Now that it’s fall, it is the perfect time for me to share one of my go-to quick weeknight dinners: Chicken Pesto Meatballs.
This recipe for Chicken Pesto Meatballs is equally easy, quick, and delicious – you’ll be amazed at how flavorful these meatballs are!
The below recipes serves the meatballs with a pesto pasta, but we have also enjoyed the chicken pesto meatballs on a bed of salad greens, with rice and vegetables, or on their own as an appetizer.
Ingredients:
Chicken Pesto Meatballs:
1/2 cup homemade or store-bought pesto (if buying store bought, I strongly suggest going to the prepared foods section of the supermarket to see if they have any freshly made pesto rather than jarred)
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 large egg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound ground chicken
1/2 cup grated parmesan
Pesto Pasta:
16 oz pasta of your choice (my favorites are fusilli and orzo for this recipe)
One of my favorite parts of being a member of a CSA is the abundance of tomatoes that they provide. During tomato season, I gobble up tomato sandwiches, salads filled with tomatoes, and basically any tomato-filled recipe I can. Recently, even I had more tomatoes than I knew what to do with, so it felt like the right time to make some homemade gazpacho, or more specifically, Juicer Gazpacho Shooters!
As I gathered my ingredients, my husband asked if I was using our Hurom H320 Cold Juicer (paid link) to make the gazpacho. Now, why didn’t I think of that?
let’s take a moment for my pretty tomatoes
These Juicer Gazpacho Shooters are so easy to make! Most ingredients are added straight into the hopper, and the juicer does the hard work for you.
The result is a beautifully silky-smooth gazpacho, perfect for serving in small shooter glasses (paid link) for a great summer party appetizer or a fun start to a meal.
Note: I was sent samples of Rovagnati Charcuterie Trio in order to make these Antipasto Skewers. Opinions are mine alone.
I love a handheld party appetizer. And I also love a charcuterie or cheese board. So it should come as no surprise that I think Antipasto Skewers are absolutely delightful.
Luckily, Rovagnati gave me the perfect excuse to share this recipe for Antipasto Skewers, featuring their Charcuterie Trio!
source: rovagnati.us
Rovagnati, the renowned charcuterie company committed to preserving Italian traditions, recently introduced their No-Nitrites-Ever Salami Line and their Antipasto Italiano Trio. Crafted at Rovagnati’s U.S. factory, the No-Nitrites-Ever Salami Line utilizes selected noble cuts of the finest meat, following a USDA-approved Italian curing and fermentation method. The long and slow curing ensures a high-quality product that maintains the authentic flavors synonymous with Rovagnati’s heritage.
source: rovagnati.ussource: rovagnati.us
Rovagnati sent me samples of two of their Trios: The Charcuterie Trio and The Salami Trio.
The Charcuterie Trio includes sliced Prosciutto Crudo, Salame Milano, and Salame Napoli
The Salami Trio includes Salame Milano, Hot Soppressata, and Salame Napoli
Both Trio’s are the perfect size for making Antipasto Skewers; one 6 oz container is enough for about 9 skewers. I used the Charcuterie Trio below, but you can easily substitute in the Salami Trio.
Some recipes, like this one for Italian Sausage Bread, are so easy and yet are oh so satisfying. My mother-in-law seems to have an endless supply of sausage bread prepared at her house, so I never really thought to make it myself until this past year. Now that I have, I know it is the perfect make-ahead option to keep in your freezer!
This sausage bread can be made with either hot Italian sausage or sweet Italian sausage. I suggest changing the color of the pepper you use inside so that when you have it out for snacking, everyone knows what they are about to bite into. (I used red in these photos because I was making one with hot Italian sausage; I use green in my sweet Italian sausage breads.)
Before I share this recipe for Cheesesteak Dip, I will be honest. I’m not a football fan. But I am a fan of bragging about Philadelphia, so I have to at least acknowledge the Eagles heading back to the Super Bowl! And, naturally, I’m doing it the only way I know how: through food.
There are quite a few “Philly Cheesesteak Dip” recipes out there, but as a Philadelphian, I’m a bit perplexed with why they all have bell peppers in them. I have never had a cheesesteak with bell peppers on it! So, I decided it was time for me to do my version. It doesn’t taste exactly like a cheesesteak (the cheese-to-steak proportion is out of whack), but it’s tasty and in the end, maybe that’s all that matters!
I am a “provolone wit” kinda girl, so my recipe is based on that: sauteed onions, a mixture of sharp and mild provolone, and shaved beef.
Ingredients (makes 16 servings):
2 tablespoons butter (or vegetable oil, if preferred), divided
Note: I was sent samples of Spero Sunflower Cheese Products in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.
It’s the time of year where having a few party appetizer recipes on hand can be very helpful, especially ones that you can create quickly and travels well, if needed.
I prefer to have some recipes that can fit different dietary needs, including an appetizer or two for dairy-free or vegan friends and family.
This recipe for Vegan Cranberry Goat Cheese Pistachio Truffles is made with Spero Alternative Goat Cheese. Spero, a plant-based company that offers sustainable and affordable cheese and egg alternatives, such as Spero’s Sunflower Cheese products. Spero has a bunch of yummy flavors of their cheese spreads, including The Goat, which is a smooth and tangy taste very similar to goat cheese.
Plus, this recipe is super simple and has just four ingredients!
Note: I was sent a copy of America’s Test Kitchen The Complete Modern Pantry Cookbook in order to write this review. Opinions are mine alone.
Recently, my husband and I moved to the suburbs. One of the biggest adjustments has been having to make basically every single meal at home, where when we lived in Philadelphia, we were able to get amazing takeout whenever I was too wiped to cook or hadn’t gone food shopping.
So when I was contacted to review America’s Test Kitchen The Complete Modern Pantry Cookbook (paid link), I jumped at the chance. This book gives you more of a blueprint than tried and true recipes so that you can easily use whatever you might have on hand. The Complete Modern Pantry has a ton of information and tips to help home cooks reduce waste, save money, and get the most out of their grocery purchases.
The CompleteModernPantry is anchored in the realization that every pantry is unique. Rather than expect all readers to have similarly stocked pantries, the recipes and suggestions in this book focus on what the ingredients do for the finished dish, instead of what they are. This book also looks to remove many of the common hurdles to creativity by empowering home cooks to:
Utilize a wide range of tangible variations and suggested improvisation to core Test Kitchen recipes so new ingredients don’t need to be purchased.
Understand key principles to everyday recipes (and some not-so-everyday) so they feel confident iterating on them based upon what is on hand in their kitchen.
Recognize how simple changes to a few ingredients in a recipe can make a big impact on the appearance and flavors of a dish- getting rid of the monotony of common meals.
The book has plenty of information on how to store fruits and vegetables in a way that will extend shelf life, recipes that rely on frozen items such as frozen tilapia which is cost effective are included as are tips on making the most of ingredients.
I was really impressed with a lot of the main dishes in this cookbook but I couldn’t stop thinking about this recipe for Spicy Carrot Dip that would be perfect to serve last minute guests, so I wanted to highlight it here.
This recipe uses fresh carrots, plus a bunch of spices and hot sauce to deliver a flavorful dip! I actually had all of these ingredients already on hand, making it super easy to make.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for serving
From August to October, figs are in season. Whenever I come across fresh figs, I just have to buy them!
I’ve shared recipes in the past using this yummy ingredient — everything from adding it to a flatbread to turning it into a cookie filling to using it in a jam.
So today I figured I’d go a little simpler with a favorite appetizer: Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Figs!
This recipe is so easy, and uses just 4 ingredients. They are great for parties or just as an appetizer with friends.
Smoky Baba Ganoush is one of those appetizers that basically any time I see it on a menu, I feel the need to order it. The eggplant-based appetizer, originating from Lebanon, uses grilled eggplant, tahini, olive oil, and lemon juice to make a smoky dip that is perfect for outdoor eating.
It’s also a great way to use up a bunch of eggplant if you happen to have a few on hand. There are a bunch of recipes out there for oven roasting the eggplant, but there really is no substitute for the flavor added to the dish by grilling.
Ingredients (serves 4 as an appetizer):
2 pounds Italian eggplants (~2-4 eggplants, depending on size)
Note: I was sent vinegar from Lindera Farms, including their Ramp Vinegar, in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.
Hands down, my favorite summer produce are tomatoes. Peak tomato season in the Philadelphia area begins just after July 4th and continues through mid-October, so it is the perfect time to share a recipe highlighting tomatoes like this Homemade Bruschetta!
Luckily, tomato season has coincided with the opportunity to try out a bunch of yummy vinegar from Lindera Farms, a small artisan vinegar producer in Virginia.
source: www.linderafarms.com
Lindera Farms takes locally and sustainably sources agricultural products and ferments them into wines which are then aged into vinegar. They have a wide selection of vinegars (nearly 30 types!) and pantry goods, including soy sauce, hot sauce, and syrups.
The ingredients from Lindera Farms are raised in a non-interventionist process, meaning they don’t introduce anything to the growing process. The process is subject to the whims of the environment completely; think Darwinian farming. The positives of this practice are that you get these stronger, more resilient, more flavorful fruits, herbs, and flowers with no carbon footprint or residual impact to the environment.
The results speak for themselves. The few vinegars I’ve sampled so far all have incredibly different flavors, acidity, and finish than what you can typically find in your supermarket. For example:
The Gardener Vinegar came about through Lindera Farms’ continued efforts to curb food waste. They collect organic summer vegetables from small local farms to make a complex and vegetal vinegar. The result is a very high acidic, savory vinegar with notes of cucumber, tomatoes, peppers and leeks. Lindera Farms suggests using it with salad greens, summer veggies, fish, or poultry, or even adding it to your favorite Bloody Mary recipe (I love this idea!)
Lindera Farms’ Apple Cider Vinegar is made with organic Virginian Heirloom Apples, and then is aged with applewood, adding a smooth, smoky finish. The Apple Cider Vinegar has a medium acidity, and medium-low sweetness, and can be used anywhere you’d use traditional apple cider vinegar, or just for probiotic consumption. (I used it in a pulled pork recipe, and it was fantastic)
I used the Ramp Vinegar in the recipe below. Ramps are a garlicky wild onion, and the ones in this vinegar are foraged in the woods of the Shenandoah valley. The result is a savory vinegar with notes of garlic, ramps, and onions with medium acidity. Lindera Farms suggests using it as a substitute anywhere you might use lemon and garlic in a dish. (I recently used it in my Italian Pasta Salad)
I have yet to tap into the other Lindera Farms vinegars, but I’m sure they are going to be just as delicious.
Traditional bruschetta uses balsamic vinegar, but I thought the garlic/onion flavors in Lindera Farms’ Ramp Vinegar would enhance the fresh flavors of the tomatoes and basil.
On to the recipe!
Ingredients (serves 4 as an appetizer):
4 plum (roma) tomatoes, evenly diced
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus more for garnish
Since originally making this Edamame Hummus as a snack for Christmas day, I’ve made this recipe multiple times and have gotten rave reviews each time.
Calling this a hummus isn’t exactly accurate: there are no chickpeas in this recipe. The edamame is basically substituted in for them, and it makes for a light, citrusy spin on one of my favorite apps/dips!
I love a good dip. It’s one of my favorite snack to bring to a party — it travels well and are always a hit! As a somewhat recent owner of COSORI 6 Qt Electrical Pressure Cooker and I had yet to use it for beans, so I needed to change that! In case you didn’t know, you can use an electric pressure cooker (or multi-cooker) to cook dried beans relatively quickly, without needing to soak them overnight or boil them for an hour.
This Pressure Cooker Black Bean Dip can be made in about 1 hour, and is creamy and flavorful, and comes topped with all the fixins!
Ingredients:
Seasoning blend:
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Other ingredients:
1 1/2 cups uncooked black beans, rinsed
1 red onion, chopped and divided
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
2 cups vegetable broth or water
1 tablespoon olive oil
seasoning blend (above), or 1 1/2 tablespoons taco seasoning
the zest and juice of 1 lime
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
For serving:
bell peppers, finely chopped (I used mini sweet peppers for more color)
I know that most of us are probably partied out. But it can never hurt to have some really great (and easy) party appetizer recipes on hand, like these Baked Cranberry Almond Brie Bites, right?
This recipe for Baked Cranberry Almond Brie Bites is a bite-sized version of baked brie wrapped in puff pastry; some versions of baked brie are stuffed with jam and nuts. This mini version uses mini phyllo cups stuffed with brie and cranberry sauce, then is topped with toasted almonds and fresh thyme. Mini phyllo cups (paid link) are typically available in the dessert frozen section of the supermarket.
My goodness, 2018 was a quick year. I cannot believe it’s the end of December! I wanted to post a recipe that would be welcome at any New Year’s Eve party, and with the help of a pressure cooker, can be made in no time with little effort!
This recipe for Pressure Cooker Spinach Artichoke Dip takes just 20 minutes to make – you dump most of the ingredients in (including the frozen spinach, no need to defrost!) and let it do its thing.
It can also easily be doubled to serve a large crowd; just make sure your multi-cooker is large enough to hold it all!
Ingredients (serves 8):
1 (10 oz) box frozen chopped spinach
1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (8 oz) block cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 (8 oz) container parmesan cheese
1 (8 oz) bag shredded low moisture mozzarella cheese
