Tag: Appetizer

Tapenade

Last weekend, friends of mine invited us to an awesome Scotch tasting. They had recently visited Islay and brought back some for us to try as well! Each Scotch was paired with a bite of food to bring out some of the flavors, including oysters, lamb kofta, pheasant sausage and so much more.

I naturally didn’t want to come empty handed so I brought this simple olive tapenade along with me.

Tapenade is a pureed mixture of olives, anchovies, capers and olive oil. Salty foods always pair nicely with spirits, so this recipe was an easy choice to bring to the party.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (9 oz) jar pitted kalamata olives, drained
  • 1 (9 oz) jar pitted green olives, drained
  • 3 anchovy fillets, patted dry
  • 2  garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tablespoons capers
  • 3 fresh basil leaves
  • the juice and zest of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • crusty bread or raw vegetables

Continue reading Tapenade

Grilled Camembert Cheese Plate

Note: I was sent a jar of Maille Rosemary Honey Mustard to try. Opinions are my own.

I’m kind of obsessed with my new Coyote Outdoor Grill. I’ve basically made a game out of finding things I can grill that are a bit outside of the box. (To see some of my other recipes I’ve made using my beloved grill, check them out here.) So, today, I bring you a grilled cheese plate, specifically a Grilled Camembert Cheese Plate.

Cheese with a thick outer rind, like a Camembert or Brie, are perfect for grilling. The inside becomes this beautiful gooey dip that I just cannot get enough of.

Just sticking a round of cheese on a grill honestly wouldn’t make for much of a recipe, so I decided to grill the whole cheese plate! I paired my lovely cheese with Grilled Rosemary Cashews and Brandied Rosemary Cherries. To finish off the plate, I included honey for drizzling as well as Maille’s Rosemary Honey Mustard that comes in the most beautiful green sandstone jar.

I was sent a jar of the Honey Mustard and I knew it would be the perfect addition to this cheese plate!

Ingredients:

For Grilled Rosemary Cashews:

  • 1/2 cup roasted cashews
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon butter

For Brandied Rosemary Cherries:

  • 1/2 cup dried cherries
  • 4 tablespoons Brandy
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • the zest from 1 orange

For Grilled Camembert:

  • 1 Camembert round, at room temperature
  • Olive oil, for brushing

Other Cheese Plate Ingredients:

  • local honey
  • Maille Rosemary Honey Mustard
  • French bread, cut into 1 inch slices and grilled

Continue reading Grilled Camembert Cheese Plate

Carrot Ginger Soup

Like much of the east coast, Philadelphia got hit with a blizzard last weekend. Which meant I had a whole weekend to make a bunch of meals, like this Carrot Ginger Soup!

This Carrot Ginger Soup from Cooking Light is comforting and creamy without any cream! The hint of curry powder brings such a nice warmth to the dish.

It makes 12 servings, so it’s a great recipe to stock your freezer. I love it as a side to my sandwich or salad for lunch!

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (or margarine to make dairy-free)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 7 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth to make vegetarian)
  • 4 cups diced carrots (~1.5 lbs)
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • the juice from 1/2 lime
  • 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Continue reading Carrot Ginger Soup

Seared Scallops with Chestnut Puree

 I absolutely love scallops. My fiance on the other hand does not. So I rarely make them. But when I found myself with a fiance-free dinner recently, it was clear what I was going to make!
This recipe for Seared Scallops with Chestnut Puree from Cooking Light makes use of winter-y ingredients such as chestnuts and blood oranges to make a simple but seemingly fancy dinner.
 The scallops are seared and placed on a chestnut puree, then drizzled with a blood orange vinaigrette. I added some dandelion greens, which have a subtle bitterness to them that is a nice contrast to the sweet chestnut puree.
Ingredients:
  • 1 cup packaged precooked chestnuts
  • 1/2 cup packaged precooked chestnuts, finely chopped
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh blood orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 16 diver sea scallops (about 1 1/2 pounds)
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

Continue reading Seared Scallops with Chestnut Puree

Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers

I was sent quite a few jalapenos as part of my Door-to-Door Organics box, more than I could really use in a normal time frame. So as part of #MyFarm2Table dinner, I decided to make Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers as one of the side dishes to use up the jalapenos.

 

I’m not the biggest fan of super spicy dishes, so after cutting and seeding the jalapenos, I placed them in a bowl of water for at least an hour to try to take some of the heat out of them. There was still some in the peppers, but it did help! (Note: there were still a couple of peppers that packed a punch, so be aware that every pepper is different in terms of heat).

 

For this recipe, I used local jalapeno peppers, and Apple Tree Goat Cheese, both from my Door-to-Door Organics box.

 

Ingredients:

  • 8 jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
  • 4 ounces goat cheese
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Continue reading Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers

Vegetarian Stuffed Zucchini Boats

This post is sponsored by Door-to-Door Organics. All opinions are my own. #MyFarm2Table

These Zucchini Boats were my favorite part of my Farm-to-Table Meal last weekend. Stuffed with mushrooms and mozzarella cheese, the boats were nice and hearty and had great flavor!

For this recipe, I used Local Zucchini Squash, Antonio Fresh Mozzarella, and Local Organic White Mushrooms, all from my Door-to-Door Organics box.

 

Ingredients:

  • 3 large zucchini, halved lengthwise
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 ounces mozzarella cheese, torn into small pieces
  • thinly sliced basil, for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Continue reading Vegetarian Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Homemade Fresh Salsas and Keeping #NaturallyClean with Clorox Green Works

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.
#NaturallyClean #CollectiveBias

 

Having a blog means that I tend to do a lot of cooking for larger groups. I usually show up to any gathering with at least one appetizer or snack for a crowd. Cooking for groups can be a bit of a challenge in my small apartment, so it’s crucial that I can reuse kitchen tools while making different parts of a recipe!

 

Clorox Green Works has a great new product, Pump ‘N Clean, now available in Target. Green Works Pump ‘N Clean can be found in the green section of the cleaning aisle, with the rest of the Clorox Green Works line.

The whole Clorox Green Works line cleans thoroughly and powerfully without using harsh chemicals or leaving any residue. The line includes wipes, dish soaps, detergents, and cleaners that are made with plant- and mineral-based cleaning ingredients. The products are not tested on animals and use environmentally sustainable packaging whenever possible.

From June 14-July 11, you can use the Target Cartwheel app to save 10% on all Green Works products.

 

The Pump ‘N Clean product is both a time saver and a way to keep your kitchen clean and safe. It’s food-safe, so you can use it to clean your knives and cutting boards in between cutting veggies and fruits! (Green Works Pump ‘N Clean is not to be used to clean up after raw meat or raw fish.) To use, just place a dish towel or sponge on top of the Pump ‘N Clean and press down to dispense the liquid. Use the dish towel/sponge to clean your knifes, counters, stove top, whatever needs cleaning! It’s easy to clean are you are cooking, which is a huge time saver!

I wanted to make two different salsas for a friend’s party, a traditional fresh salsa, and a fruit salsa. The traditional salsa is made of fresh tomatoes, red onion, and jalapeno, while the fruit salsa is filled with berries, pineapple, oranges and kiwifruit.  Obviously, mixing the flavors of these two would ruin them both, so it was important that I was able to quickly clean both my knife and my cutting board!

Ingredients:

Fresh Salsa:

  • 3 plum tomatoes, chopped and seeded
  • 1 red onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 jalapeno, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Fruit Salsa:

  •  1/2 cup strawberries, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup blueberries, halved
  • 1/4 cup raspberries, quartered
  • 1 medium orange, peeled and chopped
  • 3 medium kiwifruit, peeled and chopped
  • 1  (8 oz) can unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained
  • the juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon sugar

Continue reading Homemade Fresh Salsas and Keeping #NaturallyClean with Clorox Green Works

Grilled Shrimp on Sugarcane with Coconut Rum Glaze

I live in an apartment that has no outdoor space, so we clearly do not have access to a grill, which is causing me to only want grilled food! Luckily, I have a grill pan so I can get my fix, and I’ve been using it nonstop!

 

 

A really simple weeknight favorite of mine is to grill up some shrimp and serve over rice. This recipe is quick and easy to make, but delivers on flavor! Blue Chair Bay Rum sent me a bottle of their Coconut Rum that I knew would be perfect for a glaze on grilled shrimp. The glaze caramelizes beautifully, adding a nice char and sweetness to the shrimp.

 

I adapted this recipe from a Cooking Light recipe, adding more hints of coconut to play off of the Blue Chair Bay Coconut Rum.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • the juice of one lime
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 24 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 1 1/2 pounds)
  • 6 sugarcane swizzle sticks, each cut into 2 pieces
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup Blue Chair Bay Coconut Rum
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • Cooking spray
  • Coconut rice, if desired

Continue reading Grilled Shrimp on Sugarcane with Coconut Rum Glaze

Steamed Mussels in Saffron Broth

I am so excited to share this dish for Steamed Mussels in Saffron Broth with you for a few reasons:

  1. I love mussels and am always looking for a new recipe to add to my rotation
  2. This recipe looks fancy pants because it has saffron in it
  3. BUT  it’s really simple to make!

 

 

This is actually yet another recipe sent my way through the Cooking Light Diet plan. (That plan is on a roll. The menus are amazing!)  They suggest serving it with an easy rice noodle mixture but if you’re feeling a little more carb-y, you could serve this with day old bread, over rice, or with pasta.

 

This sauce is amazing.  I actually packaged up the leftover broth to use to make rice the next day. Why yes, I did love it THAT much.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons whipping cream
  • 1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice
  • 1/4 cup chicken stock
  • 2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded

Continue reading Steamed Mussels in Saffron Broth

Chicken Satay

I have been meaning to make this recipe forever; seriously, years. I don’t know why it took me this long because it’s a pretty easy recipe, but for some reason I kept putting it off. And boy do I regret that. It’s so tasty! Honestly, what isn’t better with some peanut butter?

 

Chicken Satay is skewered chicken marinated in a peanut sauce that is typically eaten as an appetizer or street food. By adding a side of brown rice, this turns into an easy dinner!

 

This recipe actually has you ground your own peanuts with some other ingredients to make a sauce rather than starting with peanut butter. The result is really tasty!

 

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
  • 1 tablespoon toasted cumin seeds
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (~2 limes)
  • 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 shallot, peeled
  • 1/3 cup light coconut milk
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 serrano chile, stem removed
  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

 

Continue reading Chicken Satay

Baked Avocado and Feta Wontons

With the holidays fast approaching, everyone needs some new appetizer and hors d’oeuvres options for guests. Nasoya must have known I was in need of some new creative recipes, because they sent me a great holiday entertaining kit to try out their Wonton Wraps. The kit included some fun inventive recipes using wonton wraps, so I wanted to share one of them with you!

 

 

 

These Baked Avocado and Feta Wontons come together in 30 minutes and are the perfect bite-sized hors d’oeuvres for your next party. The wraps are filled with a mixture of avocados, sun-dried tomatoes, and feta cheese and are served with a lime flavored dipping sauce.

 

 

Note: I was sent a holiday entertaining kit to review Nasoya wonton wraps. My opinions are my own.

 

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 large avocados, chopped into bite sized pieces
  • 4 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped
  • 24 Nasoya Wonton Wraps
  • 1 egg white
  • the juice of 3 limes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Continue reading Baked Avocado and Feta Wontons

Spinach-Chive Potato Bites with Kerrygold Cheese and Butter

You can always find the signature gold wrapping with green logo in my fridge. Kerrygold is my go-to butter brand for when butter quality is key. My favorite way to use it though is just on a slice of toasted Rosemary Olive Oil Bread, yum!

The Kerrygold brand is a line of all-natural, grass-fed cheeses and butters crafted at dairy farms throughout Ireland. The hormone-free cheese and butters are available around the world but still come from milk supplied from independent dairy farmers within the Emerald Isle. My relatives in Ireland actually own some dairy farms so this concept is pretty close to my heart.

Needless to say, I was so excited to make a recipe using both Kerrygold Butter and Cheese. Through Cooking Light Bloggers’ Connection, I was sent coupons to buy and use some yummy Kerrygold products. I decided to adapt a recipe from the Kerrygold website.

Ingredients:

Potatoes:

  • 15 small yellow, white or red potatoes (about 2 pounds)
  • 1/2 package (3.5 ounces) Kerrygold Dubliner Cheese, shredded, divided
  • 2 tablespoons Kerrygold Garlic and Herb Butter
  • 3 tablespoons milk
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Filling:

  • 1 tablespoon Kerrygold Garlic and Herb Butter
  • 1 cup spinach leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped

Continue reading Spinach-Chive Potato Bites with Kerrygold Cheese and Butter

Bacon, Tomato, and Arugula (BLT) Pizza

I haven’t made a pizza recipe on here in a while (since October! Wow!) so it’s about time I rectified that! I honestly would not have typically chosen this recipe from my latest Cooking Light magazine, but my boyfriend spotted it on the cover and put in a special request. He typically eats whatever I decide to make without complaint, so I figured I could make something out of my typical repertoire just this once 🙂

This BLT Pizza is pretty self explanatory: pizza with bacon, “lettuce” (arugula), roasted tomatoes, and even a mayo base. It does take some time to make though (~1 hour) so either plan accordingly on a weeknight or save this recipe for a weekend!

This is also the first time I used a pizza stone (very exciting, I know). I’ve apparently had this little guy for a while but completely forgot about it! If you don’t have a pizza stone, just use a large cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound ripe tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 cup canola mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
  • 2 garlic cloves, grated
  • 4 center-cut bacon slices, cut in half
  • 10 ounce fresh pizza dough
  • 1 tablespoon cornmeal (if needed)
  • 2 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup baby arugula

Continue reading Bacon, Tomato, and Arugula (BLT) Pizza

Grilled Octopus Salad

A while back, I was given the opportunity to visit Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse. Naturally, I jumped at the chance. Davio’s has been a staple in the Philadelphia food scene for a while now. Located in Rittenhouse Square, Davio’s still seems to be a bit of a hidden gem due to it’s location on the second floor of a building, although it isn’t difficult to find (the entrance on 17th Street is clearly marked).

The restaurant is known just as much for it’s service and ambiance as it is it’s delicious food. The staff really know how to make your night feel special. The dining room’s large windows and tall ceilings add to the traditional and comfortable feel of the restaurant — it is located in the historic Provident Bank Building. The space is also equipped with a bar that I hear is quite a popular destination for happy hour.

 

My entire meal was absolutely delicious. Every dish seemed to be better than the last! I have included a run down of everything we ate (we basically needed to be rolled out of the building) and I also wanted to try my hand at one of the specials they were serving that night: A Grilled Octopus Salad over Arugula.

My version is heavily based on Davio’s with a few changes: Davio’s also included chorizo in their version (yum!) and used yellow peppers rather than red. This was my first time working with octopus so it was a little nerve wracking but turned out amazing!

Ingredients:

  • 1 3-4 lb octopus, cleaned
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1 tablespoon drained capers
  • 3 tablespoons whole peppercorns
  • 2 lemons, 1 sliced and 1 halved
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
  • 2 tablespoons dried thyme
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups baby arugula
  • 2 tablespoons chopped roasted red peppers
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Continue reading Grilled Octopus Salad

Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed mushrooms are one of my favorite appetizers, they always hit the spot! So when Jimmy Dean contacted me about their new Fully Cooked Sausage Crumbles, I knew I wanted to use the crumbles in stuffed mushrooms.

I adapted this recipe from one I found on the Jimmy Dean website. It comes together very quickly, in about 30 minutes. It’s simple enough to whip up when you need an appetizer in no time!

Ingredients:

  • 12 oz medium sized mushrooms, stems removed
  • 1 package Jimmy Dean® Sausage Crumbles, Original
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 eggs
  • ¾ cup dry Italian bread crumbs, divided
  • ½ cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
#spon: I’m required to disclose a relationship between our site and Jimmy Dean. This could include Jimmy Dean providing us w/content, product, access or other forms of payment.

Continue reading Stuffed Mushrooms

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