Quick Appetizer Ideas

Today I hosted a small group of women for a photography class taught by professional photographer Erin Schedler.  Due to a forecast for snow this weekend, I wanted quick and easy appetizers... I wouldn't know how many gals would show up until the class actually started.  Snow was dumping outside (and still is!) and I was hoping to eliminate lots of leftovers.  My solution? Picking foods that my family likes and that could be used in future meals.  I also picked foods that didn't require guests to use forks or spoons.

I found mini cinnamon rolls at the grocery store.  About 12 for $4.  I put them on sticks that I use for cookies or other projects and stuck them in a vase filled with uncooked rice.  For a dip I mixed 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla and a few tablespoons milk (you may want more/less milk depending on consistency you want).  This is a great buffet brunch idea!  And a thank you to pinterest for giving me this idea!

I sliced up two bell peppers and displayed on a platter with baby carrots and ranch dressing.  I also skewered grapes, strawberries and pineapples and placed on the same platter for a colorful display.  Plus, everything looks a little fancier when its on a skewer. And no need for utensils! 

I had a bag of Trader Joe's kettle corn (SO good), that I placed in a bowl with a scoop.  Guests can then scoop the popcorn in to cups.  Warning... this kettle corn is really good so you'll want to make sure you don't have many leftovers. Otherwise you'll eat it all yourself...  

Do you have any favorite appetizer ideas that require minimal work but look great and are popular with your guests?

Matzoh Ball Soup

Tonight I thought I'd try making Matzoh Ball soup.  It started out swell.  It ended in a soup that consisted of chicken broth, chopped veggies and matzoh 'dust' floating around.  The matzoh balls fell apart once they hit the broth.  FAIL! 

It started out pretty....

The matzoh mix looked successful...before being balled up and dropped in the soup.

And then.... disaster.  Matzoh mess.

The final result had one intact matzoh ball and lots of matzoh particles...

If only it looked like the photo in the recipe book!

Have you ever had a total recipe disaster?  Even if you follow the recipe exactly?

I spoke to a few friends and learned that the matzoh mixture needs to be refrigerated for a few hours before it is formed in to balls.  If only my cookbook had mentioned that!  And if only I had looked online... I found two recipes on Food Network's website that look more successful (here and here).  And no.  I am not posting the recipe for this particular soup recipe!

Maybe I should have looked online for other matzoh recipes... here are two from Food Network and both include the wording to chill the matzoh mix before forming in to balls.  I wish you luck if you

Avocado and Egg Sandwich

I despise lunch.  I used to look forward to lunch, especially when I worked downtown surrounded by a plethora of restaurants.  Pasta, mexican, sandwiches, seafood, american.  I never got bored of my options, but my wallet sure didn't like it. 

I have worked from home for almost nine years and it is rare for me to be able to leave the house to pick up something for lunch during the week.  Nothing ever sounds great for lunch at home, and its a bonus when I have leftovers from the previous night's dinner. I've been trying to come up with some new ideas.  Something quick and something not overly painful to make, especially for weekend lunch when I'm making food for four.  What do you like to eat for lunch?

For today's lunch with the family I surveyed the fridge and planned on a BLAT sandwich (bacon, lettuce, avocado, tomato).  I had already cooked the bacon so the only work would be slicing the avocado and tomato.  Then I recalled a Barefoot Contessa sandwich that used a fried egg along with bacon and avocado.  So we toasted up some bread, added bacon, fried egg, sliced avocado, salt/pepper and some cream cheese mixed with chopped green onion.  An excellent change from the usual coldcut sandwich.  Great flavors, good crunch and kept us full through the afternoon. 

Pork Carnitas

Whew.  After a well needed rest from the blog, I'm back and have some tasty recipes that I'm excited to try and share.  After reading a few recipes for pork carnitas, I couldn't resist the urge any longer and made a trip to the market for some pork shoulder. 

Our old neighborhood used to have a taco bus that served some seriously great (and seriously spicy) carnitas.  Carnitas means small meats and the carnitas I've had in the past are always so full of flavor and the meat is extra tender.  And after thoroughly questioning my cleaning lady, I discovered that the best tasting pork carnitas only require three ingredients to get the meat fork tender and seasoned.  Water, salt and white vinegar.  Seriously?  Why yes, I am.

In addition to the salt, water, vinegar and cubed pork, I added some fresh lime juice based on an idea I saw in another recipe.

3.5lbs of boneless pork shoulder cut in to 1-2" cubes.  In a pan with about 1/2 c. fresh lime juice, a few teaspoons salt, about a 1/2c. white vinegar and a few cups of water (not quite enough to cover all the meat), I let the meat simmer for a few hours until fork tender and then let it sear itself a bit when the liquid evaporated.  I tested a few cubes of meat and added a dash of ground cumin, a little more salt and a dash more of vinegar.

After about three hours of simmering, the meat fell apart.  I do recommend keeping a close eye on the meat when the liquid gets very low.  Some of the meat pieces became a little to crisp.  I shredded my pork a bit in the pan as it neared the end of cooking time.

I made a very basic slaw... only because I didn't have any other quick options.  Shredded cabbage with some poppyseed dressing and a few squeezes of lime.

Topping for the carnitas... lime wedges, chopped white onion, avocado, cilantro and crumbled queso fresco.

We used small corn torillas warmed in the oven for a few minutes at 200 degrees.  Top the tortilla with some pork and toppings of choice.  I liked an extra squeeze of lime a splash of vinegar (don't knock it 'til you try it) on mine. My husband preferred his with coleslaw.  Iris, our cleaning queen says she eats carnitas with a carrot slaw and lime/vinegar mix.

As sides I warmed some black beans, refried beans (our kids are obsessed with them), and made a batch of mexican rice (yes, out of a box...).

I ate the leftovers for lunch and we even had enough to make a couple small pork sandwiches slathered in BBQ sauce.  (We prefer Pete's Zesty Pulled Pork Sauce).

If you want more specific recipes than what I note above, you can check out Smitten Kitchen's post about pork carnitas here.  Very similar recipe, but a little different sauce mix to cook the pork in.

Winter Food Ideas

Just because Christmas is over, doesn't mean you can't serve festive foods to the kids.  What about snowman pancakes?  Two round pancakes with a bacon slice used as a scarf, chocolate chips for eyes/buttons and some mini marshmallows for snow!

And a really fun idea I recently saw online... fruit candy canes.  Slice some bananas and strawberries and shape in to a candy cane. 

My kids gobbled both these ideas up! 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from our home to yours! (and from our dessert table to yours, too!)

Gifts for the Kitchen

If you have someone on your list that loves to cook, check out a few of these ideas.  I have all of these in my kitchen, and they all get used constantly! Most of these can be found at local specialty kitchen stores or online at websites like Amazon.com.

iSi Basics Flex-it Measuring Cups, Set of 3 (approx $25)

I received these as a gift last year and wasn't sure what to think.  I have a liquid measuring cup as well as metal measuring cups.  So why did I need more?  These do more than just measure.  You can use the big one to make smoothies with your immersion blender then easily pour directly in to serving cups without spilling.

You can pour pancake batter, drip free.  Cupcake batter... filling for mini quiches, pies, muffins.  I think of more uses every time I bake something.

Immersion Blender ($20 and up)

You can puree soups as they cook on the stove.  In the pot!  No need to transfer soups to a blender.  You can use your immersion blender emulsify, whip, to make smoothies, milkshakes, salad dressing, mayo, quick blending of batters or mixes.

I have the Cuisinart Quick Prep, which costs around $20.  Its not fancy, its just your basic immersion blender.  Plus, mine came with a mixing cup that fits the blender perfectly.  I've never had an issue with it, and mine gets heavy use.

Trudeau Utensil Pot Clip (Prices vary, but start at $7)

Best invention!  My mom and I have given these to most of our friends.  Used them as stocking stuffers, hostess gifts, as a garnish to a kitchen themed gift...  They come in a rainbow of color options.

It clips to the edge of your pot and holds your mixing spoon or spatula so you don't have to deal with placing the utensil on the kitchen counter and making a mess.  If you don't have one of these, add it to your wish list.  Better yet, just buy one for yourself the next time you're near a kitchen shop!

Silicone Sleeve for Pot/Pan Handles ($8 and up)

I have made the mistake of grabbing the handle of a hot frying pan that needs to come out of the oven.  Do not make this same mistake!  The next day I went out and purchased a silicone pot handle sleeve for all of my All-Clad cookware and to protect my hands the next time a recipe calls for a dish to go from stovetop to oven.  This isn't something people usually think of for themselves!

They come in a variety of colors.  This is a purchase for someone with cookware that goes from stove to oven. This isn't a must for everyday stovetop cooking. 

 

Silicone hot pads or mitts ($8 and up)

Anyone who bakes or cooks can always use a nice set of hot pads or mitts.  I'm embarassed at the amount of hot pads and mits that I own... thick cotton, the 'Oven Glove', holiday themed,... but my silicone hot pads are my go-to item.  They withstand a lot of heat, can be used as a protector of tabletops, can be rinsed off in the sink (instead of the need of a washing machine with cloth pads/mits), and come in a variety of colors.

I own the brand from Sur la Table for both the silicone sleeve hot pad, and love them! 

Mini Food Processor ($35 and up)

I have the DeLonghi mini food processor that is no longer available online (very similar to the Cuisinart brand).  Perfect for grinding flaxseed, oats, seasonings and herbs, making breadcrumbs, making baby food, etc.  Making small batches of salsa, dressings...

I have the giant Cuisinart, so having the option of using something much smaller for quick items is nice.  Plus, it has less parts to clean.

Kitchen Scale ($20 and up)

I LOVE my kitchen scale.  It allows me to: measure things exact; divide things evenly (like pie dough or cake batter poured in 2 pans...); easily half a recipe or double/triple a recipe when odd measurements are involved.  These days, I think most people assume kitchen scales are used for dieting.  But if you love to cook, a kitchen scale is a must.  I've even used it to weigh non-food items.

I have the EatSmart Precision Pro.  It measures in ounces/lbs/grams/kgs and has a tare feature that lets you subtract the weight of the plate or bowl holding the item you're weighing.

Salt Keeper ($10 and up)

I cook/bake every day of the week.  This results in lots of salt being used.  Salt in boiling water, seasoning steaks, chicken or fish, marinades... I used to keep a mini glass prep bowl full of kosher salt on my stove.  It was very convenient, but very unattractive.  It also spilled on occasion, and cleaning spilled kosher salt from my circa '84 stove is a chore.  Thats where a salt keeper, also called a salt pig, comes in handy.

These pretty ceramic or wood vessels for salt are meant to be kept out on the counter and within arms reach of the stove or kitchen prep areas. Available in many colors too!  I own a beautiful olive wood salt keeper from Sur la Table.  It is higher priced ($48.95) but a little piece of art on the kitchen counter, and something I never would have bought for myself.  One of my favorite gifts that I received this year.

These are just a few of my favorite things in the kitchen.  Do you have a favorite thing in the kitchen, or that makes the perfect gift for a person that loves to cook?