Orange Spiced Cashews
When I have company over I like to make some type of nut concoction. Nuts round out a cheese plate and they are usually appreciated by people who are vegan & gluten free (as long as you use the appropriate ingredients).
These orange spiced cashews evoke images of Darjeeling Limited.
It's totally the combination orange zest, coriander & cumin with that sweet corn syrup.
You know what that means, right?! Tracy is going to do a weird visual thing again. Wait for it...
Baked Artichoke Squares
My parents entertained A LOT when we were growing up. It was pretty exciting because it meant a few things. 1. We could play video games without my parents getting into our business. 2. We could steal cans of Coca-Cola from underneath the card table and make our own soda concoctions in the backyard 3. My mom would have certain special things for us to eat like Baked Artichoke Squares & DESSERT. We only had dessert when company was over.
The thing about these Baked Artichoke Squares is that they're not the prettiest looking appetizer. What they lack in beauty, they make up in taste. Me and my brothers always got into them before our parent's guests arrived and my mom would chase us around the house totally peeved. Flash forward a few decades and I'm in my own kitchen, making them for company. I always have a difficult time not polishing off the batch before I put them out on a plate for guests. Old habits die hard.
My friend Jessica put it best by describing them as being like "portable artichoke dip!" She's totally right. It's like artichoke dip met quiche and had a baby. And the baby was the most perfect baby EVER!
Apricots w/ Basil Goat Cheese & Almonds
A long time ago I told my mom that I'd like to be a caterer and she immediately talked me out of it. I thought that my love for making food in assembly lines, piping things with pastry bags and my passion for all things filo dough & puff pastry would be enough. Then she reminded me of how I'd have to stand on my feet for 8+hours and then someone else told me how much packing up and moving was involved in the life of a caterer. Dang. Maybe I just want to be a catering company's quality assurance tester? Yeah! I'd be really good at it.
This recipe has been on my radar forever. I had a Christmas party to attend and whipped up these beauties in absolutely NO time. They're fun, colorful, bite sized and uber fancy. Don't you just love the sight of little appetizers lined up on a tray? I sure do...
Butternut Squash Ricotta & Sage Crostini
I went to Michael's yesterday to get a few things for my Halloween decorating project and almost EVERYTHING Halloween related was reduced in price. The aisles were quickly being cleared of Halloween decor to make room for the bright colored greens and reds of Christmas. I wanted to scream WAAAAAAIT. Wait just a minute! Am I seriously behind on this Halloween decoration thing??! (don't answer that). I just don't think I'm ready to get in the head space of Christmas yet. I haven't even thought about what I am going to make for Thanksgiving this year!
When you wake up to a cold crisp morning don't you just want to put on a scarf and roast something? Here's your chance! Butternut squash gets roasted with a bit of brown sugar in this recipe. Your house will smell terrific & autumn like. Garlic rubbed toasted bread gets accessorized with a nice dab of lemon scented ricotta. Cubes of roasted butternut squash are topped on the ricotta and finished off with fresh lemon juice & fried sage leaves. I think I just figured out what we're making as a Thanksgiving appetizer. It's definitely fall, not winter. Someone tell Michael's.
