Red Carpet Snacks

A cocktail is an essential part of red carpet event watching for me, but so are snacks. Since most red carpet coverage begins at 5 or 6pm, I'm not ready for a full meal, but I need to have some nibble-able finger foods so I'm not starving by the end of the night. Here are some of my favorite appetizers and snacks for red carpet dining! (Note: You can also eat these during the Superbowl. I won't judge.)

Rainbow Pinwheels

These are great because you can make them ahead of time, and you can adapt the fillings to your personal preference (I omit the cabbage; you could add zucchini or summer squash wedges). Plus, they're reasonably nutritious. 

4 large tortillas
1 cup hummus (whatever flavor you like - roasted red pepper is my favorite)
2 carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 red and 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
1/2 cup baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup purple cabbage, sliced thin or shredded

Lay out all 4 tortillas. Spread each with about 1/4 cup hummus, leaving room at the edges. arrange the vegetables (in rainbow order, if you want to be fancy), then tightly roll each tortilla and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for several hours before slicing and serving. 

Honey Mustard Chex Mix

I love every variation of Chex Mix that I've ever tried, but this is by far my favorite. It's sweet and salty, and you can use whatever kind of cereal, crackers, and pretzels you prefer. You can make it several days ahead of time, and the leftovers (if there are any keep) at room temperature for a long time.

1/2 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
3 tsp dried mustard powder
3/4 tsp salt
6 cups total mix of Chex and/or other crispy cereals (any combination of Rice Chex, Corn Chex, Wheat Chex, Life, Crispix, Cheerios, Kix, etc.) 
2 cups small pretzels (knots, sticks, or rings)
1-1/2 cups white cheddar Cheez-Its (you can substitute for this, but I think it really adds to the flavor)
1 cup Melba toasts, broken into pieces

In a small bowl, combine melted butter, honey, Dijon mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, dried mustard, and salt. In a large bowl, stir together all remaining ingredients. Pour sauce over mix and toss until thoroughly coated. Line a baking sheet with nonstick foil and spread mix evenly on sheet. Bake at 250 degrees for an hour and 10 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes or so. Allow to cool and store at room temperature in large Ziploc bags or tightly covered storage containers. 

Sweet and Spicy Crunchy Chickpeas

I love a snack with a little heat, especially when you can eat a tiny bit at a time, and these chickpeas fit the bill. Nibble them one at a time or toss a whole handful into your mouth for a salty-sweet-spicy treat. 

2 (15-oz) cans of chickpeas
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp chili powder (or more if you like heat)
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (or more if you like heat)
1-2 Tbsp brown sugar

Drain and rinse chickpeas, then blot between paper towels to dry. Line a baking sheet with nonstick foil and spread the chickpeas out. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes, then shake tray to rearrange chickpeas and bake for 10 more minutes. While chickpeas are roasting, in a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients EXCEPT olive oil. When chickpeas come out of the oven, drizzle them with olive oil and shake tray until evenly coated. Sprinkle with the spices and shake tray again to coat evenly. Return to oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until chickpeas are browned and very crunchy. 

Cranberry Brie Bites

If you have time to bake these right before you want to eat them, that's the best, but you can also make them ahead of time and either serve them at room temperature or warm them in the microwave or oven before serving. 

Flour for dusting
1 tube crescent roll dough
1 wheel Brie
1/2 cup cranberry sauce (whole berry or jellied; you can also use seedless raspberry jam)
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans (plain or candied)
6 fresh rosemary sprigs, cut into 1-inch pieces

Arrange a rack in center of oven and preheat to 375 degrees. Grease a mini (24-cup) muffin tin with cooking spray or line with paper baking cups. On a lightly floured surface, roll out crescent dough and pinch together seams to form a single smooth sheet. Cut into 24 squares with a pizza cutter or sharp knife. Press squares into prepared cups. Cut Brie into small pieces and place inside dough. Top with a spoonful of cranberry sauce, a sprinkle of pecans, and one piece of rosemary. Bake until pastry is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator tightly covered. 

Crab and Brie Stuffed Mushrooms

This easy but decadent treat can be prepped ahead of time and thrown into the oven just before you want to serve. 

12-16 baby bella mushrooms
3 Tbs olive oil, divided
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup minced shallot
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
2 Tbs minced fresh parsley
2 tsp lemon zest
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup cubed brie (remove rind and cut into 1/4-inch cubes)
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 cup lump crabmeat, picked through for shells
juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1-1/2 Tbsp)

Wash the mushrooms and pat dry, then remove the stems. Chop stems finely and set aside.

In a medium bowl, toss the mushroom caps with 2 tablespoons of oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with nonstick foil, open-side up.  Set the bowl aside to use for the filling.

In a medium skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Saute the shallot and chopped mushroom stems until softened, 3-4 minutes.  Remove from heat, stir in the cream cheese, and transfer the mixture to the bowl. Add the parsley, lemon zest, Parmesan, brie, and panko, and mix well.  Lightly fold in the crabmeat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon the filling into the mushroom caps (may be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for several hours at this point) and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until the mushrooms are browned and the filling is hot and bubbly.  Remove from oven and squeeze the lemon juice over the mushrooms before serving.

Veggies and Dill Dip

This dip is great with any kind of vegetable dippers (broccoli, baby carrots, celery, bell peppers, cauliflower, etc.) but also with potato chips, pita chips, or pretzels. Be sure to thoroughly soften the cream cheese for a creamy, well-blended result.

1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 oz cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp dried dill
1 Tbsp dried chives
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp celery seed
Dippers of choice (see above)

Combine all ingredients (except dippers) in a serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve cold with dippers of choice. 

Easy Caprese

You can make bite-sized versions of these by using toothpicks and including a single tomato, one chunk of mozzarella, and a basil leaf on each.

24 cherry tomatoes
24 mini mozzarella balls (or small cubes of fresh mozzarella)
24 fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp balsamic glaze
salt and pepper to taste

Drain the mozzarella balls and pat dry with a paper towel. Wash and dry the tomatoes and basil. Assemble skewers by threading sets of one folded basil leaf, one tomato, and one piece of mozzarella (depending on the length of the skewers, two or three sets might fit; if using toothpicks, use a single set). Arrange on a serving platter. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic glaze, and salt and pepper. When ready to serve, drizzle skewers generously with dressing and a little more salt and pepper. If preparing ahead of time and refrigerating, allow to come to room temperate before serving. 

Cheesy Pull Apart Bread

This is a little messy, but if you're watching with a few friends, it's well worth the mess and effort. It's best when made right before serving, but see note at end of recipe for make ahead directions. 

1 loaf of crusty, dense bread, like sourdough or Vienna
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 tsp minced garlic
3/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 cup shredded mozzarella

In a small bowl, stir together melted butter, minced garlic, salt, and parsley. Cut the bread on diagonals to form 1-inch diamonds, but not quite cutting to the bottom of the loaf (tip: place a wooden spoon or cutting board on both sides of the loaf to stop the knife). Pry open the slices, drizzle with butter, and stuff in small handfuls of cheese. If any butter is left over, brush over the top of the loaf. Wrap tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, then remove foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes. Serve immediately. 

Make ahead instructions: Instead of using melted butter, use softened butter and spread inside slices, then add cheese. Wrap tightly in foil and refrigerate. When ready to use, allow to come to room temperature and then bake as above. You can also make the bread as above and rewrap in foil after baking, then allow to cool and refrigerate for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, unwrap and microwave for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes until the cheese melts. 

Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts

Bacon-wrapped scallops are a popular appetizer, but for folks like me who don't like scallops, why deprive us of bacon? These sweet, smoky, crunchy treats are sure to be a hit with everyone. Be sure to remove from the baking sheet immediately after baking so they don't continue to cook in the hot fat. Alternatively, you can spray a cooling rack with nonstick spray and lay it inside the baking sheet to raise the chestnuts out of the rendered fat. 

1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar (if you have a kitchen scale, weigh out 57 grams instead of packing and measuring)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 (7-oz) cans of water chestnuts, drained
1 lb. smoky bacon, each slice cut into thirds

Combine ketchup, brown sugar, garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce in a mixing bowl and stir well. Wrap each water chestnut with a bacon strip, secure with a toothpick, and drop into the mixing bowl with the sauce mix. Gently fold the sauce over the chestnuts in the mixing bowl, evenly coating each piece. Line a baking sheet with nonstick foil and arrange chestnuts on sheet, use tongs to remove chestnuts from the bowl. Drizzle remaining sauce over the chestnuts. Bake in a 425-degree oven for about 45 minutes or long enough to crisp the bacon. Immediately remove from tray using tongs, then arrange on a serving plate and serve immediately.

Chicken, Cranberry, and Pecan Pinwheels

This recipe is meant to be a wrap sandwich, but it's easy enough to slice into appetizer-sized pinwheels. It's a nice hearty snack that provides enough nutrition that you can pretend you're eating "real" food. You can use fresh cooked chicken if you have it on hand, but I often make it with canned chicken from Costco - just drain it and break apart the larger pieces with a fork. 

3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1/2 cup Craisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup mayonnaise
salt and white pepper to taste
1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
4 large flour tortillas or wraps

In a large bowl, combine chicken, craisins, pecans, and celery and stir to combine. Add mayonnaise, salt, and white pepper, and mix well. Lay a tortilla on a plate and spread with chicken mixture, sprinkle with a pinch of fresh parsley, and roll tightly. Repeat with all four tortillas. Chill until ready to serve, then unwrap, use a sharp knife to cut into thick slices, and serve. 

Happy snacking, and let the red carpet parade being!

Food, Glorious Food

I’m not much of a food blogger, but I did a lot of cooking this weekend and everything came out particularly delicious, so I’m sharing my menus! Sorry I don’t have photos of my own results, but trust me, everything looked EXACTLY like these stock photos. I have given the sources of the original recipes, but the versions listed below include a few of my own variations.

I’m a big fan of appetizers – in fact, I’d happily make a meal entirely of appetizers and ignore the entrée altogether. So here are a few of the apps I served this weekend, along with a couple of light entrees that can easily be served as small plates alongside a buffet of appetizers.

Balsamic Bruschetta (based on pipandebby.com)

This bruschetta can be served either warm or cold, and it’s a wonderful way to highlight fresh tomatoes and/or basil from your garden, if you have them!

2 large tomatoes, diced
1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
¼ cup shredded Parmesan
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp olive oil
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp kosher salt
1 loaf French bread

Mix together all ingredients except bread in a small bowl and chill in refrigerator. Slice bread diagonally into ½” slices; lay on a baking sheet and toast at 425 degrees for 3-4 minutes, until crispy. Top bread with tomato mixture and serve immediately. Top with additional parmesan, if desired.

If you prefer to serve the bruschetta warm, don’t pre-toast the bread, but top the fresh sliced bread with the tomato mixture and bake at 425 for 4-5 minutes, then serve warm.

Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms (based on eatingwell.com)

This stuffing is a nice alternative to crab or lobster stuffed mushrooms if you or your guests have shellfish allergies. Plus it’s a great way to use up those huge jars of marinated artichoke hearts from Costco.

24 medium cremini (baby bella) mushrooms
olive oil
2 shallots, minced
2 tsp minced garlic
2/3 cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped fairly fine
3 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsp grated Parmesan
½ marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
3 tbsp panko breadcrumbs, divided
2 tbsp grated Parmesan
2 tbsp light mayonnaise
1/8 tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp salt
¼ fresh black pepper

Position rack in top third of oven and preheat broiler (use the “low” setting if there’s an option). Coat a metal 9x13 pan or deep jelly roll pan with non-stick spray or line it with non-stick foil.

Wash mushrooms well and pat dry; remove and finely chop stems. Heat 1 tsp oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the stems, shallots, and garlic and cook, stirring, until the liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and stir in artichoke hearts, 2 tablespoons panko, Parmesan, mayonnaise and thyme.

Toss the mushroom caps in another bowl with 2 teaspoons oil, salt and pepper. Stuff each with filling (mounding fairly high; this recipe makes a generous amount of stuffing) and place in the prepared pan. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs and 1 teaspoon oil and sprinkle on the mushrooms.

Broil until the mushrooms are soft and the breadcrumbs are golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

Mushrooms may be stuffed up to 3 hours prior to baking.

Lamb Sliders (based on Giada de Laurentis’ recipe)

This recipe is great because the lamb and cumin make it taste just slightly exotic without being too unusual for most palates. Although the sliders are best when cooked over an open grill, you can also pan fry them. The patties can be made well ahead of time and refrigerated in plastic wrap.

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 large shallots, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp minced garlic

1 pound ground lamb

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ketchup

Eight ½-inch cubes of Gruyere or Havarti cheese

8 slider buns (King’s Hawaiian are the best!), halved

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until the shallots are soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool slightly.

Combine the shallot mixture, lamb, cumin, ketchup, scant 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Form the mixture into eight 1/2-inch thick patties. Press a cube of cheese into the middle of each patty and form the meat around the cheese to cover. (Be sure to seal well or the cheese will leak out during cooking!) 

Brush the patties with the remaining oil and grill over medium-high heat until cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Let the patties rest for 2 minutes. Place the patties in the buns and serve, plain or with tzatziki sauce (below).

Easy Tzatziki (based on Claire Robinson/Food Network’s recipe)

1 cup Greek yogurt (I used low fat so I could pretend it was healthy)
~8” length of seedless cucumber, peeled, shredded, and drained
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Shred the peeled cucumber using the finest side of a vegetable grater, drain on cutting board and blot with a few paper towels. Whisk together all ingredients, adding salt and pepper to taste. Serve chilled.

Greek Salmon (no source; this hardly even counts as a recipe!)

Salmon fillets, cut into single-serving pieces
olive oil
Greek seasoning (store-bought or from recipe below)

Brush fillets with oil and sprinkle generously with seasoning. Grill skin-side down for 3-4 minutes per side. Serve with tzatziki.

Greek Seasoning (based on allrecipes.com’s recipe)

1-1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp dried basil
½ tsp dried minced onion
¼ tsp garlic powder

Whisk all ingredients together. You can also add dried marjoram, mint, or even cinnamon and nutmeg to the mix!

Grilled Marinated Portobellos (based on treehugger.com)

Since I have several family members who prefer to eat vegetarian, I’m always on the lookout for delicious recipes using vegetarian proteins, and portobellos are one of my personal favorites. This recipe is light and delicious, with just a hint of tang from the balsamic vinegar. The mushrooms can be served burger-style on a bun with greens and tomato, but I love them simply as is.

4 portobello mushrooms
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp dried basil
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp minced garlic
pinch each of salt and pepper

Wash mushrooms and pat dry, then gently pull off the stems. Place gill side up in a shallow dish.

Whisk together remaining ingredients and pour over mushrooms, including pouring some into the base of the dish. Marinade for about 15 minutes.

Pour off and reserve excess marinade and grill, gill side up, over medium-high heat for 5-8 minutes per side, until tender. Brush occasionally with marinade.

And to wrap up this list, my favorite summer salad, which is so delicious that it’s practically a dessert: Triple Treat Salad!

Triple Treat Salad (I have no idea where this recipe originated; it’s been floating around my family for decades)

2-3 heads of broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces (florets only)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 package pre-cooked bacon, crisped and crumbled
½ cup light mayonnaise
4 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Toss together broccoli, cheese, and bacon in a large bowl and set aside. Whisk together mayo, sugar, and vinegar until nearly smooth; adjust amounts to taste. Pour dressing over salad and toss well to coat. Marinate in refrigerator several hours to overnight, tossing occasionally if possible. 

Bon appetit!!