Appetizers Archives - Kitchen Meets Girl

Sweet ‘n Tangy BBQ Smokies

May 27, 2013 By Ashley | 34 Comments

Maybe we’re just boring around my house, but entertaining foods here almost always include little BBQ smokies.

That might also be because I live with a 5-year old, but it is what it is. Fortunately, you can at least purchase turkey smokies now, so I don’t feel quite so guilty snacking on them.

This sweet ‘n tangy BBQ version is so fun and easy. Guess what the main ingredient is?

Musselman’s Apple Butter.

Maybe you already knew that you could use apple butter in BBQ sauce, but I’d never tried it. Quite honestly, I’ve really only ever used apple butter to smear on toast and biscuits. This has sort of opened up a whole new world for me.

Historically, I’ve thought of apple butter as a fall flavor…but not any more! You can use this BBQ sauce to brush on your chicken or pork during the last few minutes of grilling. Stir it into cooked ground beef for BBQ sloppy joes, or heat with little smokies or meatballs for a quick appetizer. You can even add it in with your baked beans for a kicked-up flavor.

Sweet n’ Tangy BBQ Smokies

Ingredients

1 package little smokies
1 cup Musselman's Apple Butter
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Instructions

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for at least an hour before using. You may keep covered and refrigerated for a couple of weeks.
To make smokies, place smokies in a small crock pot and cover with sauce, to taste. You won't need all of the sauce, so use the rest for basting while grilling, or add it to cooked ground beef for kicked-up sloppy joes.

recipe from Musselman's

http://kitchenmeetsgirl.com/sides-2/sweet-n-tangy-bbq-smokies/

I’m keeping apple butter on hand this summer for an easy way to jazz up my grilling and entertaining dishes. And good news – Musselman’s wants to give one of you an Apple Butter gift pack, too.

All you need to do to enter is leave me a blog comment letting me know what your favorite summer grilling item is.

You may earn additional entries by following the prompts on the Rafflecopter form below. Sometimes Rafflecopter gets bogged down, so be patient if it takes a second to load.

Good luck, and happy grilling!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

XO, Ashley

Musselman’s Apple Butter provided me with apple butter in order to facilitate my post. However, all opinions are 100% my own. You can read my advertising and disclosure policy here.

Filed Under: Appetizers, Side Dishes

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Tuscan Mashed Chickpeas

February 17, 2013 By Ashley | 10 Comments

So I know this isn’t a picture of a cookie or a brownie or some other totally awesome baked-good that you want to face plant.

But when it comes to snacking around my house, I’m all in, all the time. Dips are the bomb.

What this really means: I’ve eaten too much jalapeño popper dip and hot-Mexican style spinach dip lately, and my jeans are starting to revolt. Fortunately for me, chickpeas (legumes) are high in fiber and are recommended by many public health organizations as a key food group for preventing disease and optimizing health (source).

We do often eat hummus as a healthy snack, and we do often make our own homemade version as an alternative to the grocery store variety. And as much as I love hummus, I’ve never thought to serve it warm.

You guys. This stuff was amazing.

Plus, it’s filled with other lots of healthy stuff, including tomatoes, garlic, parsley, Parmesan, and lemon juice, so it practically cancels out the fact that you ate an entire loaf of crusty bread along with it.

Oops?

Tuscan Mashed Chickpeas

Ingredients

2 (15.5) ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced small
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice
kosher salt and black pepper
crusty bread or pita chips, for serving

Instructions

Place the chickpeas and chicken stock in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped.
In a medium pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add tomatoes. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomatoes are softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the chopped chickpea mixture, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until heated through.
Remove from heat, and stir in the Parmesan, parsley, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm (or at warm temperature) with crusty bread or pita chips.

from Barefoot Contessa Foolproof

http://kitchenmeetsgirl.com/sides-2/tuscan-mashed-chickpeas/

XO, Ashley

Filed Under: Appetizers, Side Dishes

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Honey-Vanilla Granola

January 29, 2013 By Ashley | 18 Comments

Granola used to be one of those things that I thought only health-conscious people ate, so of course, I was never really all that interested in it.

But then I realized you could add chocolate to it and now…well, now it’s a whole new ball game.

Plus, there’s honey in this granola, along with dark brown sugar, yogurt-coated raisins, and dried blueberries.

I’m in.

Brown sugar is just a mixture of sugar and molasses. However, dark brown sugar contains more molasses than light brown sugar. While light brown sugar has more of a delicate flavor, dark brown sugar has a more intense molasses flavor. I prefer using dark brown sugar, but you can use them interchangeably depending on your personal preference.

I actually made this granola to sprinkle on top of my grown-up, health-conscious Greek yogurt, but then Doodle got a hold of it and just straight-up ate it like popcorn.

I thought that was a pretty good idea.

Honey-Vanilla Granola

Ingredients

2 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup yogurt covered raisins
1/3 cup dried blueberries

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites, brown sugar, honey, oil and extract until smooth. Add oats and stir to coat. Spread onto your lined baking mat in an even layer.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until granola is golden, rotating pan halfway through. Remove pan from oven onto a wire rack. Sprinkle with white chocolate chips and stir to coat, allowing the chocolate to melt.
Let the granola cool on the baking sheet. Once cool, break granola into chunks, and sprinkle in your raisins and dried blueberries.

recipe adapted from Pure Vanilla, by Shauna Sever

http://kitchenmeetsgirl.com/breakfastbrunch/honey-vanilla-granola/

XO, Ashley

Filed Under: Appetizers, Breakfast & Breads, Miscellaneous

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20 Awesome Dips for Superbowl

January 24, 2013 By Ashley | 10 Comments

Personally, I think dips should be their own food group. Who’s with me on this?

Years ago, I used to make actual food for Superbowl parties, until I realized most of my friends/family ate so much of the appetizer stuff that we never really made it to the main course. Since I’m of the opinion that I’m covering all the food groups with fruit dips, hummus, and dairy-based dips, I don’t see a thing wrong with serving only dips at my game-watching parties.

Here are some of my favorites from around the web that you may want to make for your own party. Even if football isn’t your thing, no one can resist an awesome dip, right?

Hot Mexican-Style Spinach Dip

Jalapeno Popper Dip

5-Minute Salsa

Jalapeno Hummus

{Cilantro-Lime} Mexi-Corn Dip

7-Layer Mexi-Dip {Individual-Sized}

Guacamole Hummus with Football Chips from Inside BruCrew Life

Creamy White Queso Dip from Buns in My Oven

Roasted Chile con Queso from A Kitchen Addiction

Crock Pot Hamburger Dip from Chef In Training

Pizza Dip from Closet Cooking

BBQ Chicken Dip from How Sweet It Is

Reduced-Guilt Parmesan Caramelized Onion Spinach Dip from Bake Your Day

Mom’s Cheesy Beef Taco Dip from A Farmgirl’s Dabbles

Skinny Funfetti Dip from The Domestic Rebel

Peanut Butter Football Dip from Crazy for Crust

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Dip from Shugary Sweets

Skinny Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough Dip from Sally’s Baking Addiction

Skinny Cannoli Dip from Back for Seconds

Monster Cookie Dough Dip from Something Swanky

XO, Ashley

Filed Under: Appetizers, Entertaining, Miscellaneous

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5-Minute Salsa

January 22, 2013 By Ashley | 13 Comments

I am a salsa eating fool.

We’re also huge fans of Mexican food in my house, so we go through a lot of jars of salsa. Maybe two jars a week?

I know. It’s a sickness.

Plus, I dump it on pretty much anything and everything: my salads, wraps, baked potatoes, you name it. And in the summer when I have lots of great fresh produce at my fingertips, I always have a jar of homemade salsa sitting in my fridge. When using fresh tomatoes to make salsa, Roma are my first choice because of their rich flavor and low moisture flesh–I prefer my salsa a little chunky.

But if you haven’t noticed, it’s not summer–it was a balmy 20 degrees here yesterday morning when I dropped Doodle off at school. Needless to say, the tomatoes at my local market aren’t looking super impressive right now. But I was really, really craving homemade salsa. Thank goodness for Rotel.

Here’s how it played out:

{Minute 1}: Assemble your ingredients.

{Minutes 2 -4}: Give ‘em all a rough chop. Nothing too fancy or small–you’re just going to throw ‘em in your food processor or blender. This may take you less time than it did me; I’m not a super-fast chopper. Dump everything in your blender/processor.

{Minute 5}: Pulse 5 to 7 times, or until your salsa reaches your desired consistency.

5-Minute Salsa

Ingredients

2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes (I used Rotel Hot) or 3 large tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1 jalepeno, including seeds and membrane (de-seed if you don't want it too spicy)
1/2 cup cilantro
1/4 to 1/3 cup diced onion
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
juice of one lime

Instructions

Place your ingredients in a food processor or blender, and pulse to combine.
Eat 'til you're stuffed.

recipe adapted from my mom, previously posted here

http://kitchenmeetsgirl.com/appetizers/5-minute-salsa/

XO, Ashley

Filed Under: Appetizers, Miscellaneous

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Jalapeno Popper Dip

January 14, 2013 By Ashley | 46 Comments

I know. I just posted a dip last week.

A Mexican-inspired one, even. So you’re probably thinking, Enough with the Mexican dips, already.

But I can’t help it. It’s football playoff season, which equates to party-food in my book. Actually, I can pretty much justify eating warm and creamy dips any day of the week:

Bad day? Console yourself with chips and dip.

Too tired to do any real cooking? Don’t worry, just use some veggies as your dip vessel and call it dinner.

Need to celebrate? Start with tortilla chips and dip.

My assignment for this month’s Secret Recipe Club was Heather’s blog over at Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks. By day, Heather is an elementary school teacher who works with at-risk children as well as children with special needs. Can you say rock star?

Heather had so many great recipes to choose from: like garlic beef enchiladas and glazed apple cream pie and cafe au lait bars. But when I saw that she had a recipe for jalapeño popper dip, I knew right away that was what I had to make.

Had to.

I made only a few small adjustments to Heather’s recipe…I’m not a big mayonnaise/Miracle Whip fan, so I don’t typically keep any on hand. Instead, I swapped the mayo for Greek yogurt, which worked totally fine.

Also, I have this annoying habit of overbuying bags of shredded cheese. The cheese/deli drawer in my refrigerator is overflowing with almost empty bags of cheese, so I tried to use up what I had on hand.

And yes, it was all good.

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Ingredients

3 slices bacon, diced (I used turkey bacon)
2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened (light or Neufchâtel will work just fine)
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
2 (4-ounce) cans green chilies
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon Frank's Red Hot

For the topping:

3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter, melted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375.
Cook bacon in a small saute pan until almost brown. Add in the diced jalapeno and cook until soft. Remove from heat and set aside. If using regular bacon, blot off grease with a paper towel.
In a medium bowl, combine softened cream cheese, yogurt, 1/2 cup Mexican blend cheese, green chilies, garlic powder and Red Hot, stirring to combine. Add in the bacon and jalapenos. Spoon into an 8x8 baking dish.
In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs and remaining seasonings. Pour melted butter over the top and mix well. Spread evenly over the dip. Bake for 20 minutes, or until brown and bubbly.

adapted from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

http://kitchenmeetsgirl.com/entertaining-2/jalapeno-popper-dip/

XO, Ashley

I’m partying here!

Filed Under: Appetizers, Entertaining, Finger Foods, Miscellaneous, Side Dishes

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Hot Mexican-Style Spinach Dip

January 7, 2013 By Ashley | 22 Comments

I’ve made this dip twice in the last five days.

I originally made this hot, creamy, cheesy dip last week for our Fiesta Bowl party. As it turned out, this dip was the best part of the night. While I tried to remind myself that it was awesome that my team made it to the bowl game, I was still disappointed we didn’t win. Fortunately, I was able to cheer myself up by shoveling quite a bit of this not-so-low-calorie dip into my mouth.

Mexican style anything is my happy place.

Let me break this dip down for you:

It’s got your standard spinach dip ingredients–spinach, cream cheese, half-and-half, and Monterrey Jack cheese. But since we like it Mexican-style around our casa, we added in tomatoes, black olives, jalapeño, cumin, and some cayenne pepper.

This dip is a total crowd pleaser. It’s also guy approved. My dad and the Tall Boy completely devoured this stuff.

Looking for something to take to your next party? Planning ahead for the Superbowl? Make this dip. No, seriously.

Make this dip.

Thanks to the Tall Boy for serving as my hand-model.

Hot Mexican-Style Spinach Dip

Ingredients

1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 or 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and well-drained
1/2 cup fat-free half and half (or milk)
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cute into 1/2 inch cubes (I used fat-free)
2 (2.2 ounce) cans sliced black olives, drained
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2-3 dashes Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon cumin
dash cayenne pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400.
Cook onion in oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add tomato and jalapeno; cook another 2 minutes.
Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Add spinach and the remaining ingredients, stirring to combine. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish.
Bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes, or until bubbly. Serve warm, with tortilla chips.

makes 6 cups - recipe from Southern Living Ultimate Book of Appetizers

http://kitchenmeetsgirl.com/entertaining-2/hot-mexican-style-spinach-dip/

XO, Ashley

Filed Under: Appetizers, Entertaining, Miscellaneous

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Rosemary Roasted Almonds

January 2, 2013 By Ashley | 21 Comments

I’m a snacker.

Snacking doesn’t really pose a problem for me on Thursdays and Fridays, when I’m in the office. I just don’t stock my desk drawers with anything that might be too tempting. However, I work from home the other three days of the week, sitting for 8+ hours in front of a computer screen. Do you know what I often do when I need a break?

Having a pantry full of candy or a stockpile of baked goods from blogging is not a good thing in this case.

Since I’m trying to make better food choices, I decided to roast some almonds to keep handy during my work-at-home days.

Almonds are a superfood, you know.

Some studies have suggested that almonds may assist in weight reduction, cholesterol reduction, and lowering the glycemic response of a high-carbohydrate meal. Even better, a statement from the FDA indicated that eating 1.5 ounces per day of many types of nuts, including almonds, may reduce the risk of heart disease [source].

So let’s get snackin’!

Rosemary Roasted Almonds

Ingredients

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chile powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Dash of cayenne pepper
1 (10-ounce) bag whole almonds (about 2 cups)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°.
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and toss to coat. Arrange nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly toasted. Cool to room temperature.

recipe from Cooking Light

http://kitchenmeetsgirl.com/entertaining-2/rosemary-roasted-almonds/

XO, Ashley

Filed Under: Appetizers, Cocktail Friday, Entertaining, Miscellaneous

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Honey-Chipotle Meatballs

December 31, 2012 By Ashley | 12 Comments

Here is the thing about me.

I don’t diet. At all.

I don’t work out, either. I actually got on my elliptical machine last Friday for 15 minutes and about died. Not pretty, you guys. Doodle and the Tall Boy were cheering me on and all I really wanted to do was jam a cupcake in my mouth.

I’m not one of those people who make resolutions at the beginning of the year about completely changing my eating habits or vow to work out a prescribed number of times per week. I can’t set myself up for failure like that. However, regardless of the sweets and goodies I tend to post here, most of the time, I do try to eat at least semi-healthy.

Not that meatballs are the epitome of health food, but if you make ‘em with ground turkey, they are at least a step in the right direction.

I have a love-hate affair with ground turkey. Early in my marriage, the Tall Boy and I attempted to make turkey burgers…and subsequently ended up ordering a pizza. While we now use ground turkey in many things (tacos, chili, etc), I haven’t yet been brave enough to try eating it again in patty-type form.

Until now.

When I found this recipe for honey-chipotle meatballs, I was intrigued. With a glaze using chipotle chilies and honey, certainly there was enough flavor in these to make these palatable for us! And as a bonus, I didn’t have to feel so guilty about eating a few of these meatball appetizers when the ingredient list was fairly short and healthy. :-)

What’s your favorite healthy appetizer?

Honey-Chipotle Meatballs

makes about 16 meatballs

Honey-Chipotle Meatballs

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey (or substitute ground beef, if you prefer)
1/3 cup yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
3-4 tablespoons honey, plus more for dipping
2-4 tablespoons chopped chipotle chilies in adobo sauce (we used 4 since we like it spicy; if you're not sure, start on the low end and add more if needed)
3 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375. In a medium bowl, mix together ground turkey, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper until just combined. Form into meatballs - I got about 16 meatballs when forming mine. In a separate bowl, stir together honey, chilies, and vinegar.
In an ovenproof skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and bake about 5 minutes. Remove from oven, pour honey mixture over the top of the meatballs, and swirl to coat. Cook until liquid is reduced and meatballs are coated.
I do not have an ovenproof skillet, so I transferred mine to an 8x8 pan before placing in the oven. I kept my skillet warm, and then transferred the meatballs back to the skillet for glazing after removing from the oven.
Serve with additional honey for dipping, if desired.

just barely adapted from Martha Stewart

http://kitchenmeetsgirl.com/entertaining-2/honey-chipotle-meatballs-2/

XO, Ashley

Filed Under: Appetizers, Entertaining, Main Dishes, Miscellaneous, Side Dishes

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Pear, Prosciutto and Feta Flatbread

December 3, 2012 By Ashley | 9 Comments

I don’t know about you, but I love the appetizer table at holiday parties.

I also like to eat appetizers for dinner and call it a meal, but that’s another story.

As much as I love the standard summer sausage, cheese, and cracker tray, sometimes it’s nice to have something a little different. Something that’s a little fancier, but doesn’t actually require that much work.

And technically, you could turn this easy appetizer into a bit more work and make your own pizza dough, but I’ll be honest and tell you I don’t have time to do that this time of the year. So don’t judge me when I tell you I used a can of artisan pizza dough from the refrigerator section of my grocery store.

Believe me, when you take one bite of this easy appetizer flatbread–layered with pears, feta cheese, prosciutto, and red onions sautéed in a white wine and honey reduction–you’ll never notice the difference.

I know. It (1) sounds like a weird combination; and (2) sounds like a lot of work.

But, I promise: it’s not.

But you could totally tell your friends and family it is something super fancy…I won’t tell.

Pear, Prosciutto and Feta Flatbread

Ingredients

1 can artesian whole wheat pizza crust
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
3/4 cup semi-sweet white wine
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 egg
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
2 pears, thinly sliced
2 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced and cut into strips
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

Instructions

Preheat oven according to directions on pizza crust package. Lightly cover 16x14 cookie sheet with cooking spray or with a Slipat and roll crust out to cover cookie sheet. Bake crust 8 minutes, or until lightly golden brown around the edges. Remove from oven and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a saucepan. Add sliced red onion and saute over low heat until onion begins to soften. Add wine, honey, salt and pepper; cover and simmer until liquid is nearly gone and onion is soft.
Beat egg, add cheese and spread over crust. Arrange pear slices over cheese; top with proscuitto and sprinkle with onions. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
Sprinkle with thyme and serve warm, or at room temperature.

from the 2012 Wichita Eagle Holiday Cookbook

http://kitchenmeetsgirl.com/appetizers/pear-prosciutto-and-feta-flatbread/

I’m partying here!

XO, Ashley

Filed Under: Appetizers, Cocktail Friday, Miscellaneous

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Sweet ‘n Tangy BBQ Smokies

Tuscan Mashed Chickpeas

Honey-Vanilla Granola

20 Awesome Dips for Superbowl

5-Minute Salsa

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Hot Mexican-Style Spinach Dip

Rosemary Roasted Almonds

Honey-Chipotle Meatballs

Pear, Prosciutto and Feta Flatbread

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