22 Feb
Oven-Fried Onion Rings with Dipping Sauce
Posted by Michelle as Appetizers | 46 Comments
I adore onion rings. Love them, really. Although I hardly ever order them in place of French fries, I jump at the chance to get them as an appetizer. And now that Lent has rolled in and fish fries are in full swing, I love ordering onion rings to much on alongside that battered and fried cod sandwich. (I never claimed to be a health fanatic, now did I?) I wonder how many times a variation of the word “fry” was uttered in those first two sentences? It seems like a lot. Well, you’ll be happy to know that these are absolutely fabulous, flavorful onion rings that taste just like the best of restaurant appetizers, and they were not deep fried. They were pseudo-fried, in the oven. We’ll get to the details in a minute, but first – every good onion ring needs a spicy, kicky dipping sauce to go along with it. Sort of like the old saying that “behind every good man is a good woman”? Same thing. I did a little digging and found a copy cat recipe for the dipping sauce that is served at a certain chain restaurant alongside a certain blooming onion. The recipe rocks – it tastes just like the original. Now, on to the details of how you bake these beauties up…
11 Sep
Polenta Pizza
Posted by Michelle as Appetizers, Pizza, Flatbreads and Crackers | 43 Comments
You may remember that a couple of weeks back my polenta pizza was featured on In Jennie’s Kitchen as a guest post. As I wrote in that post, the first time I made this dish I made it as a thin-crust pizza (the polenta serving as the crust) for dinner and it was absolutely fabulous. So good, in fact, that a few days later I decided to scrap the original appetizer I had planned to serve alongside the Fontina-Stuffed, Bacon-Wrapped Dates and turn the polenta pizza into an appetizer. The only real change I made to the original recipe to turn it into an appetizer was to double the quantities and bake it in the same size dish (11×15) so that the “crust” was thicker and more substantial, which made it easier to pick up and eat. I think I could have served nothing else other than an unlimited supply of the dates and this polenta pizza, and no one may have noticed that a meal hadn’t been served. This was another huge hit, which may actually be an understatement.
25 Aug
Fontina-Stuffed, Bacon-Wrapped Dates
Posted by Michelle as Appetizers | 37 Comments
This is quite possibly the most amazing appetizer I have ever made; I have never seen anything gobbled up by a crowd so quickly. Although it’s certainly not surprising as to why – combining moist, sweet dates with creamy cheese and salty, crisp bacon creates a flavor combination that is nothing short of fabulous. In addition to being one of the most delicious things I’ve ever tasted, this appetizer is a snap to throw together and takes mere minutes in the oven. You can easily prep the dates – stuffing and wrapping them – and as soon as guests show up, pop them in the oven. Unique and classy, this appetizer will impress guests and have them raving!
26 Jul
FoodBuzz 24,24,24: Could I Be the Next Food Network Star?
Posted by Michelle as Appetizers, Meat, Quick Breads, Seafood | 37 Comments
This is the fifth season of the Food Network’s dive into reality TV as they search for the network’s next big star. The show airs on Sunday evenings and contestants ranging from seasoned chefs to stay-at-home moms compete in different cooking and TV challenges to try to win a place on The Food Network’s lineup. For my FoodBuzz 24,24,24 event I decided to see how I could stack up against this season’s lot of contestants by preparing a number of the winning dishes featured on recent episodes and having my family act as the judges, rating each on a scale from 1 to 5 (5 being the best) and providing comments about each one. The dishes prepared were:
♦ Red Chili Citrus Mushrooms with Grilled Zucchini
♦ Bruschetta with Poached Egg, Truffle Oil, and Arugula
♦ Mulberry Street Burger
♦ Crispy Catfish wtih Edamame Succotash
♦ Spicy Southern Collard Greens with Sweet Maple Cornbread
♦ Chocolate Crepe with Tangerine Dried Red Chili Sauce
21 May
Traditional Hummus
Posted by Michelle as Appetizers | 7 Comments
I don’t remember the first time that I tried hummus, but I know that I certainly love it. It’s healthy, relatively low-fat, and can be served with a variety of accompaniments: vegetables, bagel chips, pretzels, pita bread, and the list goes on and on. For the longest time I made a short-cut version of hummus that didn’t use tahini, which is what makes hummus truly authentic. The short-cut version tasted fabulous, but didn’t have the creamy texture that you’ll find when you order hummus at a restaurant. Enter tahini.
17 Apr
Pigu (Italian Gougeres)
Posted by Michelle as Appetizers, Pasta, Noodles and Dumplings | 18 Comments
It wasn’t until I broke one of these open for the purpose of my photographs that I realized what the perfect description for them is:
Italian Gougères.
Well, maybe a cross between an Italian Gougère and a baked ravioli (minus the ricotta). My grandma has made these the week of Easter for as long as I can remember. I am not sure where exactly the tradition or recipe comes from, but it is certainly a large part of my family’s Easter tradition. Since we typically do not eat meat on Good Friday, the pigu serve as a great alternative for snacking or, in large quantities (which I have been known to consume), for a meal. Aside from the no-meat-on-Good Friday Easter tradition, these would also be great for any party or get together where you’d like to serve appetizers or snacks that aren’t messy and easy for guests to pick up and eat with their hands.
23 Aug
Cheddar Ale Spread
Posted by Michelle as Appetizers | 27 Comments
I had the opportunity to entertain my grandparents this afternoon for the first time. I was excited to plan some great things to eat and everything turned out just wonderful. As a result, my next few posts will be pieces of that meal, and I figured what better place to start than with an appetizer! This cheese spread has a fabulous tangy flavor, thanks to a small amount of dijon mustard and beer. The recipe calls for an ale, and I think you could really use just about anything so long as it’s not a light beer; I used one of my new favorites – Blue Moon. I processed this pretty well in the food processor, but you could easily choose to pulse it for a chunkier consistency if you would prefer.
07 Feb
Homemade Granola
Posted by Michelle as Appetizers, Breakfast Foods | 24 Comments
I have always been a big fan of granola – the toasted, crunchy oats and nuts, along with sweet fruit make a wonderful combination, whether eating it in yogurt or by the handful. I ran into some problems, though, after discovering that I have a nut allergy, as one would be pretty hard pressed to find a package of store-bought granola that did not include some type of nut. So I figured I would need to go the homemade route if I wanted to enjoy granola again. However, it’s virtually impossible to find a recipe that does not include them and mostly out of sheer laziness I have never, before now, gone through the trouble of adapting a recipe (I know, it’s brutally taxing work). This granola tastes wonderful and I have been enjoying it mixed into my yogurt. I substituted Grape-Nuts cereal for the nuts in this recipe, which mimics the nice crunchy texture of nuts.
01 Feb
Super Super Bowl Suggestions
Posted by Michelle as Appetizers, Favorites | 0 Comments
It’s that time of year again – the game people wait all year for. Maybe you just watch for the commercials, or maybe you just watch for the half-time show, or maybe you actually watch the game! Regardless, a good many people will be sitting in front of the TV this Sunday cheering on someone. Now, far be it from me to rain on a “perfect” parade, but as a native Pittsburgher, I find it pretty darn near impossible to root for the Patriots. So many AFC Championship Games (and subsequent trips to the Super Bowl) squashed for the Steelers at the hands of the Patriots. So, without a doubt, I will be cheering on Lil’ Manning and the Giants on Sunday.
I know that many of you will be hootin’ and hollerin’ with a house full of people! Even though I’m not having a party, I do have some favorite party and munchies-type food that I’ll throw out there in case anyone is having trouble planning their menu for the big game.
20 Oct
Soft Pretzels: Part II
Posted by Michelle as Appetizers | 14 Comments
Ahh, the beloved soft pretzel. Before this past winter I didn’t realize that making them at home was so relatively easy. Sure, it takes some time with the rising and the baking soda bath, but each step is pretty simple and they are well worth it! The last time that I made homemade soft pretzels, I used this recipe, and they turned out great. The major difference in this recipe is the rising time, which doesn’t exist in the other recipe. I think that’s what makes these much more plump. Also, the egg wash at the end gets the pretzels to brown up really nicely. I loved these pretzels, and I will be keeping this recipe as my standard soft pretzel recipe.
