Have you ever gotten it?
Blog block.
Nothing to say. At least nothing that seems worth saying.
Hmmm….
I’m sure it will pass in time, right?
Right?
I could put out a call for more recipes…but then you’ll think this is some sort of cooking blog…which it isn’t.
Clearly.
But I really had fun sharing recipes last time…maybe we should do that again some time.
OK…how about now.
Here’s a recipe I’m always on the hunt for: a really good appetizer. What’s your go-to favorite to take to BBQ’s, or block parties, or any other kind of get-together that calls for an appetizer? I took chips and packaged French onion dip last weekend. Not terribly exciting. OK, if we’re being honest, it’s quite lame. But it is the only time I buy chips and dip (because I enjoy it just a bit too much so it’s dangerous to have around the home.) So I guess I brought it to the block party, in part, because (despite my vast recipe collection) I don’t have that go-to favorite appetizer, and in part, because it’s what I like to munch on at a block party. Can you blame me? Chips and dip are just plain yummy.
But seriously, I just know all of you have better ideas. Right? Are you up for more sharing?
Whew. Blog block seems to have come and gone.
Well…maybe that’s a bit debatable. But none-the-less. There’s a post.
Have you ever tried a Cheddar/bacon/pecan/ green onion dip. Mix all of the above with mayo for a binder. It is delicious and very easy. Serve it with triscuits or toast points.
If you want to get really fancy, mold it into a ring shape and put strawberry jam in the center of the jam. Great mix of flavors with a bit of jam in your bite!
I meant “jam in the center of the ring.”
mexican egg rolls are an appetizer that we have turned into a main dish–and have had guests ask for take-home portions. i’ll post it on my site. take a look, try it, its super yummy!
Homemade guacamole always seems to be a huge hit at my parties. Fresh ripe avocados smushed up with a fork, mixed with fresh squeezed lime juice, garlic, sea salt and fresh chopped hothouse tomatoes (the kind with the thin skin) stirred in. You can also add finely chopped cilantro but I like it without. Cover with plastic wrap pushed down overtop of the surface of the dip so it doesn’t turn brown. Served with the best tortilla chips you can find – YUM!!!
OR
Any kind of crackers slathered in cream cheese and topped with fresh sweet candied salmon. Not sure if you can find the right kind where you live. You can also use canned tuna and mix it up like tuna salad and plop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the cream cheese slathered crackers.
Mmmmm, time for a snack over here, hee hee.
http://www.raisinglucas.com
ooooh and one more – a cheese ball with crackers! You can find recipes online but it’s basically just cream cheese, grated cheddar, worstchestire sauce and any other herbs or spices you like, shape it into a ball and then roll in finely chopped nuts or dried herbs.
At Halloween I make one that looks like a pumpkin using a miniature dill pickle for the pumpkin stem, draw lines on the pumpkin and make a face out of black olives or other veggies. During Christmas holidays you can make a snowball or snowman and roll the cheeseball in shredded coconut.
Can you tell I like appetizers with cream cheese yet? Lordy I could go on – I’m queen of appies!
http://www.raisinglucas.com
Here’s a variation on chips and dip that always gets big reviews when I take it: fruit salsa & cinnamon chips. You can read the recipe here: http://wahfoods.blogspot.com/2007/09/fruit-salsa-cinnamon-chips.html. So, so, so good!
Parmesan Zucchini Sticks
Preparation Time: About 35 minutes
Cooking Time: About 25 minutes
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup fine dry seasoned bread crumbs
1 teaspoon each ground sage and dry rosemary
2 eggs
5 medium-size zucchini (about 1 ½ pounds total), ends trimmed
1 tablespoon olive or salad oil
Salt
Sage and rosemary sprigs (optional)
▪ In a bowl, mix cheese, bread crumbs, ground sage, and dry rosemary; set aside.
▪ In another bowl, beat eggs until blended.
▪ Cut each zucchini in half crosswise; then cut lengthwise into quarters. Add to eggs and mix gently. Lift out, one at a time, drain briefly, and roll in cheese mixture to coat evenly.
▪ Lay sticks slightly apart in a greased 10×15-inch baking pan. Drizzle with oil. Bake in a 450° oven until coating is well browned and crusty (about 25 minutes). Season to taste with salt.
▪ Arrange zucchini sticks in a serving dish and garnish with sage and rosemary sprigs, if desired. Makes about 40 appetizers.
Per appetizer: 21 calories, 1g protein, 2g carbohydrates, 1g total fat, 12mg cholesterol, 68mg sodium
Mmmm, good!!!
I have a blog post request:
I need some book organizational help. I have scads of books in piles all over my house. I even have massive messy piles of books on the bookshelves. I have already pared down to the painful point- and besides I love to be surrounded by books. I just need to know how to make them look prettier.
Does that help end you blogging block?
I can’t even begin to tell you how good this is. I actually just add it directly to my thighs because that’s where it ends up!!
Buffalo Chicken Dip
1 rotisserie chicken shredded into small pieces (if you want thicker
dip use a bigger chicken)
1 12 ounce bottle of Texas Pete hot sauce (I use Frank’s RedHot)
2 8 ounce pkg of cream cheese
1 16 ounce bottle of Ranch dressing
1/2 cup chopped celery (and carrots as well, if you’d like)
8 ounces of Monterey Jack chesse or cheddar cheese, grated.
In sauce pan, combine everything except chicken and cheese
over medium heat. Remove and add chicken and cheese and
pour into 13×9 and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-40
minutes. Serve warm with your favorite tortilla chips!
And ONE more on the lighter side. You can change this up by adding anything, steamed broccoli, fresh basil instead of spinach…anything! shrimp is also good for some protein.
Orzo Salad Recipe
1 1/2 c. (12oz) orzo
2 T. olive oil
1/3 c. pine nuts
1/4 t. salt
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 c. spinach leaves, stemmed and coarsely chopped
1/4 c. Italian parsley, coarsely chopped
1 c. chopped tomatoes
1 T. grated lemon zest
1/3 lb. Feta cheese, crumbled
salt and pepper to taste
Cook orzo according to package directions. Heat 1 T. olive oil in sauté pan and add pine nuts. Sauté, stirring frequently until lightly browned (2-3 minutes). Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. In medium size bowl whisk the remaining 1 T. oil with the vinegar and garlic -( I sometimes just use Newman’s bottled dressing). Add the spinach, parsley, tomatoes, lemon zest and Feta. Add this mixture to the cooked orzo. Toss lightly, add salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with pine nuts.
Serve hot, room temp or cold. May need to add more olive oil and vinegar. I usually add lemon juice along with the zest.
I love Pampered Chef’s baked spinach and artichoke dip – it uses creamed spinach and I always get really, really great reviews when I make it. I can’t post the recipe, though – its not online and I don’t have it with me.
But, another recipe that is well-loved is veggie pizza (http://www.kraftfoods.com/main.aspx?s=recipe&m=recipe/knet_recipe_display&u1=keyword&u2=veggie%20pizza&u3=**8*9&wf=9&recipe_id=51172) – its super-easy, pretty portable, and flexible – I just throw whatever veggies I want on there.
I just finally posted with blog block as well!
My go-to is Spinach Dip. The recipe is on the back of the Knorr’s Vegetable Soup Mix box. And we do crackers with it, instead of bread.
I love the Pampered Chef Touchdown Taco Dip – it’s from a few years ago but it’s just basically a layered dip. SO good!
one site – http://www.kraftfoods.com
i always start there – and my fav go to – is BLT Dip – hubby loves it and it’s a crowd pleaser! you can search it on the site!
have fun!
Stuff Mushroom Caps
I use this recipe a lot during the holidays when I’ll have to make something for 2 or 3 times in a single week. I’ll double the filing mixture and it keeps in the fridge for 7-10 days, then just buy more mushrooms when you need to make more. Here’s the instructions:
2-3 pounds button mushrooms
1 pkg cream cheese
1 pkg stove top stuffing (prepared)
1 pkg immitation crab legs/meat
Garlic
Butter
Remove stems from mushroom caps and chop finely. Prepare Stove-Top stuffing mix. Shred or chop finely the crab meat. In bowl, mix mushroom stems, stuffing mix, cream cheese and crab meat. (This mixture will keep in fridge for over a week.)
Fill each mushroom cap with a heaping spoonful of the filling. Arrange all mushrooms on a shallow baking sheet. Pour melted butter/garlic over all mushrooms. Bake in 350 oven for 45 -60 minutes or until filling is golden brown on top and mushrooms are tender. Transfer mushrooms to an electric skillet to take along to a potluck party.
Enjoy!
Pam
I have two great appetizers for you that are ALWAYS a big hit!
Here’s a link on my blog for the first one: http://blogfork.blogspot.com/2007/08/083007.html
And the other one is called Bit O’ Brie
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans toasted in a pie plate in the microwave for 4-6 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes. Mix in 1/4 cup Kahlua and 3 T. brown sugar with the pecans. Remove top of 14 oz. Brie. Place on pie plate and top with the Kahlua mix. Microwave for 1-2 minutes…until soft and bubbly. The great thing about this one is that it can be reheated while at the event and it is still delish!!!
How about taco dip? Mix sour cream with taco seasoning. Spread in a round dish. Top with Lettuce, tomato or salsa, shredded cheese, black olives etc. Serve with tortilla chips.
Pizza Bread is another favorite at our house. Thaw a loaf of frozen bread dough and roll out. Mix melted butter and garlic and spread over dough. Layer Provolone cheese and pepperoni over dough and roll up. Place seam side down and bake. Cut into slices and dip in pizza sauce.
The best thing when you are in a hurry is anything purchased from Tastefully Simple – they have wonderful items, and I haven’t had anything from them that tasted bad! I also like to make a pepperoni loaf. You just buy frozen loafs of bread. Take one loaf out and follow the directions on the bag and let it rise. You then punch it down and spread it out on a cookie sheet so it is in a rectangle. You then layer pepperoni then provolone cheese right in the middle. Bring one side of the dough over the top of the filling, then layer more pepperonie and provolone cheese, then bring the last side over the top and seal the edges. Bake in the oven at 350 and when it comes out slice it in slices. It is VERY good and SIMPLE.
My most requested recipe when we go to summer gathersings is for homeade deviled eggs — if you are an egg person. the secret (ssssh) is a little tabasco sauce.
Boursin and Pepper Jelly is a huge favorite around here.
One package of Boursin cheese topped with green pepper jelly and served with table water crackers. Easy easy easy and very good.
Another is Apricot Pecan Spread — I have never left a party with any of this left in the bowl.
It’s one pkg cream cheese, softened and mixed with about 1/2 jar of apricot jam, 2 T amaretto or amaretto flavored syrup (I use syrup) and some pecan chips. Chill and serve with table water crackers or wheat thins. It is always eaten up and I usually have requests for the recipe.