What you’ll need:
- English muffins
- Pizza sauce
- Black olives
- Green onions
- Red or green pepper
- Cheese sticks or slices

What to do for this fun Halloween snack:

1. Heat the oven to 350º F. For each pizza mummy, spread a tablespoon of your favorite pizza sauce onto half of an English muffin, toasted. You can substitute the English muffin with a Sandwich Thin. Or use whole wheat versions of both for an even healthier pizza.
2. Cut, olives in slices and place them on the English muffin for eyes. Then add round cut green onions to the middle of the olive and add bits of red or green pepper for the pupils. How cute is that??
3. Lay strips of cheese – either pull apart a cheese stick or cut strips – across the muffin for the mummy’s wrappings. Refer to the photo for placement.
4. Bake for around 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the muffin is toasted on the edges. Serve ‘em up!

Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of FamilyFun.com. Thanks!

There are so many great places on the Internet to find good recipes. I have a long list of places that I check out frequently. One of my favorites is the Food Network. They have such timely and delicious recipes and they always inspire me to try new things. And now that the weather is getting cooler (finally – here in Northern CA), it is more conducive to stay inside and bake or cook.

Make this simple recipe for Parmesan Cheese Sticks. They are absolutely yummy and go perfectly with a hot cup of Zippy Tomato Soup. Plus, they work beautifully if you are serving an array of appetizers at a cocktail party. Easy to eat, and really easy to make.

What you’ll need:
(Printable recipe)
- 1 (17.3-ounce) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 cup butter, melted

What to do:
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. and lightly grease a baking sheet.

2. On a lightly floured surface, carefully unfold the pastry sheets. Cut each sheet into 13 strips, approximately 3/4 by 10-inches each.

3. In a shallow dish or bowl, combine the cheese, basil, and garlic.

4. Brush the pastry strips with the melted butter and roll each one in the cheese mixture, lightly coating each side.

5. Gently twist the pastry strips and place them on a prepared baking sheet (you can either use parchment paper or lightly spray with cooking spray).

6. Bake the Parmesan Cheese Sticks for about 12 minutes. Remove and cool on wire racks.

A  note: I am in love with the flavor that fresh Rosemary adds to recipes, so I used that instead of the basil. Use the amount that sounds good to you. I used a little less than a teaspoon as the Rosemary that grows in my backyard is pretty potent.  Enjoy!

*Thanks to the Food Network for the gorgeous photo of the cheese sticks and the idea for the recipe!

Today I’m going to try these lovely looking Peppers with Feta, otherwise known as Piperies Gemistes me Feta. (another fun phrase to try and say 10 times fast!)

What I love about Feta cheese is it’s versatility. Seems like whatever I make with it, the food is always delicious. And, since I’m trying to be a little more conscious of my fat intake, I’m thrilled that I can find reduced-fat Feta in my local grocery store. And happily, using the reduced-fat version does not seem to skimp on flavor like some reduced-fat cheeses do. Let me know what you think of this recipe! Happy grazing!

How cool is this Zester Grater? Click on the photo and order it today!

What you’ll need:
(Printable Recipe)
- 10  3-4 inch Fresno chiles or six 4-5 inch Anaheim chiles
- 9 oz. of feta, crumbled – substitute with reduced-fat feta if you like
- 2 Tablespoons of  extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons of Greek yogurt
- 1 Tablespoon of minced fresh parsley
- 1/2 tsp. of lemon zest (need a zester grater?)
- 1/4 tsp. of dried oregano
- 2 egg yolks
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

What to do for Peppers with Feta:
1. Arrange your oven rack about 6″ from the broiler element and turn oven on to broil. Put the peppers on a baking sheet and broil, turning once, until they turn soft, about 5 minutes. Then, transfer the peppers to a rack to cool.

2. In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, whip the feta, oil, yogurt, parsley, lemon zest, oregano, and egg yolks. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.

3. Back to the peppers. After they have cooled, make a lengthwise cut from the stem to the tip of each pepper and scoop out the seeds and ribs. Next, stuff each pepper with the feta mixture.

4. Transfer the stuffed peppers to a foil-lined baking sheet (you can use parchment paper instead if you like). Chill the peppers for about 30 minutes. Then, sprinkle the peppers with the grated cheese and broil  until the cheese becomes golden brown and bubbly – usually for about 5-6 minutes. Don’t walk to far away – as the cheese can start to burn quickly at the end.

Transfer those yummy peppers with feta to a pretty serving platter and serve ‘em up hot.

This lovely recipe makes 4-6 servings.

Quick note: if you want to cool down the spice of the peppers just a bit or get a little fancy, make some Tzatziki Cucumber Yogurt Sauce (once you click on the link, scroll down to get the recipe – it’s in the Greek Zucchini Fritters post)  and add a tiny dab on top of each pepper. YUM!

*I got this idea from the Saveur magazine in Issue #131. And many thanks for the photo up top from Todd Coleman.

What do you do when you buy too many delicious looking zucchini and have to use them up before they go bad? I do one of two things – use my beloved non stick grill pan and slice them nice and thin and grill up “zucchini chips” (that’s for another blog post! or make these lovely Greek Zucchini Fritters, otherwise known as Kolokithokeftedes (say that 10 times really fast!)

It’s not the “easiest” or the “fastest” recipe to make, but it’s well worth a little extra effort and it’s simple enough. If you can read, you can make this recipe. I love zucchini steamed, fried, grilled, in bread and now, in fritters. What’s not to love? It’s good for you, adds great flavor to your meal and you’ll be amazed as you watch these yummy fritters get gobbled down in a big hurry. Enjoy!

Microplane 34006 4-Sided Box Grater

What you’ll need:
(Printable Recipe)
- 2 medium to large zucchini (coarsely grated)
- 1/2 cup of feta cheese (crumbled)
- 4 green onions (chopped and use the green parts too)
- 3 Tablespoons of fresh mint (finely chopped)
- 2 Tablespoons of fresh dill (finely chopped)*
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup of flour
- 4 Tablespoons of Panko bread crumbs
- salt (Kosher or Sea Salt)
- olive oil

* if you don’t have fresh dill, substitute your favorite fresh herb – such as rosemary or thyme. Use slightly less than the 2 Tablespoons if using an herb other than dill. Basically, use to taste.

What to do:
1. First, wash the zucchini. Then, leaving the skins on, grate them with the coarse side of a grater. Next, put the grated zucchini in a colander and sprinkle liberally with salt (I use a sprinkling of kosher salt). Let the zucchini drain for about 30 minutes while you finish preparing the other ingredients.

2. Remove the zucchini from the colander by the handful and squeeze gently to remove as much liquid as you can. Put the zucchini in a bowl with the herbs, feta cheese and green onions. Mix thoroughly with a fork.

3. Add the lightly beaten egg and stir in to the zucchini mixture.  Next, add the flour and bread crumbs. By this time, the mixture should be wet but not watery. Mix in salt to taste, using Kosher or coarse sea salt.

4. Heat the olive oil in a pan (I love using my All-Clad 12-Inch Round Nonstick Grille Pan because it gives the fritters that nice lined grilled look.) about 1/8 inch deep covering the entire pan. When the oil is hot enough, scoop out a spoonful of the zucchini fritter mixture and put it in the pan. Let it cook about 3-4 minutes or until it starts to get brown and then flip them over. Cook another 3-4 minutes until browned. Remove the fritters and drain on a paper towel-lined plate – this helps to remove some of the excess oil.

Serve hot with Tzatziki.

What you’ll need for Tzatziki (Cucumber Yogurt Dip)
- 2 cups of plain yogurt (or do what I do and use the nice thick Greek yogurt)
- 2 large cucumbers or 3 medium size cucumbers
- 1 1/4 Tablespoon of minced garlic
- 1 Tablespo0n of white vinegar (red wine vinegar gives it a nice flavor too)
- 2 Tablespoons of olive oil
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

What to do for Tzatziki:
1. If you don’t want to use Greek yogurt, then, put your regular plain yogurt into a cheesecloth-lined sieve (place over a bowl) and drain overnight or for several hours in the refrigerator. I think this takes too long, so I always use the Greek-style yogurt. It’s much creamier and you don’t have to drain it. Greek yogurt is thicker and does not need the draining.

2. Peel, seed and coarsely grate the cucumbers. Drain well by laying on a paper towel to soak up the moisture.

3. Add the garlic, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper to the cucumbers. Mix well. Last, add the yogurt and blend.

You can use Tzatziki as a dip or a sauce. It’s delicious to spoon over the hot Greek Zucchini Fritters. Serve them as a side dish, an appetizer or in my case, for lunch today!

*Many thanks to Whipped the Blog for the beautiful photo and the idea for the recipe.

I think you either love bleu cheese or you don’t. So, for those that love it, I highly recommend making this for lunch today (or tomorrow!) No, I’m not kidding. Treat yourself to a little decadence.

As rich as this simple recipe is, you can cut down on a few of the calories if that’s what’s holding you back from making this immediately… and I mean today… just read the notes at the end of the recipe.

Okay, so you don’t want to make it for lunch today. Then, make it ahead of time for the next time you have your girlfriends over, or throwing a party for the boss. It’s just that good. Enjoy!

Prep time: 20 min., Bake: 15 min. Yield: Makes 12 to 15 servings

Great Hill Blue Cheese

What you’ll need:
(Printable recipe)
- 7 bacon slices, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup half-and-half
- 4 ounces crumbled bleu cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted
- Clusters of grapes – any kind
- Flatbread, assorted crackers, or baked pita chips

What to do:
1. Cook the chopped bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes or until crisp. Drain the bacon, and set aside. Add the minced garlic to skillet, and sauté for 1 minute.

2. Beat the cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Then, add the half-and-half, beating until combined. Stir in bacon, garlic, bleu cheese, and chives. Spoon mixture evenly into 4 (1-cup) individual baking dishes or into a 1-quart baking dish.

3. Bake the bleu cheese and bacon dip at 350° for 15 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Sprinkle evenly with chopped walnuts, and serve with grape clusters and your choice of crackers.

This delicious easy appetizer – rich and creamy – can also be made with less calorific ingredients and still, you will have a rich and creamy dip to serve. For example: Use turkey bacon. You can also substitute for the cream cheese by using the fat-free version OR use Light Laughing Cow cheese. Just unwrap 16 little Laughing Cow cheeses and use it in place of the cream cheese. It’s WAY delicious as my son would say. And, last but not least, use lite sour cream or low-fat greek yogurt instead of the half-in-half.

There you have it! Hope you enjoy this easy appetizer recipe for Bleu Cheese and Bacon Dip! For more unbelievably great ideas for chips and dips, please visit my Chip Dip Recipes page.

A little history about Bleu Cheese (or Blue Cheese)

Blue cheese (or bleu cheese) is a general classification of cow’s milk, sheep’s milk, or goat’s milk cheeses that have had Penicillium cultures added so that the final product is spotted or veined throughout with blue, blue-gray or blue-green mold, and carries a distinct smell. Some blue cheeses are injected with spores before the curds form and others have spores mixed in with the curds after they form. Blue cheeses are typically aged in a temperature-controlled environment such as a cave.

In the European Union many blue cheeses such as Roquefort, Gorgonzola and Stilton carry a protected designation of origin, meaning they can bear the name only if they have been made in a particular region in a certain country. Similarly, individual countries have protections of their own such as France’s Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée and Italy’s Denominazione di Origine Protetta.

The characteristic flavor of blue cheeses tends to be sharp and a bit salty. The smell of this food is due to the types of bacteria encouraged to grow on the cheese: for example, the bacterium Brevibacterium linens is responsible for the smell of many blue cheeses. They can be eaten by themselves or can be crumbled or melted over foods. Read more about it at Wikipedia.

*Because I am NOT a photographer by any stretch of the imagination, the photo at the top of this post is courtesy of SouthernLiving.com. Thanks!

Ham and cheese is one of my favorite sandwiches, but this cute recipe for ham and cheese for grown ups is awesome! What’s fun about this simple recipe is you can do some of it ahead of time and then when you plan on having that little dinner party, assemble it and wow! You have a really nice presentation of some small bites that will whet the appetite… YUM!

Pinzon Apple and Potato Peeler, Corer, and Slicer

What you’ll need:
(Printable recipe)
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
- 8 slices thin white bread *
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large or 2 small green apples
- 4 to 6 ounces aged Gouda
- 1 tablespoon Dijon or whole grain mustard, apple butter or chutney
- 1/2 bunch watercress
- 8 thin slices prosciutto
- Freshly cracked black pepper

*Not a white bread fan? Me either. Use rye or a dill flavored bread or a really great whole wheat. The key is to make the slices really thin.

What to do:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Bring the water, vinegar and brown sugar to a boil. Add the onions and remove the mixture from the heat. Cover, and set aside until the onions come to room temperature.

3. Trim the crusts off the bread and cut the bread into thirds, making 3 rectangular pieces. Then, lightly brush both sides of the bread pieces with the olive oil and lay them down on a baking sheet.

4. Toast the bread in the oven until just crisp and lightly browned, for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat source and cool.

To assemble:
1. Quarter, core, and very thinly slice the apple, (using a Mandoline slicer is terrific for this). Very thinly slice the cheese into triangles or shards that will fit nicely on the bread.

2. Place a dab or smear of mustard on the bread. Place a piece of apple, cheese and 1 or 2 sprigs of watercress on each piece of toasted bread. Wrap a small piece of prosciutto around each stack to make a neat package. Top with a little bit of the pickled onions, a drizzle of olive oil and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve at room temperature on a pretty platter.

What you can do ahead:
Toast the bread ahead, and thinly slice the apple, placing them in lemon water to prevent them from turning brown. If you need to assemble the sandwiches ahead, don’t add the watercress, and cover them with a very light moistened paper towel.

This easy appetizer recipe makes 24 ham and cheese for grown ups finger food. Enjoy!

*Photo at the beginning of this post is courtesy of the Food Network. Thanks!

The other night, I had a real live date with my hubby. We went to a local restaurant and he ordered a grilled pork chop that came topped with a baby pear. Now, normally, I am not a big fan of adding fruit to meat. However, he convinced me to try a bite and I swooned. The pear was baked to perfection and just a tiny bit sweet. But that sweetness combined with the bite of pork chop was heavenly. So, I wanted to find a good party appetizer recipe that included baby pears. Voila! Here is a wonderfully easy appetizer to make for a party: Roasted Baby Pears with Goat Cheese. Hard to go wrong with this one! 

Tired of looking at dried up honey in the jar? Put it in this adorable keeper of the honey.

What you’ll need:
(Printable Recipe)
- 1/2 pound goat cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped mixed herbs such as parsley, thyme, and chives
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 12 baby pear
- 12 slices bacon, about 1/2 pound, cut each slice in half
- 2 tablespoons honey
- Arugula or dandelion greens, for garnish

What to do:
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2. In a small bowl, mix the goat cheese, herbs, and 2 tablespoons olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.

3. Halve the pears and scoop out the seeds and cores. Stuff each pear half with about a tablespoon of the cheese.

4. Wrap each stuffed pear with a slice of bacon and place it on a baking sheet. Drizzle some olive oil over the pears and season them with salt and pepper.

5. Bake them until the pears are tender and the bacon is crisp, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Place the pears onto a platter, drizzle with the honey, and garnish with the arugula. This delicious simple recipe makes 24 servings. GREAT for a party!

Don’t forget that this month is La Tienda month for Easy Appetizers readers. Get 15% off on wonderful food goodies from Spain by using this Promo Code: EAR930. Click here to go to La Tienda. Cheese, Tapas, Olive Oils, Appetizer goodies and more. It’s one of my favorite places on the web.

*Photo up top courtesy of the Food Network. Thanks!

I found this yummy recipe for Crostini with Asparagus and can’t wait to try it. Not only does it look delicious, but what a great easy appetizer to make for a party!

My hubby will testify, I hardly ever stick to a recipe completely. I’m always changing things up according to what my taste buds are telling me. So, below is the original recipe and then below that will be some things that I think I’ll try.

My philosophy is that it’s always fine to follow a recipe, of course. But if your gut (tummy) comes up with another idea, don’t be afraid to try it. I have rarely gone wrong by changing an ingredient here and there. You never know what new and fabulous recipe you can come up with by Trusting the Tummy… Give it a whirl…

Fiesta 9-5/8-Inch Oval Platter

What you’ll need:
(Printable recipe)
- 1 Baquette (1/4 inch slices)
- Fresh asparagus
- Fresh ricotta cheese
- Olive oil or truffle oil
- Salt and pepper to taste

What to do:
1. Toast the baguette slices in the oven until just turning golden.

2. Spread the ricotta on the toasted baguette slices and then top with thinly sliced asparagus.

3. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle a little olive oil or truffle oil over the slices.

Serve Crostini with Asparagus at room temperature on a pretty serving platter.

BusyMOM’s take on this recipe:
Although I really love ricotta cheese, I find it can be a little bland sometimes. So, instead of the ricotta, I’m going to make it with a fresh goat cheese and before I put the sliced asparagus on top, I’m going to sprinkle the baguette slices topped with cheese with some fresh rosemary. (I have tons of it in my backyard and I love it as a flavor enhancer) A little rosemary goes a long way… so use sparingly.

If you don’t like your asparagus super crunchy, blanch it for 30 seconds to a minute (according to how you like the level of crispiness) first, then slice it to use.

There you have it! A couple of small changes can make it a completely different easy appetizer. Does your tummy tell you to make any changes to this recipe? Tell me about them.  Enjoy!

*Photograph courtesy of Roland Bello. Thanks!

I recently posted a stuffed portabello mushroom recipe and just tried this new one out. I have a thing for that rich, nutty, earthy flavor of overgrown Crimini mushrooms and sometimes I just crave them.

This easy appetizer recipe for stuffed portabella mushrooms with cheese can easily be turned into the main event for your dinner, party, snack or whatever. The size of one extra large portabello is like having a single serving of meat. It definitely fills you up. So, if you use this simple recipe for an appetizer, simply cut it like a small pizza after it’s been out of the oven for a couple of minutes. YUM!

What you need:
- 4 extra large portabello mushrooms
- 3 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup of red onions, chopped
- 1 large clove of garlic, chopped
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 3 Tbsp of celery, minced
- 2 Tbsp of flour
- 3/4 cup of light cream
- 1 and 1/2 cup of Gruyere, shredded*

What to do:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. With a spoon, scrape out the black underside of the mushrooms and toss.

3. Trim the stems from the mushrooms and finely chop.

4. Heat the oil in a skillet and when it’s warm (not too hot), add in the mushroom stems, onion, garlic, pepper and celery. Sauté 2 to 3 the mixture for 2 – 3 minutes and then dust the mix with the flour.

5. Add in the cream and cook until mixture thickens, stirring often. Remove from the heat and add in half of the cheese. Mix well.

6. Divide the mixture evenly and fill each mushroom cap. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

7. Set aside to cool for a few minutes, then bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese has lightly browned on top. Serve it up on your prettiest platter and enjoy!

* You can substitute the Gruyere with Emmenthaler, Jarlsberg, Swiss or a mixture of these cheeses.

Print out the recipe for Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms and Cheese here.

*Photo courtesy of Lunaraye’s Kitchen Witchery blog. Thanks!

Hmmm… where to start, where to start? There are sooooo many wonderful ideas for Labor Day weekend appetizers. I thought I’d round up some of my favorites to share with you, dear readers!

First, some tips for grilling veggies: Read my article Grill, Baby, Grill and learn how to grill vegetables the right way. Then move on and Grill Your Salad.

Wanna make some of your own chips and dips? Here’s a plethora of ideas…

Dip Recipes

Not-Guilty Guacamole: A beautiful recipe for guacamole that cuts out 40% of the calories! Plus, it really tastes great!

Cowboy Caviar: A mixture of yummy ingredients with the taste of the Southwest. Great with baked pita chips or blue corn Tortilla chips. Use it as a dip or a side dish.

Warm Goat Cheese Spread: The goat cheese gives it a creamier texture which is wonderful, but you can also use Feta which has adds a nice sharpness to the flavor. Deeeeelish!

Artichoke Tomato Dip is a new twist on an old theme. If you like the flavors of both tomatoes and artichokes, then wait until you combine them! This dip is even better if you grow your own tomatoes. Not a requirement, by any means, but it does have a noticeably fresher flavor with homegrown tomatoes.

Chip Recipes

Parmesan Basil and Lemon Crisps: If you like salt and cheese, then you’ll like these crisps. I recommend using the more expensive Parmigiano Reggiano cheese for this recipe. It bakes up better and the flavor is outstanding.

Homemade Potato Chips: I know, I know, why would you go to the trouble to make your own potato chips when there are literally BAGS of them waiting to be bought in any grocery store? Because… The. Taste. Is. So. Great!

Baked Tortilla Chips: Love chips but don’t love the calories? Try this baked tortilla chips recipe. You easily can lose the calories, but not skimp on taste.

And now for some great apps that pretty up your table and will wow  your friends and family…

More great Appetizers

Sun-dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Kabobs: When you make these little sun-dried tomato and goat cheese kabobs for your next gathering, make sure you make a few more than you think you’ll need. They go fast!

Cowboy Kabobs: I can make up these kabobs ahead of time and then hubby-o-mine grills them when he gets good and hungry! Great as an easy appetizer or as a main course. Make more than you’ll think you’ll need!

Chili Lime Corn: Next time you want to jazz up your corn on the cob, try this simple recipe. It’s a perfect complement to any BBQ food you are preparing and your friends and family will gobble it up.

Cocktails for your BBQ: Conjure up sitting by the pool, enjoying the heat of the summer and cooling off with the fresh taste of summer fruits and veggies mixed in a drink. Think outside the box and travel away from the usual Gin and Tonic.

I could go on, but this blog post is getting kinda long. Enjoy and wishing you all a happy and safe Labor Day Weekend!