Pistachio crisps

Although we had these for an appetizer one evening, they'd also make a great dessert, maybe by just upping the sugar content a smidge...?

Pistachio Crisps

A batch of Thin Pizza Dough
Olive oil
1/2 to 1 c pistachios, chopped extra fine
Raw sugar
Kosher salt (optional - only use if pistachios are unsalted)

Preheat oven to 450 with the rack near the bottom.  Roll out the dough as thin as possible and place it on a parchment covered baking pan.  Spread a thin coat of oil on the top and sprinkle with the nuts and sugar.  Add salt only if needed.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, checking carefully after 15.  Cut into pieces and store in a tight container.

Appetizers index

Artichoke and Spinach Dip

Artichoke Pesto

Candied Jalapeños

Crostini with Lentil Topping

Edamame Hummus

Figs Wrapped in Bacon

Greek Stuffed Mini-Bell Peppers

Hot and Spicy Chips

Hot Chestnuts

Hummus

Italian Stuffed Mushroom Caps

Jalapeño Poppers

Maple Chicken Wings

Muhammara (Roasted Red Pepper Dip)

Peanut Butter Hummus

Roasted Garbanzo Beans

Queso Fundido with Chorizo

Stuffed Olives

Warm Brie with Cranberry Chutney

Queso fundido and endive salad

I had to laugh, hard, when I found out that Queso Fundido means "melted cheese."  I found this particular recipe for it in Martha Stewart Living magazine, but you can grab it online at the link above.  I paired it with her Endive Salad, which was very tasty.  The two dishes worked well together.  I made a few modifications, but not enough to really bother mentioning :-)

Peanut butter hummus?

I know it sounds a bit bizarre, but think about it.  Peanut butter isn't really that different from tahini when you think about just the flavor profile.  And basically what this version does is to sub one for the other, plus add some cumin and yogurt.  It's quite good...don't knock it till you try it...and thanks to Trevor, whose obsession with Nigella led to him adapting her recipe :-)

Muhammara - roasted red pepper dip

There are so many variants of muhammara that you are free to experiment with the balance of ingredients to suit yourself.  Here's what suits me:

Muhammara (Roasted Red Pepper Dip)


2 red peppers, roasted
1 c walnuts, toasted
Dash of ground cayenne pepper
1/4 c cracked wheat cracker crumbs
3 T fresh lemon juice
1 T molasses (authentic recipes call for Pomegranate Molasses)
1 t honey
1/2 t cumin seeds
1 t salt
2 T olive oil

Slice the peppers into slabs and place on foil under broiler until completely charred.  Set aside to cool.  Strip off blackened skin.

While peppers cook, toast the walnuts on the stove top until fragrant.  Let cool.  Process the walnuts in food processor until well ground.  Add all the rest of the ingredients and process in bursts until mixture has the texture you want.  Cover with plastic wrap and cool in fridge for at least 30 minutes.  Serve with pita or other chips, or whole wheat crackers.   

Brie with cranberry chutney

I've seen this done many many times, but this recipe caught my eye because the cranberry portion was a speecy-spicey chutney instead of the usual (canned!) cranberry sauce.  Yeah for Hannaford...they figured it out!

Warm Brie with Cranberry Chutney

1 c cranberries, fresh or frozen
1/3 c sugar
1 t fresh ginger, minced
1/3 c golden raisins
3 T cider vinegar
1/4 t ground cloves
1/2 t cinnamon

1 - 8oz wheel of brie
1/4 c sliced almonds
Crackers for serving

In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries through the cinnamon.  Simmer over medium-low heat until all the berries pop, about 10 minutes.  Set aside to cool and thicken. 

Preheat oven to 350.  Place brie on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Top with chutney and bake until the cheese is heated through, about 12 to 15 minutes.  While brie bakes, toast the almonds in a small skillet.  Place brie on serving plate and top with almonds.  Serve with crackers or small bread slices.

Italian Stuffed Mushroom Caps

Not all my friends are as crazy about mini-bell peppers as I am, so I recently tried making my appetizers in mushroom caps instead.  The filling is an Italian-inspired ground beef mixture, related to the Greek Stuffed Mini-Bell Peppers that I already shared. 


Italian Stuffed Mushroom Caps

2 packages (12 oz) of large mushrooms
1 lb ground beef
1 c cooked rice
Salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 c Parmesan cheese, grated
1 T lemon zest
2 T fresh oregano

Preheat oven to 400.  Remove each mushroom stem and reserve for another use. 

Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a bowl by hand.  Using a small spoon, fill each cap and place on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet.  Place on the high-middle rack of the oven and cook for about 5 - 7  minutes.  Turn on the broiler and cook a few more minutes until the meat is sizzling and cooked through. 

Stuffed mini-bell peppers

This is a terrific appetizer that is pretty fast and easy to make, especially if you've got some cooked rice left over.   If you can't get ground lamb, or you just don't like it, another ground meat can be substituted.

Greek Stuffed Mini-Bell Peppers

2 small bags of mini-bell peppers
1 lb ground lamb
1 c cooked rice
Salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 c feta cheese, crumbled
2 T fresh mint, chopped
2 t dried oregano

Preheat oven to 400.  Slice each mini-bell lengthwise, without removing the stem.  Clean out the insides.

Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a bowl by hand.  Using a small spoon, fill each bell and place on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet.  Place on the high-middle rack of the oven and cook for about 5 minutes.  Turn on the broiler and cook a few more minutes until the meat is sizzling and cooked through. 

Chips that pack a punch

Any kind of chips will do, as long as they don't have a strong flavor baked in already!

Simply heat up your chips on a baking sheet covered with parchment.  When they're hot, sprinkle them with grated asiago cheese, paprika, and either some chili powder or ground cayenne pepper.  Hot and spicy goodness!

Skinny guacamole

Honestly, I didn't really like this very much, but Mike thought it was just fine.  I'm not a big fan of zucchini, but I LOVE avocados (I eat about two per week, scooped right out of the 'shell'), so I think my main objection was the dilution of the avocado-y goodness.  If you need to cut calories, or you really like zucchini, I would definitely recommend it.  Skinny Guacamole

Our favorite hummus

Hummus can be dressed up with all kinds of additions, but if you want a plain old good hummus, try this:

Hummus

2 cloves of garlic
15 oz can of garbanzo beans, liquid drained and reserved
1/3 c tahini
2 t sesame oil
1 T olive oil
Salt
2 t lemon juice
1/4 c toasted sesame seeds

In a food processor, whirl the garlic until minced.  Add the garbanzo beans through the olive oil and process until pureed well.  Add some of the reserved liquid if needed.  Scrape into a bowl and add salt and lemon juice to taste.  Stir in sesame seeds.

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...

...or in a 450 degree oven!  Use a heavy serrated knife to make a small cross cut on the rounded tops (just press down, don't try to slice).  Boil them in red wine for 10 minutes (optional) and then pop them into the oven on a cookie sheet for 30 to 40 minutes.  Serve in a dish towel!

Figs wrapped in bacon

Ok, the ultimate in decadence for an appetizer!  Try to get Black Mission figs, fresh.  Even if you think they're kind of boring, once they've cooked down for awhile with the bacon, you get that wonderful sweet and salt thing going on.  I just wrapped each fig in 1/2 slice of bacon and stuck it with a toothpick.  Roast at 450 for 30 to 40 minutes, pouring off the grease as needed.

Candied jalapeños

Sweet with heat...can't be beat!  Scarf them up plain, serve them on a cream cheese schmeared bagel, cook with them if you'd like.  Check out Serious Eats for the recipe!

Jalapeño poppers revisited

 Bacon poppers with jalapeños and sweet peppers

 Crescent roll poppers with jalapeños and sweet peppers

We love jalapeños just about any way they are served, but some of our friends feel differently.  Some love the cream cheese and bacon, but can't take the heat.  Others are vegetarians and love the heat, but don't want the bacon.  So I made about four different batches recently, with every permutation I could think of: jalapeños vs sweet baby peppers, bacon vs crescent roll mix.  Yup, something for everyone!

Crab rangoon...how do you like 'em?

We did a taste test recently.  The biggest surprise actually had nothing to do with the taste, but rather with the way they were folded!  Which do you like better...bird shaped or four-cornered?

Roasted garbanzo beans

I found the easiest and tasiest thing to do with garbanzo beans recently...all thanks to Oil & Butter!  If you haven't visited this website, you really need to.  I mean, spicy cayenne pepper enhanced garbanzo beans?  Crazy good!  Visit the link above for the recipe.

Stuffed olives

Such an easy appetizer or garnish.  I know you can buy these already stuffed, but why?

Stuffed Olives

Large green olives, pitted
Gorgonzola cheese

Cut a few slices of gorgonzola cheese and roll them into thin logs with your fingers.  Break off pieces that are the appropriate size to stick into the pitted olives.  That's it.

Dip for dinner

On Nate, Lizzie, and Katherine's last day with us, Lizzie mentioned how much she liked the Artichoke and Spinach Dip that I had made for them two years ago when Katherine was first born.  I wish she'd said something earlier...I didn't know how much she liked it.

Turns out Katherine likes it too!

We had some good wheat crackers and a Strawberry Salad to go with it.  

Jalapeño poppers

These couldn't be easier! Bake at 400 in a glass baking dish, pouring off the grease occasionally as they brown. They may take around 20 minutes, or even longer, depending upon how crispy you like the bacon.

Jalapeño Poppers

Jalapeño peppers, sliced in half lengthwise and cleaned
Soft-spread cream cheese
Bacon

Fill the pepper halves with cream cheese. Wrap in a slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick.