These smoked salmon bites make the perfect warm weather (or any weather for that matter) party appetizer. I first got the inspiration for these at a friend’s wedding. The caterer made a sweet potato “nest” and topped it with smoked salmon and a dollop of something like creme fraiche.

I wanted to create something similar but wanted to find a way to achieve the “nest” with a more simple technique. I needed something super crispy and not too salty. Enter unsalted kettle cooked potato chips. I use Trader Joe’s potato trio chips. They’re made with red bliss, blue, and yukon gold potatoes and have zero added salt.

And no worries if you don’t know what creme fraiche is! It’s a soured cream, similar to American sour cream, but less sour. You can usually find it in the dairy case right next to the sour cream. Places like Whole Foods and Trader Joes will most definitely have it as well.

Serve these little one-bite wonders at your next party – they look glam, are so delicious, and you’re sure to be popular!

Ingredients:: 

• 1/4 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
• super crispy potato chips, preferably unsalted
• 1 4-ounce package thinly sliced smoked salmon, cut into 16 pieces
• Chives, if desired

Some months ago, I came across a recipe for blue cheese sticks – as in breadsticks (or straws), not cheese sticks, string cheese, etc.

It should be noted right away that I hate blue cheese. I think it smells terrible, tastes awful, and looks unsightly. That’s right, unsightly! Ryan, on the other hand, loves it.

My solution to this minor marital disagreement is to buy it anyway, and let Ryan use it on salads or whatever else he wants, as long as I don’t have to touch it or smell it.

When Ryan asked me to make these blue cheese breadsticks for a “guy’s night” at our place, I agreed with inner hesitation. I had been wanting to make them because they seemed like such a good idea, but I didn’t like the blue cheese part.

Well…when I got home on Friday night, there was literally one stick left. I don’t know if no one wanted to eat the last one, or if they were distracted by the dry roasted peanuts, but whatever. They were obviously a hit!

I did taste one, and I liked them. Yes. But you won’t find me putting blue cheese on my salad anytime soon.

Blue cheese and chives are probably the only ingredients you don't have on hand.

Just the butter and flour at this point.

Pulse the mixture until it comes together, looking coarse.

Make sure the water you add here is super cold, like ice water.

Your dough might look green. Don't worry, it will bake out!

The size of the sticks will vary if your dough isn't rolled into a perfect rectangle. This is completely ok and looks kind of fun when the sticks are on display!

Bake them until they're golden brown, even more than in this photo.

For the record, the blue ribbon was removed for "guy's night."

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4  c  chilled butter, cut into small pieces
• 1  c  crumbled blue cheese
• 1/3  c  finely chopped chives
• 1/4  tsp  salt
• 1/4  tsp black pepper
• 1  to 2 tablespoons cold water

Directions:

1. Spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and butter in a food processor; pulse to blend. Add cheese, chives, salt, and pepper; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Drizzle water into flour mixture until dough forms a ball. Roll dough into a 16 x 8-inch rectangle. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.
2. Preheat oven to 350°.
3. Cut dough crosswise into thin slices. Place 1/2 inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Cool bread sticks completely on wire racks.

Sometimes I get lucky and produce a hit. This flatbread…it was a hit for sure. I needed to come up with something that I could take to a party. It needed to be savory and it needed to taste ok if it got to be room temperature or cold.

Solution: Rosemary Potato Flatbread. Which was gone approximately 16 minutes after arriving at the party. A definite measure of success.

It has all of five ingredients, some of which you probably already have laying around. Also amazing: there is ZERO measuring in this recipe. Go wild!

Refrigerated pizza crust, olive oil, parmesan cheese, rosemary, and one large white potato. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Slice the potatoes up really thin. If you don’t have a mandoline yet, get one. It will change your life.

Spread the dough out on a large rectangular baking sheet (lightly sprayed with cooking spray). Brush the dough with a generous amount of olive oil. Sprinkle rosemary leaves across the oiled dough.

Place the potatoes all over the dough, in whatever pattern you like. I personally chose careful, straight lines (likely influenced by my cautious personality, but that’s neither here nor there). Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the flatbread.

Bake flatbread for about 15 minutes or until everything is a lovely golden brown color.

Make sure you eat a piece or two before sharing, because that is all of this flatbread you will see, my friend.

I do believe that we are almost to the end, ladies. The close of the season is upon us. I’ve saved one of the best football recipes for last. Remember those crazy amazing potato skin chips? I think they were made by Keebler or something like that. Anyway, these are like those. Except better. And bigger. And lighter. 

I adapted this recipe from one of the best magazines ever, Clean Eating. You’ll want to pick that one up next time you buy a magazine. 

Don’t freak out when you see the white potatoes. Potatoes do have some redeeming qualities: fiber, copper, iron, magnesium, calcium, vitamins B6 and C, believe it or not. Get rid of all the pasty starch in the middle, bake the outside, and voila! A healthier, yummy version of a football staple. Top these with nonfat plain Greek yogurt and I promise that your football fans won’t even know it’s not sour cream. Ask Ryan, he’ll tell you. Wink, wink. 

Watch and learn. 

Serves 4

Ingredients:: 

• 4 medium baking potatoes
• 1 tsp olive oil
• cooking spray
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• pinch of chili powder
• pinch of paprika
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 4 slices turkey bacon, chopped
• 2 oz. light cheddar cheese
• 3 TBS green onion or chives, finely chopped
• nonfat plain Greek yogurt

Directions:: 

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Rinse and scrub potatoes well with vegetable brush. Poke 4-5 holes in each potato with a fork. Rub the outside of each potato with 1/4 tsp olive oil. Place potatoes directly on oven rack and bake for 50-60 minutes or until cooked through. Let potatoes cool for about 1 1/2 hours before proceeding. 
2. Preheat oven again to 425 degrees F. Cut potatoes in half the long way. Using a spoon, scrape out centers, leaving an even 1/2 inch thick potato shell. 
3. Spray a medium baking sheet with the cooking spray. Arrange potato shells on baking sheet. Lightly mist with cooking spray then season with garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, and salt. Bake 10 minutes. 
4. Meanwhile, cook the bacon over medium-high heat in a small pan, until barely cooked, about 4 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towel to drain fat. Sprinkle cheese, bacon, and onion evenly over shells. Bake for 15 more minutes or until potatoes are lightly browned. Top with a spoonful of Greek yogurt. Serve immediately. 

Sigh…

There are only about 4 weeks left in the regular football season. Or at least that’s what Ryan tells me. I suppose it could be a hoax, but let’s face it. Ignorance is bliss. No need to google for the truth. This week’s football snack revolves around a seasonal item: pumpkin. 

You may have carved a pumpkin in the last week. And if so, well I hope you saved the seeds. Much like the ancient civilizations did, you can use every part of the pumpkin for something. By the way, this is a hoax. I’m hoping you’ll think I’m smarter than I really am. But really, you should roast those pumpkin seeds. They are a mighty fine snack and really easy to make. Herman thinks you should. This is Herman. He has a snaggletooth::  

Anyway, here is how you make roasted pumpkin seeds. 

Ingredients:: 

• seeds from one large pumpkin
• 3 TBS olive oil
• salt
• Cajun spice mix

Directions:: 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bring about a quart of water in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the pumpkin seeds, boil for 10 minutes. Rinse the seeds in a colander. 
2. Spread pumpkin seeds onto a large baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over seeds, mixing with hands to coat. Ensure that the seeds are in a thin layer on the sheet, with not many overlapping. Sprinkle seeds with a generous amount of salt and Cajun mix, to taste. 
3. Roast seeds for 25-30 minutes or until all seeds are golden brown and no longer translucent. 

By the way, you want them more baked then these above. See the translucent ones in the middle? Cook the seeds longer to achieve the toasted look like the ones on the side. My oven is 30 years old by the way. 

Oh good gracious. Please Notre Dame, PLEASE pull out a make-it-look-easy win. I honestly don’t think I can handle another week of the emotional torture that you are putting Ryan through.

Not to mention, the food is all but wasted if it gets thrown across the room as the men jump up off the couch in dismay.

This hasn’t actually happened, don’t worry. I’m just sympathizing with you ladies out there.

This week, we explore two popular pizza toppings, bacon and pineapple. Rolled up together. And in true appetizer fashion – secured with a toothpick.

Let me just say that I am not usually a “toothpick holder” person. I honestly find them to be a bit…tacky? However, sometimes a girl’s got no choice.

The bacon gets dredged in brown sugar before you wrap it around the pineapple. It’s quite amazing really.

For the women, football season is about a third of the way over. Keep the hope, girls!

For the men, remember…if you throw it across the room, you must clean it up. And probably will be serving yourself PB & J for the rest of the season.

Just a thought.

Makes 15 servings – this is relative to what you deem a “serving”

Ingredients::

• 1 pound bacon
• 1 can chunked pineapple
• ½ cup brown sugar

Directions::

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the pound of bacon in half. Put the brown sugar in a shallow bowl. Take a half  slice of bacon and dredge it through the brown sugar.
2. Put two chunks of pineapple, side by side, on one end of the bacon slice and roll up. Secure with a toothpick and place on  jellyroll pan or cookie sheet.
3. Bake for at least 25 minutes, or until the bacon looks brown and crispy.

Needless to say, I never get to make them. Sigh.

Imagine my delight when I came across this recipe for the cocktail party last weekend. I thought, “Who CARES if Ryan and Cynthia don’t like peas?! There will be 26 other people here who might! Yes! Let the peas reign supreme!”

So I proceeded. And got this::
 

You could say it was a “smash” hit.

Oh, and for the record – Ryan loved them. 

Ha. 

Makes about 50 crostinis

Ingredients::

• 1 medium leek, white and light-green parts only
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic, or to taste
• 6 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups fresh or frozen peas, defrosted if frozen
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1 baguette loaf

Directions::

1. Quarter the leek lengthwise, and slice crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces. Place in a large bowl of cold water, and leave for 5 to 10 minutes to rid the pieces of dirt and sand. Using a slotted spoon, lift leek pieces out of water, and drain.
2. In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over low heat; add garlic, shallots, leek, and salt and pepper. Cook until very soft but not browned, about 15 minutes. Add peas, raising the heat to medium, and cook, stirring, until peas are heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Transfer the pea mixture to a food processor. Add the remaining tablespoon olive oil; pulse until mixture is a coarse puree, about 12 pulses. Transfer half the puree to a medium bowl. Process the remaining half of the peas for 15 seconds, then combine with the coarsely pureed peas. Stir in chopped mint. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary.
4. Cut bread into 1/4-inch-thick slices, brush with oil, and toast under the broiler on one side until golden brown. Spread the pea mixture on the toasted bread, and serve immediately or at room temperature.

The dynamic duo. How can you go wrong with these? Ever?

Leeks are one of my up and coming food stars - so pretty, so yummy, and so versatile.

Pass the peas please!

Yes please, fantasticness on a stick.

The chicken sausage in these was the biggest surprise. For whatever reason, I previously had somewhat of an aversion to Italian sausages. I picked up the fabulous Trader Joe’s chicken version for this dish and was super happy with it. I will definitely be using it again in another dish soon.

Serving these at room temperature makes them easy to make ahead and allows all the flavors to meld together before guests dig in. I made mine about 4 hours before hand and then took them out of the fridge an hour before the party. Perfect!

Clearly not as pretty, but equally tasty! Rinse them gently for sand before you use them.

Makes about 24 skewers

Ingredients::

• Cooking spray
• 12 ounces fully cooked Italian-style poultry sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh basil
• 1 12-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained, rinsed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces if large
• 1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

Directions::

1. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat; mist with cooking spray. Add the sausage; cook, turning 2 or 3 times, until warmed through and browned, about 8 minutes.
2. Thread 1 small or 1/2 large basil leaf onto a small wooden skewer. Add a piece of roasted red pepper, sun-dried tomato, artichoke and sausage, arranging them on the skewer so that it can stand up on the sausage end. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make about two-dozen skewers.

• Antipasto Chicken Sausage Skewers with Basil, Roasted Red Peppers, and Sun-dried Tomatoes
• Chocolate Cheesecake Thumbprints
• Smashed Pea & Mint spread on Crostini

No one will realize that you didn’t have the party catered, you’ll save a chunk of change, and none of these recipes is that hard at all. Are you ready for this?

Yeah, I know…I’m excited too. Come back tomorrow y’all!

Enter Easy Peasy Tomato Salad!

This is super simple. Here’s what you do:: 

1. Pick up a 16 oz container of heirloom tomatoes. This will give you shape, size, and color variety. You can pair the tomatoes with arugula, but personally, I love baby spinach (about 7 oz.) so that’s what I got. 

2. Slice the larger tomatoes in the container into halves. Leave the pear tomatoes whole since they’re so cute and tiny already. Lay them on one half of serving dish. 

3. Salt and pepper the tomatoes. Add greens to the other half of the plate.

4. For the dressing, whisk together 3 TBS red wine vinegar and 3 TBS olive oil. 

5. Pour the dressing all over the tomatoes and spinach. 

Difficult? Puh-lease. Super delish? Absolutely.