Tag Archives: Appetizer

I’ve been craving something light and refreshing lately and made a few bruschetta recipes this weekend to snack on.  And by snack on I mean we made it into a meal 😊 If you follow my blog, you’ve probably read my other posts about bruschetta – Simple Summer Bruschetta Recipes (May 2023) and Easy Bruschetta Recipes (June 2023).  It’s such a diverse food.  You can have sweet, savory, spicy, citrus, vegetarian, meat-based, or any combination.  And it’s a bite-sized food so you can serve it as an appetizer or side dish or do what we did and make it a meal.  I have 3 recipes to share with you today.  One is sweet and refreshing, one is savory, and one is citrusy and refreshing. Strawberry Peach Bruschetta Bacon & Ricotta Bruschetta Lemon, Basil & Ricotta Bruschetta   STRAWBERRY PEACH BRUSCHETTA (aka sweet and refreshing) Strawberry Peach Bruschetta is bursting with fresh flavors and has a hint of sweetness … Continue reading

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Garlic Butter Steak Bites are thick cuts of New York Strip that are cooked in a rich garlic butter sauce.  The steak is juicy and tender, buttery, and slightly pink in the center.  It’s a lot of flavor pack into such a small bite!  The steak is cooked in the butter and the garlic is added later, for the flavor to infuse into each bite.  There is a good amount of garlic in my opinion but it’s not overpowering.  These can be served as an appetizer or main course with a side dish or two. The recipe can be found here. Start by mincing the garlic, chop the parsley, and cut the steak into 1-inch bites.  You can trim some of the fat off the steak but don’t take too much as it helps the steak stay flavorful, tender, and juicy. Melt 1 stick of butter in a large skillet … Continue reading

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Spooky Season is upon us and it’s something we look forward to at our house every year!  We decorate for Halloween pretty early in September, start making themed food and beverages all throughout October, and enjoy watching all the Halloween / Horror movies we can find.  This year I got a head start on some recipes and want to share them with you today.  The recipes can be enjoyed as a standalone meal (if you consider dessert a meal), or you could combine them into one big meal.  The hand pies can be an appetizer while you make and bake the pot pies to enjoy with a side of skull cornbread, finishing off with cookies for dessert.  Try them all! SPOOKY CHEDDAR & JALAPENO SKULL CORNBREAD These are both fun and festive and make a great accompaniment to any soup, chili, or stew.  The cornbread is perfectly crumbly, the jalapeno adds a bit of heat, and the cheddar … Continue reading

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Balsamic & Guinness Chicken Wings are a unique yet delicious appetizer or dinner option.  They have quite the pleasant flavor…it’s a little tangy and sweet.  I think Guinness is mildly sweet with a hoppy/bitter flavor and notes of coffee, almost tastes like roasted almonds.  Balsamic is rich in flavor with a mellow tartness and some acidity, kind of herby.  But both complement each other nicely. The recipe can be found here. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Line the chicken wings on the baking sheet, leaving a little space in between.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 40 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until an internal temperature of 165 degrees F is reached. While the wings are baking, make the sauce.  Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and sauté until soft and translucent. … Continue reading

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I recently wrote a blog called Simple Summer Bruschetta Recipes and I’ve been craving something similar ever since.  I think bruschetta is the perfect summer appetizer because it’s easy to make, it’s a bite-sized snack, it’s customizable, and it tastes great!  One piece is never enough for me, so that’s why I like to prepare a variety and enjoy a smorgasbord of recipes 😊 Here are the recipes I have for you today: Roasted Tomato Bruschetta with Pesto Peach, Prosciutto, and Ricotta Bruschetta Cream Cheese, Avocado, and Dill Bruschetta   All are phenomenal in their own way.  The Roasted Tomato Bruschetta with Pesto has warm tomatoes that burst open while baking, and the sweetness really complements the pesto.  The Peach, Prosciutto, and Ricotta Bruschetta has juicy, ripe peach slices that pair well with the salty prosciutto.  The Cream Cheese, Avocado, and Dill Bruschetta reminds me of avocado toast and is something I would love to devour … Continue reading

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We recently had dinner at a local Italian restaurant and ordered a variety of Bruschetta as an appetizer.  I’ve been thinking about the Bruschetta ever since and couldn’t resist the attempt to recreate it at home.  Who doesn’t love a crunchy Bruschetta appetizer?  And who doesn’t love options?  That’s what I have for you today!  Four vastly different yet incredibly satisfying Bruschetta recipes. When I think of Bruschetta, I typically think baguette with fresh tomatoes and maybe some basil or balsamic dressing.  These are not your traditional Bruschetta recipes by any means, but I think you’ll like them just as much 😊 They are perfect as an appetizer or snack for any gathering and would be great for brunch, a bridal shower, girls’ night in, etc.  Here’s what I have for you: Smoked Salmon Fig & Apple Blueberry, Basil & Ricotta Tomato Aioli & Bacon   Smoked Salmon Bruschetta is surprisingly simple to make.  Don’t worry, you don’t have to … Continue reading

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Star Wars Day is upon us!  If you aren’t familiar, it’s an informal commemorative day observed annually on May 4th to celebrate all things Star Wars.  It’s not an official holiday by any means but any diehard fan is aware as observance of the day has spread quickly.  The title of this blog, May the Fourth Be with You, is a play on the popular catchphrase May the Force Be with You.  It you’ve watched the movies, you know what I’m referring to 😊 It’s a popular day for franchise fans and whether you plan on celebrating at home or in a galaxy far, far away, I hope you enjoy the recipes I’m going to share with you.  As expected, all are Star Wars themed. Here is a list of the recipe: Copycat Blue Milk Copycat Green Milk Stormtrooper Cheeseball Rebellion Pizza Chocolate Covered Pretzel Lightsabers   Copycat Blue Milk and Copycat Green Milk are beverages popular to … Continue reading

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Cheesy Pull Apart Bread Bowls are designed for sharing making them the perfect appetizer!  Simply pull apart (hence the name) or tear the pieces of bread off and enjoy.  Toasted bread with melted cheese that’s smothered in garlic and herbs?  Yes, please.  It’s comfort food at its finest! If you aren’t familiar with “pull apart bread” it’s basically a round loaf of bread that is cut at a diagonal leaving little squares that you stuff cheese, meat, and/or herbs between then cover with melted butter and bake.  Sounds delicious, right?  It is and you’ll be drooling while you wait to dig in! The recipe can be found here. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Use a bread knife to slice the round sourdough loaf from side to side in both directions, leaving about 1-inch of space between each slice.  You will create a cross pattern and do … Continue reading

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Italian Nachos are simple and easy to make!  They are loaded with crispy fried wonton wrappers, spicy Italian sausage, pepperoni, banana peppers, melty cheese, and marinara sauce for dipping.  They make a satisfying meal or can be served as an appetizer.  They are also great for game day, a potluck, family game night…anytime you want yummy snacks 😊 They are delicious and packed with tasty ingredients. The recipe can be found here. Start by heating a skillet over medium heat.  Add the spicy pork sausage or plant-based meat and cook until cooked through, about 8 minutes.  Remove from the heat and set aside.  I did use Impossible Meat when I made this recipe (the spicy ground package) however you can use any spicy ground meat of your choosing.  I had always wanted to try the spicy plant-based meat, and this gave me a good excuse to try it.  It was quite spicy and tasted just like ground pork. Heat oil … Continue reading

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This time of year is prime for family gatherings, holiday parties, potlucks at work, you name it!… and I want to help you kick of the holiday season with a few simple (yet tasty) appetizer recipes that are sure to get the party started. I like to create delicious appetizers that look like I spent hours in the kitchen or appear to be store-bought but in fact didn’t take much time or effort to make.  You want the conversation to start flowing and to interact with your guests, really be part of the celebration vs. spending the entire event in the kitchen preparing the meal, and I have you covered.  These recipes are quick, easy, and tasty. Here are the recipes: Citrus Herbed Olives Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes with Burrata Cheese Roasted Red Pepper with Burrata Cheese   Citrus Herbed Olives take about 5 minutes to make (plus time to marinate) and are a wonderful … Continue reading

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