Blog - Page 3 of 5 - Appetizer Bliss

Creamy Herb Dip

January 26, 2023 by Rhonda Leave a Comment

This creamy herb dip made with fresh herbs is a perfect appetizer for any event. Serve with fresh veggies, crackers, or pita crisps.

Creamy herb dip in a glass bowl with carrots and celery.

Take the basic sour cream dip recipe up a step with some tangy Greek yogurt and a splash of lemon juice. This homemade dip is so easy and fast to make! It is a perfect appetizer for unexpected guests, game nights, parties, or relaxing weekend afternoons.

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Ingredients

Sour cream, Greek yogurt, lemon, fresh herbs, salt, and pepper in individual dishes.

Herbs. We used parsley, dill, thyme, and basil for this dip but use what you have and what you like. While this is much better with fresh herbs, you can use dried in a pinch. Just use about ⅓ as much.

Lemon juice. Again, fresh lemon juice does make a difference to this dip. In a pinch use bottled, just make sure it is pure lemon juice with no additives.

Our base is Greek yogurt and sour cream. We love Chobani Greek yogurt but use what you like. NOTE: Not all Greek yogurt is the same, so check the nutritional information if you're concerned about the nutritional value in your yogurt.

Basic Steps for Creamy Herb Dip

Add the base ingredients to a mixing bowl. We use a mixture of sour cream and Greek yogurt for our base.
Mix in the chopped herbs. Use a combination of herbs or a single herb. Choose herbs you like! We used parsley, dill, thyme, and basil for this dip.
Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. A splash of fresh lemon juice helps bring all the flavors together and gives a brightness to the dip. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Chopped fresh thyme, parsley, dill, basil on a plate.

Favorite Riffs and Substitutions

Herbs and seasoning. Fresh herbs make a difference in this dip! Use whatever herbs you like and have access to. Smell them, taste them, and make sure they will compliment each other. Stir in some fresh minced garlic or garlic powder.

If you must use dried herbs, reduce the total amount of herbs to about 1 Tablespoon.

Base. We love this homemade vegetable dip with a combination of sour cream and Greek yogurt but you can substitute mayonnaise for the yogurt if you like. Use only sour cream or all mayo instead of a combination. We do not recommend using only Greek yogurt as it can be a little overpowering in the dip.

Make this a salad dressing. This is a great veggie dip recipe but also makes a delicious salad dressing. Use as is for a thicker dressing or thin out by adding half-and-half 1 Tablespoon at a time and mixing in between each addition until desired consistency is reached.

Sour cream, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and chopped herbs in a mixing bowl.

Make Ahead Tips

This vegetable dip is great to make ahead of time. It will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Stir before serving to combine any liquid that may have separated during that time. Garnish with some fresh herbs and serve with your favorite veggies!

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If you are within the FDA recommendation this dip will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days.

Other Popular Dip Recipes

Some Common FAQ's

Can I use dried herbs instead of fresh?

Dried herbs will work, but fresh is SO. MUCH. BETTER! If you need to use dried herbs use about 1 Tablespoon total herbs.

Do I have to use sour cream as a base in creamy dips?

No! Use all mayonnaise or a combination of mayo and Greek yogurt for the base. If you want a thinner dip, or a dressing, use some half-and-half or heavy cream for the base. Taste and adjust herbs until you reach desired consistency and herb flavor.

Bacon Spinach Cheese Dip

January 16, 2023 by Rhonda Leave a Comment

Adding bacon to spinach cheese dip takes it to another level.

Cast iron skillet with cheesy bacon spinach dip and crostini.

Bacon on most anything is amazing and adding bacon to cheesy spinach dip doesn't disappoint. This easy hot spinach dip recipe is a perfect addition to any snack table for Super Bowl parties, game nights, or holiday gatherings. Plus this dip is ready in just 30 minutes!

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Ingredients

Spinach, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic, mayo, Greek yogurt, bacon, salt, and pepper in individual dishes.

Bacon. Dice your bacon into small pieces before or after cooking. We like to do ours before in this recipe to make it cook a little faster.

Fresh spinach. While we always opt for fresh spinach when possible, you can use frozen here if necessary.

Base ingredients. We use sour cream, cream cheese, and Greek yogurt. This gives a creamy smooth dip with a little 'tang' from the Greek yogurt! We use Chobani Greek yogurt but use what you like. NOTE: Not all Greek yogurt is the same, so check the nutritional information if you're concerned about the nutritional value in your yogurt.

We love Chobani Greek yogurt but use what you like. NOTE: Not all Greek yogurt is the same, so check the nutritional information if you're concerned about the nutritional value in your yogurt.

Cheese. If possible shred your own parmesan cheese, most store-bought shredded parmesan is treated with preservatives that prevent it from melting smoothly, and you'll end up with a dip with clumps of cheese instead of a smooth creamy dip. For best results, buy a block of parmesano reggiano cheese (AKA "real" parmesan cheese) and grate it yourself with a microplane or the small side of a box grater.

How To Measure Spinach

If you love spinach and want a spinach forward dip, pack the cups of spinach. If you want a less spinach forward dip then just fill the cup but don't pack it into the cup. We made our dip using loosely packed cups of spinach. Each cup weighed about 1 ounce. This recipe is very forgiving so don't worry if you pack the spinach or just eyeball it!

How to Make Baked Spinach Dip with Bacon

Cook bacon. Use the oven or the stove top to cook the bacon until it is crispy. Cut the bacon into pieces before or after cooking. Both ways work great.
Sauté the garlic and fresh spinach in bacon fat. We like giving our fresh spinach a rough chop before sautéing so there are smaller pieces of spinach in the dip.
Make the cheese mixture. Whip the cream cheese, sour cream, and Greek yogurt together. Add the parmesan cheese and stir to combine.
Stir in spinach and bacon. When thoroughly combined, spread dip into cast iron skillet or baking dish.
Sprinkle remaining parmesan and bacon on top of the dip.
Bake until bubbly.
Serve with crackers, bread, or veggies.

Make Ahead Tips

Make the bacon in advance. Store in an airtight container up to 5 days in the fridge or up to a month in the freezer. NOTE: If made in advance you can use olive oil in place of the bacon drippings to sauté garlic and wilt spinach.
Prepare dip up to 3 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to bake and serve. When ready to serve, remove from the refrigerator, place in oven safe dish (if not already done) and bake in a 350°F oven until bubbly. If placing a cold dip into the oven it may take extra time until the dip is ready.
Put the dip into small baking dishes (like a ramekin) if you are serving this over the course of many hours. Store individual, unbaked dishes, in the fridge until ready to bake. Bake one dish at a time as needed and replenish the table with hot, fresh dip.

REMINDER - Do not place a cold glass or ceramic baking dish into a hot oven. The temperature difference can cause the dish to break. Place the dish into a cold oven and then heat the oven or let the dish warm on the counter for at least 30 minutes before baking.

Wilting spinach in a skillet with garlic.

Some of our Favorite Riffs

Spinach. Use a 12 ounce package frozen chopped spinach instead of fresh. Thaw the spinach and squeeze any excess water out then pat the spinach until it is very dry. NOTE: Using the spinach without removing the water and patting dry will make for a runny dip.

Bacon. This is a great base recipe for spinach dip. Increase or decrease the amount of bacon in the recipe based on your preferences. Love bacon? Add more. Not a huge fan? Add less. Use crispy prosciutto instead of bacon.

Cheese. Substitute gruyere, swiss, goat, yellow or white cheddar for some of the grated parmesan cheese. We recommend leaving all of the cream cheese since it contributes to a smooth and creamy dip.

Substitute mayonnaise for the sour cream or Greek yogurt. Use all sour cream or all mayonnaise instead of sour cream and Greek yogurt. We don't recommend using only Greek yogurt since it has a different fat content and might alter the texture of the final dip.

Other Add-ins. Add some chopped artichoke hearts to the cheese mixture for a bacon spinach artichoke dip. Spice it up with some red pepper flakes in the cheese mixture.

Mixing cheese, sour cream, yogurt, parmesan cheese, spinach, and bacon.

How To Serve Bacon Spinach Cheese Dip

We love serving this with tortilla chips, crackers, or baguette slices. It is also great with fresh veggies like carrots, celery, broccoli, or snap peas.

We like presenting this in both a cast iron skillet (if there is enough room on the food table) or in smaller dishes, like ramekins, when the food will be sitting out for a period of time. This helps us keep the dip fresh and helps ensure we are meeting FDA recommendations for food safety.

Unbaked and baked bacon spinach cheese dip.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If you are within the FDA recommendations you can save this dip in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 300°F oven or the microwave until warm and bubbly.

Other Favorite Dip Recipes

Cast iron skillet with bacon spinach cheese dip and crostini.

Some Common FAQs

Can you freeze spinach dip with bacon and cheese?

We don't recommend freezing this dip. Frozen sour cream and greek yogurt have a tendency to break and become full of liquid and grainy. This can cause the dip to be runny and have a granular texture.

Do you eat bacon spinach dip cold or hot?

We recommend serving this dip hot. It is safe to serve it cold but the texture is not smooth and creamy.

Can this spinach dip be heated in the microwave?

We recommend baking this in the oven the first time. This melts the parmesan cheese and crisps up with the bacon on top of the dip. Heating leftovers (if they are within the FDA recommendations) in the microwave works great. You can also top any leftover dip with a little more parmesan or bacon (or both) and reheat in a 300°F oven.

Crostini topped with bacon spinach cheese dip.

Beer Cheese Dip with Skillet Chili

January 14, 2023 by Rhonda 2 Comments

This easy beer cheese dip with skillet chili is the ultimate comfort food. A sure hit at your game night, super bowl party, potluck, special game day, or any day of the week!

Beer cheese dip and chili on a tortilla chip.

It was said that "this might be the best thing we've ever made" and we agree! Creamy, melty, cheese topped with spicy chili - what's not to love!

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How to Make Beer Cheese Dip with Skillet Chili

Make the Skillet Chili

Since this is going on top of the cheese sauce we don't want a traditional chili which can be more liquid and soup like. This skillet chili is thick and has a little kick to pair well with the beer cheese dip. Just 4 main steps for this chili.

Brown the ground beef, chicken, or turkey in a heavy duty skillet. (image 1)
Add the spices. We used salt, pepper, chili seasoning, cayenne pepper, and onion powder. (image 2)
Stir in tomato paste and water until well combined. (image 3 & 4)
Add kidney beans, stir and set aside until ready to assemble dip. (image 5 & 6)

What Beer is Best?

Adding beer to cheese, besides just being delicious, helps to balance the richness of the cheese and adds a depth of flavor to the dish. The cheese dip will definitely have some of the beer flavor so use what you like to drink. We used a lager because we wanted a more subtle flavor. If you like a more hop forward beer an IPA or pilsner would be great. If you like drinking a porter or stout they will also work here. NOTE: If serving this at a larger party, we recommend using a more subtle beer flavor to appeal to a wider range of guests.

Make the Beer Cheese Dip

Make a light roux with butter and flour. Cook the flour over medium heat for a minute or two to remove any raw flour taste. The flour is cooked when the butter and flour mixture smells like toasted almonds and is just starting to turn golden brown. (image 1 & 2)
Add the ground mustard and stir. (image 3)
Mix in the beer and stock and cook until the mixture thickens. (image 4)
Stir in the cream and heat just until warm but not boiling. (image 5 & 6)

Add the shredded cheddar to the pot and stir. Once the cheese begins to melt remove the pan from the heat and stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy.
NOTE: If the cheese sauce is thicker than you want, add more beer, stock, or cream (in small increments) and stir until combined. If cheese sauce is thinner than you want, add more cheese (in small increments) and stir until melted and desired consistency is reached.

PRO TIP: Shred your own cheese if you can. Some pre-shredded cheese has a coating that, while it keeps it from sticking together in the package, might make it resist melting smoothly.

Assemble and Bake the Dip

Pour the cheese sauce into a cast iron skillet or an equivalent sized baking dish. We used a 10 inch cast iron and it was the perfect size. Gently spoon the skillet chili mixture on top of the cheese in the center of the pan. Place the pan in the oven and heat until cheese is warm and bubbly.

Beer cheese dip topped with skillet chili in a cast iron pan.

Favorite Riffs

For an alcohol free version, use a non-alcoholic beer or substitute stock for the beer in the recipe.
Spice up the cheese sauce with some ground cayenne or chipotle pepper.
Substitute dijon mustard for the ground dry mustard.
Use a mixture of cheeses; sharp cheddar cheese, white cheddar, gruyere, smoked cheddar, or some blue cheese would all be good.
Mix up the chili seasoning with roasted, diced jalapeños, smoked chipotle pepper, paprika, or fresh diced onions (instead of onion powder).
Substitute some garbanzo beans or white beans for the kidney beans in the skillet chili.
Make it vegetarian. Substitute additional beans or a meat alternative like Gardein beefless ground crumbles for the ground meat. Use vegetable stock instead of the chicken stock.
This beer cheese sauce is also great on its own without the skillet chili, BUT the chili takes it up a level!

What to Serve with this Dip

This homemade beer cheese dip is great with tortilla chips, crispy pretzels, or soft pretzel bites. Mix it up a little and serve the dip with some roasted baby potatoes or crispy french fries.

Make Ahead Tips

Make the beer cheese sauce and skillet chili up to 4 days in advance. Store them individually in airtight containers in the fridge until ready to assemble the dip. We recommend heating the cheese sauce until it can pour into the cast iron. Heating the cheese sauce helps it spread out and fill up the pan making it easier to add the chili on top of the cheese. Then bake as directed. REMINDER - Do not place a cold glass or ceramic baking dish into a hot oven. The temperature difference can cause the dish to break.

PRO TIP: If the cheese and chili dip will be served over the course of many hours, consider putting the dip into smaller, oven safe, dishes (like a ramekin). Top each dish with a bit of skillet chili and refrigerate until ready to bake. Bake one at a time, as needed, and replenish the dish with hot, fresh, food safe, dip throughout the party.

Beer cheese dip with skillet chili on top.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If you're within the FDA recommendations this dip will last in the fridge up to 4 days. The chili will, most likely, be mixed in with the cheese. While it won't be as stunning of a presentation as originally, it is still delicious! Reheat in the oven or microwave until the cheese is hot and bubbly.

Other Favorite Dip Recipes

Some common FAQ's

Is beer cheese dip alcohol free?

No. This recipe, as written, contains beer. You can substitute non-alcoholic beer or stock for the beer in the recipe for an alcohol free version. NOTE: The alcohol DOES NOT evaporate out of the sauce. To remove all alcohol from a sauce it needs to cook for 3 hours or so.

Can I make this dip ahead of time?

Yes. Make the cheese sauce and skillet chili up to 4 days in advance. Store them in separate airtight containers in the fridge. When ready to assemble the dip, heat the cheese sauce and add it to the cast iron skillet. You want the cheese sauce to be liquid and fill the bottom of the skillet. Add the chili on top (you can heat this, but don't have to). Place the dip in the oven and heat until cheese is bubbly and warm. We don't recommend freezing the cheese sauce. The chili can be frozen and thawed to use.

Beer cheese dip with skillet chili on top and served with tortilla chips.

Pecan Shortbread Cookies

January 5, 2023 by Rhonda 2 Comments

These easy pecan shortbread cookies are a buttery, sweet bite and so easy to make. They aren't just for the holidays but perfect any day with a cup of tea or coffee.

Baked pecan shortbread cookies stacked on top of each other.

Shortbread cookies are one of our favorite comfort treats that takes us to our happy place! This pecan shortbread cookie recipe contains just 5 ingredients - flour, sugar, salt, butter, and toasted pecans. They are SO. EASY. to make!

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A Few Pro Tips for Making Shortbread Cookies

Make sure the butter is room temperature - not hard and not melted. If the butter is too soft or too hard, working with the dough can be a little tricky.
Chill the dough after mixing, before cutting, and before baking if needed.
Crumbly dough is okay. Since there is no liquid in the recipe, this dough might be crumbly but holds together when pressed and rolled. Creaming the butter and sugar completely and thoroughly mixing in the flour will help the dough hold together when pressed and rolled.

Pecans, flour, butter, and sugar in individual dishes.

Basic Steps for Pecan Shortbread Cookies

Toast the chopped pecans. Toasting nuts only takes a few minutes and brings out SO much flavor! Do this on the stovetop in a skillet or in the oven. Whichever method you use, keep an eye on them as they can go from toasted to burnt very quickly.
Cream sugar and room temperature butter together. We like using a hand mixer since there is not a lot of dough. If you scrape the sides of the bowl frequently, a stand mixer also works. Doing this by hand will work, it will just take some time and energy.
Add flour and pecans. Mix until all of the flour is combined with the creamed butter and sugar. Unlike other cookie doughs, this dough may be a little crumbly. That's okay! The dough will come together when rolling it out.

Please use a kitchen scale if you have one! Measuring by weight is MUCH more accurate than measuring by volume (with cups) and will give you a more consistent baked good. There are many inexpensive kitchen scales available. We use this one.

Prepare the dough for cutting. Press the dough together until it forms a ball. If using a cookie cutter, roll the dough flat until it is ¼ - ⅜ inch thick. If slicing into circles, roll the dough into a log that is about 1 ½ inches in diameter.
Refrigerate dough. Wrap dough tight and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 5 days. Wrap the dough airtight if storing longer than a few hours before baking.
Remove dough and cut into cookies.
Bake. Shortbread cookies do not brown like other cookies. Our 1 ½ inch round and ¼ inch thick shortbread cookies took 25 minutes to bake. The edges will JUST start turning a light golden color.

Toasted pecans, creaming butter and sugar, adding flour to make shortbread dough.

What Does Creaming Butter and Sugar Mean?

Creaming sugar and butter means you mix the butter and sugar together (usually at high speeds) until it is completely blended, light, and fluffy. It should be creamy and somewhat smooth with no visible sugar granules. An electric mixer, hand or stand, makes this much easier and faster. The dough can also be mixed by hand. We used a hand mixer for these cookies.

Why do we cream the butter and sugar? First, it helps the sugar dissolve into the butter and makes sure it is evenly blended throughout the batter or dough. Second, it incorporates more air into the batter or dough and results in a lighter baked good.
Use softened butter! This allows the sugar to mix evenly with the butter. Butter that is too hard, like straight from the fridge, won't break down enough to fully mix with the sugar. Too soft butter (like melted) will become greasy with too many air bubbles when it is mixed. To soften butter we remove it from the refrigerator about an hour before use. If short on time, these other methods will also work.
How to properly cream butter and sugar. Add softened butter and sugar to a mixing bowl. Beat at medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is completely combined and doesn't look grainy. If doing this by hand, start by mashing the butter into the sugar with a fork. Then use a wooden spoon and stir, stir, stir until the mixture is light, fluffy, and you no longer see any grains of sugar.

Using a cookie cutter for cutting pecan shortbread cookies.

We cut these cookies using a cookie cutter and also rolling the dough into a log and slicing it into round cookies. Both ways work great. Rolling in a log and slicing is probably a little faster since you don't have to re-roll the dough scraps like you do when using a cookie cutter. Also, when slicing the dough roll the cookie has a tendency to become a little flattened instead of perfectly round. If you want a TRUE shape, we recommend using a cookie cutter.

NOTE: Because the dough is cold, we can usually roll and cut these cookies with very little extra flour. Too much extra flour can make the cookies heavy. If the dough gets too soft and is sticking, pop it back in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to firm up and then continue rolling and cutting.

If using a cookie cutter

We used a round cookie cutter but you could also use a square, heart, or rectangle cutter.

Rolling dough. Lightly flour a piece of parchment paper and place mixed dough on top. Press the dough together until it has formed a ball. Flatten the dough using your hand and a rolling pin until it is ¼ - ⅜ inch thick. It is much easier to flatten the dough before chilling it but you can also roll it out after it is chilled.
Refrigerate. Cover with another piece of parchment paper, wrap tight, and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Cut cookies. When ready to cut cookies remove the dough from the fridge and remove the top layer of parchment paper. Use a cookie cutter to cut the cookies. Re-roll the dough scraps and cut again. Continue until all dough is cut. When cutting cookies the dough will get soft if it has been out too long. Refrigerate the dough for 10 -15 minutes to firm up then resume rolling and cutting. Place the sheet pan with the raw, cut cookies in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to firm up again before baking if they are not firm.
Place cut cookies on a baking sheet leaving at least ½ inch between each cookie.

Rolling and slicing a dough log for pecan shortbread cookies.

If slicing a dough roll into circles

After mixing the dough turn it out onto a piece of parchment paper. Press the dough together into a ball until it holds together.
Roll the dough back and forth on the parchment paper until you have a 'dough log' that is about 1 ½ inches in diameter. Wrap the dough tight and chill for at least an hour.
When ready to bake cookies, remove the dough from the fridge and unwrap them. Using a sharp knife, cut the log into ¼ - ⅜ inch slices.
Place each slice on a baking sheet leaving at least ½ inch between each slice.

Storing Pecan Shortbread Cookies

Unbaked cookie dough
- Wrap in parchment or plastic wrap. While we don't usually recommend using a single use plastic, if you are refrigerating for longer than a few hours before baking we recommend wrapping the dough in plastic wrap for a tighter seal.
- Store in the refrigerator up to 5 days or in the freezer up to a month. If frozen, let dough thaw in the fridge overnight before rolling or cutting.
- Freeze individual cut cookies. Cut cookies and freeze them on a sheet pan. Once frozen transfer the individual cookies to an airtight container and freeze for up to a month. Bake them straight from the freezer (add a few minutes to the baking time) or thaw them first and bake as directed.
Baked cookie dough
- Store in an airtight container on the counter up to 5 days or in the fridge up to 10 days.
- Freeze cookies. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and place in the freezer. Once frozen transfer to an airtight container and freeze up to a month.

Favorite Riffs

If slicing the cookies you can roll the dough log in chopped pecans before chilling for some extra pecan crunch. Form the log, roll in toasted pecans, wrap tight, and refrigerate.
Drizzle melted chocolate over the tops of the cookies once they cool.
We like our shortbread cookies without additional flavoring and find adding it doesn't really add anything to the cookies but feel free to add a dash of vanilla if you like.
For a crispier cookie bake cookies for 1-2 minutes more or roll (or slice) the dough thinner. If slicing thinner, you may need to reduce the baking time by a few minutes so they don't dry out.

Unbaked and baked cookies on a sheet pan.

FAQ's

Can the cookies be baked as a bar cookie in a pan?

Yes! Press the dough into the parchment lined pan you want to use. We like to 'score' the cookies before baking. Using a fork or knife, gently 'cut or perforate' the dough into the sizes you want the cookies to be. Bake as directed. Cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes and use the parchment paper to lift the cookies out of the pan. While still warm, use a knife to cut the cookies along the perforation marks made before baking the cookies.

How many cookies does this recipe make?

We got 24-30 1 ½ inch round cookies. We got the same amount whether we used a cookie cutter or sliced them. Cut into sizes and shapes that work for you. Squares, rectangles, triangles, circles all work great. The key is to make sure the dough is between ¼ - ⅜ inch thick and even all around. Thinner than ¼ inch and the cookies are crispy. Much more than ⅜ inch and the cookies can become too crispy outside in order to get the inside baked through.

Are shortbread cookies the same as sugar cookies?

Shortbread cookies are not the same as a sugar cookie. Sugar cookies usually have eggs, more sugar, and a leavening agent which will make them lighter and sweeter. Shortbread cookies will be denser, less sweet, and more buttery flavored.

Baked pecan shortbread cookies on a board.

Tater Tot Waffle Bites

December 20, 2022 by Rhonda 2 Comments

These tater tot waffles are a fun twist on tater tots as an appetizer. These crispy tot waffles are a perfect bite for game night, Super Bowl parties, casual entertaining, or movie nights! Plus, they’re so easy to make.

Tater tot waffle topped with sour cream dip.

WE. LOVE. TOTS! Spicy or plain, loaded or dipped in ketchup, tater tots are the perfect comfort food! Now we've upped the tot amazingness by making waffle tater tots for a fun, delicious appetizer!

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Ingredients

Frozen tater tots, ground spice, salt, pepper, green onion, sour cream, and bacon.

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.

Frozen tater tots. We start with frozen tater tots. You can definitely use homemade tots if you like.
Spices. Some paprika and cayenne add a little kick.
Toppings. We top these waffle tots with a little sour cream, crispy chopped bacon, and sliced green onion.

How to Make Waffle Iron Tater Tots

Basic Order of Operations

Waffle Iron: Preheat the waffle iron. We like ours on the high setting to ensure a crispy waffle tot.
Tater Tots: Use frozen or homemade tater tots for this recipe. Make sure the tots are defrosted before placing in the waffle iron.
Spices: Toss your defrosted tots with the spices. We used a bit of paprika and cayenne for our tots.
Place tots in the waffle iron and close the lid. Our waffle iron doesn't have a latching top so we like to press down on the top of the lid to press the tots into the waffle grills. Make sure to use a heavy duty pot holder or multi-folded towel if you are pressing on the top of the waffle iron lid - it will be very hot!
Once the tots are done, remove them from the waffle iron. NOTE: The cook time will depend on your waffle iron and how hot it is set. Our waffle iron, on high, took 5-8 minutes per batch to cook.
Serve with your favorite toppings!

Spicy ground pepper spices on tater tots.

How Many Tater Tots to Use

We tested our tater tot waffle bites in a 1-tot bite, a 3-tot bite, and a full tot size waffle where everyone just breaks off their own piece. While they are all great, we liked the 1-tot and 3-tot bites the best. They were easy to make, easy to just pop in your mouth, and the most fun to eat!

HOW TO LOAD THE WAFFLE IRON FOR DIFFERENT SIZE TOT BITES

1-tot waffle bite. Place one tot in a single layer with space between each tot.
3-tot waffle bite. Position two tots, touching, side by side and a third tot on top of the other two tots facing the opposite direction. Note: we tried these many different ways. The third tot across the top of the side-by-side tots helps hold the tot bite together. Otherwise, they sometimes fall apart when you pick them up.
Full size tot waffles. Fill the waffle iron by placing tots, touching, side by side. If you want to help the waffle stay together easier, place another layer of tots across the bottom layer, going the opposite direction, before closing the lid. A full size tot waffle takes extra time to crisp up.

1 tot, 3 tots, and full size tot waffles on the waffle iron.

Time Saver and Make Ahead Tips

We like to make things from scratch, but when we're making appetizers and find a solid shortcut, like using frozen tater tots, we're all in! Of course, extra points to you if you make your own tots!

Use pre-made dips and sauces.

Make the tater tot waffle bites in advance and keep warm in a 170-200°F oven if serving right away. Tater tot waffles can also be made up to a day in advance and placed in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to serve. Remove from the fridge and heat in a single layer in a 200°F oven. Tot waffles can start getting soggy if refrigerated much longer than a day or two. For best results use them within 24 hours.

Sour cream, green onions, and lemon juice dip.

Some Favorite Riffs

Use your favorite dipping sauce; ketchup, blue cheese dip, or cheese sauce are all great!
Use homemade tater tots, frozen tater circles, or even shredded hash browns in 1-2 Tablespoon heaps.
Adjust the amount of cayenne pepper; more for spicier bites and less for milder bites.
Add some smoked cayenne pepper or chipotle pepper.

Single tater tot cooked in a waffle iron.

How to Serve Tater Tot Waffle Bites

We like serving these like we would chips and dip. Tot waffles in a bowl, basket, or on a board/platter with a dish of dip next to the tot bites. Serve with small bowls of different dips so your guests can try them all and select their favorite!

We served these tots with a simple sour cream sauce made with sour cream, a bit of lemon juice, and chives (recipe included). We topped some with bacon and cheese and they were delicious! Other ideas for toppings: ketchup, spicy mustard, cheese sauce, crispy bacon or prosciutto, blue cheese dip, or a caramelized onion dip!

Other Favorite Potato Appetizers

Common FAQ's

Do you have to place the tots in the waffle iron?

We tried just pouring the tots into the waffle iron and cooking but they came out in clumps that fell apart when we picked them up. While you can just dump them in, we like the bites when they have more 'holding power' that comes from placing them purposefully in the waffle iron. It only takes an extra minute to place them and we think it is worth the time.

How can I keep the tots warm during a party?

If you want them to stay warm for longer than 20 minutes or so, we recommend using a chafing dish. Place a linen napkin in the bottom of the food pan to keep the tot waffles from becoming soggy. What is a chafing dish? A chafing dish uses heat, usually from sterno, to heat water in a pan. A food pan rests inside the water pan so the food is indirectly heated from the warm water.

Tater tot waffles topped with sour cream dip.

Risotto Stuffed Mushrooms

November 16, 2022 by Rhonda Leave a Comment

We're taking stuffed mushrooms to another level with this risotto stuffed mushroom recipe! Easy to make and a delicious appetizer for the holidays, company dinners, or relaxing weekends. Vegetarian. Gluten Free.

Mushroom filled with risotto and topped with parsley.

These easy stuffed mushrooms won the taste test at our last tasting party as the best stuffed mushrooms! A fun take on stuffed mushrooms with the addition of creamy, cheesy risotto. We made this a vegetarian stuffed mushrooms recipe, but if a vegetarian option is not needed, add some crispy prosciutto for an even bolder mouth-watering bite!

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Mushrooms, arborio rice, parm, stock, wine, shallot, parsley, and salt and pepper in individual dishes.

Making Risotto

Risotto is a soft, creamy (delicious!) dish that is actually easy to make and should not scare anyone, it just takes some time and attention. The key is to add hot liquid in 3-4 stages, stir when you add each addition, cook on low heat, and let the arborio rice absorb the liquid before adding additional liquid.

A basic risotto recipe uses butter, arborio rice, stock, and parmesan cheese. We add a little extra depth of flavor with some diced shallots and dry sherry.

Butter, shallots, arborio rice and sherry in skillet.

Basic Steps for Making Risotto

Sauté part of the butter and the diced shallots in a heavy duty skillet over medium heat.
Add the arborio rice and sauté in the butter and shallots for a few minutes.
Stir in the dry sherry and simmer on low until the sherry is absorbed.
Stir in ¼ of the hot stock and let simmer until the stock has been absorbed.
Continue adding hot stock 2-3 more times and simmer until almost all of the liquid is absorbed by the arborio rice. After the last addition of stock is absorbed the rice should be tender on the outside with a tiny bite on the inside.
Remove from the heat and add the remaining butter and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Stir until butter and cheese are melted.

Adding stock to arborio rice and cooking for risotto.

How to Prepare Mushrooms for Stuffing

First, remove the stems by gently holding the mushroom cap in one hand, push the stem away from you and then pull it back. It should pop right out. Save the mushroom stems for a sauce, stock, or soup.

Second, clean mushrooms gently, and quickly, by giving them a quick rub while under water, shake off any excess water, and place on a clean towel to dry.

Finally, if the mushrooms are very small and have very little space for filling, use your finger, a very small spoon (demitasse), or tomato corer to remove a little of the inside of the mushroom and open up the area for the filling. Be careful not to squeeze the mushroom and break it.

To wash or not to wash!

There are some who believe mushrooms should not be rinsed with water but just wiped. Mushrooms are like a sponge and will absorb water so we don't want to soak them or have them under water for very long. However, a quick rinse under water while rubbing them will get any remaining dirt off the mushrooms and be just fine.

When mushrooms absorb water (washing too long) they loose their flavor and release all that extra water during cooking, which can ruin a dish. Never store them when they are wet, they will become slimy and very unappealing. We strongly recommend always prepping mushrooms right before using.

Time Saver and Make Ahead Tips

Leftover risotto is perfect for this recipe and saves about half the time listed in this recipe. No risotto leftover in the fridge? No problem, we have you covered. Follow the easy risotto recipe below and make a small amount of risotto just for these stuffed mushrooms. Make the risotto up to 3 days in advance and store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to assemble the mushrooms. NOTE: It is easier to fill the mushrooms if the risotto is room temperature or slightly warm.

Fill stuffed mushrooms up to a day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to bake. Longer than a day and the mushrooms may begin to turn brown. They will still be fine to eat for up to 3 days, they will just not look as fresh.

Some Favorite Riffs

This easy stuffed mushrooms recipe is vegetarian but is also amazing with some crispy prosciutto or bacon mixed into the risotto. Add a little extra crumbled crispy prosciutto or bacon as garnish instead of parsley. See our recipe notes on how to bake crispy prosciutto and add it to the recipe.

Add some small diced veggies to the risotto; asparagus, red bell peppers, spinach. Use goat cheese instead of parmesan cheese in the risotto. Use chicken stock instead of vegetable stock.

Mushroom cap filled with risotto and topped with parsley.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If within the FDA recommendations, these stuffed mushroom caps will last up to 2 days in an airtight container in the fridge after they are baked. Reheat until warm and serve. You could also dice these up and add them to a creamy chicken dish.

Other Favorite Mushroom Recipes

Common FAQ's for Stuffed Mushrooms

How many mushrooms can this risotto recipe make?

The amount of mushrooms you can fill with this risotto recipe will depend on the size of your mushrooms. If you use a large mushroom cap there will be enough to fill 12-13 mushroom caps. If you use a bite size mushroom cap there will be enough for 30-36 mushroom caps.

What mushrooms work best?

We like using bite size white mushrooms, also called a button mushrooms, or baby bella mushrooms for this appetizer. Larger mushroom caps (white or portobello) are great for a sit down dinner where you have a knife and fork.

Can you freeze mushrooms?

While mushrooms can be frozen, we don’t like freezing them. Frozen mushrooms are okay if using in sauces, soups, or sautéing for recipes. For this recipe, we find frozen mushroom caps can get mushy and become rubbery.

Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

November 11, 2022 by Rhonda 2 Comments

These cheese stuffed mushroom caps combine tangy goat cheese and smooth cream cheese with a little sherry, shallot, and parsley for a delicious, easy appetizer. Ready in under 30 minutes.

Stuffed mushrooms are one of the easiest and best appetizers of all time! They are quick and can be filled with almost anything. This recipe is for a cream cheese and goat cheese stuffed mushroom cap but adds a bit of sherry to bring all the flavors together.

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Mushrooms, parsley, goat cheese, cream cheese, shallot, sherry, and salt and pepper.

How To Make Stuffed Mushrooms

Start with the best ingredients you can. We like white, button mushrooms or baby bella mushrooms for this appetizer. Select mushrooms that have a nice color, are not too big (1-2 bites) and are firm and smooth. Use a goat cheese you like to eat. We love the Vermont Creamery Classic Goat Cheese (not flavored) and we can find it at most grocery stores.

Mushrooms, diced shallots, cream cheese, goat cheese, chopped parsley, sherry, and salt and pepper in individual dishes.

Basic Order of Steps

Prep mushrooms.
- Remove stems by gently holding the mushroom cap in one hand, push the stem away from you and then pull it back. It should pop right out. Save the mushroom stems for a sauce or soup.
- Clean mushrooms gently, and quickly, by giving them a quick rub while under water, shake off any excess water, and place on a clean towel to dry.
- Place the dry mushroom caps on a rimmed baking pan.
- If the mushrooms are very small and have very little space for filling, use your finger, a very small spoon (demitasse), or tomato corer to remove a little of the inside of the mushroom and open up the area for the cheese stuffing. Be careful not to squeeze the mushroom and break it.
Mix goat cheese mixture.
- Combine the cheeses, parsley, diced shallot, and sherry until well mixed.
- We use our hand mixer for this - so much faster! No hand mixer? Use a heavy duty spoon and some muscle!

Fill mushroom caps. It is okay to heap the cheese mixture a little in the mushroom caps, the cheese will melt and settle into the cap. There are a number of ways to fill the mushroom caps, three of our favorite ways are with a teaspoon, a piping bag with a large tip, or a small cookie scoop.
Bake. These bake at a fairly high heat which melts the cheese and keeps the mushroom caps soft but not dry.
NOTE: Mushrooms can roll around on the baking sheet, move slowly when removing the pan from the oven to avoid spills and burns!
Garnish with a little extra parsley.
Eat. The best step in this process!

Favorite Riffs

This is a great base for stuffed mushroom recipes. We love the tanginess from goat cheese, but, if goat cheese isn't your thing, substitute feta, parmesan, or gruyere cheese for some or all of the goat cheese. Make sure to use a cheese that will melt. We recommend you leave the cream cheese as is for a smooth, creamy cheese mixture.

Mix in some crispy bacon or prosciutto. Add some crumbled crispy bacon or prosciutto as garnish. Add small diced veggies like spinach, sun dried tomatoes, or roasted red peppers to the cheese mixture.

No dry sherry? Use a dry white wine instead. Want an alcohol free version? Omit the sherry altogether. The cheese mixture will be a little firmer but will still work great.

Mixing cheese, shallots, parsley, and sherry.

Make Ahead Tips

These goat cheese mushrooms can be filled up to a day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to bake. Longer than a day and the mushrooms may begin to turn brown. They will still be fine to eat for up to 3 days, they will just not look as fresh.

The cheese mixture for these cheese stuffed mushrooms can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 2 months. If frozen, thaw in the fridge and stir well before using to fill the mushrooms.

Pans of unbaked and baked cheese filled mushroom caps.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If within the FDA recommendations, these cheese filled mushrooms will last up to 2 days in an airtight container in the fridge after they are baked. Reheat until warm to eat as a bite or dice and add to cooked pasta!

Other Favorite Mushroom Recipes

Baked mushroom caps stuffed with cheese mixture.

Common FAQ's for Stuffed Mushrooms

What mushrooms work best?

We like using a bite size white mushroom (also called a button mushroom) or a baby bella mushroom for these mushrooms with goat cheese appetizer. Larger mushroom caps are great for a sit down appetizer where you have a knife and fork.

Can you freeze the mushrooms?

We don’t recommend freezing the mushroom caps for this dish. We find they can get mushy and have a rubbery texture. You can freeze the cheese mixture in advance and use when ready to stuff the mushrooms.

How many mushrooms can this cheese mixture make?

The amount you can make with this recipe will depend on the size of your mushrooms. If you use a large mushroom cap you will have enough cheese mixture for 12-13 goat cheese mushroom caps. If you use a bite size mushroom cap you may have enough cheese mixture for 30-36 mushroom caps.

Baked cheese stuffed mushrooms on a tray.

Caramelized Onion Dip

November 9, 2022 by Rhonda Leave a Comment

This homemade caramelized onion dip is definitely worth making! The flavor is so much richer than anything you can purchase in the stores. A perfect dip for holidays, super bowl parties, or weekend snacking!

Caramelized onion dip on chips and in a dish.

It takes a lot for us to claim something as 'THE BEST' and this dip has earned that title. This is The Best onion dip we have had. So easy to make using homemade caramelized onions. See our How To Caramelize Onions post for the 101 on caramelizing onions.

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Caramelized onions, cream cheese, sour cream, salt and pepper in individual dishes.

Caramelized onion dip vs. French onion dip

French onion dry soup mix was first made in 1952 by Lipton. Two years later, in 1954 a woman in California made the first dip using the Lipton dry soup mix. It went by two names for years, French onion dip and California dip. Lipton's French onion dry soup mix boxes started carrying the recipe and the onion dip became widely popular as Lipton's French onion dip.

While onion dip made with the dry mix is fine, making onion dip using homemade caramelized onions is a game changer! There are levels of flavors you just can't get from a dry box mix. Caramelize the onions in advance (they take about an hour), are very easy, and are SO delicious! Our How To Caramelize Onions post contains info on recommended equipment, how to make in advance, and how to store caramelized onions in the fridge and freezer.

Chopped caramelized onions on a board. — Chopped, deep, golden brown caramelized onions.

Basic Order for Making Caramelized Onion Dip

This onion dip recipe combines just a few ingredients together for this amazing onion dip.

Caramelized onions. We use 2 large onions and 2 Tablespoons butter to caramelize the onions and get this rich, sweet flavor. If making the caramelized onions in advance, we use ¾ cup caramelized onions.
Cream cheese and sour cream hold everything together and make a creamy base for this dip.
Salt and pepper to taste.

Mixing the cream cheese, sour cream, and caramelized onions together.

Favorite Riffs

Most of the flavor comes from the great caramelization on the onions. Add a little spice with a dash of cayenne pepper or some diced roasted jalapeño peppers. Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.

Make Ahead and Time Saving Tips

Make the caramelized onions in advance and store in the refrigerator (up to a week) or freezer (up to 2 months) until ready to make this recipe. With already made golden brown, caramelized onions, this dip comes together in just minutes. This is a perfect appetizer when company is coming. See How To Caramelize Onions for more information.

Make the dip up to a week in advance and store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to serve. The dip can also be frozen for up to 3 months. We prefer to freeze the caramelized onions on their own and then just mix the thawed onions with the cream cheese and sour cream as needed.

Serving Onion Dip

Our all time favorite thing to serve this dip with is, of course, potato chips. The saltiness of the chips with the sweetness of the dip is delicious! This is also great with sliced baguettes, crackers, or veggies (carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers).

It brings an extra layer of flavor spread on a chicken sandwich, burgers, or grilled sandwiches. Add to hot pasta for a creamy, sweet addition.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If you are within the FDA recommendations, this dip will last up to a week in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Other Favorite Dip Recipes

Some Common FAQ's

Can I substitute sautéed onions for the caramelized onions?

Not recommended. Sautéed onions, while soft, haven't had the time to develop the sweetness of caramelized onions which means you will miss that amazing flavor desired in this dip.

Can I freeze the dip?

Yes it can be frozen for up to 2 months in an airtight container. Thaw in the refrigerator and then give a good stir before serving. NOTE: Since this dip comes together so fast, we prefer to freeze the caramelized onions separately, thaw, and mix with the other ingredients when needed.

How To Caramelize Onions

November 9, 2022 by Rhonda Leave a Comment

This caramelized onion recipe is so easy to make. Use them as a secret ingredient that can take a dish from good to amazing!

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Most Important Item in Making Caramelized Onions

TIME! There is no way to rush a good caramelization on onions. They take the time they take to get that sweet, caramel-y finish. Plan at least an hour to get that perfect caramelized finish on the onions.

Basic Order of Operations

We said caramelizing onions was easy, and it is. Just three simple ingredients, a cast-iron skillet, and time.

Peel the onions and slice them thin.
Melt the butter in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. We use 1 Tablespoon butter for each large onion.
Add the onions to the skillet and salt to taste.
Cook on medium-low heat, stirring periodically, until onions reach a dark golden brown, caramel color.

How many onions should I use?

Caramelizing releases the liquid in the onions which significantly reduces their volume. Some very general guidelines for quantities are:

1 large, unpeeled onion weighs 300-340 grams (10-12 ounces)
1 large, thinly sliced onion is about 4 cups
1 large raw onion yields between ⅓ and ½ cup caramelized onions, approximately 100 grams

We like to caramelize a lot of onions at once and then store them for later use. Our largest cast iron skillet (14 inch) will hold 4 large onions.

Raw, peeled and sliced onions in a dish.

Equipment

We find a mandolin very useful for slicing the onions. It gives a uniform size and is very quick and easy. No mandolin? A sharp knife will definitely work, just take your time and slice them as even as possible.

Cast-iron. We love non-stick pans for most things, but not caramelizing onions. In our tests, the onions in the cast-iron skillet were sweeter with more caramel-y goodness. They got gooey bits in the bottom of the pan while there were none in the non-stick pan. These bits are scraped off the pan when stirring the onions as they cook and add SO. MUCH. flavor to the finished onions!

Size of skillet. Use a large skillet, one that will easily hold the amount of sliced, raw onions. Onions contain natural sugar and release liquid when they cook. The combination of the natural sugar and liquid in the onions plus the heat is where that delicious caramelization comes from. If the skillet is too small, the onions tend to steam in the liquid before it evaporates.

If you don't have a skillet large enough for all of the onions you want to caramelize, use multiple skillets or make them in batches. Just remember the general rule; 1 Tablespoon butter to 1 large onion.

Cast iron skillet with raw onions to caramelized onions.

Riffs

We think caramelized onions are just about perfect with just onions, butter, and a pinch of salt. Almost any onion can be caramelized; red, sweet, yellow, white, pearl - they all work.

We do not recommend adding brown sugar as a means to 'speed up' the caramelizing process. The onions need time and heat to release the natural sugars in them to give that sweet flavor. Adding brown sugar doesn't hurt the onions, we just don't think it is necessary.

Make Ahead of Time

Caramelized onions are a great item to make ahead of time and have on hand for whenever they are needed. We caramelize onions in large batches and store them until needed. The amount of onions we can caramelize is restricted based on the size of our pan. You need a large pan to give the onions room to cook without steaming in the liquid they produce.

How to store caramelized onions?

Store caramelized onions in an airtight container in the fridge up to a week or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Freeze caramelized onions in small containers, or ice cube trays, for easy thawing when you only need a small amount. If using ice cube trays, once the onions are frozen, transfer to an airtight container.

Caramelized onions in cast iron skillet. — *Note all the delicious, gooey, sweet caramelization on the bottom of the skillet! This is what we are looking for.*

How To Use Caramelized Onions

Let us count the ways!

Make this homemade Caramelized Onion Dip. So much better than any store purchased!
Add a Tablespoon or two to top grilled steaks.
Add to your favorite stew.
Use as a topping for burgers.
- Mini Bacon Cheeseburger Bites
- Smoked Gouda Beer Burgers
Top sandwiches.
Mix them in with scrambled eggs or a frittata.
Add them to your favorite pastas.
- Creamy Mushroom Pasta with Garlic Sauce
- 30 Minute Burst Tomato Pasta
Add to soups.
- Savory Potato Soup
- Tortellini Soup with Sausage and Kale
Make French Onion Soup.

Onions caramelized in cast iron skillet.

Some Common FAQ's

Can you make caramelized onions faster?

No. You need the long, slow cook time to let the sugars develop in the onions. It is worth the wait!

Can I add brown sugar to the onions?

Yes, but it isn't necessary. Let the natural sugar in the onions do the work for a great flavor and color.

Can I make caramelized onions in a crock pot or instant pot?

No. Not if you want a true caramelized onion. A crock pot will steam the onions and soften them, but it won't give you that caramelization that is so delicious. An instant pot might have a saute mode, but it still won't give you that caramelization we are going for. Trust your cast iron skillet and stove top.

Jalapeno Popper Dip

November 1, 2022 by Rhonda 2 Comments

This easy jalapeño popper dip with bacon is a take on the favorite stuffed jalapeño bites! A delicious addition to any appetizer buffet table.

Jalapeño poppers are an all time favorite appetizer. Jalapeños stuffed with cheese, wrapped in bacon, and baked until crispy - what's not to love? They can be a lot of work. Enter this easy, fast jalapeño popper dip recipe! The same great flavors in an easy to make and oh-so- delicious dip!

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Basic Order of Operations

Jalapeño peppers. Seed and remove stems from the fresh jalapeño peppers. Roast on a baking sheet until skin is starting to blacken. Remove and let sit until cool enough to handle. Dice them into small pieces.
Cheese. Combine cream cheese with goat cheese and mix until well combined. This can be done by hand or with a hand mixer.
Bacon. Mix bacon into the cream cheese mixture.
Bake. Place in a baking dish and bake until golden on top.
Serve warm. This is great served with baguette slices, tortilla chips, or crackers.

Fresh jalapeños, cream cheese, goat cheese, and bacon.

Jalapeño Peppers

A Little History on Peppers and Heat

Wilbur Scoville, an American pharmacist, found a way to measure the amount of capsaicin in peppers. Capsaicin is the main chemical that makes hot peppers spicy hot! The level of spicy heat is measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHU) using the Scoville Scale. There is a HUGE difference in the heat level of peppers.

Bell peppers are at the bottom with a rating of 0 SHU (means no heat).
Jalapeño peppers, commonly used in cooking, rate 2500-8000 SHU.
Ghost peppers, which most of us have heard of, measures 855,000 SHU. THAT'S HOT!
Pure Capsaicin is at the top of the scale with a rating of 15,000,000 SHU - Umm, NO - JUST NO!!

Roasting and Cutting Jalapeño Peppers

We recommend using gloves when cutting and seeding jalapeños, especially if your hands are sensitive to the oils in hot peppers. Never touch your face or eyes when cutting hot peppers (we've been there and done that and it is NOT FUN)!

Since the heat in jalapeños varies with some quite hot and others not as hot, the number of jalapeños may need to be adjusted. Roasting the jalapeños reduces the heat in them, but if you are sensitive to hot foods (yet still love these flavors!) add half of the diced jalapeño peppers, taste and add more until you reach your level of desired heat. If you like hot dishes you can probably add more roasted peppers.

Equipment We Used

We used a nonstick silicone baking mat to line our sheet pans when roasting the jalapeños but you can also use parchment paper. We love using a silpat because it is reusable. Just wash, dry and use again!

Our Favorite Riffs

We LOVE this cheese combination, but you can substitute shredded cheddar or feta cheese for the goat cheese in this roasted jalapeño dip recipe. We don't recommend replacing the cream cheese in this recipe.

Make this jalapeño dip recipe vegetarian by skipping the bacon.

Cream cheese, goat cheese, and bacon mixture.

Make Ahead Tips

Mix this jalapeño pepper dip up to 3 days in advance but don't bake it. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Remove from the refrigerator and bake in a 425ºF oven for 10-15 minutes. NOTE: DO NOT use a glass baking dish if moving straight from the cold refrigerator to the hot oven, as the dish may break. We recommend a cast iron skillet or metal baking dish. If in a glass dish, bring to room temperature on the counter before placing in the hot oven.

Jalapeño peppers freeze great and roasting jalapeños, as well as reducing the heat of the pepper, gives a nice smokey flavor. Purchase jalapeños during the growing season, roast in large batches, and freeze in airtight containers until needed.

FUN TIP: If you purchase your jalapeños from a farm specializing in peppers, they may have large tumbling roasters to roast the peppers. If so, this is an easy, fast way to get your peppers roasted in large batches!

Serving This Dip

We like serving this straight out of the oven in a casserole dish, ramekin, or just a nice baking dish. This jalapeño dip can also be kept warm in a crockpot, or fondue pot, on the lowest setting for longer events. Place a basket of baguette slices, crackers, or chips next to the dish of dip.

Jalapeño cream cheese dip in baking dish.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If you are within the FDA recommendations, this jalapeño popper dip will last in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or serve cold.

Other Favorite Dip Appetizers

Some Common FAQ's

Do I need to remove the skin of the jalapeño?

No. We tested this with and without removing the skins and found, since roasting the pepper softens the skin, it is absolutely fine to leave the skin on.

Do the jalapeños have to be roasted?

While we strongly recommend roasting the jalapeño peppers, you can skip that step if you want. We like the smokiness achieved from roasting the peppers. Roasting also reduces the heat level of the jalapeños. If not roasting the jalapeños, add them in stages and taste after each addition to make sure the dish is not too spicy.

Can you freeze jalapeño popper dip?

Yes. Mix it up but don't bake it. Place roasted jalapeño cheese mixture in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and follow recipe for baking. You can go straight from the freezer if you like. Cover the dish of jalapeño dip and place in a cold oven. We recommend using a dish that can go from the freezer to the oven. Turn the oven on and heat the dip until it is hot throughout.

Tomato and Corn Pastry

October 27, 2022 by Rhonda 2 Comments

These tomato and corn pastry bites are a fast and easy appetizer. Perfect for your next party or as an anytime snack! So simple to make and so delicious. Vegetarian.

Baked puff pastry with tomatoes, corn, and basil.

It doesn't get much easier than this simple appetizer. This bite is like a mini tomato corn galette and only needs 4 ingredients; frozen puff pastry, cherry tomatoes, corn, and fresh basil. Ready in 30 minutes! Impress your friends at the next super bowl party, holiday get-together, or company dinner.

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Puff pastry, cherry tomatoes, corn kernels, and basil.

Basic Order of Operations

Prepare puff pastry. Thaw frozen puff pastry dough in fridge. Once thawed, unroll puff pastry and use a rolling pin to roll out to 10 x 9 inch rectangle. Cut pastry into 12 equal squares and place on a lined baking sheet. Brush with olive oil.
Add toppings. Place 3-4 halved cherry tomatoes, fresh corn kernels (canned and frozen corn also works), and chopped fresh basil in the middle of each pastry square. Leave a small border of pastry around the toppings.
Bake.
Enjoy!

What tomatoes to use?

The water content in tomatoes, especially larger tomatoes than cherry tomatoes, can vary quite a bit. Tomatoes with higher water content release quite a bit of liquid as they cook and result in a soggy pastry bottom, which no one wants! We used halved cherry tomatoes for this recipe and they work great.

Larger tomatoes also work if we just add these few extra steps to remove some of the water from the tomatoes.

Dice the tomato.
Sprinkle the tomato pieces with a pinch of kosher salt.
Place the salted tomato pieces in a strainer for 10-15 minutes. The water will release and drain out.
When ready to assemble the pastry bites, give the tomatoes a gentle stir (to release any remaining liquid) and assemble as directed.

Puff pastry cut into squares ready to bake on a sheet pan.

Puff pastry vs. pie dough

Puff pastry and pie dough are made with flour, fat (like butter), water, and salt. The process for each is very different which is why they don't bake up the same.

Pie dough mixes the flour and fat together until they are well mixed. A good pie dough will still be flaky and crisp, just not have thin, puffy layers.

Puff pastry is made by rolling together many layers of alternating dough and fat. As the pastry bakes, the water in the layers of butter becomes steam creating thin, puffy, flaky layers. Puff Pastry is flaky yet sturdy, crispy yet light.

For these tomato and corn pastry appetizers, we like using the versatile and easy-to-use puff pastry. We usually use the Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets. They are consistent, good, and readily available in the freezer section at most grocery stores.

We like the puff pastry a little thinner for these corn and tomato pastry bites. These appetizers can be made as large or small as you want. Leave the puff pastry sheet whole and make a large corn and tomato tart. Adjust the amount of toppings to fit the size of the pastry square. Bake time may also need to be adjusted depending on the size, be sure to bake until the pastry is a golden brown.

Using a full puff pastry sheet makes a great dish similar to a tomato corn galette. Bake until a pastry is golden brown. Cut into pieces to serve.
A larger pastry square makes a great sit-down, plated appetizer.
Smaller sized pastry squares are great for a single bite appetizer. If making very small squares, use your finger to indent the middle of each square a bit before adding the toppings. This will help the fillings stay on the square as the pastry puffs around the edges.

Puff pastry squares topped with halved cherry tomatoes, corn, and basil before baking.

Equipment We Used

We use a nonstick silicone baking mat to line our sheet pans. We love using a baking mat because it is reusable. Just wash, dry and use again! No silicone baking mat? Use parchment paper instead.

A pizza wheel works great to cut the puff pastry. No pizza wheel? Use a sharp knife instead.

Our Favorite Riffs

Add some goat cheese, feta cheese, or white cheddar to the pastry before baking. We like adding this first, before the tomatoes, but it can also be added after the corn. Add some crispy bacon or pancetta, or cooked chicken. Before serving, drizzle with some pesto or balsamic reduction.

Unbaked and baked puff pastry squares with tomatoes, corn and basil.

Make Ahead Tips

These are great made ahead of time. Prepare the pastry bites up to the baking step. Loosely cover the sheet pan and refrigerate until ready to serve. Remove from the fridge and place in a preheated 400º F oven. Bake as directed and serve immediately.

While we like these served warm, they are equally delicious at room temperature.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If within the FDA recommendations, these will store overnight in the fridge. Refresh them in a 400º F oven until warm. Saving much longer than overnight will lead to soggy puff pastry.

Other Favorite Puff Pastry Recipes

Some Common FAQ's

Can I use pie dough instead of puff pastry?

Yes. Puff pastry has the unique quality of puffing when it bakes, partly due to the many layers in the dough. The topping in the middle acts like a weight and holds that part of the pastry down so you end up with an almost bowl like, flaky, pastry. Pie dough does not have these many layers so you won't get the same puffed visual in the final bite. Pie (or galette dough) will look different but be equally delicious.

Can I make these in the air fryer?

Yes. An air fryer, while not exactly the same as a convection oven, works similar to one. Place these pastry bites on your air fryer pan and bake until they are golden brown.

Tomatoes, corn, and basil in puff pastry squares.

Pulled Pork Potato Skin Bites

October 21, 2022 by Rhonda Leave a Comment

These pulled pork potato skins are loaded with tender pulled pork, BBQ sauce, and sour cream. A perfect appetizer for a super bowl party, family gathering, game night, or just because! Gluten Free.

Potato skin bite topped with pulled pork, sour cream, and green onions.

We have a love-love relationship with these crispy, homemade potato skins. First, crispy potato skins - yes please. Then tender pulled pork - we're in. Like we said, love-love!

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Ingredients

Potatoes. We like using russet potatoes in this potato skins recipe. The skins get nice and crispy while the inside stays soft. Yukon gold, red, or sweet potatoes would also work for this recipe.
Pulled pork. Use what you love. For an easy recipe try the BBQ pulled pork in this recipe. It is simple and delicious.
Staples. Butter, oil, salt, green onions, and sour cream.

Russet potatotes, pulled pork, sour cream, butter, oil, and salt.

Basic Steps for How To Make Potato Skins

Rub olive oil and salt on the outside of each potato. Potatoes should be washed and dried. We like to just use our hands to rub the oil into the skin of each potato and then sprinkle the coarse salt on top.
Place potatoes on a baking sheet and bake until soft. Let cool enough to handle them. Cooling usually takes about 15 minutes.
Cut each potato in half and scoop out all but ¼ inch of the inside of each potato to form the baked potato skins. Use a spoon to scoop out the soft inside potato.
Brush the inside of each half with melted butter. This helps give the inside a crispiness when we place them back in the oven.
Cut each half into quarters and bake until crispy in a hot oven. We want a hot oven to crisp it quickly.
Top with warm pulled pork, BBQ sauce, sour cream, and green onions.
Enjoy!

Russet potatoes baking, halved, and scooped for potato skins.

We made these baked potato skins into a bite (or two) sized serving because we love small bites, plus it makes them easier to eat! For a bigger potato skin, cut the scooped out potato skin into halves instead of quarters or don't cut it at all.

How to tell when a baked potato is done?

Once a potato is fully baked it will be soft if pressure is applied to the sides. Once they seem soft, we pierce ours with a toothpick or cake tester to make sure they are baked all the way through. It should go in easily and pass through the middle of the potato.

When crisping up the potato skins, keep an eye on them. You want them to crisp up but not burn. Make sure to scoop the potatoes leaving about ¼ inch potato inside the skin. If you go all the way to the skin (which we always seem to do in a few spots) there will be some darker, crispier parts in the skin. STILL GOOD but it they are easier to burn.

Why do we crisp our potato skins before adding the pork? We like a crispy skin all around. If we add the pork before crisping, only the potato showing will get crispy while the pork can dry out.

Our Favorite Riffs

It is so easy to make these potato skins your own. Use shredded chicken instead of pork. Add some gouda, provolone, jack, or shredded cheddar cheese to the skins the last few minutes of crisping them. Spice it up with some diced jalapeños in the sour cream or some hot sauce.

We used russet potatoes for these easy potato skins but a yukon gold potato or red potato also works. If the potatoes are small use more of them and cut them into the desired size before crisping the scooped skins in the oven.

These were made in the oven but they work just as good in an air fryer. Keep an eye on the time as the potatoes may not take as long to bake initially and they may crisp up faster than in the oven.

Time Saver Tips

This recipe is great for using up leftover baked potatoes and pulled pork. To use leftover potatoes, just cut them in half, scoop out the inside and proceed with the recipe as directed. It may take a few extra minutes to crisp them up if they are starting out cold.

Use a favorite pulled pork recipe or try this one from our friends over at Life As A Strawberry from their BBQ Pulled Pork White Cheddar Mac & Cheese recipe, which is amazing! When serving pulled pork for dinner, just save a cup for this potato skin recipe. Save in the fridge, or freezer, until ready to make your potato skins appetizers.

Baked potato skin quarters filled with pulled pork, then BBQ sauce, and topped with sour cream and green onions.

Make Ahead Tips

These stuffed potato skins are great to make ahead of time. Bake, scoop, and crisp the potatoes. Fill with the pulled pork, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve. Remove from the fridge and place in a 400 degrees Fahrenheit oven until warm. 5-10 minutes. Remove from the oven, top with BBQ sauce, sour cream, and green onions and serve.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

We don't recommend saving potato skins that have the sour cream on top since there is no way good to reheat them. If the potato skins don't have the sour cream yet, and you are within the FDA recommendations, these baked potato skins will last in the fridge up to 3 days.

Other Favorite Appetizer Recipes

Potato skins with pulled pork, sour cream, and green onions on a piece of parchment paper.

Some Common Potato Skins FAQ's

What are the best potatoes for potato skins?

We love using a russet potato for baked potatoes and potato skins. When baked the skin of a russet gets nice and crisp while the inside potato is soft - which makes it easy to scoop the potato out. A yukon gold or even sweet potato will also work.

Can I freeze these potato skins?

Yes. The potato skins can be frozen before or after crisping. Make sure they are completely cooled before placing in an airtight container and freezing. Thaw the skins first or place them directly into the oven until crispy and golden brown. Freeze the pulled pork separately, thaw, and heat before assembling the potato skins.

Crispy potato skin quarter loaded with pulled pork, sour cream, and green onions.

Eggless Mini Banana Cupcakes

October 18, 2022 by Rhonda Leave a Comment

These homemade banana cupcakes are soft, moist, and NO EGGS! The recipe is for a mini cupcake but equally good (and easy) as a full size cupcake. A delicious snack, treat, or dessert for family and friends.

Mini banana cupcakes with cinnamon buttercream frosting.

We love banana bread. We love cupcakes. We love mini bite sized food. So, obviously we needed a mini banana cupcake to love - and this is it! PLUS #eggfree.

While we made these moist banana cupcakes mini size, they can also be a full sized cupcake or 8 inch cake.

Ingredients for eggless banana cupcakes and cinnamon buttercream frosting.

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How to Make Banana Cupcakes From Scratch

Making a cupcake (or cake) from scratch is easy and fast and the results are SO. GOOD. Even more importantly, they are fun to make! A few things to note about this homemade banana cupcake recipe.

Use a medium to large banana. You want at least 113 grams of banana (after it is peeled) for this recipe. Using a little more is not a problem, but using a lot less may give you a drier cupcake with less banana flavor.
Apple butter (or applesauce) replaces the egg in this recipe. Eggs contribute to the overall texture as well as act as a leavening agent in baked goods. Apple butter helps bind ingredients together just like eggs.
We used cupcake liners in our mini muffin tins for these cupcakes. If your cupcake liners sometimes stick to the cupcake, give the liners a very quick spritz with cooking spray. We also love using our silicone mini muffin pans with no liners when making this banana cupcakes recipe.
This easy banana cupcakes recipe makes 36 mini cupcakes, 10-12 full sized cupcakes, or one 8 inch cake. Adjust the baking time for larger sized cupcakes or cakes. Bake until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Mixing eggless banana apple cupcake batter.

Equipment We Used

We used our trusty hand mixer when mixing the batter. It makes combining the banana and apple butter with the other ingredients so easy and fast. A stand mixer or mixing by hand will both also work.

We spread the frosting on with the back of a spoon. To pipe the frosting on we recommend a piping bag and tips. For some great frosting tips see this post on How to Frost the Perfect Cupcake.

Our Favorite Riffs

Add your own spin to these cupcakes. Add some toasted chopped walnuts to the batter. Hide a chocolate surprise in the middle of each cupcake by pressing a piece of chocolate bar or a few chocolate chips into the middle of each cupcake before baking. Press a few fresh blueberries into the middle of each mini cupcake.

We use this easy, delicious, homemade apple butter from our friends at Life As A Strawberry for the eggs in these cupcakes. We make a few batches of the apple butter during apple season and freeze in small containers to use all year long. Applesauce also works fine in this recipe. If using a store purchased applesauce, select one with little (or no) sugar and no additional flavors. For those not wanting an egg free version, use one whole egg in place of the apple butter.

We are making these banana cupcakes without buttermilk. We use a combination of vinegar and milk instead. If you have some buttermilk you want to use up replace the milk and vinegar in the recipe with the buttermilk.

Eggless banana cupcake batter in bowl with empty, lined muffin tin and cookie scoop.

Banana Cupcake Frosting

We love the subtle compliment of cinnamon in the buttercream frosting with these banana apple cupcakes. Other frostings like this chocolate fudge frosting, cream cheese frosting, or peanut butter frosting are equally delicious.

Decorating Banana Cupcakes

We eat these cupcakes so fast we have never made it to the 'make these look pretty' phase! If you want to amp up the pretty factor on these cupcakes this post, 14 ways to decorate cupcakes like a pro has some great, easy ideas to try.

Unbaked and baked banana cupcakes in muffin pans.

How to Store These Cupcakes

Cupcakes begin to dry out when they are stored on the counter too long. These cupcakes will last in an airtight container on the counter for up to 4 days. If you want to store them longer consider freezing them.

You can freeze these banana cupcakes?

ABSOLUTELY! We love making things ahead of when they are needed and freezing them. Follow a few basic steps for the best results if freezing these (or any) cupcakes.

Let the cupcakes cool completely. Once they are totally cool, store in an airtight container and freeze for up to two weeks.
If freezing the cupcakes for longer than a few weeks, we recommend wrapping the cupcakes tight in plastic wrap, then place in an airtight container and freeze. This will help prevent freezer burn. NOTE: We don't like using single use plastic but haven't found a better solution for wrapping the cupcakes. We keep experimenting and will update this when we find a good solution.
Freeze cupcakes before frosting. While cupcakes can be frozen after they are frosted, we like freezing the cupcakes before frosting them, especially if they are going to be frozen for any longer than a week or two. Frosting the cupcakes after thawing and before serving helps keep the frosting fresher.
Thaw cupcakes on the counter at room temperature. Once thawed, frost them and enjoy!

For more info on how to freeze (and store) cupcakes, check out - Cupcakes 104: How to Store and Freeze Cupcakes.

Try Our Other Favorite Sweet Recipes

Some Common FAQ's about Banana Cupcakes

How are these different than banana muffins?

In general, it is all about the ratios of ingredients. Muffins are usually heavier and more dense than cupcakes. To make cupcakes sweeter plus light and airy they may have less flour and more oil, sugar, and leavening than muffins.

Can I make these a full size cupcake?

Of course! They are great as a mini cupcake (because we love mini bite sized food) or a full size cupcake. You may have to increase the bake time for full size cupcakes.

Can I freeze bananas?

Bananas can be frozen with or without the peels. We like peeling them first because, truthfully, we don't like the squishy feeling of the peel when we go to use the banana. Plus, since they are so mushy, it is harder to peel them after they thaw. Just peel them, wrap them, and store in an airtight container in the freezer. Remove the number of bananas needed for the recipe, thaw (20-30 minutes on the counter) and add to the recipe. We freeze our bananas whole since we almost always use a whole banana in a recipe. Freezing them in pieces also works great.

Eggless banana apple cupcakes with cinnamon buttercream frosting.

Cranberry Turkey Meatballs

October 12, 2022 by Rhonda Leave a Comment

These cranberry turkey meatballs are so easy to make! A delicious savory cocktail meatball for appetizers, snacks, or party food.

Turkey meatball on a cocktail pick sitting on a wood serving board.

We always have cranberry sauce at our Thanksgiving dinners. We make it in advance because everyone wants it, dish it up in the fancy glass bowl for dinner, and end up putting everything but 1-2 bites back in the refrigerator after dinner! Now what do we do with it? Enter these easy cocktail meatballs with cranberry sauce and brandy!

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Ingredients

Did we say easy? WE. MEAN. EASY! Three ingredients plus water and you are ready for a delicious appetizer.

Cocktail meatballs, cranberry sauce, and brandy in individual dishes.

Frozen, pre-cooked turkey meatballs - use your favorite turkey meatballs (store bought or homemade). Also works great with ground beef or chicken meatballs.
Cranberry sauce - a great use for leftover cranberry sauce. We like using a fresh whole cranberry sauce, but a jellied cranberry sauce will also work.
Brandy - brings a nice depth of flavor and blends great with the cranberries. We usually use E&J V.S. brandy, but use whatever you have and like to drink.

If you want to make your own turkey meatballs and cranberry sauce, we use these recipes from our friends over at Life As A Strawberry - Meal Prep Turkey Meatballs and Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce. Both recipes are both DELICIOUS and EASY!

Additions and Substitutions

We like the simplicity and ease of these cocktail meatballs, but make them your own.

Brandy. While brandy is a staple in our pantry, this recipe can be made without it. Use a splash of whiskey, sherry, or beer. Use apple juice, white grape juice, or water for an alcohol free version.
Meatballs. We like these with turkey meatballs - keep the holidays going with a turkey dish! This cocktail meatball recipe is also great with ground beef or chicken meatballs.
Cranberry sauce. If the cranberry sauce is too sweet add a splash of lemon or lime juice or red wine vinegar. The acid in the citrus and vinegar will help reduce the sweetness in the cranberry sauce. Let the sauce heat for a few minutes, taste and add a little more if it is still too sweet.
Spice it up. Add some fresh diced peppers; jalapeño, serrano, or anaheim. Extra credit for roasting them before dicing! Make these into spicy cranberry meatballs by adding some spicy chili sauce or hot sauce.

Meatballs, cranberry sauce, and brandy in a crock pot.

Crockpot vs. Stovetop

We made these cranberry cocktail meatballs in a crockpot and on the stovetop. Both work great, but we like the crockpot a little better. By cooking the cocktail meatballs longer and slower, even though they are already cooked, it allows the flavors to really blend and mellow. PLUS, so easy to put it on and forget it for an hour or two!

When making this on the stovetop, heat the meatballs and sauce on low heat, stir frequently, and monitor the liquid. Add more water as needed to keep the sauce from becoming too thick or burning.

Cocktail meatballs in cranberry sauce in a crockpot.

Make Ahead and Time Saver Tips

These are a great make ahead appetizer, goes together in just minutes, and can sit on low in the crockpot for hours. Just keep an eye it and add more water if they start to dry out.

If making your own meatballs, make them, cook them, and store them ahead of time. No time to make your own or ran out? Use a frozen, pre-cooked meatball. There are many good brands out and most stores now carry turkey meatballs. These cranberry cocktail meatballs are also great with beef or chicken meatballs.

Make homemade cranberry sauce ahead of time and freeze or refrigerate according to the recipe directions. No time to make your own? Use a store bought sauce instead. We like using a whole cranberry sauce, but a jellied cranberry sauce will also work.

Crockpot of cooked turkey meatballs in cranberry, brandy sauce.

Equipment

We like making these in a crockpot. They can be served right in the crockpot for casual events. This will help them stay at a food safe temperature for a longer party! If you want a more formal serving, transfer them to a chafing dish or even a fondue pot for serving.

We like serving them with cocktail picks on the side.

Picks. We do not recommend using colored toothpicks as the color can come off on the food. We like to use a reusable toothpick, but recognize if you are hosting a large party this may not be feasible. For large parties use a decorative toothpick when possible - like a bamboo knotted toothpick. These are found at most party stores, some grocery stores, or restaurant supply stores. Here are a few of our favorite pick sources.

Wooden toothpicks - Least expensive and easy to get
Knotted bamboo toothpicks - Inexpensive and easy to get at many locations
Bamboo w/’pearl’ - Step up from basic pick and available at Amazon
Metal cocktail pick - Most expensive option but reusable!

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If you are within the FDA recommendations, these Cranberry Turkey Meatballs will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Other Favorite Cocktail Meatball Recipes

Cranberry Meatballs FAQ's

Can I make these with no alcohol?

Yes. Use apple juice, white grape juice, or water instead of the brandy.

I don't have a crockpot, can I make these on the stovetop?

Absolutely! We recommend adding a little more water, cooking on very low heat so they can cook longer and the flavors will blend more. Keep an eye on the pan and if it starts looking dry or too thick, add a little more water and stir.

Cocktail meatball with cranberry sauce on a cocktail pick.

Easy Lemon Bars

September 27, 2022 by Rhonda 1 Comment

These classic lemon bars have a crisp shortbread crust with a burst of lemon flavor! A delicious snack, dessert or addition to a buffet table.

Triangular cut lemon bars sprinkled with powdered sugar on a black board.

WE. LOVE. LEMON. We know it isn't for everyone, but it is one of our favorite flavors here at Appetizer Bliss and these homemade lemon bars are THE BEST! They have a tangy, lemony, curd filling that keeps us coming back for just one more! This easy recipe for lemon squares has about 15 minutes active time plus baking and cooling time.

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Ingredients

Flour, sugar, lemon, eggs, and butter in individual dishes.

These are so easy to make with just a few basic ingredients; flour, sugar, eggs, butter, and lemons. Let's talk LEMONS!

Fresh vs. Bottled Lemon Juice

This lemon bar recipe calls for both lemon juice and lemon zest. While they can be made without the zest it adds so much to the flavor we don't recommend skipping it. We have tried them with fresh lemon juice and bottled (real) lemon juice from the store. Using fresh lemons in this recipe are hands down better than using purchased bottled juice. Fresh squeezed lemon juice has a brighter, more lemony flavor and is frequently less bitter. PLUS - if we are juicing our own lemon, we might as well add the zest!

How Much Juice is in One Lemon

That's a great question! The answer is . . . it depends! The type of lemon, the size of the lemon, how ripe the lemon is will all make a difference in how much juice you can extract from the lemon. We find there is somewhere between 2-4 Tablespoons of juice in a lemon. We always err by buying at least one more lemon than we think we need.

PRO TIP: If we end up not using our lemons in a timely manner, we will zest them, juice them, and freeze the zest and juice in separate airtight containers.

How to Make Easy Lemon Bars

Make the crust.
- Mix flour, sugar, and melted butter together.
- Scrape mixed crust out of bowl, spread in parchment lined baking pan, and press down pan to form crust.
- Bake.

Making crust for lemon bars with flour, butter, sugar.

While the crust bakes, make the curd-like topping.
- Mix eggs, sugar, lemon juice, flour, and lemon zest until well mixed and no lumps. We use the same bowl we mixed our crust in - no need to wash.
When the crust is pre-baked (20 minutes) pour lemon filling over hot crust and continue baking.
Remove from oven and cool. We like cooling overnight in the fridge.
Cut. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

Really, they are super easy and #YUM!

Making lemon filling with eggs, sugar, lemon, and flour.

Some Interesting Lemon Bar Info

While most people considered lemon bars part of the cookie family, they don't rise like cookies. Some recipes will use a leavening agent in the recipe to get a small rise in the lemon filling, but we don't think it is needed. We want a creamy, lemony filling that stands on its own with the shortbread crust. No rise necessary!

Sometimes our lemon bars will release air bubbles as they bake. You can see the result on the baked photo above. This is air escaping from the lemon filling, usually from the eggs and mixing. We don't mind these bubbles since 1) they don't affect the texture or flavor and 2) we will be sprinkling powdered sugar over the top before serving. While we have never been able to remove them completely, they can be reduced by mixing the egg and lemon mixture by hand with a whisk or spatula. Sometimes, gently tapping the pan on the counter, after you pour the lemon mixture on the hot crust, will reduce the air bubbles.

Equipment We Used

We only use a few special items in making these delicious lemon bars. The first is a hand mixer to mix the lemon filling. This can also be done with a whisk, but we are #lazy and the mixer is so much easier and faster! If you don't want so many air bubbles releasing during baking, use a hand whisk.

The second item is parchment paper. We definitely recommend parchment paper! It makes it easy to lift the lemon bars from the pan for cutting. For this recipe we cut two strips of parchment and lay them in the baking pan, one going each direction, to cover the bottom and sides. You can also place a full sheet of parchment into the pan, tuck the corners, and then press the tuck flat against the sides so the entire pan is covered. PLEASE use parchment paper, it will save you a lot of stress and hassle when getting the lemon bars out of the pan.

Substitutions

While we are advocates of using fresh squeezed lemon juice, these can be made with store bought bottled lemon juice. Not a huge lemon fan like we are? Substitute limes for the lemons.

Cutting a pan of lemon bars into bite sized pieces.

How to Cut Lemon Bars

Make sure the lemon bars are completely cooled, otherwise, the curd filling will just stick to the knife and make them hard to cut. We cool our lemon bars on the counter for about an hour and then refrigerate them at least 4 hours. Remove the lemon bars from the pan by pulling up on the parchment paper and place them on a cutting board.

We like serving these as small 1-2 bite sized treats. Cut them whatever size works best for your purpose. Using a sharp knife and wiping the knife on a warm damp towel between each cut.

Cut the 8 x 8 square into 4 equal strips, 2 inches wide.
Rotate 90 degrees and cut the other direction into 4 equal strips (2 inches wide). You should now have 16 - 2 inch x 2 inch squares. These can be served as a large lemon bar at this point or keep cutting!
- Cut each of the 16 squares into quarters for a 1 inch x 1 inch bite. Total: 64 square bites
  OR
- Cut each of the 16 squares in half diagonally. Total: 32 mini triangle bites

REMEMBER the two main points in cutting lemon bars. 1) Wipe the knife between each cut to keep your cuts clean and smooth. 2) Make sure the lemon bars are COMPLETELY cooled before starting to cut.

Lemon Bars with powdered sugar dusting on a platter.

Make Ahead Tips and Storing Lemon Bars

We recommend making these simple lemon bars at least a day in advance and cooling overnight in the fridge. Lemon bars store in the refrigerator up to 3 days. We find storing them in the refrigerator much longer leaves a soft, not crisp, shortbread crust.

How to Freeze Lemon Bars

Lemon bars freeze great! They can be frozen uncut or cut for up to a month. Freeze the cut lemon bars individually. Once frozen, layer them in an airtight container with parchment paper between each layer and place back in the freezer. To serve. Remove from freezer, separate them into a single layer if needed, thaw in refrigerator, cut if needed, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and ENJOY!

Other Favorite Sweet Bites

Some Common FAQ's

Is fresh lemon juice better than bottled?

Fresh lemon juice has a fresher, truer flavor than bottled. Some bottled lemon juice can have an almost bitter taste. Plus - no preservatives in fresh squeezed! Both work in this recipe, but if you have a choice, go for fresh.

Are lemon bars gluten free?

No, these lemon bars are not gluten free. They do have flour in the shortbread crust and a tiny bit in the lemon filling.

Do I have to refrigerate lemon bars?

Yes! Lemon bars should be stored in the refrigerator. First - they are great served cold. Second - we don't want any bacteria growing in the lemon filling which is made with eggs. Keeping egg products, baked or not, at room temperature, considered part of the danger zone for food (40-140 degrees Fahrenheit), can become a party for bacteria. Stay safe and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Steak Bite with Brandy Cream Sauce

September 23, 2022 by Rhonda Leave a Comment

These peppered steak bites with homemade brandy cream sauce are our new favorite steak appetizer! It is tender and delicious with a spicy note from the pepper and a sweetness from the brandy sauce!

Peppered steak bite served on a pick topped with brandy cream sauce.

Sometimes we just want a delicious, tender bite of beef. This beef steak recipe gives us that and when we top that savory meat with this brandy cream sauce #swoon! Our tasters were adding this sauce to everything (bread, potatoes, shrimp), it was that good! Plus, these are super easy to make and are ready to eat in under 30 minutes!

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Use Good Ingredients

As with any recipe, we always want to start with good ingredients. For our main ingredients:

Steak. Select a cut that has some marbling but not a lot of fat and no gristly parts. There are so many good options; sirloin, ribeye, tri-tip, even filet mignon!

Pepper. Use a coarse ground pepper for this dish, not regular table pepper. A pepper grinder with a coarse setting works great. No pepper grinder? Crush peppercorns by hand using a mortar and pestle or smash them with a skillet. If crushing them with a skillet, place between parchment or in a bag before crushing begins!

Beef base. Use a rich, strong beef base. If no rich homemade base is available, use a beef base product like Better Than Bouillon Beef Base.

Ingredients for peppered steak with brandy cream sauce.

Equipment

We love using a cast iron skillet for these steak bites, but any skillet will work.
Using picks to serve these bites makes them very easy to eat.

Wooden toothpicks - Least expensive and easy to get
Knotted bamboo toothpicks - Inexpensive and easy to get at many locations
Bamboo w/’pearl’ - Step up from basic pick and available at Amazon
Metal cocktail pick - Most expensive option but reusable!

Coating steak strips with coarse pepper and frying.

Our Easy Way to Cook Steak Bites

We want a nice sear on the steak and found the easiest way to accomplish this was:

Start with a steak about ½ inch thick.
Cut the steak into strips, about ½ inch wide.
Pepper the sides of the steak strips with coarse ground pepper, either two sides or all four sides.
Heat a cast iron skillet until hot.
Add the oilve oil to the skillet and place steak strips in the skillet.
Cook on each side for 1-2 minutes depending on the thickness of your strips.
Remove the strips when done, let sit for 5 minutes and then cut into small bite sized pieces, about a ½ inch cube.

Degrees of Doneness

How do we tell when the steak strips are done? A medium-rare to medium-well steak has an internal temperature between 130 - 150 degrees Fahrenheit. It was difficult to get an accurate temperature reading with such a small piece of steak. We cooked the steak strips to an internal temperature of 115-125 degrees Fahrenheit (rare). This gave us a perfectly cooked steak bite by the time we got the sauce done, steak cut, and served. We found 1-2 minutes per side (all 4 sides) on medium-high heat, for our ½ inch thick strips, gave us a perfect sear and doneness. If still unsure, cut the strips in the middle to make sure they are done and cook until desired doneness.

Cooked peppered steak strips and making brandy cream sauce.

For this amazing sauce, we use the same skillet we used for searing the steaks. After the steaks are removed from the skillet:

Add the chopped shallots and sauté.
Pour in the beef base to deglaze the pan and scrape up all those flavorful brown bits.
Add the brandy and cook down.
Add cream and heat until warm.
Remove from the heat and add the butter.
Whisk until combined and serve!

Cutting Steak Strips

We have our seared steak strips resting and the sauce made. Now we need to cut the steak strips into bite sized pieces. Our strips of steak are ½ inch thick by ½ inch wide. We cut each strip into ½ inch pieces for a bite size piece. NOTE: We tried cutting these in ½ inch squares, ¾ inch squares, and 1 inch squares. Our testers liked the smaller ½ inch square size best. They felt they were easier to eat while the larger sizes were just too big of a bite of meat.

Make Ahead Tips

STEAK
- Sear the steak strips but remove before cooked all the way. Remove when the internal temperature is between 100-110 degrees Fahrenheit. Refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat steak in a preheated 425 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 5-10 minutes. Check internal temperature, it should reach at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep an eye on this as it can go from perfect to overcooked very quickly. Remove and cut into small pieces as directed in the recipe. NOTE: You can also cut the strips into pieces before reheating. Preheat a cast iron skilet. Once skillet is hot, place a small amount of olive oil in the skillet, add steak cubes, and return to the oven until warm. The heating time will reduce if cutting into steak cubes first.
SAUCE
- Make sauce up to adding the cream (BUT don't add the cream). Store in the refrigerator up to 3 days in advance, in an airtight container.
- Reheat in a pan or skillet on the stove top on medium heat until just starting to bubble. Add the cream and follow the directions for finishing the sauce.

Peppered steak bite on a plate with a bowl of brandy cream sauce.

How to Serve Steak Bites

These steak bites can be served on a platter with a dish of the brandy sauce on the side or with a pick and the sauce on top. They can be served on a warming tray, in a chaffer, or just on a platter.

They can also be served on top of a Grilled Polenta Cake. Slice the steak strips into thin slices instead of cubes. Place a thin piece of peppered steak on the polenta cake, top with some brandy cream sauce and serve. #YUM

Grilled polenta cake topped with peppered steak and brandy cream sauce.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If within the FDA recommendations, these steak bites are easily saved. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or a skillet.

Leftover steak bites and brandy cream sauce are also delicious tossed with warm pasta and served hot.

Other Favorite Meat Appetizer Recipes

Some Common FAQ's

Can I use something besides brandy?

This sauce is SO good, but for an alcohol free version use apple juice, pear juice, beef broth, or water in place of the brandy.

What kind of steak is best for steak bites?

We use a cut that has a little marbling and no gristly parts. Even a roast, cut into strips would work. There are so many cuts that would be good; sirloin steak, tri-tip, ribeye, flank steak, or even a rump roast are all good options. Just cut them into ½ inch by ½ inch strips. Using a tenderloin cut would be amazing, but pricey!

Can I cook the steak bites in the oven?

Absolutely. However, remember we want a nice sear on the steak. You can start with a cast iron skillet on the stovetop and sear each side for 1 minute then transfer to a hot (420-425 degrees Fahrenheit) oven to finish cooking. You can also place the cast iron skillet in the oven while pre-heating to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Once it is heated, carefully remove the skillet, add the olive oil, steak strips, and return to the hot oven and cook for 5-8 minutes until desired doneness.

Peppered steak bite in a taster spoon topped with brandy cream sauce.

Grilled Polenta Cakes

September 21, 2022 by Rhonda Leave a Comment

These grilled polenta cakes are a great base for so many toppings; spicy prawns, steak, tomatoes, cheese. They are so easy to make, involve little active time, and are a hit with family and friends.

Board of polenta cakes with different toppings including shrimp, steak, and tomato.

Grilled polenta cakes are a great blank canvas for so many different appetizers. We served these with three different toppings in these photos; Spicy Prawn, Peppered Steak with Brandy Cream Sauce, and Tomato, Blue Cheese, and Pine Nuts. All were great!

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What's the difference between polenta and cornmeal?

Ah, the great debate! Are they the same? After much research here is what we discovered.

Polenta is the name of a dish, not an ingredient. WAIT. WHAT? You know we at Appetizer Bliss are all about using the right words and terms. So, here we are again in a dark place. LOL! Polenta is actually the name of the dish made with grains when it is ground coarse and cooked slow. NOTE: if you go to Italy, polenta will be made with a mixture of grains, not just corn like we use in the states.

Okay. Now that we know polenta is a dish, our question becomes, can we use cornmeal to make polenta? Yes, we can but if the cornmeal is a fine grind, it will result in a dish that is a little mushy or pasty in texture. We recommend finding a cornmeal that says polenta grind, or coarse grind when making polenta.

Stock, polenta, parmesan cheese, butter, oil, salt & pepper for polenta cakes.

How to Make Polenta Cakes

Making polenta was scary - until I just did it! It only takes a few minutes and a few ingredients. It is SO easy, SO creamy, and SO delicious! This grilled polenta recipe walks you through step by step.

Basic Order for Making Grilled Polenta Cakes

Add polenta to boiling stock. Stir and cook until it thickens.
Remove from heat. Add parmesan cheese and stir until melted.
Add butter and stir until combined.
Pour in baking dish, refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
Remove from baking dish and cut into polenta rounds or squares.
Grill polenta on a grill pan on the stovetop.
Top and serve!

Equipment We Used

These polenta cakes don't take any special equipment. A pan for making the polenta. A baking dish to chill the polenta. A knife or round biscuit cutter to cut the cakes. A grill pan (or skillet) to fry them. Throw in some parchment paper and a spatula and that's it!

We used a round biscuit cutter to cut our polenta bites, but these can also be cut into squares! We used a 1 ¼ inch round cutter and a 1 ½ inch round cutter. The results? Some testers felt the 1 ½ inch size was a little too big and the 1 ¼ inch was perfect.

How many bites will I get from this recipe?

This recipe will yield the following:

30 to 36 - 1 ¼ inch bites
24 to 30 - 1 ½ inch bites

Cooked polenta, chilled polenta, and cutting polenta.

Favorite Riffs

This is a great base recipe. We used parmesan cheese when making the polenta, but mix it up. Use feta cheese, goat cheese, cream cheese, or any other favorite soft cheese. Make this vegetarian by substituting vegetable stock for the chicken stock. Add some crispy, small diced bacon or prosciutto to the polenta.

Make Ahead Tips

Polenta cakes are great as a make ahead item. Keep some in your freezer or fridge for a quick appetizer.

Before cutting into individual bites. Store polenta in the pan in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
After cutting polenta into cakes. Store up to a month in the freezer either before or after grilling. Remove from the freezer and thaw.
- If not grilled, grill as directed.
- If grilled, reheat in a 400 degrees Fahrenheit oven until warm (4-8 minutes). They can also be reheated on a grill until warm.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If within the FDA recommendations, polenta cakes (that have not been topped yet) will store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or the freezer for up to a month. Always store in airtight containers.

Some favorite toppings for Polenta Cakes

Besides being delicious, polenta cakes are great with many different toppings. Here are just a few of our favorite toppings.

Spicy Prawns
A slice of cherry tomato slice, piece of blue cheese, and toasted pine nuts
Peppered Steak with Brandy Cream Sauce

Polenta Cakes with Spicy Prawns

Grilled polenta cake topped with a spicy prawn.

Polenta Cakes with Peppered Steak and Brandy Cream Sauce

Polenta Cakes with Tomatoes, Blue Cheese, and Pine Nuts

Grilled polenta cake with tomatoes, blue cheese, and pine nuts.

Some Common FAQs

Are polenta and cornmeal the same thing?

Polenta is actually the name of the dish made with grains (like corn!) when it is ground coarse and cooked slow. In the United States, we tend to make polenta with just corn and not a mixture of grains (like they do in Italy). Can we use cornmeal to make polenta? Yes, but use a cornmeal that says polenta grind, or coarse grind, and not a basic cornmeal. If the cornmeal is a fine grind, it will result in a dish that is a little mushy or pasty in texture.

Can I freeze polenta cakes?

YES! They freeze great. Freeze them in an airtight container before or after grilling for up to a month. Remove from the freezer and thaw in the refrigerator before using. If grilled, reheat in the oven or on a grill until warm. If not grilled yet, grill according to directions in the recipe.

What is a good size to make the individual polenta bites?

We tested two sizes, 1 ¼ inch and 1 ½ inch. 50% of the testers felt the 1 ½ inch size was a little too big. The other 50% were fine with either size. SO - we recommend cutting the bites into 1 ¼ inch pieces (round or square).

Can I use a pre-make polenta log for these?

We didn't test this recipe using a roll of polenta (I mean, we overcame our fear of making polenta, so we had to make it! plus it's so easy), but it should work just fine. Cut the polenta tube into slices, about 1 inch thick. Cut those into bite sized pieces using a knife or cookie cutter. Grill polenta pieces according to the recipe. Top and serve!

Spicy Prawns

September 15, 2022 by Rhonda Leave a Comment

The simplicity of these spicy prawns is almost overwhelming. Ready in under 10 minutes and delicious! Serve as an appetizer or as part of another dish like polenta cakes, pasta, or salad.

These Spicy Prawns are great on top of a Grilled Polenta Cake!
Love Seafood? Try another favorite recipe: Crab Stuffed Shrimp

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Let's Talk Prawns

Prawns vs. Shrimp - Are They The Same?

While we at Appetizer Bliss are all about using the right terms for things (as you have probably noticed in our posts!) this is one that trips us up. Since most of us, and most grocery stores, use these two words interchangeably, it is very difficult to know if we are ACTUALLY buying prawns or shrimp from the store.

Are they the same? No. They are actually different animals. Would I know the difference if I was looking at them - NO! Some will say it is the size, but there are small shrimp and small prawns, there are large shrimp and large prawns. They both have 10 legs. They look similar to each other if you are not a shrimp/prawn animal expert - which I'm not!

BUT - DO THEY TASTE DIFFERENT? NO! For 99.9% of the population, we can't tell the difference when eating them. So, buy prawns, buy shrimp, buy what the store has. The important thing is to get the size that works for the dish you are making. We wouldn't want to use a LARGE JUMBO shrimp if we are putting it on a small polenta cake.

We also like to purchase sustainable seafood whenever we can. Not only is this important for our world and food cycle, it is also important to show our support for companies doing this hard work. Here are two short articles about sustainable prawns/shrimp and the difference between prawns and shrimp.

This Southern Living article was interesting and focused on the differences between prawns and shrimp.
Marine Stewardship Council, a great seafood resource, talks a tiny bit about the difference between them and mostly about finding sustainable shrimp and prawns in this article.

Sizes of Prawns and Shrimp

It can be confusing when looking at prawns or shrimp and we see all the different numbers, but it is really pretty easy. The numbers are how many prawns are in one pound. For example,

36/40 means there are 36 to 40 prawns in one pound.
21/25 means there are 21 to 25 prawns in one pound.
U-12 a way large prawns are sometimes listed means there are under 12 prawns in one pound.

So, it is basically the size of the prawns! EASY. The higher the number, the more prawns in a pound, so the smaller the prawns. NOTE: not all packages or stores will list the sizes the same, BUT it is always the number per pound. So, just remember that the higher the numbers, the smaller the prawns. The lower the number, the bigger the prawns.

Tails On or Tails Off?

We know the usual method for cooking prawns is with the tails on. Cooking with the tail on helps them stay juicy, adds some flavor, and provides a nice 'handle' if eating shrimp cocktail! However, I hate eating a prawn appetizer and then having to deal with first, getting the prawn out of the shell and second, what do I now do with the shell? For this reason, we remove them from this dish. These prawns aren't dipped, don't need a 'handle', they are just eaten, SO - tails off for us! Feel free to leave them on if you like, they will still be delicious.

Easy Peel or Not?

We love the easy peel (or EZ peel), deveined prawns. This saves so much time. Interesting note: We were surprised to learn years ago that easy peel shrimp are done by hand! A slice is made from the head down to the tail making it easy to pull the shell off the prawns. If the vein is removed, they are considered deveined and using them is super simple. If they are not easy peel, it just takes a little longer to peel the prawns.

It is easy to remove the tail if needed. Grasp the tail when peeling the prawn. As the shell is removed from the prawn, gently pull the prawn while holding and squeezing the tail. The prawn should pop right out of the tail.

On to the Spicy Prawns Recipe!

Dishes of prawns, red pepper flakes, olive oil, garlic cloves, and a lime.

Now that the discussion on prawns vs. shrimp is over, let's get to these amazing spicy prawns! We are not kidding when we say these are fast and easy to make.

Basic Steps for Making This Spicy Prawn Recipe

Prep ingredients.
- Peel, devein, and remove tails on shrimp. Mince garlic.
Cook.
- Heat skillet and add olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
- Add prawns.
- Turn prawns over and add lime or lemon juice.
Serve.
- Remove prawns from skillet to dish.
- Pour remaining sauce over the prawns. This sauce can be reduced a little first if it seems too thin.

Skillet with oil, pepper flakes, garlic, prawns and lime juice.

Some Favorite Riffs

Adjust the spiciness to the desired level with more or less red pepper flakes. Mix it up with other types of peppers. Use ground peppers - so many to choose from, pick a favorite (cayenne, chipotle, red pepper, etc.). Add diced fresh peppers to the skillet with the garlic and sauté for a minute before adding the prawns. Again, so many to choose from!

Make it sweet by adding a little honey to the skillet. Add some sweet chili sauce for some sweet, sour, and spicy additions.

We've made this with both lemons and limes and both are great! Use what you have (I had a lime when taking these photos). If you want it to have more citrus flavor, add a little more juice or some zest from the fruit. You can also zest some lemon or lime over the finished dish! #yum

How to Serve Spicy Prawns

These are great as a stand-alone appetizer. Serve with picks or forks if you want to keep people from using their fingers! Spicy Prawns are amazing sitting on top of a grilled polenta cake. These are also great with pasta, salad, or over rice.

Some Info On Picks

Wooden toothpicks - Least expensive and easy to get
Knotted bamboo toothpicks - Inexpensive and easy to get at many locations
Bamboo w/’pearl’ - Step up from basic pick and available at Amazon
Metal cocktail pick - Most expensive option but reusable!

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If within the FDA recommendations, these spicy prawns are great the next day. Warm them up and eat them, eat them cold, throw them into some pasta or on top of a salad.

Other favorite seafood recipes

FAQ's

What if the store only has shrimp?

Shrimp and prawns are actually different animals. Would I know the difference if I was looking at them - NO! BUT - DO THEY TASTE DIFFERENT? NO! Most of us can't tell the difference when eating them. So, buy prawns, buy shrimp, buy what the store has. The important thing is to get the size that works for the dish you are making. We wouldn't want to use a LARGE JUMBO shrimp if we are putting it on a small polenta cake.

What size prawns (or shrimp) should I use?

This depends on how you are going to serve these.
If you want them to be one bite, use somewhere around a 30-40 size. This is great for a stand-alone appetizer, topping small appetizers (crostini, polenta cakes), adding to pasta or salads.
If 1-2 bites is what you are looking for use a 15-40 size. This size is great for stand-alone (multiple bite size) or adding to pasta or salad.

Can cooked prawns be used for this dish?

Yes. If using cooked prawns all that is really needed is a sauce. Heat about ½ teaspoon oil in a small skillet. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and lemon or lime juice. Heat until it is hot and slightly reduced. Add shrimp to skillet just to heat. Serve.

Pear and Goat Cheese Crostini

September 14, 2022 by Rhonda Leave a Comment

Besides being delicious, this Pear and Goat Cheese Crostini is super easy and fast to make. It's ready in minutes with just a few ingredients. VEGETARIAN.

Crostini with goat cheese, pears, honey, and pecans on board.

What's not to love about toasty bread, cheese, fruit, honey, and nuts! And let us say again, SO EASY! This cheese crostini recipe is delicious and perfect for a party, company dinner, or any time you want a fresh snack with a glass of wine!

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Looking for a crostini without goat cheese?

Try our Caramelized Onion Brie Crostini!

Steps for Making Pear and Goat Cheese Crostini

Crostini, pecans, honey, a pear, and log of goat cheese.

Start with the crostini - use Homemade Crostini or store bought.
Spread goat cheese on the crostini - plain goat cheese or whipped goat cheese both work great!
Place in the oven for 3-5 minutes to soften the cheese.
Top with a slice or two of your favorite pear.
Add a drizzle of honey - we like a local honey but use what you have.
Finish with some toasted, chopped nuts.
Enjoy!

What is the difference between crostini and bruschetta?

Crostini and bruschetta are really just a fancy way to say lightly toasted (or grilled) bread brushed with a little EVOO (or butter!)

Even though people use these terms interchangeably (and that's okay), they are ‘technically’ different. Crostini are usually smaller diameter bread with a less rustic feel - like baguette slices. Bruschetta are made from a larger diameter bread with a more rustic texture - think lots of nice air holes or sourdough! You can use bruschetta for crostini recipes and crostini for bruschetta recipes.

Sliced pear, goat cheese, crostini, honey, and toasted, chopped pecans.

Substitutions for Pear and Goat Cheese Crostini

This goat cheese crostini appetizer recipe is so forgiving and easy to make your own. If it doesn't need to be vegetarian, add some crispy prosciutto pieces on top of the goat cheese.

Bread. We used a baguette for this crostini recipe and it was great for a small bite option. For more of a main-dish-sized version use slices from a rustic french loaf or sourdough loaf and make this into a bruschetta. Same steps just on larger slices of bread. If using larger slices of bread the amount of goat cheese, pears, honey, and nuts may need to increase.

Nuts. We like the flavor of toasted pecans. Almonds, walnuts, or hazelnuts would all be equally delicious. Make sure to toast them before using to bring out the flavor. The extra sweetness of chopped Sugared Pecans is also be amazing!

Goat Cheese. Use plain, creamy goat cheese or a whipped goat cheese like this one from our friends at Life As A Strawberry. Either will be delicious! Not a fan of goat cheese? Use a soft spreadable cheese like feta, whipped feta, cream cheese or ricotta.

OPTIONAL STEP: Softening the goat cheese before spreading on the crostini makes it easier to spread, but is not necessary. To soften the cheese, heat goat cheese on a medium-low setting in the microwave for 5-15 seconds (recommend 5 second intervals) until cheese is slightly softened.

Crostini, goat cheese, honey, and pecans.

Make Ahead Tips

We almost always have some crostini sitting around because we love it and use it for so many quick snacks. If not, make some crostini in just 15 minutes and store on the counter in an airtight container. Our Homemade Crostini post has lots of information and tips on how to make crostini.

If using whipped goat (or feta) cheese, make the whipped cheese up to 5 days in advance and store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to make these appetizers.

Time Saver Tips

Use store bought crostini. Many grocery stores and specialty markets now carry pre-made crostini. Grab a package and you are good to go. This also works on plain, 'un-toasty', baguette slices. It will have all the flavors, but miss the texture and crunch from the crostini.

We like to toast our nuts to bring out the flavor, but if short on time, just chop them and sprinkle on top of the honey.

We tested this many ways and found we liked the cheese warmed a little after it was on the crostini. This step can be skipped and this crostini with goat cheese and pears is still amazing!

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Even if within the FDA recommendations, this appetizer with goat cheese doesn't really save. The pears will begin to turn brown, the cheese and honey will soften the bread and nuts.

Other Easy Goat Cheese Appetizer Recipes

Crostini topped with goat cheese, pear, honey, and pecans.

Some Common FAQ's

Do I serve these crostini goat cheese appetizers warm or cold?

It is very hard to keep these crostini warm. We warm the crostini with goat cheese to soften the cheese and make it a little creamier. They are great served room temperature.

Would other nuts work with this recipe?

YES! Almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, or our Sugared Pecans would all be great.

Cinnamon Sugar Wonton Crackers

September 8, 2022 by Rhonda Leave a Comment

These cinnamon sugar wonton crackers are an easy, quick snack anytime a sweet treat is wanted. Perfect appetizer on the beverage table at your next party or a casual treat on a quiet afternoon.

These homemade wonton crackers are perfect for a sweet appetizer, everyday snack, your next party, or holiday entertaining! Make sure you store them in an airtight container - otherwise they will be eaten before you blink!

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The Ease of Wonton Crackers

That's right! These wonton wrapper crackers are SO EASY and so delicious! We use wonton wrappers and a few basic ingredients - butter, cinnamon, and sugar. Bake until golden brown. PLUS, they are ready in 15 minutes - start to finish!

Cinnamon, sugar, butter, and wonton wrappers.

Equipment Used

No fancy equipment required for making wonton crackers! We used a

knive to cut the wonton wrappers.
reusable nonstick silicone baking mat to line our baking sheet pans but you can also use parchment paper. We love using a silpat because it is reusable. Just wash, dry and use again!
pastry brush to brush a light layer of butter on the wonton wrapper.
small mesh strainer (or empty shaker) for cinnamon sugar. It can be difficult to get a light, even dusting of cinnamon sugar on the wonton wrapper. Using a pinch with your fingers can end up with too much and uneven spots on the cracker.
- An empty shaker (like a salt shaker) works great. Put the mixed cinnamon sugar in sprinkle mixture on the wonton. Just make sure it has small holes!
- No extra salt shaker? Use a small mesh strainer. Place the cinnamon sugar mixture into the strainer. Gently use a back and forth motion while moving over the wonton pieces until they are coated evenly.

Substitutions and Additions

We love this base recipe with wonton wrappers - it is easy and quick - have fun with it! Use vegetable oil, canola oil, coconut oil, or olive oil instead of melted butter. Use some brown sugar in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Cut the square wontons in rectangles, triangles, or mini squares.

Baking wonton crackers with cinnamon sugar mixture.

Make Ahead Tips

These baked wonton chips are great to make ahead of time and have ready to serve. Make them up to 3 days in advance and store on the counter in an airtight container. Make sure it is covered or they will disappear before your party!

NOTE: this recipe calls for half a package of the wonton wrappers. If you don’t want to make the entire package, the uncooked wrappers freeze great! Place in an airtight container, we like our stasher bags for this, and place in the freezer for up to 9 months. They thaw quickly either on the counter or in the refrigerator.

Try These Other Wonton Cracker Recipes

Some Common FAQ's

Where can I buy wonton wrappers?

Most grocery stores will carry them, but you may have to ask. We use square wonton wrappers and find them in the deli section, vegetable section, or by the packaged cheese.

Can I use something besides butter?

YES! These wonton crackers are also good with olive oil, canola oil, or liquid coconut oil in place of the butter. If you use oil, you can brush it on just like the butter or use a Misto Oil Sprayer! The key is to make sure the cracker is lightly coated - not swimming in oil and not dry.

Herb and Goat Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

September 7, 2022 by Rhonda Leave a Comment

Baked mushroom caps filled with creamy, tangy goat cheese, cream cheese and fresh herbs make these herb and goat cheese stuffed mushrooms the perfect bite!

Baked mushrooms caps stuffed with fresh herbs and goat cheese mixture.

These stuffed mushroom caps have a creamy, cheesy, filling with lots of fresh herbs but kick it up a bit with the surprise tanginess from the goat cheese! So fast (ready in just 20 minutes) and easy to make with just a few ingredients. These appetizers are great to serve at parties, holidays, or just because!

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Making Stuffed Mushrooms

Any great dish starts with great ingredients and this stuffed mushroom recipe is no different! Use a goat cheese you love to eat, we love Vermont Creamery Classic Goat Cheese (not flavored with herbs or cranberries) and can find it at most grocery stores. Select mushrooms that are firm, have a nice color, and are 1-2 bites. We like using white mushrooms, but baby bella mushrooms would also work. Use fresh herbs, no matter what season it is.

Equipment We Used

Use a rimmed baking sheet (as opposed to a flat cookie sheet) for this cheese stuffed mushrooms recipe. This helps keep any liquid or cheese released during cooking from making a mess of your oven. Place a baking rack in the sheet pan with the mushroom caps on top of the rack. This helps the mushrooms not roll around when moving to and from the oven.

We use a nonstick silicone baking mat to line our sheet pans but you can also use parchment paper. We love the silicone mats because they are reusable. Just wash, dry and use again!

A piping bag with an extra large tip or no tip will make filling the mushrooms both faster and easier. Make sure the cheese mixture is smooth and contains no large pieces that would clog the tip. No piping bag? Use a spoon or small cookie scoop to fill the caps.

Goat cheese, cream cheese, chopped fresh herbs, white mushrooms, salt and pepper.

Basic Order of Steps

Prep mushrooms. We used small white mushrooms (also called button mushrooms), but a baby bella would also work great.
- To clean mushrooms gently, and quickly, give them a quick rub while under water, shake off any excess water, and place on a clean towel to dry.
- Remove stems by gently holding the mushroom cap in one hand and push the stem away from you and then pull it back. It should pop right out. Save the mushroom stems for a sauce or soup.
- Place the mushroom caps on a baking rack lined sheet pan.
Mix herb goat cheese mixture. Combine the goat cheese and cream cheese until well mixed.
- We use our hand mixer for this - so much faster and #lazy! A stand mixer will also work, but it isn't a lot of cheese so there may be a lot of scraping the sides.
- No hand mixer? Use a heavy duty spoon and some muscle!
- Once the cheese is well mixed, add the herbs and stir until combined.
Fill mushroom caps. There are a number or ways to fill the mushroom caps. It is okay to heap the cheese mixture in the mushroom caps. The cheese will melt and settle into the cap.
- Use a teaspoon and fill the mushroom cap with the cheese mix.
- Place the herb cheese filling in a piping bag with a large tip. Pipe the filling into the caps. This is our method of choice.
- Use a small cookie scoop to fill the mushroom caps with the cheese mixture.
Bake. These bake at a fairly high heat. We like the cheese melted and the mushroom caps soft but not dry.
NOTE: Move slowly when removing the pan from the oven. Mushrooms can roll around on the rack, so keep an eye on them to avoid spills and burns!
Garnish. Use what you have. We like these with parsley or green onions.
Eat. The best step in this process!

Mixing goat cheese, cream cheese, and fresh herbs.

Some Favorite Riffs

Substitute feta, swiss, parmesan, or gruyere cheese for the goat cheese. Just make sure it is a cheese that will melt. We don’t recommend substituting much, if any, of the cream cheese. When combined with other cheese, cream cheese helps make a smooth, creamy, cheese mixture.

Mix in some cooked hot sausage or bacon to the herb cheese mix. Add some chopped up spinach or roasted red peppers to the cheese mixture. Sprinkle bread crumbs mixed with melted butter on top of the stuffed mushroom caps before baking for a nice crispy topping.

Make Ahead Tips

You can fill these mushrooms stuffed with goat cheese up to one day in advance and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Much longer than a day in advance and the mushrooms may begin to turn brown. They will still be good, but not look as fresh.

Make the cheese and store in an airtight container up to a week in the refrigerator or up to 2 months in the freezer. If frozen, thaw completely, then stir well to mix before using to fill the mushroom caps.

Destemming, stuffing with cheese, and baking mushroom caps.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If you are within the FDA recommendations, these goat cheese mushroom caps will last up to 2 days in and airtight container in the refrigerator. They are good reheated until warm or cut into pieces and tossed into some cooked pasta!

Other Favorite Mushroom Recipes

Some Common FAQ's

What are the best mushrooms to use?

We like using a bite size white mushroom for these but a baby bella mushroom also works great. The quantity will depend on the size of your mushrooms. If you use a large mushroom cap you will get 12-13. This size is great for a sit down appetizer where you have a knife and fork. If you use a very small mushroom cap you may get 30-36.

Can you freeze the mushrooms

We don’t recommend freezing the mushroom caps for this dish. We find they can get mushy and have a tough texture.

Sun Dried Tomato and Pesto Spread

September 1, 2022 by Rhonda Leave a Comment

Layers of cheese, sun dried tomatoes, and pesto make this sun dried tomato and pesto spread perfect for the holidays! Gluten Free.

Cheese, sun dried tomatoes, pesto and pine nut spread.

We love this sun-dried tomato pesto appetizer recipe. We went round and round on what to name this. Is this a pesto torte? By definition, not really. A torte is usually a type of cake or multilayered cake. Is it a pesto torta? By definition, not really. A torta is usually a sandwich, or open pie with a bread base, but can refer to cakes, pies, flatbreads, or even omelets depending on the cuisine. MANY people refer to this as a torte or a torta - and we do too sometimes! We do LOVE THIS spread on bread so we decided to officially declare this a spread!

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Ingredients for Pesto Spread

The combination of a few simple ingredients and this sun-dried tomato pesto appetizer is ready to WOW your guests! Easy to make and so delicious. Plus, a great make ahead dish!

Cheese. We love this combination of cream cheese and feta cheese.
Sun dried tomatoes. We used ready to eat sun dried tomatoes, but dried work great after reconstituting them (directions below). We don't recommend using sun dried tomatoes packed in oil.
Pesto. Homemade is amazing, but store bought works just as good!
Nuts. We used pine nuts and consider them a hidden treasure in this dish.
Other staples. Olive oil, garlic, shallot, white wine, baguette slices.

Ingredients for sun dried tomato, pesto torte.

Sun dried tomatoes

Sun dried tomatoes are now available in most grocery stores in three forms; ready to eat, packed in oil, or dried. We don't recommend using sun dried tomatoes packed in oil as it can make this dish too oily. If sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil are the only thing available, make sure to drain them and pat them dry. Otherwise, there is a risk of the dish being too oily.

Dry sun dried tomatoes. These will need to be reconstituted. To do this: heat 2 cups water in a medium saucepan until hot but not boiling. Remove the pan from the heat and add the sun dried tomatoes. Make sure they are submerged in the hot water. Let soak for 20-25 minutes until soft. Drain the tomatoes, pat dry, and give a rough chop until they are in smallish pieces.

Ready to eat sun dried tomatoes. It is now possible to purchase already reconstituted sun dried tomatoes in the grocery produce section. Give these a quick chop for small diced pieces.

Mixing feta and cream cheese with shallot and wine.

Equipment We Used

Hand mixer. We like using a hand mixer to make sure the cheese mixture is well combined and smooth. A food processor also works, just make sure to scrape the sides a few times to ensure the cheese is totally mixed. Mixing this by hand also works but will take some time and energy to get this smooth.

Plastic Wrap! What? I know! We try to NEVER use a single use plastic wrap but have not found anything to replace it in the assembly of this dish. We need to be able to press the layers together in our dish, keep it airtight while in the fridge, and still unmold it when ready. Parchment paper and beeswax wrap just don’t work here. We think this appetizer is so good, it is worth one piece of plastic wrap!

The dish for molding. We have used all kinds of dishes to form this sun-dried tomato pesto cheese spread; souffle dish, mixing bowl, square bowl, small casserole dish, small bread pan, and ramekins for mini tortes. If making one torte, make sure the dish is large enough to hold all the layers. A tapered dish, narrower at the bottom, makes it easier to remove this cheese layered spread from the dish for plating. A container with a 'design' gives a nice presentation when plated, but make sure to carefully line the dish and layer the cheese so it is in each pattern. It is disappointing to take the torte out of a patterned dish and find that part of it was not pressed into the pattern all the way around and the torte is lopsided.

Substitutions and Additions

Nuts. We love pine nuts in this sun dried tomato pesto cheese spread, but use walnuts, pistachios, or almonds instead. Whatever nuts used, make sure they are lightly toasted before using to bring out even more flavor. If using a different nut, use a pesto that contains the same nuts or a nut-free pesto.

Cheese. We usually make this cream cheese mixture with just cream cheese and feta cheese because we like the saltiness of the feta with the other ingredients. The cream cheese can be in a block or a tub just not whipped or low-fat. The feta can be crumbled or a block (in liquid or not - if in liquid, drain before using). The drier the cheese used, the more olive oil is needed to make the cheese mixture smooth. This would also be great with tangy goat cheese for all or part of either of the other cheeses. You may not need the olive oil if using a very soft goat cheese.

Pesto. We usually use our homemade traditional fresh basil pesto for this dish. It goes great with the pine nuts and cheese mixture. This would also be great with an arugula pesto or a kale & basil pesto.

How to Assemble

Take your time when building this spread and be patient as you add each layer - it will be worth it! Spread every layer to the edge of the dish so it is seen when the spread is unmolded.

The basic steps are:

Prepare dish. Line the dish with plastic wrap.
Nuts. Sprinkle some toasted pine nuts in the dish
Cheese. Add a layer of cheese mixture and spread to the edges of the dish.
Pesto and sun dried tomatoes. Spread some pesto evenly over the cheese followed by sun dried tomatoes.
Repeat. Continue with a layer of pine nuts, then cheese, then pesto and tomatoes.
Final layer. Finish with the remaining cheese mixture.
Top. Add a sprinkle of pine nuts on top of the cheese. OPTIONAL: Save some pine nuts to garnish the dish when it is plated.

Layers in assembly of pine nut, cheese, pesto, and sun dried tomato spread.

Tips on Spreading the Cheese Mixture

We found there were many ways to help spread the cheese mixture - and we've tried them all. Our favorite way, and what we found was easiest, is as follows.

Make sure the cheese mixture is not too dry, it should be smooth and almost creamy. If it is too dry it can make this step frustrating.
Drop small pieces of the cheese mixture (like little dumplings) across the layer.
Use a metal utensil (spoons, spreader, or a spatula) to spread the cheese until you have a smooth layer.
If you are having trouble spreading the cheese, use a second metal utensil to hold one end of the cheese while you stretch and spread the other end over the previous layer. NOTE: we have tried this with plastic spatulas, plastic spoons (disposable), and our hands. The metal spoons seemed to work the best.

Time Saver Tips

Purchase your favorite pesto instead of using homemade. Buy ready-to-eat (already reconstituted) sun dried tomatoes. These are usually found in the produce section.

Use a larger dish and do fewer layers; pine nuts, cheese, pesto, sun dried tomatoes, cheese, pine nuts. You will want the dish to have enough surface space (think more flat than deep) to handle the small amount of layers without being super thick.

Make Ahead Tips

This pesto spread needs to be made at least one day in advance and refrigerated until ready to serve. You can make this up to 3 days in advance. Keep in the dish until ready to serve - then remove from the dish, remove plastic wrap, plate, and serve.

Unmolding sun dried tomato, pesto, feta cheese torte.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If you are within the FDA recommendations, this pesto spread will last for up to 5 days in and airtight container in the refrigerator. It is delicious on a sandwich the next day!

Layers of cheese, pesto, sun dried tomatoes and nuts.

Other Favorite Cheese Appetizers

Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Torte plated with sliced bread.

Pesto Spread FAQ's

Can I use something besides pine nuts?

Of course! We recommend whatever nuts you select they be toasted before using to bring out even more flavor. Make sure it is a nut that will withstand the moisture from the cheese and not get soggy; pistachios, chopped almonds, chopped walnuts are all some options. NOTE: we recommend your pesto use the same nuts you are using in the torte.

Is this a torte or torta?

When looking up ACTUAL definitions in different dictionaries we found some interesting info. Is it a torte? By definition, not really. A torte is usually a type of cake or multilayered cake. Is it a torta? By definition, not really. A torta is usually a sandwich, or open pie with a bread base, but can refer to cakes, pies, flatbreads, or even omelets depending on the cuisine. MANY people refer to similar dishes to this as a torte or a torta - and we do too sometimes! We do LOVE THIS spread on bread so we decided to officially name this a spread!

Why is 'YIELD' 24 pieces, but this isn't in pieces?

When calculating how many appetizers to serve at events, counts are usually made in ‘pieces’ or ‘bites’ per person. With dishes like this one, that are not individual pieces, a number is assigned for how many bites this equals. Even though this dish is probably more than 24 ACTUAL bites we used this number to account for some guests taking a large amount of the torte (it’s that good!) Also, we always try to err on the lower side and have a little too much rather than run out.

Apple Butter Brie Tartlets

August 30, 2022 by Rhonda Leave a Comment

Elegant, yet oh so easy pastry bites! These Apple Butter Brie Tartlets are a perfect appetizer for any event!

Melted brie in phyllo tartlet shell topped with apple butter.

We love brie. We love apples. We love small bites. It is a given that we love this apple butter brie mini tarts recipe! Making these doesn't get much easier. These apple brie tarts are ready to eat in 10 minutes. A perfect appetizer or snack for fall gatherings!

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Ingredients

Three ingredients are all that are needed for these amazing bites.

Brie. It doesn't matter if it is a wedge or a full round, just make sure it is a brie cheese you like to eat. We like to scrape the thin rind to remove most of it, but it is also fine to leave it on.
Apple Butter. We love this Apple Butter from our friends at Life As A Strawberry. Make it when apples are in season and freeze in small containers. Homemade apple butter lets us control the amount of sugar and this recipe uses no refined sugar! Store purchased apple butter or applesauce also work.
Phyllo Tartlet Shells. Making your own tartlet shells is easy to do and fun, but it does take time. Pre-made phyllo tartlet shells are available in in the frozen section of most grocery stores and work great! NOTE: We have tested different brands of frozen mini phyllo shells and we like the Athens' brand best. They hold their crispness and are the most flavorful.

Brie cheese, apple butter, and phyllo pastry shells.

Equipment We Used

We use a Silpat nonstick silicone baking mat to line our sheet pans but you can also use parchment paper. We love using a silpat because it is reusable. Just wash, dry and use again!

Basic Instructions

Did we say how easy these were to make? Let's say it again - these mini brie tartlets are so easy - and delicious!

Prepare. Remove mini phyllo shells from the package and place on your lined baking sheet.
Fill. Cut your brie into small pieces. We found pieces about 1 inch square fit into the mini shells perfectly.
Bake. Bake shells until brie is melted then remove from the oven.
Finish. Top each baked brie tartlet with apple butter.
ENJOY! The perfect combination of crispy, creamy, and sweet in one bite.

Melting brie in pre-made phyllo tartlet shells.

Substitutions

We make batches of apple butter during apple season and keep in small containers in our freezer to use throughout the year. We like using our own so we can control the sugar in the apple butter. This Easy Apple Butter recipe uses no refined sugar and is so easy. There is even an Easy Slow Cooker Apple Butter version. Store purchased apple butter or applesauce will also work great!

Add a thin slice of apple or pear on top of the apple butter.

No homemade or store purchased apple butter handy? Use a favorite fruit jam; fig jam, cranberry jam (or thick cranberry sauce), peach jam, raspberry jam - they would all be good!

Phyllo tartlet shells with melted brie and a dish of apple butter.

Make Ahead Tips

These appetizer tartlets are so fast and easy, but it is nice to prepare as much as possible before company arrives. Earlier in the day, uncover mini tartlet shells but leave them in the plastic trays they were packaged in. Place the brie cheese squares into each shell. Cover and refrigerate. When ready to bake remove tartlets from the plastic tray, place on the baking sheet, bake, top with apple butter, serve!

Try some other favorite apple butter or brie recipes!
Apple Butter Coffee Cake
Apple Butter Spice Cake
Easy Apple Butter Muffins
Easy Baked Brandy Pecan Brie
Bacon, Brie, and Apple Grilled Cheese
Roasted Garlic and Brie Crostini

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If within FDA guidelines, these baked tartlets will last in the refrigerator for a day or two, BUT the pastry will become soggy. We recommend only making as many as you think you will need. They are quick and easy to make so if you need more, as long as you have all the ingredients prepped, it will take no time to have them ready to serve.

Some favorite sweet recipes

Phyllo tartlet shell with melted brie and apple butter.

Some FAQ's for Brie Tartlets

Do I need to buy a brie round or just a slice?

This recipe works just fine using a slice of brie instead of an entire round. When we used an 8 ounce brie round we only used about half of the cheese.

What if I can't find pre-made phyllo tartlet shells?

Making mini phyllo cups are not hard it just takes time. If you can't find pre-made tartlet shells, purchase sheets of frozen phyllo dough and make your own. The basic steps are to alternate melted butter and phyllo sheets until they are 5-6 layers thick. Cut into squares a little larger than the mini muffin tins. Brush muffin tins with butter and place one 'stack' of square phyllo dough into muffin tin. Bake until golden brown.

While a puff pastry cup will also work in a pinch, we find there is too much pastry for the amount of cheese in these brie tartlets. If forced to use a puff pastry, we would increase the amount of cheese in each cup.

Phyllo shells with melted brie and apple butter on black board.

Caprese Platter

August 25, 2022 by Rhonda Leave a Comment

This easy caprese platter is always a hit. A great way to use fresh summer produce, plus a beautiful presentation for a holiday party, or a quick and easy salad or appetizer. Vegetarian.

Fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, basil, with balsamic reduction on a plate.

This tomato and mozzarella platter is a quick and easy addition to any table and so fun to make. Simply layer fresh sliced tomatoes, fresh sliced mozzarella, and fresh basil leaves on a platter. Drizzle with a balsamic reduction and serve!

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Preparing Ingredients

Sitting here writing about these fresh picked tomatoes makes my mouth water. I think a trip to the garden is on my list!

This caprese appetizer recipe is really simple to prepare.

Fresh tomatoes. Slice the tomatoes about ¼ inch thick.
Fresh mozzarella cheese. Slice the mozzarella slightly thinner than the tomatoes if possible.
Basil. Use fresh basil leaves, dried will not work. Remove the basil leaves from stems.
Balsamic reduction. We love keeping balsamic reduction on hand to add a finishing touch to dishes. Make your own with this easy recipe.

Fresh tomatoes, sliced mozzarella, basil leaves, and balsamic reduction for caprese platter

Favorite Riffs

Make this platter your own by scattering some pickled veggies, like marinated artichoke hearts, green beans, carrots, or radishes on the platter. If keeping it vegetarian isn't a requirement, fold some different cured meats on the platter, like plain or flavored salami, soppressata, or prosciutto.

How to Serve

Caprese is one of those dishes that almost everyone loves! It is refreshing and reminds us of summer - even when eating in the winter months!

What to serve with Caprese?

Serve with sliced artisan bread, crostini, or crackers if serving as an appetizer. Serve with BBQ beef, chicken, or pork, fresh veggies, twice baked potatoes, or homemade bread if serving as a side salad dish.

Ingredients for caprese platter; sliced tomatoes, sliced mozzarella, basil leaves, and balsamic reduction.

How to Plate a Caprese Platter

Here is where I think the fun comes in! There is really no right or wrong way to plate this. Have fun and be creative.

Plate on a square plate in alternating rows, either straight or on the diagonal.
Use a round platter and layer everything in circles or a spiral pattern.
Plate on a long, skinny platter in a single row.
Garnish with extra basil sprigs on the sides of the platter or between rows.
Plate in a random pattern for a more unstructured tomato mozzarella platter.

Layers of tomatoes, sliced mozzarella cheese and basil on a plate.

Make Ahead and Time Saving Tips

This platter goes together VERY fast, but when serving as one of many dishes, it is also a perfect make ahead dish. Plate the tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil leaves in pattern of choice. Lightly cover and put in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Remove and drizzle with the balsamic reduction right before serving.

Making a balsamic reduction from balsamic vinegar is so easy, but using a store bought one saves a little time if you don't have one already made. NOTE: Some purchased balsamic reductions actually have a sweetener added. This addition actually makes them a glaze, not a pure reduction. Try to find a brand with no added sugars for a true balsamic reduction that will produce the flavor you are looking for.

Platter of sliced tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil leaves.

Saving Leftovers

The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

If you are within the FDA recommendations, leftover caprese appetizer will last in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. While the balsamic reduction will soak into the tomatoes and mozzarella, and not look as fresh, it is still fine to eat. This is great added to a hot pasta dish. Simply cut the tomatoes and mozzarella into smaller pieces, add a little olive oil, and toss with hot pasta.

Other favorite options

Some Common FAQ's

Can you save leftover caprese?

Yes! As long as you are within the FDA guidelines you can save the leftovers. While the balsamic reduction will soak into the mozzarella cheese and not look as appetizing, it is still delicious. It is also great diced up and added to hot pasta!

What are the best tomatoes for caprese?

Any fresh picked, tomato, in season, is always THE BEST! NOTE: This was also one of our most requested dishes at the catering company in the winter, especially during the holidays, the colors, the freshness, the flavors. Even when made with hot house tomatoes, it is still good!

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