BAKED EGGS TORTILLA BITES

Posted in Appetizers, Breakfast & Brunch, Pizzas & Small Dishes by sallybr

I am totally in love with this concept, which I saw in one of those reels online that entice you but not always work. This one had a happy ending, and for that I am grateful…

BAKED EGG TORTILLA BITES
(slightly modified from food bites)

makes about 8

3 tortillas
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 eggs
3 tablespoons heavy cream
25 grams cheddar cheese, grated
1 teaspoon sea salt
pepper, to taste

5 grape tomatoes, one per tortilla cup
fresh chives, to garnish

Heat oven to 350F.

Cut out tortilla flowers with a cookie cutter. Brush the top and bottom of the tortilla flowers with olive oil, insert in a muffin tin. Bake until slightly golden, maximum 5 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly as you prepare the filling.

Mix the eggs, cream, shredded cheddar, salt, and pepper. Spoon the mixture on top of each tortilla flower till the bottom is covered. Bake again until the egg is cooked (about 8 minutes). Remove the egg tortilla bites and allow to cool.

Slice a grape tomato in the middle at a slant. Cut each half in half. Connect the two set of halves to make two hearts. Top the tomato hearts onto the egg tortillas. Arrange chopped chives as the stem.
Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This was so simple and absolutely delicious. I used a carb-balance type flour tortilla, but I bet it would be even better with regular ones. Do what suits you. I include a little video to show you how to cut the hearts, as it was not quite clear for me when I read her explanation or watched her reel on Facebook. I hope it helps you.

These would be perfect to serve as appetizer for a Valentine’s meal, but I just enjoyed as lunch on a Saturday. Love this type of food. Leftovers were good warmed in a toaster oven, just make sure to keep an eye on the edge of the tortilla cup, they tend to brown quickly. Protect with foil if that bothers you. Each little cup, two small bites, one big smile!

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28Apr2025

ASPARAGUS AND PROSCIUTTO PHYLLO ROLLS

Posted in Appetizers, Small Dishes, Veggies by sallybr

This is easy but so elegant and tasty, hard to come up with a better idea to impress guests or just enjoy a beautiful side dish on a warm Spring evening. I caught the recipe during a recent episode of TheKitchen, courtesy of Alex Guarnaschelli.

ASPARAGUS AND PROSCIUTTO PHYLLO ROLLS
(very slightly modified from FoodTV Network)

Kosher salt
18 medium stalks asparagus, ends trimmed
24 to 28 sheets phyllo dough, defrosted
olive oil spray
1 cup finely grated Parmesan
12 thin slices prosciutto

Prepare an ice bath with a medium bowl half filled with water and ice cubes.
In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to a rolling boil. Add salt until it tastes like mild seawater. Layer a baking sheet with a clean kitchen towel. Drop the asparagus into the boiling water and cook until slightly tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 2 to 3 minutes. Use a large slotted spoon to remove the asparagus from the water, transferring them immediately to the ice bath so that they cool down and don’t continue cooking. Let chill 5 minutes, then drain the asparagus and spread them on the baking sheet with the towel.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place one sheet of phyllo on a flat surface with the short end closest to you. Spray the phyllo with olive oil. Sprinkle with a little of the Parmesan. Place another sheet of phyllo directly on top. Brush with additional butter and sprinkle with Parmesan.

Arrange 2 slices prosciutto in a single layer closest to you on the phyllo. Place 2 to 3 stalks of asparagus in bunches along the short side of the phyllo on top of the prosciutto and tightly roll the asparagus up in the prosciutto and phyllo to form a log. Trim the ends of the phyllo to fit the asparagus perfectly. As you make the asparagus rolls, arrange them on a baking sheet with distance between each so that they brown when baking. Spray their tops with olive oil right before baking.

Place the baking sheet in the center of the oven and bake until golden brown on the outside, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with salt.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I wrote the recipe as published, except for the use of olive oil instead of melted butter. Amounts are really going to be flexible, I only made four rolls for us, we had three at dinner and one was my lunch next day, still delicious. I never go through the trouble of making the ice bath, I just rinse the blanched asparagus in running very cold water in a colander, and call it a day. But do as it pleases you, your kitchen, your rules. I have stopped brushing phyllo with butter a long time ago – the olive oil spray is amazingly easy, never hurts the sheets and gives enough flakiness without the extra saturated fat. We love the taste also, so it is a win-win situation for us.

I hope you give this super easy recipe a try, it is wonderful! And if you want to go the vegetarian route, maybe a little black olive tapenade or red bell pepper pesto could be nice instead of the prosciutto.

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28Jun2024

INCREDIBLY SIMPLE APPETIZER

Posted in Appetizers, Incredibly simple by sallybr

These were a big hit at a potluck party we attended recently. They look adorable and are very tasty, plus you can make a vegetarian version by skipping the salami and using grilled zucchini instead. Simply cook some bow-tie pasta, making sure it is al dente. Drain, rinse, cool. Add a bit of olive oil and Herbes de Provence to the pasta. Then, stick the pasta, an olive, salami and cheese into a cute wooden skewer. You are DONE! The idea came from a cookbook I recently reviewed. Click here for the review and ordering information.

I was surprised by how fast they disappeared when we took them to the party. I made 30 total, and I think they were gone in 10 minutes tops. Amazon has a nice selection of cute appetizer skewers, I wish they had some a little smaller, but it’s not a big deal. I hope you consider making them for your next dinner party, I guarantee your friends will love them…

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2Jun2024

CHICKEN FAJITA BITES AND A COOKBOOK REVIEW

Posted in Appetizers, Cookbook Reviews, Pizzas & Small Dishes, Poultry by sallybr

Not too long ago I bought a new cookbook (surprised?) called BRILLIANT BITES, by Maegan Brown, also known as The BakerMama. I found myself getting amazed by each and every recipe because they were for the most part quite unusual and so creative. Have you ever imagined making cacio e pepe pasta in appetizer shape? I bet you haven’t. We don’t host dinner parties that often anymore, but appetizers can be fun to make and even if you are not hosting, you could conceivably make a meal out of three or four appetizer options. I contacted Maegan and asked her permission to share one of the recipe of her cool cookbook. Here I am to offer you Chicken Fajita Bites, colorful and oh so tasty!

CHICKEN FAJITA BITES
(printed with permission from Maegan Brown’s Brilliant Bites)

6 red mini sweet peppers, 4 whole and 2 finely chopped
6 yellow mini sweet peppers, 4 whole and 2 finely chopped
6 orange mini sweet peppers, 4 whole and 2 finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ medium onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken tenders, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 cup (112 g) shredded Mexican-style cheese blend
Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnishing
Key lime wedges, for serving (optional)

Sour Cream Avocado Sauce
¼ cup (55 g) well-mashed avocado (about ½ avocado)
¼ cup (60 ml) sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

To make the chicken fajita bites: Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a 13 x 9-inch baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Slice each whole mini pepper in half lengthwise, leaving the stem intact, and remove any seeds and pith. Slice a small sliver off the back of each half so that it sits flat on the baking sheet (I omitted this step) being careful not to slice all the way through. Arrange the peppers in a single layer, cut sides up, on the prepared baking sheet.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped peppers and onion and cook and stir until just tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the paprika, chili powder, cumin, and 1 teaspoon salt until well combined. Add the chopped chicken to a large bowl and toss it with the 2 tablespoons lime juice, then add the seasoning mixture to the bowl and thoroughly coat the chicken.

Add the chicken to the same skillet the peppers and onion were cooked in and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked all the way through, about 4 minutes. Return the peppers and onion to the skillet and toss to combine with the chicken. Remove from the heat.

Completely fill each mini pepper half with the chicken fajita mixture, then top with a little shredded cheese. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until the cheese melts and the peppers are soft. Meanwhile, make the sour cream avocado sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together all the sauce ingredients until well combined. Drizzle some of the sauce onto each bite, garnish with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro, and serve with lime wedges (if using) for squeezing.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: My only modification of the recipe was to use ground chicken instead of chicken breasts, because I happened to have some in the fridge waiting for a good opportunity to shine. And shine it did. Super tasty little bites, that will also stand on their own without the sauce if you want to make it simpler. But the sauce takes it to a much tastier level, so I don’t recommend you skip it.

Now for a little review of Maegan’s cookbook…

The book offers 70 appetizer bites, divided in 6 categories. I will list them below and include some of my favorites because of their cute or unusual factor… So many called my name!

PARTY BITES… The Chicken Fajita Bites are from this first chapter, and I they are so adorable, I actually made them as a light lunch for me and hubby on a Saturday. They were perfect! From this chapter my favorites are: Cacio e Pepe (so unusual and cute), Sushi Taco Bites (I absolutely MUST make them), Steak Frite Bites, and Chopped Kale Caesar Salad Cups.

HOLIDAY BITES… I just fell in love with every single one in this group! It starts with Birthday Cake Cookie Bites with Party Hats! How can you resist them? Below a little screenshot straight from the book.

The whole chapter is one cute recipe after another… Love Bug Bites, Mini-Muffins Many Ways, Jack-o-Lantern Mac and Cheese Bites, Bow-Tie Antipasto Bites (coolest appetizer ever), Pumpkin Pie Bites (gorgeous), Candy Cane & Snowman Caprese Bites, just to name a few.

BREAKFAST BITES… Eggs Benedict Bites (so creative!), Dutch Baby Bites, Smoked Salmon Bagel Bites, and get this: Chocolate Babka Bites… I honestly want to bake the whole collection in this chapter!

SNACK BITES… She describes this chapter as a fun twist on everyday snacks. I give you a few examples: BLT Grilled Cheese Bites, Popcorn Bites, Loaded Baked Potato Chips, and Monte Cristo Cracker Bites. All presentations are super cute!

DESSERT BITES… Hard to pick favorites here! Baklava Bites, Chocolate Chip Cookie Cannoli Bites, Crepe Bites (I fell in love with those and share a screenshot of the book below), Coconut Key Lime Pie Bites might be the cutest little bites ever…

SAVVY SIPS… This is the only chapter that does not really work for me, as I don’t drink cocktails, but if you love them and have guests who do, you’ll find quite a collection, from Espresso Smore’tini to Mango Mai Tai, Pina Colada Popsicle Shots, and Eggnog Bites.

Well, I hope you consider getting this great cookbook before your next dinner party! Totally worth it!

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29Apr2024

BEET-PICKLED DEVILED EGGS

Posted in Appetizers, Pizzas & Small Dishes, Small Dishes, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

Totally smitten by this recipe, because… color! It was inspired by a version I saw on Molly Yeh’s show Girl Meets Farm, but I made a few modifications.

BEET-PICKLED DEVILED EGGS
(adapted from Molly Yeh’s recipe)

3 cups of water
1 medium beet, peeled and cut in half
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
2 tsp whole black peppercorns
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon salt

6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
1/4 cup yogurt
1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 avocado, mashed
Tajin seasoning to taste
salt to taste

Put the beet in a medium saucepan and add the water, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, peppercorns, cider vinegar and salt. Bring to a boil until the sugar is dissolved. Add the peeled boiled eggs to the pan, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight for the most intense color.

Cut the eggs in half, then scoop out the yolks and place them in a medium bowl. Put the egg white halves on a serving platter. To the yolks, mix all other ingredients, making a paste. Adjust with more yogurt if needed. Pipe the mixture into the holes of the egg whites, sprinkle additional Tajin all over.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Have you ever seen more beautiful color in a boiled egg? Now, the texture of the egg will be slightly different from that of a regular deviled egg due to the pickling step. It is going to be firmer and have a more assertive taste. Phil is not usually too fond of brined/pickled concoctions, but he loved these eggs, so if you are over-the-fence about it, don’t let it scare you. We don’t eat mayonnaise ever, but if you prefer the more authentic version, use it in place of yogurt. These were great as appetizer but also fantastic as my lunch next day. I will be re-visiting this recipe often… Such mesmerizing color!