Category Archives: Appetizers

by | December 15, 2010 · 8:36 am

Cranberry and Toasted Pecan Cheese Ball

It is the time of the year when holiday parties are in high demand and we are all finding ourselves asking, “what can I bring?”  This cheese ball recipe might just be the perfect appetizer.  You can whip it up in no time and it is very easy to transport.  Best of all, you can make it ahead of time so you are not rushing out the door.


Cranberry and Toasted Pecan Cheese Ball

1, 8 oz brick of cream cheese, softened
1, 4 oz log of goat cheese
3/4 cup sweetened, dried cranberries, chopped
1 cup pecans, shelled

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.  Place pecans on a baking sheet and cook about 3-6 minutes or until aromatic.  Watch carefully, as they tend to burn once they really start cooking. Take them out of the oven and let cool.

In a large bowl, mix softened cream cheese and goat cheese until smooth.  Add chopped cranberries and mix until well combined.  Take mixture of of the bowl and, with your hands, shape into a large ball.  Cover and refrigerate for about an hour.

Once pecans are cooled, run your knife through them until they are coarsely chopped.  When the cheese ball is done chilling, unwrap it and roll in the chopped pecans, being sure to coat the entire ball.

Wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to serve.  I served mine with whole grain crackers.

The dried cranberries make this recipe slightly sweet.  If you are looking for more of a savory flavor, try adding some fresh chopped herbs or a squeeze of lemon juice to offset the sweetness of the cranberries.  Don’t like pecans? Try walnuts or pine nuts instead or swap Gorgonzola for the Goat Cheese.   Go ahead and get creative with this recipe and let us know what combination you like the best!

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by | October 22, 2010 · 8:18 am

Pumpkins & Polka Dots and Festive Fall Fare: Part II

Yesterday I shared the recipes for the main course from my pumpkins and polka dots party, but let’s get onto the good stuff. Today..it’s dessert!

The pumpkin centerpiece is a harvest vase from Crate and Barrel filled with silver dollars. I swooned over these at Sendik’s and had to ask what exactly they were called. They are very delicate and the best part is, they don’t die.

What says fall more than a caramel apple? With a twist on the original, I created these cupcakes, complete with a caramel apple stick, to resemble a taffy apple in both look and taste. The cupcake is apple spice with a sea salt caramel frosting, topped with crushed peanuts.

Apple Spice Cupcakes (based off Martha Stewart’s Applesauce-Spice Cupcakes)

2 C all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 C unsalted butter, softened
1 C sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 C natural applesauce (I use Mott’s)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tin with paper liners. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cream butter, sugar and brown sugar using an electric mixer on medium-high. Add eggs one at a time. Reduce speed to low. Add applesauce and flour mixture, beating until combined.

Fill cups with batter – almost to the top. Bake for 20 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Transfer cupcakes to wire rack to cool before frosting. Yields 12-18 cupcakes.

Sea Salt Caramel Frosting

1/4 C sugar
2 TBSP water
1/4 C heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp sea salt
1 C powdered sugar

Briefly stir together granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue cooking, without stirring, until mixture turns dark amber in color, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla, stirring with a wooden spoon until completely smooth. Set aside until cool to the touch, about 15 minutes.

Combine butter and salt and beat with electric mixer until fluffy. Reduce speed to low, add powdered sugar, and mix. Turn off mixer and add caramel. Beat frosting on medium-high speed until airy and thoroughly mixed, about 2 minutes. Refrigerate until stiff before using, about 30 minutes.

I doubled this recipe for these cupcakes because I like a lot of frosting. One and a half would probably work too or just one if you like more cupcake than frosting. I frosted the cupcakes using a frosting gun, topped with crushed peanuts and stuck a candy stick in the middle to resemble a caramel apple.

And last but certainly not least, an old fall favorite, pumpkin dip. This can be treated as an appetizer or dessert, or both! I served it with gingersnaps, crackers and apples.

Pumpkin Dip

One package 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 can pumpkin puree
1 TBSP maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Beat cream cheese, sugar and pumpkin in a bowl on medium-high until well blended. Add following ingredients and mix throughly. Chill until ready to serve.

Wishing everyone a festive fall!

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by | October 1, 2010 · 7:42 am

Fall Craze: Apple Picking

Eating an apple off the vine is one of life’s simple pleasures. This past weekend, we took our son on his first apple picking excursion. He may not have the manual dexterity to pick an apple, but he loved exploring the look and feel of everything in the orchard.

There are a good number of places in the Milwaukee area to go apple picking, but Barthel Fruit Farm in Mequon tends to be our favorite. It is a short drive and is less “commercial” than a place like Apple Holler. Apple Holler only sells an apple picking package for $39.95, which includes all the kid activities and one bag of apples. At Barthel, you can choose between a small bag for $10 or a large bag for $17.

Some of the apple crops this year are in short demand due to freezing during blossom time. However, Barthel had an abundance of beautiful Cortland apples last weekend. Red Delicious were also available for picking, though not quite as “fruitful.” Barthel’s does harvest Honeycrisp apples, my absolute favorite, but they are only available to purchase, not to pick.

Lucky for us, Cortlands are a great baking apple. Other good baking choices include Golden Delicious, Ida Red, Jonathon and Paula Red. Apples are best stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, sprinkled with a little bit of water. They will store in the refrigerator for a few weeks to a month.

So with apples on the brain, I’ve been coming up with some fun apple concoctions. I wanted to share my Apple and Brie en Croute recipe with you!

Ingredients:

1 apple cored and chopped
2 TBSP honey
1/4 C walnuts
1 package of Brie
1 sheet puff pastry
1 egg
2 TBSP water

Allow puff pastry to thaw to room temperature (approx. 1 hr). Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry into a square. In a small bowl, mix together apples, honey and walnuts. Scoop mixture into middle of pastry. Put Brie (including rind) on top of the mixture. Fold each corner of the puff pastry over the Brie. Carefully flip the pastry over onto a baking sheet. In a small bowl, beat egg. Add water. Lightly brush on puff pastry. Cook in oven for 25 minutes (until golden brown). Allow to sit for 30 minutes before eating. Cut into slices and serve. This recipe makes a great fall appetizer.

Here are some other great HAP apple recipes to enjoy!

Goat Cheese, Apple and Pine Nut Pizza
Apples and Almond Butter
Ultimate Chicken Salad
Caramel Apple Pie Ice Cream
Apple Tart
Apple, Raspberry, Zucchini Pie

Happy Apple Picking!

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by | August 23, 2010 · 9:32 am

Zucchini, Prosciutto & Goat Cheese Tartelettes

Every year I find myself with an excessive amount of garden zucchini. Zucchini is at it’s best and most tender when it’s picked small – maybe 6-8 inches long and not too fat. However, every year I also inevitably miss a zucchini (or three) that was hidden under leaves or went crazy over a hot weekend, causing it to end up the size of a cave man’s club. Whoops!

Luckily, zucchinis of mammoth proportions are actually ideal for baking. While zucchini muffins/breads are delicious and I usually make multiple rounds of them, I like to play around with things like zucchini-fruit pie or this year’s Zucchini, Prosciutto & Goat Cheese Tartelettes.

I served them as a side dish for dinner but these little lovelies would be excellent for breakfast, as an appetizer or at a bridal/baby shower brunch. You could also double the recipe and make them as a full-size tart for a main dish.

Zucchini, Prosciutto & Goat Cheese Tartlettes

Prepping Your Zucchini
Small zucchini will work in this recipe but if you have a large one the best way to deal with it is to slice off the ends and core out the tough, seedy middle. Next, use a food processor or cheese grater to shred the zucchini. Finally, measure out the desired amount of zucchini for your recipe and place in the center of a paper towel. Carefully squeeze excess water out of the zucchini over the sink – this is key to not having soggy tartes or muffins!

Preparing ZucchiniShredded Zucchini

Zucchini, Prosciutto & Goat Cheese Tartelettes
Crust
1 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 C shortening
1 tsp vinegar
5-10 Tbsp ice water
OR pre-made pie crust

Filling
1 1/2 C zucchini, shredded & squeezed
3 oz goat cheese, crumbled
1/3 lb prosciutto
3 eggs
1 small shallot, minced
splash half & half
1 tsp dill, optional
kosher salt & black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Grease 12 cups of a muffin tin. Prep pie crust (see instructions here) or roll out pre-made crust. Use a round medium-large cookie cutter to cut thin circles out of the pie dough and press each circle into a muffin cup.

Core, shred and squeeze excess water from zucchini and transfer to a medium bowl. Mince shallot and add to bowl.  Crumble in goat cheese.  Slice 2/3 of your prosciutto into small pieces, and add to mixture.  Reserve remaining prosciutto.  Whisk in eggs, half and half, dill and salt & pepper.  Spoon mixture into crusts, filling the tin about half-way full or just slightly above the edge of the crust.  Tear small “squares” of remaining prosciutto and place on top of each tartelette.  Bake for 40 minutes or until filling is puffed and slightly golden.

Zucchini Tartlette

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by | March 31, 2010 · 7:27 am

Pesto, Spinach and Tomato Garlic Bread Appetizer

My sister served me the most delicious appetizer at my nephew’s birthday party.  She placed a tray in front of me that had a “loaded” garlic bread surrounded by sliced lemons.  I thought the lemons were an odd choice of garnish until she explained that you need to squeeze a fresh slice of lemon over the bread right before you eat it.  It really brings out the flavors of the spinach, tomato and garlic.  It sounded strange to me, but one bite and I was hooked!  This is an easy go to appetizer that will definitely please a crowd.

Pesto, Spinach and Tomato Garlic Bread Appetizer

1 loaf of frozen garlic bread, sliced horizontally
1/4 cup homemade or store bought pesto
1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 lemons

Spread a thin layer of pesto sauce over the two halves of the frozen bread.  Add the diced tomatoes and spinach evenly on top.  Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
Bake at 375 until the cheese melts and the bread is toasty, about 10-15 minutes.

Slice the bread into pieces and serve with lemon wedges.

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by | January 20, 2010 · 7:52 am

Cheesy baked Artichoke Dip

I was so excited when cheese was selected as our Wisconsin secret ingredient. After all, I am a born and raised Wisconsin girl who knows any recipe that showcases cheese is sure to be delicious!

One of my favorite appetizer recipes is this cheesy artichoke dip. It’s got only 4 ingredients, 2 of which are, you guessed it, cheese. It is so easy to make and very indulgent. Every time I bring this to a party, it is usually gone before I can go back for seconds.

Cheesy baked Artichoke Dip

16 ounces shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup (about 8 oz. can) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

Mix ingredients together. Bake in a casserole at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or just until brown on top. Serve with cubes of crusty bread or assorted crackers.

Enjoy!

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by | December 11, 2009 · 9:08 am

3 Easiest Appetizers Ever

If you are anything like me, you often end up having impromptu gatherings with only hours to spare. While a bag of tortilla chips and jar of salsa works to moderately appease the appetites of your guests, you can do better without much more work. These three appetizers are guaranteed to satisfy hungry bellies and make you look like the true haute homemaker you really are. Each recipe uses no more than four ingredients (ones I always make sure I have on hand). A total prep time of 15 minutes for a night of food and fun – do you think you can handle it?

Harry and David’s Onion and Pepper Relish

In our Under $25 Holiday Gift Guide, one of my top picks was Harry and David’s Onion and Pepper Relish. This dip is my husband’s favorite. All you do is use half a jar of the relish and mix with one package of cream cheese (I use 1/3 less fat Philadelphia). Mix together and serve with tortilla chips.


Mustard Ranch Pretzel Dip

This dip involves only four simple ingredients and isn’t too harsh on the waistline.

Mix together and serve with pretzels:
1/2 C. low-fat mayo
1/2 C. low-fat sour cream
1/2 package dry Ranch dressing mix
1/4 C. yellow mustard

Some people aren’t real mustard lovers. If you are one of them, simply add the mustard slowly and taste to your liking.

Easy Chili Cheese Dip

I’ve been making this dip since the days of my college dorm room. With a glass pie plate, a few ingredients and a microwave, you can make this anywhere.

Ingredients:
1 package cream cheese
1 can Hormel Chili, no beans
1 package shredded cheddar or mexican-style cheese

Spread the cream cheese at the bottom of a pie pan. Spread Hormel Chili across the top of the cream cheese. Top with a few handfuls of cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees, or microwave for 5-7 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve with tortilla chips.

Anyone can conquer one or all of these to create a great party atmosphere without all the fuss.

Feel free to share your five minute appetizers with us! I’d love to add more to the arsenal.

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by | October 12, 2009 · 9:18 am

Sweet Potato, Onion & Goat Cheese Tart

With our secret ingredient this week my thoughts originally went to a holiday favorite – sweet potatoes with marshmallows.  Unfortunately, my husband won’t eat them. Instead, I whipped up this savory appetizer which sneaks sweet potatoes in with other crowd-pleasing ingredients to earn compliments from even the biggest sweet potato skeptics.

Sweet Potato, Onion & Goat Cheese Tart
2 sm sweet potatoes, peeled
2 medium onions, chopped
1 pkg puff pastry
1 oz goat cheese
1/3C chicken broth
2 Tbsp half & half (or cream)
splash balsamic vinegar
kosher salt and black pepper
fresh thyme and sage, minced

potato2

Preheat oven to 400.  Thinly slice one peeled potato into coins and the other into small chunks.  Place the coins on a baking sheet, drizzle with a little olive oil and roast for 15 min until just soft.  Place the chunks in a pot of water and bring to a boil, cooking until very soft.

potato1

Thinly slice the onions and toss lightly with oil in a large skillet.  Season with salt, pepper and thyme.  As the onions begin to carmelize, add half of the chicken broth and balsamic vinegar, scraping any browned bits off the pan into the broth for flavor.  Continue cooking until liquid is gone and repeat, adjusting the temperature until onions are carmelized to a golden brown, approx. 20-25 min.

Roll out the puff pastry into a long sheet.  Use a knife to slice a 2 inch edge off each side, forming a rectangle with the remainder.  Slice the trimmings in half and layer two pieces on each side of the rectangle to form raised edges, like a picture frame.  Using a fork, poke holes in the center of the pastry but not on the edges.  Bake for 15 minutes until beginning to puff.

In a small bowl, beat the boiled potato chunks and half & half until creamy. Season with salt and spread the potato cream over center section of the puff pastry “frame”.  Layer onions, goat cheese (broken into bits) and potato coins on top.  Sprinkle with salt and sage.  Bake at 400 for 25-30 min, or until puff pastry is golden brown and bottom is crisped.   Cook times may vary by oven so check in on your pastry part way through cooking.

katie

potatotart3

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