appetizers Archives - Page 3 of 3

Fun Valentines Ideas

Getting kids (and some adults!) to eat different foods can be a challenge. One way to get kids excited about food is to make it fun for them. Play up the holidays or make a regular Thursday morning an “orange” morning and only make orange food, etc. Keep trying different things and they will eventually eat when they are hungry or we find the right food or cooking method. Then it changes again the next week 🙂 But don’t despair. You are not alone. If you are worried your child is not getting the nutrients they need, talk to your pediatrician. In the meantime, keep trying different things. You never know what may work. Here are a few suggestions for Valentines Day.

“Hearty” Breakfast

Cut a heart shaped hole with a cookie cutter in a piece of lightly toasted bread. Put it in a pan and break an egg in the center. A couple of minutes later, when the egg starts to firm up, flip it and cook until the egg is cooked as you like it. Here is a recipe I found.

If your kids don’t like eggs, try making heart shaped pancakes or use a larger heart cookie cutter to make heart shaped toast and top with peanut butter, nutella or your favorite spread.

Serve it with a strawberry banana smoothie! (Strawberry yogurt blended with a banana). This will give everyone a good start to a day filled with chocolate and sweets 🙂

Lunch Love

Use a cookie cutter to cut sliced pineapple and some ham into heart shapes. Serve with pita bread also cut into hearts (or not) to be dipped into hummus.You could also use the heart shaped pineapple and ham to top individual english muffin pizzas.

Another idea is to make whatever sandwich your kids like, peanut butter and jelly, cream cheese and jelly, grilled cheese and then cut it into a heart shape.

Delightful Dinner

Make polenta and then cut heart shapes for the kids! You can serve it with roasted beets and steak or chicken and squash or even shrimp and some peas for a version of shrimp and grits 🙂

For an easy appetizer put cream cheese on your favorite cracker and sprinkle with chives. My new favorite is Keebler’s Sea Salt and Olive Oil.

Entertaining with Appetizers and What to do with the Leftovers

With all the upcoming events like the Superbowl and the Oscars, many plan fun nights in with friends to watch the festivities. Appetizers can be a great way to entertain. I have posted before on a dinner of appetizers, so check that post out for some ideas and keep reading for some new ones! [Having photo issues so they will be back up next week! If I find the cord for the camera :)]

One of my favorite appetizers is a cheese plate. This can take any form you want (and as little or as much work!). Whether it is a few different wedges of cheese, some fruit and crackers or just a block of cream cheese with a little salsa poured on top, cheese is always a big hit! I love this old recipe I found in Cooking Light years ago. Mix 1 part goat cheese with 1 part cream cheese in a small oven proof dish and bake it for about 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve warm with tortilla chips. If you have the energy or time make your own tortilla chips. Mix a couple of tablespoons of olive oil with 1 tsp of chili powder. Brush that mixture onto flour tortillas that have been cut into triangles (stack and cut in half and keep cutting like a pizza until the pieces are the size you would like) and place them in a single layer on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for about 5-7 minutes. They will continue to crisp as they cool.

If there is any dip leftover add it to your scrambled eggs with some chives the next morning or use it as a spread for a roast beef sandwich with some tomatoes and lettuce.

Keeping a more substantial appetizer or meal in the slow cooker is always a good idea when everyone is grazing. I usually make chili or a pot of soup.

If there is a lot left over, since you made way too much food like I usually do, freeze it. It will make a great easy weeknight dinner the next week. If not too much is left of the chili, mix it in with some pasta and cheese for a chili mac n cheese dinner.

Having a fruit and veggie tray helps bring a light break from all the heavy (but yummy!) appetizers. Even a bowl of grapes will work. No need to be fancy unless that is your thing. For the veggie tray, buy a bag of small carrots, pint of cherry tomatoes and some celery (that you can clean and chop in 5 minutes). Arrange on your own platter. Buy chive cottage cheese or mix in some chopped chives with plain cottage cheese, for a refreshing and tasty dip. This will cost you much less than buying fruit or veggie trays in the store and won’t take much time at all.

Use leftover veggies to make an omelet or quiche the next morning. Especially good if you also have some leftover potato skins to add in as well 🙂 I made very simple quiche the other day in my muffin tins using won ton wrappers for the crust. Place 2 wonton wrappers overlapping in muffin tin and push down to form the shape of the tin. In a large bowl mix eggs, leftover cottage cheese dip, chopped up leftover veggies, chopped up leftover potato, salt and pepper. Pour into wonton lined muffin tins and bake at 375 for about 15-25 minutes, depending on your oven. Freeze what you don’t eat and you already have breakfast for another morning!

Lessons learned from Thanksgiving and cooking in the aftermath

Thanksgiving was wonderful! So much food and good times with family! I gave my brother a tray full of food but still had lots of turkey, lobster, mashed potatoes, stuffing, squash and cranberry sauce leftover. Everything turned out mostly like I wanted it to, except the gravy! I put too much vinegar in my brining liquid (I also noticed that I typed the wrong amount on my blog about Thanksgiving! It is now corrected.) The turkey tasted great, but the gravy did not, especially when I added the liquid and veggies from the oven bag I roasted the turkey breasts in. The lemons made it in and really added a bitter taste. So lesson learned is DO NOT put already roasted lemons in the gravy to reduce. To fix this I added some brown sugar and apple cider vinegar and extra stock to take away the bitterness. It was a long day prepping, which it always seems to be no matter how simple I try to make it, but it was fun. The kitchen is my happy place!

Prepping for mashed potatoes and roasting squash and sweet potatoes.

Turkey breasts ready to go in the oven!


Appetizers: meats, cheese ball with crackers, grapes, veggies and homemade white bean hummus. The hummus didn’t quite come out how I wanted, so I’ll post a recipe when I try it again. I tried to substitute sesame oil and peanut butter for tahini (because I forgot to buy it) and the flavor wasn’t quite right.

The table ready for food!

The lobster is ready too!

Plate of many of my favorite things!!

Rolls turned out to be the pita bread I attempted to make the day before. The came out more like rolls than like pita. I used the Grands Biscuits I bought then for a yummy appetizer recipe below. Win win!

Dessert 🙂 Store bought pumpkin pie (delicious!), my favorite Carvel ice cream cake with a turkey on it and pretzel – Hershey’s hugs bites (find here).

Leftover sandwich, yum!

I used the left over roasted squash and sweet potatoes and spinach from the salad to make these little quesadillas. Mix veggies with a cream cheese, shredded cheese, cumin and chili powder. Roll up in a tortilla and cook at 375 for about 5-10 minutes until cheese is gooey! So good and my kids loved it!

Lobster corn chowder was a fun way to use the rest of the lobsters and mashed potatoes. Sauteed 1 medium diced onion in a little olive oil until translucent. Then added mashed potatoes. Once I stirred that around a couple of times, I stirred in chicken stock until it was the consistency I wanted for the soup. Then I added a can of corn. After that, I broke down the rest of the lobsters (saved the shells to make stock) cut the meat into bite size pieces and threw it in the pot. Stirred, tasted for seasoning and added some thyme. Served with grilled cheese. Everyone except my 4 year old loved it! She is going through a non soup phase.

Last meal I made with the leftovers was from one of the Food Network specials I saw just before Thanksgiving. We had an old friend over for dinner and I made these. They were a hit. The only changes I made was to use shredded carrots instead of cucumbers, since I didn’t have any cucumbers and I added some fresh ginger to the cranberry hoisin sauce.

Now that Thanksgiving is over and the leftovers are gone, I am struggling with the energy to cook and be creative. We’ve been eating homemade pizza, pasta and quesadillas. Last night I finally got some energy from somewhere to cook and made pork chops, polenta and peas. Tonight may be another pasta night.

Dinner of Appetizers: Thursday night or special party

Ask Mamma question: I’m having a party for 30 adults and need some appetizer ideas. The party is at dinner time and I’ve advertised heavy appetizers.

Mamma’s answer: Appetizer “dinner” parties can be as easy or complicated as you want them to be. Stores like Costco and Trader Joes have great selections of frozen appetizers and ready-made platters. They also have great raw ingredients that make entertaining for a crowd easier. Here is a list of appetizer ideas. Pick and choose a couple, thinking 3 of each item per person. Appetizer dinners are also fun for a regular family dinner.

Cocktail meatballs (I have a super easy recipe – 1 part bbq sauce, 1 part apricot jam and heat and serve in slow cooker. Most supermarkets carry frozen meatballs if you don’t want/don’t have time to make your own. Trader Joes even carries smaller party meatballs in the frozen section).

Phyllo cups with jam + goat cheese (premade and cooked phyllo cups, 1/2 tsp of fig, apricot or strawberry jam + crumble goat cheese on top and serve)

Pigs in a blanket with mustard dip (Buy your favorite sausage or cocktail wieners, if raw sausage cook first + then cut in half. Roll sausage/wiener in crescent roll – I use Pillsbury’s – then place on cookie sheet and cook for a little longer than crescent rolls say on package. Mix 1 part Dijon mustard with ¼ part honey and serve with warm pigs.)

Pizza (buy flat bread + cook with various toppings – Caesar salad on one (spread Caesar dressing on cooked flatbread/dough, toss romaine leaves with Caesar dressing and place on top of flat bread, sprinkle with shredded parmesan and add sliced cooked chicken if you would like, then slice into 2 bite pieces for an appetizer; caramelized onion + goat cheese on another – caramelize onions –see these posts – put on top of cooked flatbread and sprinkle with goat cheese, slice and serve!; mozzarella + tomato on another – cook flatbread most of the way, add fresh tomatoes + fresh mozzarella, cook till mozzarella is melted. Top with fresh basil, salt and pepper )

Chicken satay + peanut dipping sauce (Can be too time intensive, but is tasty! Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 20 minutes. Marinate chicken in olive oil or vegetable oil, rice wine vinegar, lime, brown sugar, soy sauce, pepper and basil. Put chicken on skewers. Grill until cooked. For peanut sauce, mix peanut butter, lime juice and ginger.)

Spinach and artichoke dip, serve with pita + veggies (I have a great recipe that I have tweaked from a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. Ingredients: 1 Tablespoon butter, 1/4 cup finely chopped onion, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 8 oz package of cream cheese/neufchatel cheese, 1/4 cup milk, 1 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach – thawed and well drained, 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, and one jar of marinated artichoke hearts – chopped. One, in a medium saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook until onion is tender. Add cream cheese and milk. Cook and stir until smooth. Two, Stir in spinach, lemon zest, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and artichokes. Three, transfer to a serving bowl or mini slow cooker to keep it warm throughout the party and serve with veggies and pita for dipping.)

Sushi platter (Costco has these)

Mini quiches (Costco has really yummy ones)

Shrimp cocktail (buy shrimp whatever way you like, frozen, fresh, cooked. Serve with cocktail sauce)

Cheese platter (Buy a selection of cheeses from Costco or Trader Joes, one cheddar, one blue, one brie or camembert, one gouda or havarti and goat cheese. Serve with crackers of your choice.)

Veggie platter (Buy from your local supermarket or Costco or Trader Joes. Super easy. Worth the cost to save you time from chopping veggies and making a dipping sauce. If you want to make a dipping sauce or your platter does not come with one, buy some hummus and/or mix sour cream with some Italian dressing mix or salt, pepper, thyme, oregano and basil.)

Meat platter (salami, prosciutto, pepperoni, etc – have bulk at Costco)

Spanikopita (Buy frozen already made or mix spinach with feta, lemon zest and Greek seasoning – good one from McCormicks or mix oregano, thyme, mint, salt and pepper, wrap in phyllo dough and bake according to phyllo dough instructions.)

Endive with blue cheese filling and bacon crumbles which are optional (clean endive leaves, mix blue cheese with a little bit of cream cheese or cottage cheese to lessen the sharpness, fill endives with cheese mixture, top with crispy bacon (or can use red pepper if you want to keep it vegetarian) and serve. Sooo good!!

Make some items and leave the rest up to the store. You deserve to enjoy the party too!! This is how I do Christmas Eve dinner. It has become a great tradition of appetizers to graze on while drinking champagne and cocktails.

Keep the questions coming!!