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Festive + Fun: Appetizer Round Up

Well, as I said last year, what other time of year is it socially acceptable to enjoy appetizers as frequently as the holidays? I am seriously an appetizer junkie and I am not afraid to admit it. My gift to you today is this delicious list of tried and true appetizers. Hope you find one that will wow at your next party or get together! Or, maybe you will find one to make with you and the family for movie night. Maybe even one just for you. Hey…I don’t judge.

Just click on the name of the appetizer for the recipe…and of course, my story behind it! ENJOY!

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Buffalo Shrimp Tarts

Caprese Dip

Carmelized Onion Yogurt Dip

Cheesy Stuffed Mushrooms

Easy Parmesan Pesto Dip

Smoky Bean Dip

Whiskey Pretzels {One of the most popular posts!}

Tomato Cheese Tarts with Carmelized Onions

Sweet Mustard Dip

Christmas Cookies & Bars Desserts Gluten free

Holiday Cookie Post #4: Peanut Butter Blossoms {Gluten Free!}

Girl and Her Kitchen Welcomes Amy…Our Guest Gluten Free Blogger! She is amazing in the kitchen creating the most delicious gluten free foods you will ever try. Enjoy her first guest post, along with a mouthwatering recipe for gluten free peanut butter blossom cookies. Read on…and enjoy!–Heather 🙂

I started gluten free baking over three years ago when, on the advice of a chiropractor, we eliminated wheat from my then three-year-old son’s diet. I loved to bake and was learning to enjoy cooking, but I didn’t know anything about the gluten-free world. Gluten-free food choices at the grocery store were still limited and those that were available were just not worth the money. So I set out to research the art of gluten-free baking and found the book, Gluten-Free Baking Classics by Annalise G. Roberts. This book has plenty of recipes to try, but more importantly, it teaches you a few of the keys to successful gluten-free baking. After reading this book and several others that didn’t quite measure up to Roberts’, I tried a few of her recipes but still longed for some of my wheat classics. I grabbed all of my favorite recipes from my recipe box (yes, I still have a box filled with index-sized cards containing scribbles from several different family members) and started ‘converting’ them to gluten-free goodies. I loved re-writing my grandmother’s and even great-grandmother’s recipes , mixing the ingredients together in my ‘lab’ and testing them out on my ‘subjects’ (read, family). It reminded me of my former professional days building, testing and manufacturing everything from silicon memory chips for computers to hand-held power tools. Over time, and through much iteration, most people could not tell the wheat was missing, and some even requested the gluten-free version. Although my family is not 100% gluten-free today, we are working to move back to that diet. I’m still working through my recipe box and am always tweaking every day recipes to suit our gluten-free needs, and hope to fully launch a gluten-free bakery business in the near future.

Below is one of the first recipes I ‘converted’ to gluten-free, Peanut Butter Blossoms.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

1/2 cup coconut oil (or shortening)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup peanut butter

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cup brown rice flour blend

1/4 tsp xantham gum

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 bag of Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Kisses

Preheat oven to 375 F. Unwrap Hershey Kisses and put in a small bowl for later. Grease a large cookie sheet with coconut oil or shortening. Cream coconut oil (or shortening), sugar and brown sugar together in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed, until light and fluffy. Add peanut butter and mix well. Add egg and vanilla and continue to mix well. In a separate medium bowl, mix together flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix well. Roll dough into 1” balls and place them about 2” apart on the cookie sheet. Bake in oven for 8 – 9 minutes. Immediately remove from the pan and place on a cooling rack.Immediately after placing cookies on cooling rack and cookies are still warm, gently press one Hershey Kiss in to the center of each cookie. Allow cookies to cool completely. Store cookies in an air tight container for up to three days.

AMY

Christmas Cookies & Bars Desserts

Holiday Cookie Post # 3: Great Grandmother’s Sugar Cookies

I am so sorry this picture is not more festive. I just threw a baby shower for a friend this weekend and the theme was mustaches and ties. I will post more recipes later from the shower but for now here are the most delicious sugar cookies ever. I know everyone says they have the best recipe, but I really do 🙂 Try it, and decide for yourself. This recipe has been in my family for years. I remember eating these as a child, and always going back to sneak a few more. Now that I’m older, I no longer have to “sneak” more, but I can’t stop myself either. They are seriously the best cookies. You can dress these up for the holidays by using some festive cookie cutters and holiday themed frosting or sprinkles. Keep this recipe on hand to use year round though. It is so versatile because the cookie is delicious, but you can decorate them and make them work for any occasion. Oh, and read on. You will be pleasantly surprised about one little aspect of my recipe. Let’s just say I roll my sugar cookie dough out a little differently than most. Read on…you will never go back to your old way!

Great Grandmother’s Sugar Cookies

2 Cups sugar

2 eggs

1 Cup butter (softened)

1/2 Cup buttermilk

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp nutmeg

5 1/2 Cups flour

Directions:
In a large bowl add baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and flour and mix well with a whisk. Set aside. In a mixer cream sugar, eggs, buttermilk, and softened butter. Once you have done that add your flour mixture in a little at a time. Now that its mixed well divide the dough into halves or thirds and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a couple of hours.(Now you can go read a good book, work on a fun craft, or take a snooze.)

After the dough has chilled, preheat your oven to 400 degrees and begin rolling your cookie dough out in, wait for it… powdered sugar. Did you know you could do that?! Well, I didn’t always know this, and it has changed my life! Instead of the dough at the end tasting more like paste, it is sugary goodness. You can literally eat it in chunks, at least that’s what I do, hey, no judging!! Make the dough about an 1/8 – 1/4 inch thick and then shape it with whatever fun cookie cutters you have. I love a good soft sugar cookie so bake these for 6-8 minutes. You want them to be just barely turning a light golden on the bottoms. They usually are still pretty white on the top. If you like a crispier cookie, leave them in longer. Immediately take them off the pan and let them cool on a clean counter top and then transfer them to a plate when cool. Placing them on the counter ensures they do not dry out. And then top them with whatever frosting you like, or try my butter cream recipe.

Basic Butter Cream:

1 stick of butter (room temp)

1/3 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

3-4 cups of powdered sugar

(In a mixer, cream the butter and then add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar.)

The only thing I will say about making this frosting or anything that calls for vanilla is use Mexican vanilla! It is the most amazing thing ever. I seriously cannot rave about it enough, which means this will not be the last time you will hear about it. I have discussed this with Heather many times and I still don’t know if she has caved. Try it, you will love it, and then tell Heather.If you put the pressure on her, she is sure to cave!

Hope you enjoy one of my favorite family recipes! Try not to eat too many!

ABBY

Christmas Cookies & Bars Desserts

Holiday Cookie Post # 2 : Lemon Snowdrops

I really do love baking cookies for the holidays around here. One of my favorite places to be around Christmas is actually the kitchen. It is the only time of year that it is really okay to make sweets, rich, indulgent foods, and lots of appetizers and no one will question you!
Cookie baking has always been a part of my holiday traditions. Back before I had kids, and when they were too young to bake, some friends and I used to get together to bake cookies. It was so fun, and a great way to get a lot done, while still having a fun girls night. Now, I love baking with my kids. They love to pick out the types of cookies we will make, and then, help me in the kitchen whipping up batch after batch.
This particular cookie was high on their list. I am not sure if it was the fact that it was a little different than most of the cookies we make, or if after I changed up the recipe a little bit to make it my own, I named them Lemon Snowdrops. They love stuff like that, so I am going to go with option number two: they loved the name.
These are really good. A slightly chewy, delicate cookie bursting with fresh lemon flavor. It will give those holiday guests that claim they hate chocolate (how could anyone??) something to celebrate.

Lemon Snowdrop Cookies

8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1-2 large lemons, for 1 tblsp lemon zest and for 2 tblsp lemon juice + 3 tblsp for the glaze
1/2 tsp pure lemon extract
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2-1 cup powdered sugar

In a large bowl, begin beating butter until smooth and creamy with a handheld mixer. Add in, one at a time, the lemon zest, lemon extract, sugar and honey. Mix until well combined. Add in baking soda and lemon juice and mix. Slowly add in flour and salt and mix until it forms a dough like consistency. This should take under a minute. Work with your hands if it is too crumbly and knead it together. Roll into teaspoon sized balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 7-9 minutes. Let cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack with parchment laid under it. Let cool for 10 minutes.

OPTIONAL : In a small bowl, whisk up powdered sugar and remaining 3 tblsp of lemon juice a little at a time until a glaze like consistency is reached. Add more juice or powdered sugar to achieve correct consistency of a glaze. Dunk tops of cooled cookies in glaze and set back on cooling rack to set. When glaze sets, serve, store in a tightly sealed container or freeze for up to 3 months. You may serve these without the glaze as well and they are just as delicious!

Christmas Cookies & Bars Desserts

Holiday Cookie Post #1 :Cranberry Bliss Bars (Starbucks Knockoff)

Lean in close everyone, I’m going to tell you a little secret: I love Starbucks at Christmas time. The festive cups and the special drinks, Peppermint Mocha, Eggnog Latte, Salted Carmel. I’m craving one, any one, right now! But what I crave most is their Cranberry Bliss Bars.

BLISS
noun
1. supreme happiness; utter joy or contentment: wedded bliss.
2.Theology. the joy of heaven.
3. heaven; paradise: the road to eternal bliss.
4. Archaic. a cause of great joy or happiness .

I think Webster’s says it all! The only problem with these bars is I have to drive all the way to Starbucks to get one! And what if I want more than one? And so…the search began.

What sent me in search of the recipe was not just my love of them. It was also my love for my brother-in-law, Vinnie. When Vinnie had heart surgery, my husband went to help him through some of his recovery. While he was there, he brought Vinnie a Cranberry Bliss Bar from Starbucks. (I know, I may not have thought to bring a cookie bar to someone recovering from heart surgery either.) Vinnie fell in love with them. So when he was well enough to come visit us the following holiday season, I went in search of a recipe so I could try to mimic them at home. I knew they wouldn’t be as good but..then I found this recipe and decided to try it. It’s not just good, it’s not just close to the real thing, it’s right on! Hey, they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? These are the PERFECT make-at-home version of one of my favorite things. When Vinnie arrived at our house, I made a batch. He was so happy. He couldn’t believe I had recreated them just for him. Success!

Cranberry Bliss Bars

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons orange extract
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cup craisins (dried cranberries)
3/4 white chocolate chips
1 container cream cheese frosting
1/2 teaspoon orange extract

Topping:
1/3 cup craisins, chopped
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1/3 cup white chocolate chips, melted

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray your 9×13 pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a mixing bowl, beat together softened butter with the brown and granulated sugars until well blended. Add in eggs and orange extract being careful not to over beat the eggs. Add flour, baking powder, and ginger and mix until just blended. By hand, mix in the cranberries and white chocolate chips.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 28 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and toothpick test comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.

Put frosting in mixing bowl. Add in 1 teaspoon of orange extract and blend. When bars are cool spread frosting evenly over them. Sprinkle with chopped craisins, orange zest, and drizzle with melted white chocolate. Cut into triangles and serve.

They are perfect for any cookie exchange, pot luck, holiday cookie sale, or just for your family. And what’s easier to make than a bar cookie right? So please try them and I’m sure, just like Bing Crosby singing White Christmas, this will become one of your holiday traditions. This is Christmas in a bite. Try them and find out just what BLISS tastes like.

Appetizers

Easy Parmesan Pesto Dip

I know you’re guilty. I’ve been guilty, too. Guilty of grabbing a container of French Onion Dip from the refrigerated section of the grocery store and serving it to guests or bringing it to a friend’s house as my chip-n-dip contribution. BOR-ing. LA-zy.

There are alternatives.

Here’s a super simple dip idea that’s unique, fresh, creative, quick, and best of all, tastes great. And I’ve made it even easier by using jarred pesto (oil, basil, and garlic) rather than starting from scratch. With that modification, this recipe only uses five ingredients and a food processor.

Let’s dip in!

¼ cup onion, chopped
1 tbsp butter
1 cup (8 ounces) cottage cheese
¼ cup pesto (I use the prepared pesto in a jar)
¼ cup aged Parmesan cheese, grated fresh
1 tbsp lemon juice

Sauté the onions in the oil until lightly caramelized.

This will add a sweet tang to the dip. Now, just add the sautéed onions, plus the cottage cheese, Parmesan, pesto, and lemon juice to a food processor and, presto. I mean, pesto!

I served my Parmesan Pesto dip with baked lentil chips, but virtually any chip or cracker will do. And the best part? This tastes nothing like French Onion Dip.

Cakes and Cupcakes Fall

Warm Cinnamon Swirl Cake with Buttermilk Glaze

I say this in all seriousness.

This is the best cake I have ever had.

It is especially good, warm, right out of the oven, which makes it slightly impractical for a lot of get togethers, but it is sooooo worth it! Moist delicious cake, with buttery cinnamon swirls, and a sweet buttermilk glaze….need I say more?

My friend Tara makes the best cakes. I mean, you haven’t tried cake until you have tried a Bailey’s cake dripping with spiked pecan, buttery goodness, or a warm lemon cake with lemon custard oozing out of the deliciously moist cake, or better yet, a dense, gooey, chocolate brownie pecan pie…oh wait, that’s pie. Oh well. It’s all good.

I think this cake might give her cakes a run for her money. And those cakes are hard to beat, let me tell you. Give this one a try on a cold winter’s night when you have nothing to do but get cozy…and loosen your pants.

You just might be eating more than one serving.

I should note that if you want to make this for a get together, you can prep the cake right before guests arrive, and pop it in the oven while they are eating. The house will smell wonderful and you will have a warm cake for dessert! While it is baking, whip up the glaze.

Warm Cinnamon Swirl Cake with Buttermilk Glaze

Cinnamon Swirl:
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tblsp flour
1 1/2 tbslp ground cinnamon

Cake:
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/3 cups sour cream or plain yogurt
2/3 cup butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla
3 large eggs

Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
5 tblsp buttermilk
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray or butter a 9×13 baking pan. In a small mixing bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the cinnamon swirl until smooth and creamy. Set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients for the cake. Set aside and whisk the sour cream, butter, vanilla and eggs together in another bowl. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until well combined, but not over mixed. Pour the cake batter into prepared pan and make sure it is evenly distributed. Taking the cinnamon swirl mixture, dollop it throughout the cake, just dropping it on top. With a knife, lightly swirl it, taking care to not actually mix it with the cake batter. Bake for 34-36 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. While the cake is baking, whisk together glaze ingredients. Drizzle over top of cake straight from the oven. Let glazed cake sit for 10 minutes and serve. Leftovers can be warmed up. Store cake in the refrigerator.

Beverages Christmas

Christmas Cocktails

Hello, everyone. I’m sorry I’ve been gone for so long. I have a great excuse though. My daughter blessed us with a beautiful grandson. And, I’m not ashamed to admit, I couldn’t tear myself away from him. Well, I mean, look at that face! Can you blame me?

I’m back now, though. And just in time for the holiday season; one of my favorite times of the year. I think that’s because it’s so people centric. Starting with Thanksgiving, and culminating with a New Year’s celebration, it’s all about friends and family. What’s better?

To keep in tune with the celebratory feeling, I bring you some yummy cocktail recipes. My daughter, (yes, she’s over the age of 21), and I had a great time taste-testing these just for you. I wouldn’t want to share something that hadn’t been tasted for deliciousness and quality. Again and again if necessary! That’s just the kind of person I am. And no sacrifice is too much when it comes to you, our fine readers. (Wink, wink.)

In keeping with the festive season, I offer you a choice of green and red cocktails for this first holiday post. I know you will enjoy them both. They are quick to make and take a minimal amount of ingredients (liquor can be expensive!) and your guests will love them, too. Enjoy!

Cranberry Crush

6 sprigs mint leaves removed from the stems
1 carton of raspberries
3/4 oz of Agave
1 1/2 oz vermouth
2 oz cranberry juice

Muddle (crush) two raspberries, 2 mint leaves and agave in a cocktail shaker. Add in 1/2 cup of ice, vermouth, and cranberry juice. Shake until chilled through. Pour through strainer into chilled cocktail glass. Serve with a couple of raspberries and a sprig of mint on a skewer to make it look more festive.

Christmas Crocodile

2 jiggers vodka
1 jigger Triple Sec
1 jigger Midori
2 jiggers lemon juice

Poor all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Add 1/2 cup ice. Shake until well chilled and blended. Pour into chilled glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.This one is sour folks! Just be warned. If you want to tame the beast, add 1/2 jigger of agave.

I hope these special cocktails will help to make all your holiday parties fun and festive. And, as my daughter and I said after a night of cocktail testing, “ith’s snot drinking to affecx me atall when I…(snore)”

Desserts Sauces and Condiments Thanksgiving Vegetables and Fruit

Happy Thanksgiving! A fun Thanksgiving “Turkey” For You All!

Happy Thanksgiving! I cannot wait! It is going to be a day filled with family, friends, thanks and lots and lots of food! If you find yourselves looking to do something fun with the kids, make this tasty treat to go along with your apple and pumpkin pies, and whatever other desserts you might be making.

Check out my post from Lake County this week to see more. This “turkey” turned out so cute, and let me tell you, my caramel sauce…perfect! Steal some from this little turkey and drizzle it over your apple pie. You will not be disappointed!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope your day is wonderful and that you all have a great start to this joyous holiday season!

Side Dishes Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving: Homemade Cranberry Sauce

A few years back, my friend Jill and I ventured into the city for a Thanksgiving cooking class. We were really looking forward to it, as we had been here before for another class and loved it. We were both hosting Thanksgiving that year, and we were excited to get some new, fresh recipes to make for our guests.

The only thing bothering us?

The thought of eating Thanksgiving dinner BEFORE Thanksgiving! We could not get over it. We took the smallest samples of the finished foods, and both of us guiltily ate what was on our plate, feeling as if we were cheating Thanksgiving.

This ~~crazy~~ thought occurs to me year after year. My kids had always had a “Thanksgiving Feast” before the actual Thanksgiving day in their preschool classes and I was always bummed that they were going to eat the Thanksgiving foods before Thanksgiving. Do you think this bothers them at all?

No, absolutely not.

Why does this bug me so much? I have no idea! We all have weird hang ups with Thanksgiving. Don’t deny it! We were at a party the other night with some friends and one of the guys was talking about how he doesn’t eat for the whole day so he can save up a enough room for Thanksgiving dinner. My husband was nodding in agreement the entire time the guy was telling this story as if he had never thought about doing it any other way.

So…I made the cranberry sauce for my son’s Thanksgiving feast yesterday. He kept asking for tastes and I was trying to fend him off.

“You are already having TWO Thanksgiving feasts! Do you want to ruin them by tasting the cranberry sauce now???”

He replied by staring at me, completely confused.

That was right before he grabbed the spoon and gobbled up a bite of cranberry sauce.

We can only hope he actually enjoys his feast today at school after sneaking that forbidden bite.

Right now, either you are thinking I am crazy, or emphatically nodding your head in agreement with me.
Whichever it is, I love you anyways, so I have included the ABSOLUTE BEST recipe for homemade cranberry sauce today on the blog! I adapted it slightly from the class I took many years ago, but from a former cranberry sauce hater (the gelatinous canned stuff…ewwww….I know some of you love it…but ewwww..) this is a refreshing addition to the Thanksgiving Feast.

Don’t cheat and have a bite before the big day though. You will definitely disappoint me. 🙂

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

24 oz fresh cranberries

1 cup sugar

1 cup tangerine or orange juice, freshly squeezed

1 tsp tangerine or orange zest

Assemble all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Stir until cranberries are coated. Heat over a medium flame and bring to a very low bowl. Cook until mixture becomes syrupy and cranberries begin to pop. This should take around 15 minutes, and you should be stirring occasionally to make sure the cranberries are not sticking and burning at the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat, let cool. Transfer to a container and chill for at least three hours. Serve at either room temperature or slightly chilled. Enjoy!

**Recipe Adapted from a class at The Chopping Block**

What is your favorite dish to make at Thanksgiving? Let me know in the comments below!