This simple appetizer is a perfect starter for a summer dinner. I love the flavor combination of goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh thyme with the grilled zucchini…delicious!

Be sure not to overcook the zucchini on the grill…you just want nice char marks on both sides. Also, cooling the cooked zucchini stips on a wire rack is an important step so they don’t steam and get super limp and mushy. I think the roll-ups were just as good without the Parmesan/broiling step so feel free to skip it if you don’t want to bother with turning on your oven. Enjoy!

Grilled Zucchini & Goat Cheese Roll-Ups
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine
 
Make these ahead, refrigerate them if you like, and broil them briefly before serving. Serve with a first-course green salad or as a side to grilled meat, or as part of an antipasto. Draping grilled vegetables such as zucchini, eggplant, and scallions over a cooling rack prevents them from steaming and becoming mushy. Yields 8 to 10 roll-ups.

3 small zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch thick lengthwise strips
extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt
3 oz. goat cheese, at room temperature
1 Tbs. finely chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, well drained
Heaping 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
2 Tbs. freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Heat a gas grill to high. Brush both sides of the zucchini strips with olive oil and season with kosher salt. Put the strips on the grill at a 45-degree angle to the grates and grill, covered, until well browned and limp, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Check occasionally and move the slices around gently with tongs as necessary so that they brown evenly; don’t undercook them. When done, remove them from the grill and drape them over a cooling rack to keep them from steaming as they cool.

In a bowl, combine the goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, thyme, 1 tsp. olive oil and 1/8 tsp. kosher salt. When the zucchini has cooled completely, spread 1 heaping tsp. of the filling thinly over one side of each grilled zucchini strip (use a mini spatula or your fingers to spread). Roll up the zucchini (not too tightly; this is more like folding), and put them on a baking sheet lined with parchment or foil. Refrigerate if not using within an hour, but bring back to room temperature before broiling. Heat the broiler. Sprinkle with a little grated Parmigiano and brown under the-broiler, about 1 minute.

From Fine Cooking 51, pp. 55
June 1, 2002

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Tags: fresh thyme, goat cheese, Grilling/BBQ, sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, zucchini

If you like any kind of satay, you’re going to LOVE this dip!!! It’s easy to make and extremely versatile because it goes perfectly with a variety of foods: fresh veggies, summer rolls, or grilled shrimp, chicken and pork. When I first saw the list of ingredients, the 1/4 cup of ketchup threw me. But, hey, I trust Ina Garten so I gave it a go.

I followed the recipe, cooking the ingredients as stated then pureed the mixture in the food processor for a creamier texture. For another layer of flavor and a little kick, I added a few tablespoons of coconut milk and a little Thai chili sauce. One word: YUMM!!! This recipe requires very little effort but delivers loads of flavor. Serve it at your next party and I guarantee you’ll get asked for the recipe. Enjoy!!

Satay Dip
-recipe from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten

1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
2/3 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons good red wine vinegar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice

Cook the olive oil, sesame oil, red onion, garlic, ginger root, and red pepper flakes in a small, heavy-bottomed pot on medium heat until the onion is transparent, 10 to 15 minutes. Whisk in the vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, peanut butter, ketchup, sherry, and lime juice; cook for 1 more minute. Cool and serve. Can be stored in the refrigerator for a month. Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Tags: Dip, garlic, ginger root, peanut butter, satay, sesame oil, soy sauce

This salsa rocks! It’s easy to make and can be served with tortilla chips or as a topping for grilled chicken, pork or seafood. YUMM! Husband was skeptical of the mango/avocade combo at first but after his first bite, he was blown away by all the flavor. He then kept commenting on how good it was. I served the chunky salsa liberally spooned over slices of grilled pork tenderloin that had been marinated in a combo of olive oil, orange juice, garlic, red wine vinegar, smoked paprika, cumin and salt/pepper. Delicious!

The only thing I did differently from the recipe was substitute 1/2 a seeded jalapeno for the habanero chile. Next time, I start with less salt then add if needed. The amount of seasoning will depend on the size of avocado and mango being used.

If serving the Mango and Avocado Salsa for company, you’ll probably want to double or triple the recipe because it will disappear quickly! After you make it, let me know how you served it. Enjoy!!!

Note: Always use caution when seeding spicy chiles like habaneros and jalapenos. The seeds and veins inside the chiles can cause skin irritation. There’s lots of info on the web about seeing chiles if you’re not sure.

Mango and Avocado Salsa
-recipe from Martha Stewart Everyday Food

1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and diced medium
1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and diced medium
1 small red onion, diced small
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 to 1 habanero chile (stem and seeds removed), minced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Makes 3 cups.

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Tags: avocado, cilantro, Dip, habanero chile, lime juice, mango, Mexican, olive oil, red onion, salsa, tropical

This morning I played an April Fools’ joke on my kids by serving them Cinnamon-Sugar Sticks that look like french fries with ketchup. This recipe definitely isn’t a meal but it is a fun prank. After a few of the cinnamon sticks, the kids were ready for a real breakfast. The small amount of effort in making the Cinnamon-Sugar Sticks was worth it for the smiles I received.

The Cinnamon-Sugar Sticks are super easy to make, although I complicated things by not using a deep-fry thermometer. Because of this, it took a few small batches before I got the temperature right. I tried frying both stale and fresh bread; both work but the stale bread is a sturdier. Happy April Fools’ Day!   

April Fools’ Fries: Cinnamon-Sugar Sticks
-recipe from Food Network Magazine

Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil to 365 degrees F in a deep skillet. Mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1 to 2 tablespoons cinnamon on a plate. Cut stale white bread into sticks and fry until golden, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels, then roll in the cinnamon-sugar while still hot. Serve with strawberry jelly as ketchup.

Tags: April Fools' Day, cinnamon-sugar sticks, food, french fries and ketchup, prank, trick

I love deviled eggs and I love curry, so it pretty much was a given that I would love the two combined. This recipe is a fun twist on a classic!

Major Grey’s chutney is a type of chutney, not a brand. If you don’t have it (or can’t find it), the eggs will still be good. The chutney just provides another layer of flavor to the egg filling.

A decorating bag makes the stuffed eggs look fancy and labor-intensive when it’s actually super quick and easy to do.  Just spoon the filling into a decorating bag with a tip (I used tip #21), squeeze filling into each egg white in a swirly pattern, and Bob’s your uncle…pretty, swirly-filled eggs. If you don’t have a decorating bag then just spoon the filling into each egg white.

Curried Stuffed Eggs
-recipe from Gourmet Magazine 

Yield: Makes 12 stuffed eggs

6 hard-cooked large eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 1/4 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon bottled Major Grey’s chutney, large pieces minced
1 scallion, chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice
Tabasco to taste

Garnish: thinly sliced scallion green

Cut a paper-thin slice off both ends of eggs and halve eggs crosswise. Force yolks through a sieve into a bowl (or mash with a fork) and stir in remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer filling to a pastry bag fitted with a large ribbon or other decorative tip and pipe into whites, mounding it. The stuffed eggs may be made 6 hours ahead and chilled, covered.

Just before serving, garnish eggs.

Tags: chutney, cumin, curry, deviled eggs, Easter, green onions, hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise, picnic, scallions, stuffed eggs, Summer, yogurt

This delicious, easy-to-make appetizer combines two great flavors: smoky bacon and caramelized onions. YUMM! 

The recipe calls for refrigerated pizza dough in a tube but I used Trader Joe’s fresh pizza dough instead. I had some trouble with the rolled-out dough sticking to itself when I tried to transfer it to the baking sheet, so I ended up rolling it out on parchment paper then transferring both parchment and dough to the baking sheet. Don’t worry if you don’t have caraway seeds or don’t want to buy them–the tart will still be great without them.

Onion and Bacon Tart
-recipe from Paumanok Vineyards
Bon Appétit Magazine, October 2005

Every visitor to Paumanok Vineyards enjoys a warm welcome from owners Ursula and Charles Massoud. She learned viticulture in her parents’ vineyards in Germany; he taught himself to make wine when his job with IBM took the family to the Middle East. Ursula, who is known for her outstanding comfort food, pairs Paumanok’s semi-dry Riesling with an onion tart she makes at harvest time. “It’s traditional in my hometown to serve it when the Riesling juice is still fermenting. The sweetness of the onions matches the sweetness of the new wine.”

Makes 6 servings.

8 bacon slices, chopped
5 cups sliced onions (about 3 large)

1 large egg
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch of ground nutmeg

1 13.8-ounce tube refrigerated pizza dough
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds 

Preheat oven to 375°F. Sauté bacon in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until slightly crisp. Drain all but 1 tablespoon bacon drippings from skillet. Add onions to bacon and sauté over medium heat until onions are very tender but not brown, about 20 minutes. Cool.

Whisk egg, sour cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in large bowl to blend. Stir in cooled onion mixture.

Roll pizza dough out on lightly floured surface to 13×10-inch rectangle. Transfer to baking sheet. Spread onion mixture over dough, leaving 1/2-inch plain border around edges. Sprinkle with caraway seeds.

Bake tart until onion custard is set and crust is golden brown around edges and brown on bottom, about 25 minutes.

Tags: bacon, caramelized onions, onion and bacon tart, pizza dough, sour cream

This hoagie “dip” is not a dip at all. In fact, I refer to it as a deconstructed hoagie because it’s got all the hoagie makings chopped into small pieces that you spoon on top of bread (like a bruschetta topping). It’s very easy to make and people love it!

This recipe is great for improvising (adding or subtracting ingredients to your liking). For the meat, I usually just use salami and deli turkey; the other deli meats would be great in it, too, but I decided to simply the recipe. Other changes I made include: using less onion than called for (about a 1/4 red onion instead of a whole onion); adding chopped red bell pepper and olives (black or kalamata) for color, texture and flavor; substituting Italian dressing for the olive oil for extra tanginess; and serving with baguette slices instead of hoagie pieces.

The recipe calls for chopping everything into bite-sized pieces but I dice everything smaller than that. If you want to save a few bucks, skip making the bread bowl and served the “dip” in a regular bowl. Be sure to put a serving spoon in the ”dip” so that people know to spoon it onto the pieces of bread. Now stand back and watch your friends devour it!

Mary Alice’s Hoagie Dip
-Recipe courtesy Mary Alice Yeskey for Food Network Magazine

8 servings.

1 medium onion
2 pickled pepperoncini peppers
1/2 head iceberg lettuce
1 large tomato, halved and seeded
1/4 pound deli-sliced Genoa salami
1/4 pound deli-sliced ham
1/4 pound deli-sliced prosciutto
1/4 pound deli-sliced roast turkey
1/4 pound deli-sliced provolone cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 10-to-12-inch round loaf Italian bread
8 hoagie rolls, cut into pieces, for dipping

Chop the onion, pepperoncini, lettuce and tomato into bite-size pieces. Dice the meats and cheese.

Combine the chopped vegetables, meats and cheese in a large bowl. Add the mayonnaise, olive oil, oregano, basil and red pepper flakes and stir until everything is all mixed up and tasty. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Carve out the center of the bread loaf to make a bowl (don’t cut through the bottom) and cut the scraps into bite-size pieces. Serve the hoagie dip in the bread bowl, with the extra bread and hoagie rolls to scoop it up. Yummers!

Tags: Appetizer, bruschetta, deli turkey, hoagie dip, provolone, salami

Every party needs a few meaty appetizers to keep the festivities rolling. That’s why I brought these Sweet & Sour Cocktail Meatballs to a party recently. Sure, you can buy store-bought meatballs but I thought these were delicious and worth the effort to make (they are firmer in texture than some spongy, store-bought types). Plus, you can make the meatballs and sauce ahead of time and freeze them for up to a month…a bonus when it comes to preparing for a party!

I was getting lazy towards the end of the meatball rolling process so I started making them a bit bigger. Because of that, I only got 74 meatballs instead of 80 (no big deal, though). I used a regular-sized jar of Smucker’s Apricot-Pineapple Preserves (about 2 cups) and added a splash of cider vinegar to make the sauce a bit more tangy. The smaller you mince the onions, the better because you don’t want chunks of onion the size of the meatballs. And remember to buy the toothpicks to spear them with. 

Make-Ahead Sweet and Sour Cocktail Meatballs
-recipe from Cook’s Country Magazine (December 2009)

We wanted to do as much advance preparation as possible so the meatballs could come together in a hurry the night of a party. We needed a sweet, tangy sauce without any hints of artificial candy flavor and meatballs that wouldn’t dry out in the freezer. Here’s what we discovered:
•Browning the meatballs in a skillet was a pain. Baking them in the oven was much faster and ensured the meatballs browned evenly.
•We found that all of the most common binders—bread crumbs, cracker crumbs, and even cornflake crumbs—dried out the meatballs. We settled on a panade, a paste made from bread softened in milk, to protect our meatballs from the dry cold of the freezer.
•Too much seasoning will overpower the meatballs, but too little will be lost in the sauce. The right balance of salt, pepper, garlic, and parsley complimented the sweet and sour flavor of the sauce perfectly.
•Tomato sauce doctored up with red pepper flakes, Dijon mustard, and a few other key ingredients took care of the sour portion of the sauce. For the sweet, we tested every type of jam and jelly we could think of and settled on one standout.
•Freezing the meatballs and sauce in separate containers eliminates almost all of the last-minute prep work. When it’s time to serve, simply reheat the sauce, dump in the frozen meatballs, and you’re done.
•Use a 1 1/4-inch melon baller or a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon to form the meatballs.

Serves 20.
 
Meatballs
4 slices hearty white sandwich bread , torn into pieces 
1/2 cup whole milk  
2 large egg yolks  
1/2 pound ground pork  
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley  
2 garlic cloves , minced 
1 teaspoon salt  
2 teaspoons pepper  
2 1/2 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef  

Sauce 
1 tablespoon vegetable oil  
1 onion , minced 
1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce  
2 1/2 cups apricot preserves  
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar  
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce  
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard  
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes  

MAKE MEATBALLS: Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 450 degrees. Using fork, mash bread, milk, and egg yolks in large bowl until smooth. Add pork, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper and mix until incorporated. Add beef and knead gently until combined.

BAKE MEATBALLS: Form mixture into 1¼-inch meatballs (you should have about 80). Bake meatballs on 2 rimmed baking sheets until cooked through and beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through cooking. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Transfer to large zipper-lock freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month.

MAKE SAUCE: Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook onion until softened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in tomato sauce, preserves, sugar, Worcestershire, mustard, and pepper flakes and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Transfer to airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month.

TO SERVE: Reheat sauce, covered and stirring occasionally, in Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Once sauce reaches simmer, stir in frozen meatballs and cook until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve.

STEP BY STEP: Make-Ahead Magic
1. Bake the meatballs, cool them on the counter, and refrigerate.
2. Place the chilled meatballs in zipper-lock bags and freeze. 
3. To reheat, dump the frozen meatballs directly into the simmering sauce.

Tags: Beef, make ahead, meatballs, onions, pork, sweet and sour, tomato sauce

Here’s a great appetizer for holiday entertaining: pimento-stuffed olives wrapped in an easy-to-make cheese pastry then baked until golden brown. They are tasty, bite-sized and sure to be a party pleaser…you may even want to double the recipe!

Note: The recipe says to “drop the dough by tablespoons onto wax paper” — just make sure you don’t bake them on the wax paper or you will probably end up with a waxy baked olive mess. The wax paper is for prepping purposes only.

Baked Cheddar Olives
-recipe from Gourmet Magazine

Makes about 24 Cheddar olives

1 cup grated sharp Cheddar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
a 3-ounce jar small pimento-stuffed green olives (about 24), drained and patted dry

In a bowl combine the Cheddar and the butter, add the flour and the cayenne, and blend the dough until it is combined well. Drop the dough by tablespoons onto wax paper and wrap or mold each tablespoon around each of the olives, covering each olive completely. Bake the wrapped olives on a baking sheet in the middle of a preheated 400°F. oven for 15 minutes, or until the pastry is golden, and serve them warm.

Tags: Appetizer, pimiento-stuffed green olives, sharp cheddar cheese

Smoky Green Deliciousness, that’s what I call it. This guacamole is simple yet very tasty! Many guacs call for chopped jalapenos but this recipe uses chipotle chilies (smoked jalapenos), which not only provides a little heat but a subtle smoky flavor, too. While the recipe calls for using a molcajete (the large, 3-legged mortar & pestle made out of stone), you can just as easily use a potato masher or fork to make the guac. Serve as a topping on your favorite Mexican food or just scoop it up with chips. Olé!

Chipotle Guacamole
-recipe from williams-sonoma.com

Chipotle chilies add a jolt of heat to traditional guacamole. A dried and smoked jalapeño chili, chipotles are sold in cans or jars, packed in an oniony tomato mixture called adobo sauce.

2 Tbs. finely minced white onion
1 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 to 2 chipotle chilies in adobo, drained and minced
1/2 tsp. sea salt, plus more as needed
2 large avocados, preferably Haas
2 Tbs. finely minced fresh cilantro
1 Tbs. small fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
1 Tbs. finely chopped white onion (optional)

Put the minced onion, lime juice, chipotle chilies and the 1/2 tsp. salt in a molcajete or small bowl, and smash with a pestle or fork to a coarse paste. Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits and scoop the flesh into the molcajete. Add the minced cilantro and mix and mash, leaving some lumps. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt.

Sprinkle the guacamole with the cilantro leaves and/or chopped onion and serve immediately, if possible. To keep the guacamole at room temperature for up to 1 hour, cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface. To keep the guacamole for up to 3 hours, do not add the cilantro until just before serving, and cover and store in the refrigerator. Makes about 2 cups.

Tags: avocados, chipotle chilies, chipotle guacamole, cilantro, Dip, Mexican, onion