Hellooooo…pesto!

Was needing a quick and easy appetizer the other day, and (as often seems to be the case) was craving pesto.  So decided to just make a batch of easy pesto stuffed mushrooms!  It is hardly a recipe to post — just mushrooms, your favorite pesto, and you can top them with a variety of little garnishes.  But they were so cute and delicious that I thought they were worth sharing.

I’m counting down the days until I can start growing basil plants again.  Summer is almost here!!!

Easy Pesto Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. cremini or button mushrooms
• 1/2 cup of your favorite pesto, either homemade or storebought
• optional garnishes: shaved Parmesan or other cheeses, toasted pine nuts, and/or Panko breadcrumbs

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, or preheat a smoker.

Carefully remove and discard the stems of the mushrooms, then clean to remove any dirt with a damp cloth.  Fill mushroom cavity with pesto (approx. 1 tsp.). Top with a pinch of Panko if desired.  Bake or smoke for about 15 minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked and the filling is warm.  Garnish with cheese and/or toasted pine nuts.

Ali’s Tip:

These would also be delicious with some crumbled cooked Italian sausage or crabmeat mixed in with the pesto.

This past autumn, my friend Megan introduced me to an incredible new appetizer — bacon-wrapped blue cheese stuffed dates.

They call for a whopping 3 ingredients, are super-easy to assemble, and are completely irresistible.  I made them for our extended family over the holidays for appetizers, and every single one disappeared before the main course was served.  Delish!

You can of course substitute in your favorite soft cheese, but I thought the tangy blue cheese was perfect.  And to be honest, I’m not really a “dates” kind of girl, but their subtle sweetness paired perfectly with the salty bacon and cheese.  Definitely a fun recipe everyone seems to love.

Give it a go!

Bacon-Wrapped Blue Cheese Stuffed Dates Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 (8 oz.) package of dried, pitted dates (about 30 dates)
• 1 (4 oz.) container crumbled blue cheese
• 1 (12 oz.) package bacon, with the slices cut into thirds

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Prepare a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Slice the dates along the side so that they open flat for stuffing.  Fill the date with about a teaspoon (more or less) of blue cheese, then wrap it with a slice of bacon so that the blue cheese opening is completely sealed and the bacon overlaps underneath.  Seal the stuffed date with a toothpick, and place on the baking sheet.  Repeat with remaining dates.

Bake for 15-25 minutes, or until the bacon is cooked and the cheese is lightly browned.  Remove and serve warm.

Ali’s Tip:

Some other variations you can try with this recipe include:

• Sprinkling the bacon with additional brown sugar
• Stuffing the dates with smoked almonds (as well as the cheese)
• Substituting in goat cheese, feta, gorgonzola, or smoked gouda cheese
• Serving the stuffed dates with a red wine reduction for dipping

A few weeks ago, my friends Christin, James and I were sitting around brainstorming what to cook for the big game this year.  And when I asked James’ advice, thinking that I already had a decently complete selection of game day recipes on the site, the conversation went about like this:

James: “Do you have a recipe for chicken nachos?”
Me: “Mmmm, I have apple nachos!  But no, not so much on the chicken…”
James: “Bean dip?”
Me: “Mmmm, no.”
James: “Potato skins?  Sliders?  Wings?”
Me: “I’m beginning to think my recipes are kind of girly.  What do guys like?!?”
James: “Two words: BUFFALO CHICKEN.”
Me: “Noted.”  :)

So behold…my first buffalo chicken recipe on the site.  And actually, after tasting these little guys, I’m pretty sure it won’t be my last.  These crispy little wonton cups are simply filled with buffalo chicken, topped with some blue cheese and green onions.  Easy peasy, and super addictive.  I actually recommend making a double batch, because these will disappear at your party pronto.

What are your favorite game day apps?  Any more advice for this “girly” little food blogger for some dude food?  ;)

Buffalo Chicken Cups Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 24 wonton wrappers
• 1 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 1/2 cup cayenne hot sauce (I recommend Frank’s “Red Hot”)
• 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
• 3 scallions, sliced thinly

Method:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Brush chicken breasts with olive oil, and then sprinkle evenly with the smoked paprika and chili powder.  Place in a baking dish and cook for 20-30 minutes, or until the center is no longer pink and the juices run clear.  Remove chicken and let cool, then shred.

Meanwhile, fit a wonton wrapper into each of 24 mini baking cups, pressing the wrappers carefully but firmly into sides of cups.  (Be careful to keep the corners of each wonton wrapper open; otherwise you will not be able to fill them!)  Bake for 5 minutes or until very lightly browned. Keep wontons in baking cups.

In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the melted butter and hot sauce.  Add the chicken and stir until well coated.  Then fill each wonton cup with a tablespoon or two of chicken, and then top with a pinch of blue cheese.  Return wonton cups to oven and cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until cheese is soft and melty.  Remove and top with sliced scallions, and serve warm.  These are best served immediately.

Ali’s Tip:

If you’d like to save a step, you can easily substitute a rotisserie chicken for this recipe.  Just shred it, and follow the steps to mix it with the hot sauce, etc.

Anyone looking for a fun new appetizer (or even main course!) for the big game this week?

These saucy Asian meatballs are some of my favorites!!!

I first made them a few months ago when I was experimenting with multiple meatball recipes to serve for a fundraiser.  And when my friends graciously “helped me out” with some taste testing, these little guys were the clear winner!  My friend’s 1-yr-old son was even crazy about them as well.  ;)

Definitely easy, quick, and bursting with yummy flavor.  And everyone commented on how they’re a nice twist from traditional marinara meatballs.  Give them a try!

Saucy Asian Meatballs Recipe

Ingredients:

Meatball Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. ground pork or ground beef
• 2 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 cup Panko or breadcrumbs
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 2 eggs
• 3 tsp. minced garlic
• 1/2 cup thinly-sliced green onions
• optional garnish: toasted sesame seeds, sliced scallions

Asian Sauce Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup hoisin sauce
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 tsp. ground ginger

Method:

Preheat oven to 400.

In a large bowl, mix together meatball ingredients until well-combined.  Shape into balls (I made mine about 1.5 inches, which yielded about 35 meatballs, but 1 inch is probably standard), and place on a greased baking sheet or in a 9×13 baking dish.  Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until meatballs are golden on the outside and no longer pink on the inside.

While the meatballs are baking, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients until blended.  Once meatballs have finished cooking, you can either dip each meatball individually (using a toothpick) in the sauce mixture.  Or you can pour the sauce over the meatballs and gently stir them until covered.

Serve warm, and sprinkle with additional garnish if desired.

Ali’s Tip:

You can also keep these warm (after cooking) in the crockpot on a low setting!

This summer I was approached by my friend Kelly, along with two other amazing girls from our church, to help out with the annual benefit for the Kyrie Foundation (an organization raising support/awareness of pediatric brain cancer research).  She was looking for some help making warm hors d’oeuvres’ for the event….for 200 people!!!  Any of you who followed my blog back during my last catering experience knew that I swore off cooking for more than a dining-room-full of people ever again.  But a great cause and good friends are apparently persuasive.  :)

So this past weekend, we decided to do a “test run” of the six main appetizers we will be making to serve at the event (alongside some other apps donated by some beloved local restaurants).  I was assigned to create some sort of chicken salad on endive recipe, so thought I would share with you what I came up with!

Basically, I just combined some of my favorite autumn green salad ingredients into a simple chicken salad — crisp apples, seasoned chicken, gorgonzola (or blue cheese) and lots of toasted pecans.  Yum!  I actually made the initial test version with blue cheese, which was delicious, but we decided to use gorgonzola for the event since we already have some other blue cheese dishes.  All in all, it was extremely easy, quick, and the presentation is oh-la-la classy with the endive.  The girls gave the recipe a big thumbs up, so would definitely recommend it to you all as well!

Wish me luck in November when we make (ahem) 350 of these little guys!!  Ha — I’ll be sure to post some pictures of the craziness.  (But all for a great cause!!)

Chicken, Apple & Gorgonzola Salad in Endive Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 apple, cored and diced (I used Fuji)
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup chopped cooked chicken (optional)
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 4 oz. gorgonzla or blue cheese, crumbled
• 5 Tbsp. mayo
• 1/2 tsp. rosemary powder (or 1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary)
• pinch of salt and freshly-ground black pepper
• 3 Belgian endives, leaves separated
• 1/2 toasted pecans, chopped

Method:

In a medium mixing bowl, toss apples with lemon juice until well-coated.  Add in chicken, celery, cheese, mayo, and rosemary, and stir until combined.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Scoop your desired size of serving into one endive leaf, then sprinkle it with toasted pecans.  Repeat with remaining salad and endive leaves.  Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Ali’s Tip:

If you opt to add chicken to these, I would highly recommend seasoning the chicken with some herbs before it is cooked to add a little extra flavor.  Otherwise, the flavor of the chicken will likely blend into the other ingredients.

This is definitely the recipe I have most looked forward to trying during “Zucchini Week”.  For any of you who don’t know, I am definitely not a natural eggplant-lover.  Even when it’s smothered in marinara and cheese in “eggplant parmesan”, I still have to remind myself I’m an adult, and persuade myself to give it a go each time that dish is served.

However…

When I saw that Adrianna from “A Cozy Kitchen” had posted a “zucchini parmesan” recipe recently, I got pretty excited.  Clearly, I love my zuc.  So the idea of it being substituted for the dreaded purple fruit in this yummy Italian dish sounded tooooootally up my alley.  So tonight I gave it a go.  Took a shortcut and used my favorite marinara sauce from Trader Joe’s (although I love this homeade recipe), sliced up a block of Mozzarella cheese, and then grated the heck out of a block of Parmesan….and voila!  My first attempt at “Zucchini Parmesan” was a whopping success!

As expected, I absolutely loved the substitution of zucchini for the eggplant.  It was the perfect texture, and the flavor blended perfectly with the marinara and cheese.  I also must say it was pretty cute — loved all of those little zucchini bites!  I would say, however, that fresh Parmesan is key for this recipe.  So if you can, find a block of cheese to grate, rather than buying a tub of the pre-grated stuff.

Definitely a fun, delicious, and crowd-pleasing recipe that I am bookmarking to make again soon!  (And hooray for another chance to…um…avoid eggplant!)

Zucchini Parmesan Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2-3 zucchini, ends trimmed, sliced into 1/3″ discs
• coarse salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
• 1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
• vegetable or canola oil
• 2/3 cup of your favorite tomato sauce
• 1 large ball or block fresh mozzarella (about 4 1/2 ounces)
• small handful of basil leaves, roughly torn
• 1 cup freshly-grated Parmesan (about 3 ounces)

Method:

Sprinkle slices of zucchini with a small pinch of coarse salt and freshly-cracked black pepper on each side.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, lightly dredge the zucchini slices in the flour, tapping them on the side of the bowl to shake off excess flour. Heat 1/4″ oil in a large skillet over high heat. When a pinch of flour sizzles on contact, add the zucchini slices in a single layer, turn the heat to medium-high and cook for about one and a half minutes on each side or until dark golden brown. Transfer the zucchini to paper towels to drain.  Repeat in batches until all of your zucchini it is cooked, adding more oil as necessary.

In a 13″ x 9″ baking dish (or oven-proof skillet), arrange as many slices of zucchini as can fit snugly in a single layer. Top each slice with a small spoonful of tomato sauce, a few small pieces of torn mozzarella, a bit of basil and a dusting of parmesan.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cheese has melted and begun to turn a golden color.  Remove from oven, and garnish with additional torn basil.  Serve immediately.

Ali’s Tip:

Feel free to add a pepperoni (or some mini-pepperonis) to these!  Just layer them on top of the zucchini, underneath the marinara.  And continue with the directions for cooking.  They will taste like little pepperoni pizzas!

Source: Adapted from A Cozy Kitchen.

Top 3 reasons why this is one of my favorite “go-to” appetizers:

• The recipe only calls for three ingredients
• Total prep time is about five minutes
• It is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

I know that there are far more creative ways to use mini phyllo tart shells, but the brie+berry combination is still one of my hands-down favorites.  And apparently my friends agree, because look out — these little guys will disappear before you know it.  :)

Brie & Raspberry Phyllo Cups Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 package (1.9 oz.) mini phyllo tart shells
• 6 oz. brie, rind removed
• 15 raspberries

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the tart shells on an ungreased baking sheet.  Measure 1 teaspoon brie, and carefully place it in a tart shell.  Top with one raspberry.  Repeat with remaining shells.  Bake for 5-8 minutes, or until brie is melted.  Serve immediately.

Ali’s Tip:

These would of course also be delicious with any other berries, or berry jams/spreads.

A few years ago, I was at a birthday party for my boss, thrown by one of his good friends who also happens to be an outstanding cook.  But while I had every intention of saving my appetite for his world-famous Kansas City barbeque, pretty sure I completely blew it on the first appetizer — these incredible little stuffed mushrooms.

As the trays were passed around the patio, one by one you heard everyone murmer, “Oh my goodness — what is in these mushrooms?!?”  Surprisingly, John told us there were only two main ingredients — blue cheese and sun-dried tomato pesto.  (Although in addition to those tasty sun-dried tomatoes, this pesto was also made with walnuts and fresh sage.  Yum!)  John also smoked his stuffed mushrooms, which gave them an extra-amazing finish.

Alas, I don’t have a smoker, but made mine in the oven this week and they were still insanely delicious.  Also decided to top mine with a pinch of Panko to give them a slight breaded crunch.  So good, so easy, and so fast (especially if you have the red pesto made ahead of time!).  And as his party proved, they’re definitely a crowd-pleaser.  Thanks, John!!!

Blue Cheese & Red Pesto Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe

Ingredients:

Stuffed Mushroom Ingredients:

• 1 lb. cremini or button mushrooms
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomato pesto (see ingredients/recipe below)
• 1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Ingredients:

• 1 (24 ounce) jar of sun-dried tomatoes in oil
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled (or about 3 tsp. minced)
• 1 cup walnuts
• 1/3 cup fresh sage
• 8 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

To Make The Stuffed Mushrooms:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, or preheat a smoker.

Carefully remove and discard the stems of the mushrooms, then clean with a damp cloth.  Fill mushroom cavity with sundried pesto (approx. 1/2 tsp.). Top with blue cheese crumbles, and a pinch of Panko.  Bake or smoke for about 15 minutes, until the cheese starts to melt and filling is warm.  Serve immediately.

To Make The Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto:

Place tomatoes, garlic, walnuts, sage, and Parmesan in a food processor, and pulse until blended.  Slowly stream in the olive oil, then season to taste with salt and pepper.  Use pesto immediately, or refrigerate for up to one week, or freeze.

Ali’s Tip:

These are also great with gorgonzola cheese!

If there were to be a prize awarded to the most-made (and arguably most-enjoyed!) side dish in my kitchen, roasted asparagus would undoubtedly take the cake!  Or, um…be the winner.  :)  For years and years, this classic yet super-versatile dish has been the perfect accompaniment to a wide array of main dishes.  And occasionally, when the craving hits, I have also enjoyed it as a small meal or snack in and of itself!

In short, I LOVE roasted asparagus!

As I’ve listed below in the “Ali’s Tip” section, there are endless ways to prepare and season this dish.  Maybe I’ll post on those throughout the coming months.  But for an initial recipe, thought I would go with what’s still my favorite — classic roasted asparagus that is simply seasoned with salt and pepper.  It may be simple, but it is still SO delicious.  And of course, asparagus is great for you too!

What are some of your favorite ways to enjoy roasted asparagus??

Roasted Asparagus Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch (about 1 lb.) fresh asparagus, washed and dried
• 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil or canola oil
• sea salt
• freshly-cracked black pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Trim the tough asparagus ends, removing about 1 inch.  Lay out asparagus side-by-side on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper or cooking spray.  (Or you can also cook these in a 9×13 pyrex pan.)  Drizzle the asparagus evenly with oil, then sprinkle with a pinch or two of salt and lots of freshly-cracked black pepper, and give the pan a few good shakes to coat well.

Bake for about 8-12 minutes, or until the tips begin to brown and the asparagus is tender.  (Cooking time will depend upon the thickness of your asparagus spears.)  Serve immediately.

Ali’s Tip:

The seasoning possibilities for roasted aspargus are endless.  But here are a few of my other favorites:

• balsamic or red wine vinegar
• garlic
• freshly grated parmesan
• lemon or lime juice
• honey
• various dried herbs/spices (smoked paprika, chipotle powder, cumin, etc.)
• chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, basil, oregano, thyme, cilantro, etc.)
• nuts (slivered almonds, pine nuts, chopped walnuts or pecans, pepitos, etc.)
• wrapped in prosciutto or bacon

Brief disclaimer: These nuts are 100% irresistible.

Oh my word.  I made them for the first time with my parents on Thanksgiving, thinking they might be a nice snack to keep out for the holiday weekend.  But….I’m pretty sure they disappeared by the end of the day.  Even with everyone’s stomachs full from our Thanksgiving meal — they were still irresistible!!

Like making most spiced nuts, these are also a breeze to pull together.  Just whip the spices and vanilla (I used extract, since we didn’t have vanilla bean paste on hand) together with an egg white, mix in the almonds (or whatever nuts you’d prefer), and voila — within 45 minutes, your house will smell amazing and a sweet and savory batch of almonds will be yours to enjoy!

Also, if you don’t have whole almonds on hand, this recipe would also be great with walnuts or cashews.  Just keep an eye on the cooking time for nuts of different size/density to be sure that they don’t burn.

Spicy Cocoa Roasted Almonds Recipe
(Adapted from My Kitchen Addiction)

Ingredients:

• 3 cups whole almonds
• 1 egg white
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla bean paste
• Few drops of water
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder (I prefer dark cocoa powder, but whatever works!)
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 – 1 tsp. cayenne pepper (**see tip below**)
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Method:

Preheat the oven to 275°F.  Line a baking sheet with a silicon baking mat or with parchment paper.  Set aside.

Whisk together the egg white, vanilla bean paste, and a few drops of water in a mixing bowl.  Beat mixture until it is light and frothy.  Add the almonds and toss to evenly coat with the egg white mixture.

In a separate bowl, combine the sugars, cocoa powder, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt.  Whisk together very well, being sure to remove any lumps.  Add the almonds, and toss to coat.  Spread the coated almonds out on the prepared baking sheet.  Roast for 30 – 40 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes.  Keep a close watch on the almonds because they will burn quickly.

Once the almonds are done, spread them out on a large piece of parchment or waxed paper until they have cooled completely.  Store in an airtight container.

Ali’s Tip:

Feel free to also control how spicy you would like them to be.  I added the full teaspoon of cayenne, and they definitely had a little kick.  So if you’re not a fan of spicy, I’d just add the 1/2 teaspoon.