Tomatoes Tulips for Easter

Here is a beautiful floral arrangements made of tomatoes, cheese and asparagus for an Easter appetizer or a spring brunch. Simple. Cute. Festive. Requires little time. All my favorite things.

red and yellow cherry tomatoes
herbed soft cheese (I used garlic and herb soft spreadable cheese by Alouette)
asparagus stems, tops cut off

1. Fit a piping bag with any round tip and fill with soft herbed cheese.

2. Using a pairing knife, make two perpendicular cuts from the narrow tip of the tomato toward the base. Only go about 3/4 of the way down. Do not cut all the way through!

3. Pipe cheese into the center where the cuts overlap. You will have to use your fingers to pry the opening a bit.

4. Arrange filled tomatoes on the platter. Place cut asparagus stems on platter to mimic tulip stems.

Carrot Veggie Platter for Easter

If you are looking for simple and cute appetizer for Easter, then look no further! This is as easy as it gets, yet looks super adorable! Try it and I guarantee it will be a hit! You could pair this appetizer with an Easter bunny bread filled with dip. Then you have a bunny and his carrot. Also, you can eat the veggies from the carrot with the dip. Happy Easter!

3-4 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 heads of broccoli florets

1. Arrange slices of carrots in a narrow triangle shape.

2. Add broccoli florets in a heaping pile at top of the carrot triangle to make the carrot!

That's it! Like I said. Easy. Cute. Perfect.

Easter Bunny Veggie and Dip Platter

Anyone who knows me well knows I LOVE Pinterest!! It's basically my favorite internet pastime. It has something for everyone. Even my husband, who loathes Facebook and the like, enjoys the humor boards and DIY building stuff pins. Well, I saw this on Pinterest last year and thought it was just the cutest Easter themed food and I had to make it. If you are looking for a cute addition to your Easter table, try out this Easter bunny bread filled with Spinach Artichoke dip and surrounded by cut veggies. You can use the veggies or the bread for dipping. Both taste great! Happy Easter!

1 loaf round boule style bread

1 loaf italian or french baguette style bread

1 batch of Spinach Artichoke Dip

assorted veggies (I used baby carrots and red/yellow cherry tomatoes)

black olives and celery, for garnish

1. Cut off the top circle of the round loaf carefully to make the bunny's face. Hollow out the body by  ripping pieces from the inside of the round loaf to set aside for dipping, as well as, make room for the dip.

2. Cut the ends of the baguette off for the bunny's ears and place on tray above the round bread/bunny's head. Rip/slice the leftover middle section of the baguette and add to other bread pieces for dipping.

3. Slice an olive in half for bunny's eyes and quarter an olive for a piece to use as the center of the nose. Thinly slice a small piece of celery for the whiskers. Arrange bunny's face on the round top piece of bread.

4. Fill the bunny's body with dip and fill on the empty areas on the platter with veggies and bread pieces. 

Adapted from : The Nesting Corral

Macaroni and Cheese Cupcakes

Every year for New Year's Eve, we head to my aunt's house for a lovely time ringing in the next year of memories and excitement! There is always tons of food, fireworks, games, and friends to help celebrate. I knew we were planning to play a bunch of board games, so I figured finger foods would be something useful to bring. So I used a variation of my grandma's baked macaroni and cheese and instead of baking it in a large rectangular pan, I used cupcakes pans and colorful wrappers. It made mac and cheese into a portable and cute savory cupcake. Make these for your next party and see them disappear!


For January's What's Baking Challenge, Eva from Eva Bakes, gave us the challenge to make something with small portions. So I figured these macaroni and cheese cupcakes were perfect! You get your own 'lil cup for just yourself! Of course, you can have more than one if you really want. In fact, I recommend it.

1 lb mini shells
2 1/2 cup 1% milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp butter
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tsp ground mustard powder
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp black pepper
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
8 oz Velvetta
1/4 cup grated parmesan or pecorino cheese

1. Heat milk, heavy cream, butter, salt, pepper, mustard, nutmeg, and paprika in a large pot over medium heat. Stir to combine all ingredients.

2. Add pasta and continue stirring constantly until it reaches a simmer. Then turn the heat down to low.

3. Continue stirring while the cooking the mac and cheese on low for about 12-15 minutes. The macaroni must always be submerged in the milk mixture, if the liquid evaporates too quickly add a little more milk and make sure the heat is on low.

4. Remove from and immediately stir in cheese until melted and combined. Let the pasta cool for a few minutes and prepare the pans. Line the muffin pans with cupcake liners.

5. Using a cookie or ice cream scoop, fill the cupcake liners with mac and cheese.

6. Pop pans into a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and enjoy!

Superbowl Favorites

It's almost that time of the year where people get super excited to watch men in very tight pants run back and forth across fake grass. Yep, that's right, it's Superbowl season! With the approaching football fun, you may be preparing for a Super Bowl party, which is indeed the very best part of football. You get to eat wings and watch commercials. If you need some ideas for yummy Superbowl party treats, check out these favorites of mine!

Potato Skins
(seriously, what's not to love, potatoes with cheese and bacon?)

Wisconsin Wings 

(got crackers, check. got wings, check.)

Mushrooms Parmigiana

(simple and easy... plus its vegetarian friendly!)

Football Pull-apart Cake

(cupcakes + football = :)

Bloomin' Pepperoni Bread

(an easy to share savory treat)

Buffalo Blasts

(just like at the Cheesecake Factory: buffalo style chicken and cream cheese in a wonton)

Happy Football'ing!

Bloomin' Pepperoni Bread

Well, I know the holidays are officially over with the passing of Epiphany, and all that is left is football. Now, I'm going to be completely honest with you. I couldn't care less about football. The only appeal it has for me is the food. I watch the Superbowl for the commercials, but everything else you can take. I do, however, enjoy Superbowl parties. I like themes, and themed foods. I have made football pull apart cakes and even attempted those football Oreo truffles from pinterest (which I failed at). That is what I like about sports. The food. So without further ado, here is a great Super Bowl/football appetizer to share.

1 round loaf of french or Italian bread (I used a french boule)
1 pkg or stick of pepperoni, thinly sliced and halved
8 oz soft provolone, thin sliced
8 oz mozzarella, shredded
2 tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper or peperoncini flakes if you are feeling daring
1 tbsp pecorino or Parmesan cheese
marinara sauce for dipping

1. Cut the bread lengthwise and widthwise, very carefully, without cutting through the crust. It doesn't have to be perfect so don't stress!

2. Stuff the bread with provolone, mozzarella, and pepperoni. Place stuffed bread on a parchment lined baking sheet.

3. Combine butter, olive oil, and seasonings. Brush over the bread to cover entire loaf and then sprinkle with grated cheese. Cover with foil.

4. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes and then unwrap and continue baking another 10-15 minutes until the cheese and pepperoni are slightly crispy.

Adapted from: The Girl Who Ate Everything

Caprese Skewers

Simply the cutest appetizer! Everyone loves these! They are healthy and tasty! Only a few ingredients that are easy to put together. Enjoy these at your next party!

1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 bunch of fresh basil, larger leaves work best
1 pkg fresh mozzarella balls (ciliegine or smaller sized works best)
large toothpicks or skewers
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1. Skewer one end of a fresh basil leaf and then slide one mozzarella ball and one cherry tomato on the stick. Press the other end of the fresh basil leaf onto the end of the skewer.

2. Combine olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Drizzle over platter of caprese skewers before serving.

Potato Skins Two Ways

I am in love with potato skins. They are just all the good tasting, unhealthy things I love rolled into one, so what's not to love.  And I recently discovered that they are not too hard to make either. Give these a try and you'll love 'em!


1 dozen potatoes
8 oz cheddar or pepper jack cheese
5 or 6 strips of bacon, precooked and crumbled
2 tbsp oil


1. Boil potatoes in hot water for about 15 minutes, then remove and cool.

2. Cut the potatoes in half and use a melon baller or small cookie scoop to make a cavity.

3. Heat oil in a rimmed baking sheet in a 425 degree oven for a few minutes to warm.

4. Place potatoes skin-side up for 20 minutes, then flip over and cook another 10 minutes.

5. If you want traditional potato skins, use cheddar or for some extra spice use pepper jack cheese. Fill cavity with cheddar or jack cheese and bacon crumbles.

6. Bake for another few minutes until the cheese melts and serve warm with sour cream on the side.

Baked Fontina

 

This has quickly become one of my hubby's new favorite appetizers, though he has eaten it for dinner as well.  It could be due to the fact that he is truly obsessed with cheese. It's simple and delicious. Great for having company over too! Try it and I'm sure you'll love it!

1 1/2 lbs fontina cheese, rind removed and cut into cubes
6 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
sliced Italian or French bread

1. Fill three ramekins with cubes of fontina cheese.

2. Evenly divide garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper between the ramekins.

3. Drizzle olive oil over the top.

4. Heat in your oven on the broiler setting for 5 or 6 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browning.

5. Remove from oven and serve piping hot (be careful!) with sliced bread for dipping into this melty cheese!

Source: adapted from Smells Like Home, originally from Ina Garten

Marinated Chicken Kebabs

Here's a quick and easy marinade for chicken kebabs! Perfect for these months of summer heat to do all the cooking outside!


2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
3 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp dried pepperoncino
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3/4 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup corn oil
3 tbsp water
3 lbs chicken cutlets, cut into cubes
wooden skewers



1. Whisk all the dry ingredients together in a bowl. This mixture is basically a homemade version of a Good Season or other Italian dressing dry mix and can be stored for approx. 2 months in a sealed container. You could even double or triple this recipe and have it in your pantry(use approx 3- 3 1/2 heaping tbsp for each batch.) Then when you are ready to make the dressing, you have it on hand!

2. Add the olive oil, corn oil, and water to the dry seasoning and whisk to blend well.

3. Place the chicken cubes and the dressing together into a sealed bag or container and refrigerate overnight (at least 4 hours) to let the flavors become fully absorbed.

4. Soak your skewers half an hour or so before you are ready to assemble to help prevent burning. Slide the marinated chicken pieces onto the skewers.

5. Now you are ready to grill! Throw your kebabs on the grill until fully cooked, rotating halfway through to even char all sides. Enjoy your chicken kebabs as appetizer, a quick dinner, or a barbecue side dish!




Also featured on: Mouthwatering Mondays, Mangia Monday, and Mangia Monday

Spinach Artichoke Dip

This dip is easy to make, but tastes like you slaved all day over it! It's become the new appetizer that is most requested at all events! Try it out for your next party or get-together! This dip is thick and creamy with flavors that combine so well and was another Superbowl favorite!

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
1/3 cup Pecorino grated cheese
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup mayonnaise
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 cup coarsely chopped canned artichoke hearts
4 cloves roasted garlic (See bottom of post)
¼ tsp. salt
½ tsp. roasted red pepper flakes


1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well to incorporate.

2. Spread mixture in a small baking dish and sprinkle extra parmesan and pecorino on top.

3. Bake 35-40 minutes on 400 degrees.

4. Serve warm with sliced Italian bread, crackers or chips and enjoy!



How to Roast Garlic- Roasted garlic has mild flavor compared to raw, but still adds that great garlic taste!

1. Cut off the very tops of the garlic bulb, but leave the rest of the skins on. You can leave entire bulb in tack if you plan to roast the whole thing. If not, seperate the cloves you want. You can roast the whole bulb and save some of the roasted garlic for a later use.

2. Brush some olive oil on top of the garlic bulb and place it on a baking sheet covered in foil. Cover with more foil.

3. Bake for 40 minutes or so on 375 degrees. Remove from oven and let cool.

4. Remove the roasted garlic by separating the cloves and squeezing out the garlic. The garlic will be soft and pulpy.

5. You can either store these in a sealed container or smash it into a paste using a fork.

Source: Annie's Eat (one of my go-to websites for all things food)

Wisconsin Wings

What better for Superbowl celebration than wings that support your team! Go Greenbay! These wings were delicious with a crunchy coating and carried our love for the Packers! My father and brother are lifelong Packers fans and were so excited for this Superbowl! We decked the house in green and yellow everything. We even found my dad's Greenbay football helmet from high school! My hubby and brother made a "cheesehead hat" out of cardboard and paint while Mom and I coooked in the kitchen. If they wouldn't kill me, I'd post photos of them wearing it! It was a great game with lots of good food and these wings were a hit!

3/4 cup finely crushed cracker crumb (I used Ritz toppers)
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp fresh coarse ground black pepper
2 lbs chicken wings, split and tips removed
1/3 cup Dijon mustard


1. Combine the cracker crumbs, cheese, oregano, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper in a bowl.

2. Using a pastry brush, spread a coat of mustard of the chicken pieces and then roll in the crumb mixture until fully coated.

3. Lay chicken pieces on a greased baking sheet and on 350 for 35-40 minutes.

Source: http://www.food.com/recipe/wisconsin-wings-98192

Parmesan Garlic Wings

These wings are simple and mild, quite yummy, and made especially for those who don't like the hot, spicy kind (aka my mom). In college, my hubby (boyfriend at the time) and I discovered Buffalo Wild Wings. We fell in love with the wings and my favorite was by far their Parmesan Garlic Wings. We always bought a bottle of this sauce whenever we go. Even now when we take a roadtrip, we will gladly take a quick detour in exchange for a bottle of sauce to bring home. So for the Superbowl, I wanted to make a few different kinds of wings and these were a must have! I made the wings a little healthier by bake them instead of frying. I will say, it did not taste quite like the sauce we had become accustomed to, but it was still very good. I think it was lacking some seasoning and I'll try this recipe another time with some changes and see if I can get to closer to the actual BWW recipe.

2 lbs chicken wings and drumettes
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1. You can use either fresh or frozen wings. Frozen wings are already prepped and separated, but if you are going to fresh route you will need to prep the chicken. First, chop off the wing tip using a sharp knife so it will not burn. Then separate the drumette and wing by cutting through the skin and joint with a knife.

2. Line a baking sheet with foil and grease it. Bake the wings on 400 for about 40-45 mins. Turn the wings over halfway through baking time. Broil the wings for just a minute or two after baking to crsip them up a bit and give them more of a "fried" texture.

3. Mix all other ingredients into a large sealable bowl. Once wings have cooled slightly, add them to the warm sauce, cover and shake until welly coated.

4. Pour on a platter and serve with the classic celery and ranch.

Source: http://www.epicportions.com/2009/02/25/buffalo-wild-wings-recipes/

Buffalo Chicken Dip

I made a bunch of dips and appetizers for various Thanksgiving dinners we enjoyed this past weekend. It was great; I got out with all the easy cooking. No cooking turkey, or stuffing, or sides even! Just the fun stuff, appetizers and desserts, more of which I will be sharing soon! Oh yeah, and the lasagna too! The dips were accompanied by my Cornucopia made of Dough, Stuffed Mushrooms Parmigiana , some crackers and cut up veggies. The biggest hit of all the dips by far and above was the Buffalo Chicken Dip, taken from a great website, Prevention RD. It's spicy, creamy, and oh so good!

8 oz Neuftchatel Cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup fat free ranch dressing

1/3 Franks' Red Hot Buffalo Sauce

2 tbsp water

1 1/2 cup cooked chicken breast, shredded

4 oz Colby Jack cheese

4 oz Mild Cheddar Cheese

2 tbsp scallions, chopped

1. Beat cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and soft.

2. Add in ranch dressing, buffalo sauce, and water and continue to beat.

3. Stir in shredded chicken and cheeses.

4. Spread into a pie plate and loaf pan and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

5. Stir in chopped scallions and serve warm with celery, breadsticks, or anything else you like spicy!

Also shared on Mouthwatering Monday and HomeMaker Monday.

Edible Cornucopia

When it comes to the holidays, I love to cook and bake as much as physically possible. And I always love to make the traditional food we eat, but I like to make something different too. When I came across, this idea to use dough to make a cornucopia, I fell in love! I knew it was the perfect recipe for the What's Baking Thanksgiving Challenge hosted by Catherine this month!


I decided to use a basic pizza dough recipe just with a little extra flavor instead of bread dough. And since things tend to get a little extra busy, I opted for using the bread machine to make my dough while I concentrated on other holiday tasks. I made two batches of dough and made two different sizes. The first was small, about 8 inches and I had enough dough left over to make about 4 breadsticks. The second was about 15 inches long.

4 cups of flour or bread flour if you have some on hand
1 1/4 cup water
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepperoncino flakes
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp active dry yeast

You will also need:
poster board
tape (heat resistant)
foil
parchment
stapler
cooking spray


1. Place all dry ingredients(minus yeast) into bread maker and then add the wet ingredients on top. Put the yeast into the yeast dispenser and set to pizza dough and go! Follow the instructions on your specific bread machine in case they differ.

2. While the dough is mixing, time to get the supplies ready to build the cone which the dough will bake on. First, decide on the desired size for your cornucopia. Form your poster board into a cone shape and secure with heavy duty, heat resistant tape. Cut the excess poster board so that it can stand freely.

3. Next, start covering the outside of your cone with foil. Then crumple up extra foil and stuff it into the cone to help to retain its shape. Then staple a small piece of parchment paper to cover the opening of the cone so that the foil stays in place.

4. Now it's almost time to start. Lay a sheet over parchment paper on a baking sheet and stand your cone on it. Spray the cone down with baking spray to allow for easier release.

5. Time to start building your cornucopia! Roll the dough into stands which you will coil up the cone starting at the base and working your way to the top. The first piece I used two strands twisted together to make the rim of the opening more pronounced. Then, keep spiraling more dough up the length of the cone until your reach the top. Using a little extra dough, form a curved tail.

6. Lay your cone down on the baking sheet with the sealed edge of the rim facing down. Bake it in the oven at 400 for about twenty minutes. Then take it out and, using tongs, remove the cone from inside the cornucopia. Be very gentle! It helps if you pull out the foil stuffing from the cone first. Then return to the oven for another twenty minutes to fully cook the inside. If your cone becomes more golden or darker than the your desired color, cover it foil on the outside only.

7. Let cool slightly and then serve! I used marinara sauce and spinach artichoke dip to accompany mine. Recipe for those to come soon!

Mushrooms Parmigiana

This is an easy stuffed mushroom recipe that my mom has used for years. It's got lots of flavor and is a perfect appetizer for dinner or a party!

1 lb mushroom caps
4 tbsp olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
1/4 cup onion, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup bread crumbs
4 tbsp Pecorino Romano cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
2 tsp pepperoncino flakes
1/2 tsp oregano


1. Clean the mushrooms and remove the stems. Roughly chop the stems and set aside. Drizzle a little olive oil into a baking dish and place the mushroom caps in the dish with the cavity facing upwards.

2. Heat 4 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Place the mushroom stems, onion, and garlic in the pan and cook until slightly browned. Remove from heat.

3. Mix bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, salt, pepperoncino flakes, and oregano in a separate bowl.
4. Stir in the onion, garlic and stems into the dry mixture. Fill the cavity of the mushroom caps with breading.

5. Drizzle olive oil over the tops of the mushroom (if you have some extra cheese, you could sprinkle some on now as well) and bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes (slightly browned).

Also featured on: