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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Polenta Cakes with Peppered Steak and Brandy Cream Sauce

Polenta Cakes with Tomatoes, Blue Cheese, and Pine Nuts

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!

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.

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!

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

Other Favorite Cheese Appetizers

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

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

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

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!

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

Some favorite sweet recipes

Some FAQ's for Brie Tartlets

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

Other favorite options

Some Common FAQ's

Ricotta cheese and roasted red bell peppers get a kick from some chipotle peppers in this Spicy Red Pepper Baked Ricotta Dip. Perfect for entertaining!

We like a hint of spicy in our food and this baked ricotta recipe delivers. We made this for company, we all tasted it, Ohh'd and Ahh'd, said how good it was. . . . Then got more. Said "This is REALLY good!" To which everyone agreed and we just continued eating and repeating. REALLY - this is amazing!

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Roasting Red Peppers

While roasting peppers is easy and is mostly 'inactive time' (put it in the oven and leave it), it does take some time. Allow about 45 minutes to completely roast and peel the peppers

Peppers and Heat

A Little History! An American pharmacist named Wilbur Scoville 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 measure 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!!

So, where do chipotle peppers land? Chipotle peppers are just a dried, smoked jalapeno pepper. Most of us can handle this level of heat in small doses making the chipotle a great pepper, with a wonderful smoky spiciness, to use when cooking. If this is your first time using them, start with ½ a chipotle pepper, mix, taste, and add more until you reach the desired heat level. It is easy to add more chipotle peppers but hard to remove the heat.

If it does get too hot, add more tomatoes to the sauce until the heat is the desired level. If there is more sauce than needed when it is adjusted, freeze any leftover to use in this recipe again (like next week when the craving strikes!) or in a red sauce for an extra boost of flavor!

Have fun and play with the flavors of different peppers in this spicy red pepper baked ricotta appetizer. Use a favorite hot pepper instead of the chipotle. We recommend roasting or smoking the peppers before using them. Remove stem, seeds, and peel, add to the sauce ingredients, and blend.

Make Ahead Tips

Make the spicy roasted red pepper sauce up to three days in advance. Store in an airtight container until ready to make the dip. Assemble the dip earlier in the day and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake. 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.

Substitutions and Additions

Cheese. Use any cheese that is soft and creamy; ricotta, goat, or cream cheese. Use goat cheese for a stronger, bolder flavor, use ½ goat cheese and ½ ricotta cheese, or add in some cream cheese. Throw in a little feta or gruyere. Watch the bake times if using different cheeses since some cheese bakes faster than others.

Serve this baked ricotta appetizer with fresh veggies (broccoli, bell peppers, cucumbers, celery) instead of bread and crackers. Add a drizzle of balsamic reduction right before serving for a little extra pop!

How To Serve This Spicy Dip

We love baking and serving this spicy red pepper baked ricotta right in a cast iron skillet. NOTE: This will not transfer to a different dish for serving without mixing it together, so bake this in a dish that is good to use for serving. Serve with artisan bread, crostini, crackers, or veggies good for dipping (celery, carrots, broccoli, bell peppers, cucumbers).

Other favorite cheese appetizers

FAQ's

These quick and easy baked sesame seed wonton crackers are a delicious, crispy any day snack. They are also perfect on a cheese plate or alongside a favorite dip!

Homemade wonton wrapper crackers are so easy to make and will quickly become a new favorite! They are great on a cheese plate, as an everyday snack, or at your holiday party as an appetizer! Make sure you store them in an airtight container - otherwise they will be eaten before your party begins!

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Ingredients

Equipment We Used

No fancy equipment required for these easy baked wonton chips! We used a reusable Silpat nonstick silicone baking mat to line our baking sheet pans. No silpat? Use parchment paper instead. We also used a silicone pastry brush to brush a light layer of oil on the crackers.

Some Favorite Riffs

Try these sesame seed wonton crackers with different seeds; poppy seeds, everything bagel seasoning, black sesame seeds, or sunflower seeds. Use vegetable oil, canola oil, coconut oil, or melted butter instead of olive oil.  Cut the square wontons in rectangles, triangles, or mini squares.  

Time Saver Tips

We love the Misto Oil Sprayer and it is a big time saver! Use it to lightly coat the wonton wrappers with oil. The key is to make sure the cracker is lightly coated, not swimming in oil and not dry. Make sure to keep the canister pressurized for a more even spray across all the crackers.

Make Ahead Tips

These 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.

Other Favorite Wonton Cracker Recipes

• Salt and Pepper Wonton Crackers
• Herb and Cheese Wonton Crackers
• Cinnamon Sugar Wonton Crackers

Other favorites from our recipe collection

These quick and easy herb and cheese wonton crackers are perfect with your cheese plate, as a snack, or served with your favorite dip. Vegetarian!

This is an easy recipe with wonton wrappers that will become a new go-to for a homemade chip! These are a light and crispy addition for a company dinner, holiday table, super bowl party, or whenever we need something crunchy to snack on.

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Ingredients

• Wonton wrappers - We used ½ of a package of 3 inch square wonton wrappers.
• Olive oil - Use a good oil, it will make a difference!
• Herbs - We like fresh herbs for this recipe, but dried will also work. We used fresh chives, thyme, and basil.
• Cheese - Grated parmesan was our go to cheese here.
• Salt - We all like a touch of salt with our crackers and chips, use a light hand as we want the herbs to shine through.

How to Serve Wonton Crackers

These are great as a snack anytime of day! We also serve them on a cheese or charcuterie tray as a cracker. They can be placed directly on the tray (if it has room) or in a basket or bowl next to the tray. We also like them served as a chip alongside our favorite dips.

Equipment Used

Substitutions and Additions

We love fresh herbs and have chives, thyme, and basil in our garden boxes so used them for the herbs. Use a favorite herb combination, what is on hand, or what is available at that time of year. If you don't have fresh herbs, use ¼ cup dried herbs instead.

Buy good parmesan cheese and shred it yourself – pre-shredded cheese is sometimes coated with preservatives that will prevent it from melting the way we like. 

Use a good oil - no matter what kind you use. We used olive oil, but avocado oil, canola oil, liquid coconut oil, or melted butter all work great!

Time Saver Tips

If you have a Misto Oil Sprayer, it is a big time saver! Use it to lightly coat the wonton wrappers with oil. The key is to make sure the cracker is lightly coated, not swimming in oil and not dry. Keep the canister pressurized for a more even spray across all the crackers.

Make Ahead Tips

These can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored on the counter in an airtight container. We always make extra because they're a little addictive!

Try These Other Wonton Cracker Recipes

• Salt and Pepper Wonton Crackers
• Sesame Seed Wonton Crackers
• Cinnamon Sugar Wonton Crackers

Other favorites from our recipe collection

A delicious, easy use for leftover mashed potatoes - homemade Parmesan Potato Croquettes!

We, as a society, LOVE. FRIED. POTATOES! These potato croquettes, using leftover mashed potatoes, won't disappoint.

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Ingredients

Potato Croquettes - What Are They?

While a potato croquette may seem like a fancy tater tot, they are actually different. Potato croquettes start with mashed potatoes and are then deep fried. Tater tots start with raw shredded potatoes and are then deep fried. Both croquettes and tater tots can have additional ingredients like cheese, bacon, ham, or veggies added to them. Because they start with different forms of potatoes, the texture of the two dishes is different.

How to Serve Potato Croquettes?

Fried croquettes are definitely better when served warm. Keep warm in a 170 degrees Fahrenheit oven until all croquettes are fried and ready to serve. We recommend serving them in a chafing dish, lined with a cloth napkin, or on a tray sitting on a warming plate. Serve any dips in a small dish on the side with a spoon.

While we like eating these like candy (judgement free zone here!) they are also great with a dipping sauce. Marinara sauce, sour cream, ranch dressing, or hot sauce are all good with these.

How to Make Parmesan Potato Croquettes

These seem like they can be time consuming, but they aren't! This potato croquettes recipe has just a few basic steps.

1. Mix the ingredients.
2. Form into round crouqette balls.
3. Dip in egg wash and then panko crumbs.
4. Fry until golden brown.
5. EAT!

Equipment We Used

A wire rack (or towel lined baking sheet) allows the fried potatoes to drain after frying. If they don't drain, they may become soggy, greasy croquettes.

We recommend using a cookie scoop to form the croquettes. We like the #40 (4 teaspoon) or #70 (3 teaspoon) size scoop. Play with different sizes and know the frying time may need to be adjusted up or down depending on the size of croquettes.

Our Favorite Riffs

Mashed potato croquettes are great with some diced bacon, diced ham, or crumbled, crispy prosciutto added to the potato mixture. Substitute shredded cheddar cheese for the parmesan. Add some small diced veggies (that will hold up to deep frying) like bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, or asparagus for even more deliciousness!

Time Saver Tips

This recipe calls for mashed potatoes and is a GREAT way to use leftover mashed potatoes! Mashed potatoes freeze great, freeze any leftovers until you have 1 ½ pounds. Remove frozen mashed potatoes from the freezer, thaw, and proceed with the recipe.

Make Ahead Tips

Some Leftover Mashed Potato Recipes We Love

• Cheddar Bacon Potato Croquettes
• Leftover Mashed Potatoes Gnocchi
• Leftover Turkey Mashed Potato Pie

Croquette FAQ's

Other favorite recipes from our collection

A quick and easy recipe for salt and pepper wonton crackers. These crispy, baked wonton chips are perfect for an anytime snack, a great addition to a cheese or charcuterie plate, and delicious alongside your favorite dip!

Searching for easy recipes using wonton wrappers? These homemade wonton crisps will quickly become a new favorite! They are perfect for appetizers, cheese plates, everyday snacks, your next party, or holiday entertaining! Make sure you store them in an airtight container - otherwise they will be eaten before your party!

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Ingredients

Equipment We Used

These appetizers with wonton wrappers don’t require any fancy equipment. We love using a reusable Silpat nonstick silicone baking mat to line our baking sheet pans. No silpat? Use parchment paper instead. We used a silicone pastry brush to brush a light layer of oil on the crackers.

Some Favorite Riffs

We love this base recipe - it is easy and quick - have fun with it! While we like the saltiness and the zing from the pepper on these salt and pepper wonton crackers, you can try other seasonings or dried herbs. Use vegetable oil, canola oil, coconut oil, or melted butter instead of olive oil.  Add some cheddar or parmesan cheese. Cut the square wontons in rectangles, triangles, or mini squares.  

Time Saver Tips

Our Misto Oil Sprayer is a big time saver! Use it to lightly coat the wonton wrappers with oil. The key is to make sure the cracker is lightly coated, not swimming in oil and not dry. Make sure to keep the canister pressurized for a more even spray across all the crackers.

Make Ahead Tips

These 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.

Try These Other Wonton Cracker Recipes

• Herb and Cheese Wonton Crackers
• Cinnamon Sugar Wonton Crackers
• Sesame Seed Wonton Crackers

Other delicious bites

Some Common Wonton Chip FAQ's

These Spicy Deviled Eggs will take your deviled eggs to a new level!

With our love of deviled eggs, we thought 'wonder if we can spice them up.' The results were AMAZING! This is one of our new favorites.

Check out our Easy Deviled Eggs 101 for everything deviled eggs! Loaded with information on everything from how to boil eggs to what equipment is helpful, from what the name means to how to decorate and garnish, from making ahead of time to how to save leftovers! We have you covered.

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Ingredients

A simple take on a Classic Deviled Egg Recipe.

• Classic Deviled Egg Ingredients - Large eggs, mayo, salt and pepper.
• The Spice - Dry mustard, ground cayenne pepper, ground chipotle pepper, hot sauce.

Some Basic Deviled Eggs Info

Equipment We Used

Our Easy Deviled Eggs 101 contains All Things Deviled Eggs including details on the equipment we used. A hand mixer helps get a smooth egg yolk filling. We like the look of the filling piped filling into the white shells. A piping bag with a large round or star tip works great. We also like using a small cookie scoop to get an even look for the filling. No piping bag or cookie scoop? A spoon works just as good.

PRO TIP: It is hard to hold a piping bag open and fill it at the same time. Use a tall glass or deli container, place the piping bag in the container, and fold the top down over the sides. You now have two hands free to fill the piping bag!

Deviled Egg Plates are a real thing! If you have one, now is the time to PULL IT OUT. SHOW IT OFF!

Substitutions and Additions

You are in control of the heat in these deviled eggs. We like the heat and flavor of the ground pepper spices (cayenne and chipotle) but make these your own. Use your favorite ground pepper spices - there are SO VERY MANY and they all have different levels of heat and subtle differences. Add a little more ground pepper for more spiciness or cut back a bit for less. Dice some fresh roasted peppers; jalapenos, calabrian, anaheim and mix them into the filling or lay a slice on top for garnish! Make sure you know how hot your peppers and ground pepper spices are before mixing them in. Start with a small amount and add as you taste. It is always easier to add more than try to fix too much spice.

Time Saver Tips

There are days when we just don't have the time to boil and peel eggs. Most grocery stores, Costco, Sam's, and restaurant food supply stores carry pre-boiled, peeled eggs! While the grocery stores will be more expensive, the box stores (Costco, Sam's, restaurant supply) will have these eggs in larger packages for a reasonable price.

Make Ahead Tips

Definitely make these ahead of time. Fill the egg whites but leave the hot sauce or other garnish off until ready to serve. They can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. They will last longer and taste fine, but after about 3 days they begin to look a little ‘tired’.

Our Favorite Deviled Eggs Info and Recipes

• Easy Deviled Eggs 101
• Classic Deviled Eggs
• Bacon Deviled Eggs
• Feta Deviled Eggs
• Deviled Eggs with Pickles

Some other favorite bites

Some Common FAQ's about Deviled Eggs