Tag Archives: Appetizer

I had a craving recently for something spicy and cheesy…. something with big flavor that wouldn’t be a dish I’ve had in the past or one of our standard weeknight meals.  Jalapenos were the first thing to cross my mind, so I started getting creative and settled on Jalapeno Popper Dip and Cheesy Jalapeno Turkey Sliders. Jalapeno Popper Dip is very similar to Jalapeno Poppers but in dip form with the jalapenos mixed in.  If you love Jalapeno Poppers, you’re going to love this Jalapeno Popper Dip!  There is plenty of cheese and diced jalapenos in each bite, and the breadcrumbs on top adds a little crunch that brings the whole dip together.  It’s the perfect party appetizer! The recipe can be found here. Here’s how you make it!  Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees.  Then, dice the jalapenos.  I used 4 jalapenos but feel free to add … Continue reading

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Mardi Gras falls on Tuesday, February 25th this year.  Traditionally, the days leading up to Lent, people would binge on rich/fatty foods in anticipation of fasting or limiting intake of certain foods.  Mardi Gras translates to Fat Tuesday and is celebrate the day before Ash Wednesday, making it quite the celebration! New Orleans is famous for its Mardi Gras parties.  I’ve been to New Orleans and enjoyed some awesome food but have never participated in the Mardi Gras festivities…maybe someday I’ll get back!  I want to celebrate Mardi Gras this year with a delicious feast.  I’m thinking traditional New Orleans foods with a little twist!  I’ll be making Muffuletta Dip and Chicken and Sausage Gumbo. I got my inspiration for Muffuletta Dip from a traditional, and signature, New Orleans sandwich that features olive salad, salami, and cheese.  This is essentially a Muffuletta sandwich in dip form.  It’s bold, tangy, and … Continue reading

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Friends and family will be coming together with Christmas right around the corner.  Are you ready for all the festivities?  Are you hosting a party?  It can be stressful preparing for a get-together with a house full of guests, but it doesn’t need to be.  Some people have multiple places to stop in one night while others have one stop to make.  Whether your guest are coming and going or staying for the evening, you can serve a simple menu of appetizers. I think this is a great idea because 1) your guests can eat as much or as little as they like, 2) you can have a large variety of options to choose from, and 3) you spend more time socializing with your guests than you do in the kitchen. Here’s what I plan on serving: Burrata with Cranberries and Ciabatta Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Gruyere Scalloped Potatoes Chicken Parmesan … Continue reading

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How much Mexican food do I plan to eat this Cinco de Mayo, you ask? That’s nacho business! Break out the margaritas!  Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner and what better way to celebrate than with some delicious food and refreshing cocktails.  I have a handful of recipes that are full of flavor and easy to throw together for a last-minute party.  Here’s what’s on the menu: Chunky Guacamole with Tortilla Chips White Queso Dip with Tortilla Chips Mexican Corn Tostadas Chicken Taquitos Mexican Pasta Salad with Chipotle Lime Dressing Cubano Style Tacos Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars Tequila Sunrise     Not only are these great recipes for Cinco de Mayo, but they are light and refreshing options for any summer dinner.  Plus, you can make them as mild or spicy as you like by adjusting the amount of seasoning you add.  First up is Chunky Guacamole.  This is … Continue reading

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Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and I’m feeling the love.  Our house is decorated with everything red and pink, I’ve picked out the perfect Valentine for my sweethearts (yes, I’m including the dog 😊), and we have a wonderful menu planned.  A lot of people like to go out to eat on Valentine’s Day and there is nothing wrong with that, but we usually opt to stay in and prepare a nice meal together.  It takes away from the rushed atmosphere you often feel at a restaurant on a busy day and allows you to really spend time together and do something fun together.  We both love to cook so it’s the perfect option for us!    The menu we prepared has a few new items, but everything is easy to make.  We’ll start with a Caprese Salad appetizer and use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to make the … Continue reading

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Christmas is my favorite holiday to host.  I think it’s due to my love of Christmas lights and decorations, so our house is always over the top!  Plus, there are so many festive serveware options available that you can change up your table display as often as you like.  (New Christmas plates…hint hint, Andrew 😊) Sometimes I like to go all out with appetizers and the main course but there isn’t anything wrong with keeping it simple if you prefer.  I truly enjoy cooking for others and putting on a big spread but also want to enjoy the holiday with family and friends.  So, I decided to keep my menu simple this year.  I’ll be serving a few appetizers with some of the drinks from my Christmas Cocktails blog post. The first appetizer I’m going to make is Ricotta and Prosciutto Crackers.  This is a light appetizer because it’s not … Continue reading

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Hello there! I have a secret:  I love cheese.  I didn’t say it was a good secret, but it’s one of the few things I cannot go without.  Cheese makes just about everything taste better.  Lucky for me (and you) it’s the Holiday Season and we’ve got our Big Cheese Sale going on now through Christmas and New Year’s!  Click through to our ad wrap (12/6/17 through 1/3/17) to check out over 300 varieties of cheese for cooking, sharing and simply enjoying!  Below I will go over some fun recipes using cheese a major ingredient.  Warning:  You may get very hungry reading this blog.   Our Beer Battered Cheese Curd Recipe using Ellsworth Creamery® Fresh Bulk Cheese Curds.  Perfection combination with another of my favorite things: Beer.  We’ve even talked about these before in our Small Bites Blog Post Tickler Bacon Burger with delicious Tickler English Cheddar Cheese.   Baked Brie with Hot … Continue reading

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I look forward to Thanksgiving every year.  Not just for the delicious feast, but because it’s a time to get together with family and friends.  For some it’s also about football and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which I too enjoy.  I’ve put together a handful of my favorite recipes and ideas you can use to host the perfect Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving.   What’s a party without some appetizers?  Two of my favorite appetizers for Thanksgiving are Cranberry Crescent Bites and Brie and Apple Crostinis.  I think they are sweet and savory but also a little salty.  Both fit the holiday theme, are easy to make, and can feed a crowd.  The recipes can be found below. Cranberry Crescent Bites               Brie and Apple Crostini   I’m a huge fan of sangria so I like to make a big batch of Cranberry Sangria to … Continue reading

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I love to eat apples year round but there is something special about eating apples in fall; the weather is getting cooler, colors are starting to change, and apple-picking season is upon us. They are crisp, sweet, refreshing, and a true symbol of fall. One of my favorite snacks to make in the fall is Apple Salsa. It’s something I had years ago at a local apple orchard and absolutely loved it! I knew I had to recreate it and spent hours trying to do so, and think I have the recipe perfected! The recipe can be found here. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and spicy. I think it’s more sweet than spicy but there is a subtle spicy undertone. Paired with some tortilla chips this is an amazing snack! Plus it’s fairly healthy and not overly filling so you don’t have to feel bad if you eat more … Continue reading

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One of my favorite seasonings is Everything Spice. It’s a combination of toasty, salty, and savory that makes every bite that much more delicious. And it goes on, well, everything! We like to make soft pretzel bites to have as an appetizer at holidays, a family get-together, game night, etc. They are a crowd favorite and usually don’t last long…but that’s probably because we tend to pair them with alcohol (who’s keeping track?) 🙂 This time we were feeling adventurous and wanted something a little different from traditional soft pretzel bites so we made Buffalo Cheddar Soft Pretzel Twists with, you guessed it, EVERYTHING SPICE!!! I understand this recipe can be daunting but trust me…it’s delicious! The cheese oozes out as you take your first bite, the buffalo sauce adds the perfect amount of heat, and the everything spice adds a salty flavor. You really can’t go wrong with these … Continue reading

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