appetizer

Parmesan Kale Chips

I don’t know what you may or may not be thinking, so let me just clarify… These are Delicious! They are crispy and salty, with more an earthier flavor than you could ever get from a potato chip. I think they would be a great side dish for any meal. But they are really just good on their own, a very easy starter, appetizer or snack.  They are perfect finger foods! (But check your teeth when you’re finished.) Only four ingredients and completely guilt free.

As found in Barefoot Contessa’s Make it Ahead:

1 Large bunch of flat-leaf kale

Good olive oil

Course salt

Plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375°. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

With a sharp knife, remove and discard the hard rib from the center of each leaf, leaving the leaves. Place them on the sheet pans, drizzle or brush them with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and bake for about 10 minutes, until crispy. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake for another 5-7 minutes. Cool and serve.

  • I like to brush them with the oil for even coverage. And yes, baking kale gives off a peculiar aroma (like many leafy greens and broccoli.)

Dad’s Sausages

Ok, many of you may know these as cocktail sausages. I think often people use Vienna style sausages. But when I have these little round beauties I can’t think of anyone else but my dad. The smell of these cooking for almost every special gathering is like synonymous with holiday cheer. They are extremely easy to make. I mean at it’s technical height its about not cutting the meat too thin (because it shrinks as it cooks), while not making it too hunky to eat in one bite. You could make your own chili sauce (and I have) but that’s not dad’s recipe. And who can’t use a simple and tasty appetizer when hosting a gathering?

1 pound cooked sausage such as Dearborn Holiday Sausage (Kielbasa), sliced in rounds about 1/2″ thick

1 – 12 oz bottle chili sauce (such as Heinz)

*Can be easily double, tripled, quadrupled…

Place all ingredients in a crockpot on high for about 3 hours or on the stove top at a simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. When the sauce has reduced (thick and sticky) and sausages are loaded with flavor, serve retro cocktail party style with toothpicks. Stay Classic.

Classic Deviled Eggs

This dish has been around as long as anyone can remember. It’s such a classic appetizer for almost every holiday, cocktail party, and potluck dinner that it’s imperative every cook has at least one recipe. This is actually my mother’s recipe. It tastes the classic, but has her own updated spin. (Spoiler alert: honey mustard!) However, if you’re feeling more adventurous, crazy kids everywhere are adding spices like chipotle or curry, and topping them with the likes of pulled pork and smoked trout… Food is fun.

12 eggs

1/2 cup Miracle Whip

2 Tbsp Mayonnaise

1 Tbsp Honey mustard

2 tsp Horseradish sauce

1/2 tsp Season salt

1/8 tsp ground Pepper

Paprika for topping (optional)

Parsley for topping (optional)

Place eggs in a sauce pan and fill with enough water to cover eggs by an inch. Bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Gently drain and replace with cold tap water (more than once if necessary) until eggs are cool enough to handle. Peel, rinse and pat eggs dry with a paper towel. If time permits, seal eggs in an air tight ziplock baggy and refrigerate until cold, overnight if possible.

Slice the eggs in half, lengthwise. Gently remove the yolks with a small spoon and place in bowl, setting whites aside for now. Mash egg yolks with a fork until crumbly. Add Miracle Whip, mayonnaise, honey mustard, horseradish sauce, season salt, and ground pepper. Mix until creamy. If it seems to dry add more of the condiments you like a teaspoon at a time. (If it’s too wet boil some more eggs. Ha ha ha.)

With a small spoon carefully fill the egg whites with yolk mixture, garnish with optional toppings and place on serving dish. Eggs can be refrigerated until serving (within 24 hours). They can be stored after the party for several days, but they might not look as pretty.

Other optional toppings include chives, sliced olives, pimentos and bacon bits.

Smoky Cheese Ball

I don’t want to brag, but I’ve been told I make a pretty good cheese ball. Oh yeah, life of the party – right here. It’s honestly one of the easiest things to do. It’s so much better than store bought and worth the effort. The goal is to taste like cheese and be able to spread on a cracker. Because it’s so simple, using quality ingredients is mandatory; punishable by… a tasteless disaster! (Possibly.) Over the years I’ve made quite a few variations, and this one is a crowd pleaser every time.

As organic as possible:

1/2 cup Butter (1 stick), softened

12 oz Cream Cheese (1 1/2 bars), softened

1 1/2 tsp granulated Garlic

1/2 tsp Salt

1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 Tbsp Milk

8 oz Smoked Gouda, shredded (can substitute with smoked cheddar)

3/4 cup Pecans

On the day I know I’m going to make a cheese ball, I get out my butter and cream cheese in the morning with my coffee. That way when I feel like getting to it, it’s ready to go. That’s like the extent of the difficulty. When you’re ready to get started I throw everything (except the pecans) in a stand up mixer. Although if you don’t have one, no worries; once everything is soft, it would be easy to mix by hand. Beat until creamy, scraping down the sides.

Now here is the trick for a perfect ball: Line a bowl with two sheets of cling wrap, in a cross pattern, pressing down with extra over the sides. Using a spatula, scoop the cheese into the center of the lined bowl. When all of the cheese is in, wrap the cheese with the plastic until covered and form a ball, pressing the cheese together lightly to rid of cracks and air pockets. Place back into the bowl and put in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. (You can easily make this a day ahead.)

Before serving (or transporting to a Partay) toast the pecans. I like using the toaster oven for small batches like this, but stove top and conventional oven will work too. Heat in a dry skillet over medium heat (watching and tossing) or at about 350º for 6-7 minutes, just until you start catching the aroma of the nut. I don’t like the nuts over toasted for this. Then chop the nuts into small pieces. Remove the ball from the plastic wrap and roll around in the nuts. pressing nuts onto every open space. Don’t worry if the wrap left not-so-pretty lines, they will be covered with beautiful nut pieces! Place on a serving tray with assortment of crackers and spreading knife. Get ready to live.

Molly O’s Cheesy Onion Bread

I don’t think I can capture the delight in words. This bread is so wonderfully delicious. It almost reminds me of a deconstructed French Onion Soup, and would be amazing dipped in au jus. The caramelized onions and Asiago add so much flavor, and the crusty bread gives so much texture… It’s a perfect bite.

As organic as possible:

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 large Yellow onion, finely chopped

1 cup Mayonnaise

1/2 cup Asiago

1/2 cup Parmesan

1/4 tsp Black pepper

1/4 tsp granulated Garlic (or powder)

1/4 tsp granulated Onion (or powder)

1 French baguette

Preheat the oven to 350º. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat (Side note: I also added a pat of butter because I like to caramelize my onions like that). Caramelize onions, stirring frequently so they don’t burn, looking for amber color. Add granulated garlic and onion, pepper and a pinch of salt. Remove from heat and let cool. In a bowl, mix mayo, cheeses and caramelized onions. Cut the baguette in slices on the diag. Spread mix on each slice. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Sing.

BTW, Molly is a very good friend of mine and I can’t wait to share her cakes!

Gram’s Curry Dip

This dip graced the table of almost every holiday growing up. It’s beautiful color adds life to any table setting and the curry gives a flavorful burst I find myself craving. Something this special shouldn’t be so easy to make.

1 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise**

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp horseradish

1 tsp dry onion (can substitute with fresh minced)

1 tsp vinegar

1 tsp curry powder

Put it all in a bowl and mix. Now you’re awesome because you just made something delicious which happens to be treasured by many (I have a big family). Let it sit in the fridge for a couple hours to let the flavors mingle. Serve as an accompaniment to your favorite dipping veggies.

**Gram used Hellman’s mayo and it is classic and delicious; but if you’d like to sub for organic I understand.