Appetizer

Heirloom tomato bruschetta

August 5, 2020

Heirloom tomato bruschetta is a simple and delicious way to enjoy ripe, summer tomatoes. Mixed with fresh basil, garlic and olive oil, this classic recipe has only a handful of ingredients and is perfect in its simplicity. Try a bruschetta topping without tomato – this apple chutney bruschetta is a favorite.

heirloom tomato bruschetta in white bowl with crostini and tomatoes

Bruschetta is one of those things that you can barely classify as a “recipe”. It has clean, simple flavors that make for an incredibly delicious bite.

It is the perfect summer snack. I don’t think I’ve ever met a single person (kids included) who didn’t like it, so it’s a great little nibble to have on a warm summer afternoon.

If you make a purchase through one of the affiliate links, I make a few pennies at no extra cost to you. Questions? Please see disclosure for info.

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Vegan vegetable cake with grilled potatoes

June 2, 2020

This savory vegan vegetable cake made with grilled potato wedges and frozen veggies is a quick and easy side dish.

You could also put out a tray of these vegetable cakes with dipping sauce for a tasty appetizer!

This recipe is sponsored by my friends at Idaho Potato. I am so pleased to work with them. As always, all opinions, recipe and photos are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Pook’s Pantry.

If you make a purchase through one of the affiliate links, I make a few pennies at no extra cost to you. Questions? Please see disclosure for info.

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Corn Fritters Recipe from scratch

March 24, 2020

Easy corn fritters from scratch are the perfect way to use sweet, summer corn.

These sweet and savory fritters are a great snack. You can use frozen or canned corn in place of fresh if it isn’t available to make corn nugget recipes. The batter is made with pantry staples like flour, cornmeal and baking powder.

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Easy Bruschetta Recipe with Melon

June 5, 2019

This easy bruschetta recipe is made with fresh melon, ricotta cheese and drizzled with honey for a sweet snack. Melon bruschetta is a great appetizer for summer parties. It is light, fresh and absolutely delicious. For another sweet bruschetta recipe, check out this Apple Chutney Bruschetta.

easy bruschetta recipe with melon and ricotta cheese

This melon and ricotta cheese bruschetta is light, fresh and so easy!

Easy Bruschetta Recipe with Melon is sponsored by Sprout’s Farmers Market. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Pook’s Pantry. As always, all opinions, recipes and photos are my own.
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Apple Chutney Bruschetta

October 17, 2018

Apple Chutney Bruschetta – Toasted bread topped with goat cheese and sweet and sour apple chutney make this appetizer the perfect fall nibble. It is quick, easy and full of flavor. A great bite for any gathering or even date night at home!

Apple chutney bruschetta has quickly become our favorite fall appetizer. Made with fresh apples and dried fruit, this chutney is good on everything from crostini to baked chicken or a pork roast. The first time I made this, we ate it like savages. No, seriously. It would have been hard to watch, if it weren’t so dang good. But it IS that good.

I figured four pieces per person was plenty, and under normal circumstances, it is, but what happened next was like watching the cookie monster eat with crumbs flying everywhere.

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Lobster Chips with Spicy Saffron Aioli

December 6, 2016

Dress up your favorite Idaho® Potatoes with lobster and saffron aioli for a special holiday appetizer! Salty, crunchy thick-cut chips are a sturdy base for buttery lobster tail. Topped with a spicy saffron aioli and chives, it makes an elegant nibble for any party. This post is sponsored by Idaho® Potatoes. All opinions are my own.

The holiday season is upon us, which means HOLIDAY PARTIES! It’s a special time of year, so I don’t feel guilty about a little splurge. The end of one year, the beginning of a new one… It’s a time to celebrate with friends and family and it’s a time to pull out all the tricks and SHINE! I make one or two special appetizers for parties and lobster on thick-cut potato chips is no slouch. The saffron aioli elevates it to “high falootin’ status” and this appetizer is always the first to disappear. It looks much fussier than it actually is, everything except the chips can be made in the morning and set aside in the refrigerator for later. This is key when you have lots to do before guests arrive.

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Mushroom, Kalamata Olive and Feta Stuffed Phyllo with Whipped Feta Dip

March 27, 2016

I don’t know about you guys, but I could eat Greek food almost every day and not get tired of it. The flavors are right up my alley: lemon, garlic, oregano, etc. I think I was about 13 years old the first time I ever had a gyro and discovered what would be a life long love affair with Greek food.

Growing up in a small town, we didn’t really have many places to “hang out” and the mall was the spot where we gathered. Specifically, The Food Court. It had the obligatory salad place, pizza chain, Chinese take-out, etc… But one day, a Greek restaurant went in.
Color Me Intrigued. I wanted to try it, but I was skeptical because he never had any customers.
I figured it had to be questionable if there wasn’t a line around the corner. Still, I would give it the once over pretty much everyday. I would smile and nod politely as I made my way to the predictable pizza place. Even as a kid, I was fairly open to new things and I remember walking past it repeatedly, as if I was casing the joint, trying to decide if I wanted to give it a go.

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Ring In the New Year!

December 25, 2015

Greetings, Friends! As we usher out 2015 and prepare to welcome 2016, I’ve put together a few recipes to make the party planning a little easier! Can you believe the year is almost over? I can not believe there is only a week left!

I’ve put together a “cocktail party” of sorts… Nibbles and libations. No main dishes or desserts, nothing fancy or overly complicated, just finger food and drinks to share with friends and family.

Enjoy the festivities of ringing in the New Year! Be safe! Happy 2016, Everyone! May the New Year bring you blessings, health & happiness!

Drinks (both leaded & unleaded):

Bourbon Apple Cider: https://www.pookspantry.com/re-union/

Chocolate Martini: http://www.dessertsrequired.com/chocolate-martini

Snowflake Drink: https://www.pookspantry.com/catching-snowflakes-on-my-tongue/

Hibiscus Rose Sharbat: http://pastrychefonline.com/2014/12/30/hibiscus-rose-sharbat/

Limoncello Ginger Spritzer: https://www.pookspantry.com/thai-one-on-again-and-once-more-after-that/

Hibiscus Champagne Cocktail: https://www.pookspantry.com/l-is-for-libation/

Nibbles:

Bread with Tomato & Garlic: https://www.pookspantry.com/pa-amb-tomaquet-bread-with-tomato/

Yummy Poppy Seed Sammiches: http://pastrychefonline.com/2015/01/08/best-poppy-seed-party-ham-biscuits/

Corn Fritters: https://www.pookspantry.com/445/

Egg rolls: http://pastrychefonline.com/2015/03/31/sweet-and-spicy-pork-egg-rolls/

Mini Corn Dogs: https://www.pookspantry.com/guilty-pleasures/

Mini Twice Baked Potatoes: https://www.pookspantry.com/and-the-award-goes-to/

Falafel: https://www.pookspantry.com/falafel/

Happy New Year!!!

Get Your Game Face On…

January 30, 2014

Break out the fat pants… It’s Super Bowl Party time. Oh, don’t give me that face! You know as well as I do that no matter what, you and I will be eating more than we should. I love football parties; a gathering of friends, yelling at the television in unison, eating, drinking and being merry… until of course there is a fumble or an interception. Then the merriment seems to dissipate.

This year, I will have my very first Super Bowl Party. I love throwing parties and I will use any excuse to have friends over and feed them. The fact that there will be a football game on is a bonus! The smile that creeps across their lips as they taste something heavenly (or sinful)… that’s the stuff I live for. Seriously.

Here are some of the things that will be on our Super Bowl party menu:

photo courtesy of Cravings of a Lunatic

http://www.cravingsofalunatic.com/2014/01/jalapeno-bacon-poppers-appetizerweek-savorx-giveaway.html

She had me at bacon… Dang. You know those (GASP) frozen jalapeno poppers that people seem to be a fan of?! Make these and they will NEVER think those are a good idea, ever again. These little babies pack a punch and leave you reaching for more!

Who doesn’t love a corndog?!

https://www.pookspantry.com/guilty-pleasures/

This is serious. I don’t recommend eating these often, but once in a while… You need a corndog. Especially if they are mini size! These are so much fun! They are a taste of childhood for me. It was a special treat that we used to get and that sweet corn batter, deep-fried to golden brown delicious makes me smile every single time. A tray of these will make your friends very happy.

photo by: Alex Farnum
coutesy of: Leite’s Culinaria

http://leitesculinaria.com/87995/recipes-soft-pretzels.html

These little gems are on my menu. I love a soft pretzel more than any reasonable person really should… If I am somewhere that has them, I’m not walking out without one. I’m making a BIG batch of these and stashing some for those nights when the craving strikes. These are absolute snack perfection.

photo courtesy of: Pastry Chef Online

http://pastrychefonline.com/2014/01/23/turtle-graham-crackers-candy/

Tell me your brain isn’t thinking “how do I get some of that?!” After all the snacks have been devoured, your guests are going to need something sweet. Jenni has come up with something that fits the bill quite nicely.

photo courtesy of: Pass the Sushi

http://passthesushi.com/huli-huli-bacon-chicken-bites-captainstable/

If these don’t scream “SUPER BOWL PARTY”, I don’t know what does… Check them out & tweet with #captainstable to help donate a buck to ending hunger! Chicken wrapped in bacon… that is all kinds of right.

photo courtesy of: Foodie with Family

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2014/01/29/garlic-parmesan-stadium-style-baked-steak-fries/

Is there ANYONE on the planet who doesn’t love fries? These are not just ordinary fries… Look at that cheesy, herb-laden goodness. These would be good for a party, movie night, dinner, a random Tuesday… You get my point.

Sweet Corn Fritters & a Cold Beer= Perfection

https://www.pookspantry.com/445/

Sweet Corn Fritters. What else is there to say? A plate of these & a cold beer and all is right with the world. There are so many ways to dress these up. You can leave them plain, as I did here, or mix in some bacon or crab. Wanna keep it vegetarian? Roasted red peppers, chipotle in adobo for a little kick or scallions would be nice.

Thanks to all of my generous friends who allowed me to use their images & links! Please check them out… And a big THANK YOU to all of you who take a few moments to read this blog!

#SuperBowl #GameDay #Food

Catalan Tomato Bread (pa amb tomàquet)

August 1, 2013

Grilled Catalan tomato bread rubbed with cloves of garlic is a delicious and easy snack. Drizzled with grassy olive oil and dusted with flaked sea salt, it is best enjoyed outside with a glass of Spanish rioja. A super simple dinner or appetizer, this bread is bursting with flavor.

I had been dreaming about travelling to Spain for nearly a decade, so when I finally landed there back in April of 2000, I cried. The moment my feet touched Spanish soil, I was almost in disbelief.

I was so overwhelmed that I could not contain my pure joy. It felt as if the entire universe lined up and planted me exactly where I was supposed to be for that one perfect moment. I wanted for nothing, except Catalan tomato bread.

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