say an upcoming Easter Egg hunt, or brunch you have coming up!



Mini Quiches
Adapted from Food.com

Ingredients

2 sheets store-bought pie crust
6 slices bacon, diced
1 onions, finely diced
6 eggs
1 cup cream
1 cup grated cheese, I used sharp cheddar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (I used fresh)
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Cook the onion and bacon over a low heat until the onion is softened.

2. Allow to cool a little.

3. Mix together with the eggs, cream, cheese, parsley and salt and pepper.

4. Unroll pie pastry, dish with flour and roll with rolling pin until it's increased in size by about a third. Using a cookie cutter or glass, cut 12 circles from each pastry sheet.

5. Use these to line a greased mini muffin pan.

6. Place about 2 teaspoons of the egg and bacon mix in each pastry base.

7. Bake in a moderate oven for about 12 minutes per tray (or until puffed, golden and set).

8. repeat with remaining pastry sheets and mix.

My kids made paper crowns for their little bunnies, they're so dang cute!

Deviled Eggs-Done Two Ways Filed under ( Appetizers, deviled eggs, eggs, party food, pesto )

My family loves eggs. We like them boiled, scrambled, fried, poached, you name it. My son once woke me up at three in the morning asking for eggs, I think you get the picture. So come Easter time, it's never been tough for us to finish off the two dozen or more eggs that we dye every year, especially knowing that we are going to "Devil" them, or whatever that particular verb might be!

I don't know how deviled eggs got their name, but I do know that can eat about twelve in one sitting! I'm pretty picky about how they are made too, lots of mustard, horseradish, flavor galore. But this year I took a leap of faith and tried a few recipes from this book.

My parents, knowing of my love for deviled eggs, got this for me a few years ago. The first type I tried were the "Pesty Devils" which had pesto and sundried tomatoes in them. They were wonderful, and if you are a pesto fan, you will definitely love them. They are also very easy and require only a few ingredients. The sundried tomatoes aren't essential, but they sure do add a wonderful sweet chewiness.

Pesty Devils
Deviled Eggs

Ingredients

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon drained and chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
6 hard cooked eggs, peeled, cut in half, and yolks mashed in a bowl
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons prepared pesto
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Gently press the sun-dried tomatoes between several layers of paper towel to remove excess oil.

2. Combine to thoroughly mashed yolks with the sour cream and pesto. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and garlic powder. Taste, then season with salt and pepper.

3. Fill the whites evenly with the mixture and garish each egg half with a little dab of pesto.

The second eggs I made were the Tex-Mex Diablos. I loved these for their southwestern taste and the sweet crunch of the corn. It has your classic tex-mex flavors like cumin and chili powder, with the heat of cayenne, delicious! I'm tempted to make this whole thing into an egg salad and wrap it in a tortilla for something really different!


Tex-Mex Diablos
Deviled Eggs


Ingredients

6 hard cooked eggs, peeled, cut in half, and yolks mashed in a bowl
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons corn kernels, drained well
2 teaspoons hot chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoon canned chopped green chiles, drained well
2 teaspoons shredded Monterey Jack, shredded (I didn't use this)
salt and pepper

Directions

1. Combine the thoroughly mashed yolks with the sour cream. Stir in the corn, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne, chiles, and Moneterey Jack. Taste, then season with salt and pepper.

2. Fill the whites evenly with the mixture and garnish each egg half with shredded cheese.



How do you like your eggs?