Easy Appetizers

Almond Joy – a big food wrapped up in a small package!

Almonds are a excellent food all packaged up in it’s little brown coating. It not only packs a wallop when it comes to nourishment, but they add flavor to all kinds of easy appetizer recipes. The next few paragraphs will explore some of the uses of almonds – their nutritional worth as well as some interesting facts that I bet you never learned about the little brown packages.

While most doctors wouldn’t recommend eating nuts as a snack for those that have high cholesterol – due to their high fat content – many studies have been done that show that eating almonds actually lowers your cholesterol.

For example, a study was done using volunteers that had a history of high cholesterol. The end result was that this group eating almonds actually showed significant reductions within their LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol). So, in line with these findings, whole almonds eaten in moderation can decreasing cholesterol.

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These are easy to make and even easier to eat. Great for parties! Just had to share this with you! Make them for your 4th of July party or any kind of gathering…

For more easy appetizer recipes check out our Holiday Appetizers page.

Father’s Day – Gifts for Him

Want to give your Dad or the special family guy in your life a unique gift? Why not give him a gift of flavorful Spain? Spaniards love a fiesta – gathering friends and family together to enjoy great food and wine is second nature.

Here are some great gift ideas to help you celebrate Father’s Day in the Spanish style – paella burners for an outdoor paella party, distinctive Spanish grilling sausages, and festive porron wine pitchers are just a few ways to celebrate Spanish-style. Show Dad how much you love him.

Paella Burner with Rolling Stand – Roll this solid paella burner out, hook it up to a standard propane bottle, and you are ready to cook a paella, as easy as that! All you need to do is start cooking (attaches to a normal U.S. propane tank.) Read more about it here.

Glass Porrón Wine Pitcher – The porrón wine pitcher is a festive way to serve wine or sangria. Just pick up the porrón and tilt it so that a thin stream of wine pours directly into your mouth! It takes some skill, but it is fun at a party to see how well you and your friends master the technique. Each porrón holds 1 liter, well over a bottle of wine. Read more about it here.

Grilling Sampler of Spanish Sausages – A selection of three distinct sausages of Spain… all ready for the grill! Slice them in 2 inch chunks for crispy, flavorful bites, or roast them whole. Read more about it here.

Spanish Wine and Cheese Party – Have a pleasant wine and cheese party, with no effort at all! You and your friends can savor three of Spain’s finest artisan cheeses – and then cleanse your palates with a tasty red wine. Read more about it here.

Happy Father’s Day!

Great Appetizers, Snacks and Man-food for Father’s Day

Dad’s Day is less than a week away. What are you going to do for the special Dad in your life? We’re going to our local airport (small airport) and watch a helicopter show. That’s what the Dad in our family wants to do so that’s what we’re doing. Can’t wait. (No, really!)

Actually, I saw the show last year and it was AMAZING to see the kinds of tricks helicopters can do! But, I’m getting off topic here. Let’s get back to great appetizers and recipes for your Father. Here are a few ideas to spark  your imagination. Even if Dad loves to cook, give him the day off and fill up his plate with some fun MAN-food. He works hard. He deserves it.

Starting with Breakfast:

Hashbrown Casserole
Oh yeah. This is a delicious small feast – bakes up like a dream.
The man in your life will love it!

Move on to lunch (here’s a few ideas to get the ball rolling):

Chicken Wings Recipes
What Dad doesn’t like good ol’ Buffalo Wings or other types of chicken wings.
Here’s a really nice variety of flavors.

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Schools out, and summer is here – and so are all those delicious fresh fruits. Take a little extra time to make some wonderful healthy fruit snacks that you can serve your kids, your friends, YOURSELF! Fruit is so good for you and these snack ideas will make eating fruit a pleasure. Enjoy!

Apple Cinnamon Snack Mix – It’s a little more involved than other snack mixes, but the extra effort is well worth it.

Apple Pizza – Is this a great after school snack? Or a terrific, yummy dessert? You choose.

Brown Sugar Cherries – This tangy-sweet dip for cherries could be used for any number of fruits or berries, and the cherry stems make dipping extra fun in this great snack.

For more great ideas, visit our Fruit Snacks page.

By now you know I love Spanish food and yes, their cheese is to die for. Manchego cheese is my favorite and as it happens, La Tienda, my favorite Spanish food place online is having a half-off sale on Manchego.

Here’s what La Tienda says about their offering:

Villajos Reserva is an authentic hand-made, raw sheep’s milk cheese. The aged Manchego has a full rich flavor with a healthy sharpness. Slice and serve with olives and sliced Serrano ham for the authentic flavor of Spain. Packed in a wooden box, it would make a superb gift. Read more here.

What is Manchego and what makes it so delicious? It’s a raw sheep’s milk cheese. It’s natural sharpness is a perfect match for the sweet flavor of Membrillo and a perfect way to end a great meal.

One of the things I love about this cheese is how good it tastes with other flavors married to it. For example, Manchego is used as a dessert when paired with a favorite Spanish jelly called Membrillo quince. I have to say, this is my favorite way to eat this cheese.

But Manchego also works well with the tart goodness of Jamon Serrano ham. This combination makes for an excellent addition to your Tapas servings.

However you decide to use Manchego cheese, you’ll enjoy it. It’s a flavor that takes you instantly to Spain. Find out more at La Tienda.com.