My husband loves to cook and bake. It’s relaxing for him. Yesterday, a friend of ours gave us a bag of very ripe Hachiya persimmons* and he whipped up an old fashioned favorite of our families – Persimmon Cookies. Our house smelled like Christmas. And it reminded me of my Grandma, one of the greatest cooks ever. She was always baking us cookies, cakes, and treats. Her house always smelled like cinnamon. I love that.

The flavors that blend with the rich, ripe pulp of persimmons are fabulous. I’d love to thank the person that invented these cookies. They are not too sweet tasting – instead, your mouth is busy watering over the flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.  I asked my son what he thought of these holiday treats after devouring a few and he said with a mouthful, “reminds me of pumpkin pie.” His favorite! And that’s an apt comparison as the spices used in this cookie recipe are the similar to what you use in making a pumpkin pie.

Not difficult to concoct, Hubby, made this simple recipe and baked these delectable beauties in no time. This is the time of year to buy persimmons, so find the ripest ones you can and go crazy. Believe me, they will be gone in an instant.

What you’ll need for Persimmon Cookies:
(printable recipe)
- 1/2 cup of shortening
- 3/4 cup of sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 cup of persimmon pulp (depending on size, 2 large or 4-5 small very ripe persimmons)
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon of cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
- 1 cup of chopped walnuts
- 1 cup of raisins

What to do:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, salt and spices.
3. In a separate bowl, cream the shortening with the sugar using a hand mixer or electric mixer. Next, beat in the egg and persimmon pulp.  Slowly beat in the flour mixture until everything is combined. Last, stir in the nuts and raisins by hand.
4. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. The beauty of this cookie dough is you can drop the spoonfuls close together as they do not spread that much.
5. Depending on the temperature of your oven, Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes – longer if you have a slower oven. It’s best to pull them out when they start to show a little brown edge. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for five minutes and then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

This wonderful recipe makes about 36 cookies. Enjoy!

A couple of notes:
If you don’t have cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg and don’t feel like running to the store for them, you can use 2 teaspoons of pumpkin spice instead. Also, the original recipe called for 1 cup of sugar which I found to be a little too sweet for my taste, so I reduced the amount of sugar to 3/4 cup and found that the spices did the rest. I didn’t feel I missed out in the sweetness department. Persimmons are already naturally sweet when they are at their ripest.

*More on Persimmons
A somewhat misunderstood fruit, their are several types of persimmons. In the midwest, persimmons are a small, walnut-sized hard little fruit that are not ripe until they fall off the tree. This is the variety known as Diospyros virginiana and are indigenous to America. It was one of the first fruits described by pioneering groups and early explorers. But today, this highly-coveted, wild, sweet fruit is rarely seen west of eastern Kansas!

However, for Californians, all is not lost as there are two types of persimmons that are grown commercially. One is Fuyu  – and can be eaten like an apple and the other is better for baking – the kind used in this recipe – called Hachiya. Both the Fuyu and Hachiya persimmons are from the species Diospyros kaki and were originally introduced from Japan. Hachiya persimmons are also a common fruit tree found in many backyards in northern California. If you can’t find persimmons in your local grocery store, try an Asian market or your local Farmers’ Market. Or grow your own tree! For more really great information on how to pick the right kind of persimmon, check out this article on MetroActive’s website.

Persimmons for persimmon cookies on Easy Appetizer blog

For more interesting simple and easy recipes for appetizers, holiday treats and more, you can also visit Easy Appetizer Recipes.

How cute are these? And so simple to make. Having a Halloween gathering? Just make these a little ahead of time and scare your guests into eating them! This toothsome Halloween treat is loved by kids and grown-ups. Here’s how this simple appetizer will wow everyone that sees them:

What you’ll need:
- apples
- slivered almonds

What to do:
1. First, quarter and core an apple.

2. Then, cut a wedge from the skin side of each quarter and press slivered almonds in place for teeth.

Tip: If you’re not going to serve them right away, baste the apples with orange juice to keep them from browning.

How easy is that????

You COULD make this absolutely scrumptious Apple Pie Dip and use it in the usual fashion – as an appetizer. Why not? But, this “dip” works unbelievably well as a fun dessert. And guess what? The easy part of this chip dip recipe is: NO BAKING (well except for the chips!)

For those of you that just don’t want to turn on a hot oven, this simple recipe is for you*. Plus, it’s so good that IF there is any left over, you’ll love it for breakfast. So versitile!  Enjoy the sentimental flavor of a truly beloved classic holiday dessert with this tasty fruit dip.

What you’ll need for the “dip”:
(Printable Recipe)
- 1 1/3 cups peeled, cored, and diced apple
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons apricot preserves
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

* If you don’t want the heat of the oven when you make this recipe, don’t make the cinnamon chips. Just find some cinnamon pita chips or tortilla chips at a place like Whole Foods.

What you’ll need for the chips:
- 5 (6-inch) flour tortillas
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

What to do:
1. Turn on your oven to 350º F

2. Combine all the ingredients for the dip in a bowl and then cover and refrigerate the fruit mixture until chilled.

3. Next brush the tortillas with butter, then cut them into pie-like wedges.

4. Arrange the wedges on a greased baking sheet (all you need to use is a spray and spray lightly), sprinkle the tortilla wedges with cinnamon and sugar, and bake until golden brown for about 10 minutes. Check frequently to keep them from burning.

Let the chips cool before serving. this lovely recipe makes 4 to 6 servings. Enjoy!

Want more good ideas for chip dip recipes? Click on the link to the left immediately!

* As I am not a photographer by any stretch of the imagination, I am grateful to FamilyFun for the photo used at the top of this post.

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.

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!

Black Bean Salsa with Mangos

First off, Happy Labor Day, everybody! There’s something really nice about waking up on a Monday and knowing I don’t have to get up right away. I love that!

So, one of the appetizers I want to make for celebrating the day of (no) labor is salsa. So I went on a hunt for a salsa recipe that would blow my skirt up. Thank you Food Network, I found it!

I grew up all over the country but mostly in the midwest in my earlier years. Back in the 60′s and 70′s. That dates me! And recipes like black bean salsa with mango just did not cross our minds or lips for that matter. 

I grew up eating good food, (my Dad was a wonderful cook) but it was pretty basic  – meat and potatoes, peanut butter and jelly, and homemade ice cream.

No complaints there! But I had no idea how the world of food and taste was about to get me eating outside the box until I started to travel and taste foods from different places in the country and also different countries themselves! Thus, my taste buds have evolved over the years, thankfully!

I’m not knocking good down home cooking that I was raised with, simply celebrating the fact that there is more to food than meat and potatoes.

When I first tasted a mango, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. And this recipe is perfect for blending that delicious tropical sweetness with the earthy flavor of black beans. It’s one of those perfect combination of flavors that you don’t soon forget. I love this recipe. And it seems to me that when I make it for friends, they love it too. I never have any left over. Try it and see what you think! Don’t let the somewhat long list of ingredients deter you… it’s a lot easier to make than it looks.

Black & Decker HC306 1-1/2-Cup One-Touch Electric Chopper; Perfect for making salsa!

What you’ll need:
(printable recipe)
- 1 (15-ounce) can of black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 mango, diced small
- 1/2 cup of finely diced red onion
- 2 roasted red tomatoes, see recipe below
- 1 tablespoon of grated fresh ginger root
- 1 cup of freshly chopped cilantro leaves
- 1 tablespoon of lime zest
- 1 tablespoon  of orange zest
- 4 tablespoons of lime juice
- 1 orange, juiced
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For Roasted Red Tomatoes:
- 2 large red tomatoes, quartered
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- Coarse sea salt and fresh black pepper

What to do:
1. Put the beans into a large bowl and add the diced mango, red onion, roasted tomatoes, grated ginger root, cilantro (use the a one-cup electric chopper to make it easy!), lime zest, orange zest and juices and drizzle with the oil.

2. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

3. Lightly toss the mixture and then cover and refrigerate until you are ready to serve.

For Roasted Red Tomatoes:
1. Preheat broiler on low.

2. Quarter the tomatoes and place them on a baking sheet.

3. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and fresh black pepper, to taste.

4. Place in oven and broil for about 5 to 7 minutes until slightly golden brown and softened. Cool before adding them to the bean mixture.

Make your own baked tortilla chips or buy blue corn tortilla chips and serve up this simple recipe for black bean salsa with mangos! Enjoy!

Feeling ambitious? Visit my chip dip recipes page for more ideas to make your own chips.

*Photo courtesy of the Food Network. Thanks!

You can make them ahead of time, bring them out to get to room temperature or give ‘em a quick (really quick) hit of microwave juice to warm them up. And watch as they disappear before your eyes.

Either you like polenta or you don’t. But in my humble opinion, when polenta is seasoned and cooked correctly, there is nothing better. Sometimes, polenta-loving people object when it is in its creamy form, but that wouldn’t be a problem here. It’s crispy on the outside and perfectly delectable on the inside. It’s total comfort food in my book. See if you don’t agree.

Cuisinart Easy Grip 9-Inch Square Baking Pan

What you’ll need:
- 4.5 ounces of instant polenta
- 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
- 1 teaspoon dried minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt to taste
- Fresh ground pepper to taste
- Sour cream
- Fresh chives

What to do:
1. Put some what in a large heavy saucepan, add the tomatoes, salt, onion and garlic and bring to a boil.

2. Reduce heat to a gentle boil; add the instant polenta and cook according to the package directions.
Polenta should start to thickened and pull away cleanly from the sides of the pan.

3. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, oregano and pepper. Spread into a 9-in. square oven-proof baking pan coated with cooking spray.

4. Cool for 5 minutes and then put the baking pan in the fridge for about 20 minutes, so the polenta hardens a little.

5. Use a knife or a spatula to cut the polenta in squares (size depends on how many squares you make. I like to make them into 9 squares, but smaller works too.) and put the pan under the broiler for a few minutes, until the surface is golden and slightly crispy.

6. Serve it up either warm or at room temperature, garnish with a dab of sour cream sprinkled with some chopped chives. Beautiful!

Some notes: For crispy-all-over polenta squares, try cutting the polenta into squares after it firms up in the refrigerator and placing the squares on a cookie sheet. Then, broil on one side until crispy and flip over the squares and broil on the other side. This is not necessary, only if you prefer a crispier texture all over. Don’t over cook!

This Polenta Squares with Sun Dried Tomatoes recipe can lend itself to a lot of variations. Using non-instant polenta would improve the taste (but not the ease of prep obviously), however, I’ve had great results with the instant variety. Try making it in a round pan and cutting it like pizza slices. And feel free to substitute ingredients: any vegetable and herb, different cheeses, small bits of smoked ham, olives… it’s only limited by your imagination. Enjoy!

Print out the recipe for Polenta Squares with Sun Dried Tomatoes here.

* Photo courtesy of Taste of Home website. Thanks!

For more great ideas for easy appetizers, please visit my official website, Easy Appetizer Recipes.

Ever had fried plantain chips before? Me neither until I went to the Caribbean some years ago. And I fell in love with them! I was thinking about the trip and remembering how GREAT the food was there. So many fresh ingredients that you can practically pick right outside your window.

Plantains may look like bananas, but don’t be bamboozled. They are deceptively un-sweet, much firmer, and are used for cooking. You would choke if you tried to peel it and eat it raw. And they should never to be eaten on top of your Cheerios or smothered in ice cream and gooey toppings! Not to mention, you would probably throw away a banana that looked like a perfectly ripe plantain – they are ready to use when the skin is black!

This recipe for fried plantain chips is simple, easy to do and so unbelievable good that you better watch the plate you serve them on – the chips will be gone in an instant.

Wondering where to get plantains? Most supermarkets carry them, but you can definitely find them in Mexican markets too. Check out some great tips on how to buy plantains.

What you need for fried plantain chips:
- 1 green (not ripe) plantain
- 2 cups of vegetable oil
- Course salt to taste
- Freshly ground pepper to taste

Pinzon Stainless-Steel Mandoline

What to do:

1. Peel the plantain and cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick rounds. OR for a fancier presentation, finely slice them with a Mandoline slicer or extra-sharp knife lengthwise (as in the photo above). Don’t have a mandoline? Just click on the link or the photo and you’ll find a great selection at reasonable prices at Amazon. (I just love Amazon!)

2. Heat the oil in a sauce pan until hot but not smoking. Add the plantain rounds 3 or 4 at a time and fry until lightly browned, 2 or 3 minutes. Transfer them from the oil to a paper-towel lined baking sheet to drain.

3. When the plantains are cool enough to handle, flatten each round with the heel of your hand or a rolling pin. Try not to tear them up too much.

4. Reheat the oil. And the partial-fried plantain chips, again 3 or 4 at a time and fry again until they turn a delicious golden brown, about 2 more minutes.

5. Transfer the twice-fried plantains to another paper-towel lined plate or baking sheet to drain and sprinkle them with the salt and pepper.

These delectable fried plantain chips can be served warm or at room temperature. You can get approximately 2 servings per plantain. Enjoy!

Print Recipe HERE.

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

In fact, I have another recipe on this site called Cindy’s Texas Caviar – a recipe from one of my close friends that has wowed us every time she makes it. It’s the same idea as Cowboy Caviar, but using different ingredients. Both of these recipes are delicious. And you can take either recipe and doctor it up according to what sounds good to you. It’s hard to make it wrong.

Question is – do you use it for a dip with tortilla chips or do you take a big spoon and eat it right out of the bowl as is? Well, I do both. Sometimes, I just crave shoving this yummy simple recipe into my mouth without the chips. And sometimes, well, you just gotta have the chips! You decide. Either way, this easy appetizer will fill the bill when you need something for a party or just because you feel like it. Enjoy!

For some wonderful homemade chip ideas, please visit the Chip Dip Recipes page at Easy Appetizer Recipes.

What you need:
- 2 tbsp of red wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp of olive oil
- 1/8 tsp of pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp of hot sauce
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 tbsp of ground cumin
- 1 can of garbanzo beans
- 3 tomatoes? (chopped)
- 1 can corn (fresh is great if you have it!)
- 1 avocado (cut into chunks)
- ?1 can of black olives (chopped)
- ?2/3 cup of cilantro (chopped)

So easy to put together:
Mince the garlic, drain the corn and garbanzo beans. Mix all ingredients together and add a little salt to taste. Of course, all the ingredients listed above can be modified to suite your taste buds. Don’t have garbanzo beans on hand? Substitute black beans. Serve it up and watch it disappear!