Super {appetizer} Bowls for the Super Bowl!

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Appetizer | 17 comments

Are you ready for some FOOOOOOOTBALL? Well technically no I’m not! *gasp* I know but I’m just not a football fan y’all! Don’t hate! I am however, a fan of parties! And especially of making food for parties (you liking me better now? LOL) So I decided I’d come up with something new & exciting for your Super Bowl party! I figured you’d be overwhelmed with slider, buffalo wings, chili & dip recipes! Not that there’s anything wrong with those, BUT I wanted to give you a little something something unexpected!

Olive & Sundried Tomato Tapenade Crostini {& GIVEAWAY !}

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Appetizer | 63 comments

I was contacted by Mezzetta awhile back with information on how to throw a 20 minute Miracle Party. Um 20 minutes? Yeah, do tell me more please ; ) So they graciously sent me a few complimentary jars of Mezzetta Products and some information & ideas on how to pull this off… So are you a little skeptical? I sure was. But hey, I’m game… so bring it on…

Peperonata

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Appetizer, Sauces | 11 comments

This, to me, is such a simple dish. I’m all about easy peasy. As I’ve mentioned before simple isn’t a bad thing. It truly is a WOW dish. Everyone will think you slaved away when you simply added the ingredients & left them to mingle with each other. The longer they mingle & get to know each other, the better they’ll be. LOL!

Insalata Caprese

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Appetizer, Salads, Vegetarian | 30 comments

Insalata Caprese is simply Caprese Salad (literally translated salad in the style of Capri) It comes from the region of Campania in Italy & it just might be the simplest dish you’ve ever put together. But don’t let the simple fool you, it’s full of flavor & oh so good for you. You don’t have to feel guilty about over indulging in this one.

You can serve them as I have in the picture above, sliced & layered oh so architecturally, or if you prefer a much more rustic version, you can arrange the slices on a platter – equally beautiful and just as tasty.

Scallops Francaise

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Appetizer, Main Course, Seafood | 42 comments

Summer time to me means lots of fresh seafood! I’m lucky enough to live fairly close to the coast & fresh seafood is abundant right now. (Well at least in my part of the world it is & if it’s not in your part of the world, fear not, there is always frozen to fall back on in a pinch.)  It’s the perfect time to experiment with flavor combinations.

Scallops are delectable. So buttery & delicious & completely versatile. They take on flavors beautifully. You can use this recipe as an appetizer or fill up the plate & use it as your entree. Either way it’s simply scrumptious. The secret ingredient here is the Panko!

Pineapple Fusion Scallops

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Appetizer, Seafood | 32 comments

I have been craving scallops for a while now! Since the weather has started to warm up it was the perfect time to come up with a new recipe!

Typically you’ll either find a butter, garlic & wine reduction recipe or a fried recipe for your scallops. This one is neither & I’m really pleased with how it turned out & know you will be too!

The pineapple and mango reduction fuses beautifully with the scallops! Sweet, sweet harmony with a little kick thrown in at the end (cayenne)! You’ll look like a rock star in the kitchen when you serve this dish up!

Grilled Eggplant dripping with a Tomato and Ricotta Salsa

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Appetizer, Sides, Vegetables | 14 comments

We’ve officially skipped spring and dived directly into summer. Now that it’s scorching hot outside already, it’s time to get outside and utilize the grill. Have I mentioned how much I like eggplant? It’s such a meaty vegetable & surprisingly inexpensive. One really does go a long way. I like to hit my local farmer’s market this time of year to get the freshest ingredients possible. Plus, it’s always nice to see where your food comes from & I like to support my local farmers!

This is a quick and easy recipe that can be done almost completely on the grill. It’s perfect as an appetizer or even as a side dish. If you want to change it up a bit, simply add a toasted bun and it becomes a scrumptious eggplant burger!

Drunken Mussels

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Appetizer, Seafood | 21 comments

I adore mussels. They are simply scrumptious. Some people tend to shy away from Mussels, because they’re not quite sure what to do with them. But, they really couldn’t be easier to fix and they’re quite a chameleon when it comes to absorbing flavors.

If you’re squeamish about cleaning them, feel free to ask your fishmonger to do it for you (they’re quite happy to). Otherwise, it just entails placing your mussels into a colander, running cold water over them, and removing the “beard” – the greyish little hair attached to them. Voila.

They take minutes to cook, depending on the size, and they’ll turn this beautiful shade of orange. Careful not to overcook them; as with most seafood, they will become tough & chewy. Not something you want to associate with your mussels.

Guacamole

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Appetizer | 9 comments

We LOVE guacamole at our house. It’s so easy to make & so much better for you than the pre-made versions that you find at the grocery (at least at mine anyway). If you are having a big to do & want this as an easy appetizer, it’s easy to double. Plus it’s incredibly colorful & smells scrumptious. If you’d like to add a kick to your guacamole, feel free to add in a minced jalapeno (with or without seeds depending on how brave you are). We like to eat our guacamole with pita chips, tortilla chips or carrot sticks. Or for a real change try putting it inside of mushroom caps & serving it that way!

So next time you’re in the mood for some guacamole, pick up the ingredients from your local farmers market or grocery & give it a go. You’ll be AMAZED how deliciously simple it is! The only thing I normally have to pick up are the avocados. The rest are pantry staples in my house! Ah, the importance of a well stocked pantry, perhaps this should be a topic for an upcoming blog entry!

Crostini with Artichoke Spread

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Appetizer | 21 comments

This is a perfect appetizer dish! It’s quick, easy to make & is a crowd pleaser. My friend Lainie introduced me to this artichoke dip years ago & it has been a favorite of mine ever since. So a big thank you to Lainie!

I’ve switched up the original recipe just a tad by adding roasted garlic instead of minced garlic & some lemon juice for a little pizazz. You can easily use minced garlic if you don’t have any roasted on hand! In my garlic loving opinion, you CAN’T have enough garlic in this recipe so add to your hearts content. You can also control the level of heat by adding as much or as little hot sauce as you like, or should I say dare! Taste as you go. Remember, as always, much easier to add than to try & take away. You can make this ahead of time and then just reheat before you’re ready to serve. Also would be great served in a bread bowl! It’s a great go to appetizer!

Ginger Pork Dumplings

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Appetizer, Pork | 9 comments

I love these dumplings! The combination of ginger, garlic, scallions, and pork is simply scrumptious. Not to mention, they are so much fun to make. They are a little time consuming but if you have a helper it goes quickly!

Remember when making your dumplings that less pork mixture is better. If you put too much the dumplings will tear during steaming and come apart. You’ll know if you put too much. If you have never made dumplings before don’t be afraid, the first few will be a little awkward but once you get the feel of them, it will go smoothly. Practice makes perfect.

Herb Roasted Tomatoes

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Appetizer, Sides | 7 comments

I must admit, I am normally not a fan of the plain tomato, unlesss it is cooked in a sauce or chopped finely on bruschetta ~ then, bring it on. I wondered how they would taste roasted and to the delight of my tastebuds they’re delish! This is such a quick & simple recipe. You can do it in advance of your entrée preparation, they taste even better the longer the flavors marry together. Notice that the garlic is sliced in this recipe. Minced garlic would tend to burn so slicing is best here. When you’re placing them into your serving bowl, don’t forget the drippings. They are amazing to dip your bread into (great as an appetizer this way). Simply delectable.

Spicy Shrimp Bites

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Appetizer, Seafood | 14 comments

These are perfect as an appetizer or an entrée. If you want to make it an entrée, I recommend serving it over a bed of yellow rice & arrange your shrimp on top, almost like a shrimp cocktail-but with rice! LOL Or if you prefer, you can place the shrimp onto a skewer when they’re finished cooking if you want to shake things up! Either way you serve them they are scrumptious!

The flavors are spectacular in this dish. The way the sugar/pepper mixture gives you that sweet & spicy at the same time is fab. You can’t just eat one, they’re addictive! I have found the easiest way to make these is to create a little assembly line: shrimp, pineapple, bacon, toothpicks & then season mix! Makes things go smoothly.

Quick tip: Be sure to NOT touch your hands to your face after you have handled the cayenne pepper! Trust me on this one. Wash your hands subito (immediately)!

Bruschetta

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Appetizer, Vegetarian | 6 comments

This is a wonderful, quick, & easy dish to make. It is usually served as a snack or appetizer. Pronounced brus-ket-a, this can be served with a number of different toppings. This is the version that I make most often. The crunch of the freshly toasted bread, along with the flavors of garlic and tomatoes is simply a feast for your senses, both smell & taste and is always a crowd pleaser.

Eggplant al Forno

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Appetizer, Sides | 3 comments

Eggplant is such a versatile vegetable. On a recent trip to Rome, I encountered so many deliziosi eggplant dishes, that I was taken by it’s ability to transform itself from light and airy to meaty and filling. I now find myself picking up an eggplant on just about every trip to the grocery. This is one of my recipes that was inspired by that trip. It’s perfect as an appetizer served with fresh hot bread or as a side dish to a meal. You’ll find that one eggplant goes a long way! Which is good for your stomach & your wallet.

Tips: I really like to use the Amore concentrated Pesto! It comes in a tube, making it so convenient. I also find it easiest to grate my parmigiano reggiano cheese directly onto the eggplant slices using my microplane grater! There’s no right or wrong with the amount of cheese you use – but I’m more of a “more is better” when it comes to cheese !