appetizer » Living Lou

Jalapeno Cheddar Breadsticks

Frozen puff pastry is a life saver. I don’t like to use frozen, pre-made ingredients often, but when it comes to puff pastry, I’ll make an exception. I try to always keep a box in the freezer, because I can almost guarantee that there will be a time when you forget you need an appetizer for a dinner or barbecue you’re hosting. Trust me, it will save your life, not to mention reputation. Ha! Just kidding, nobody really cares if you have an appetizer, but it’s fun to play Martha Stewart every now and then. Plus, because these Jalapeno Cheddar Breadsticks are so easy, you might love them even more than your guests.

I’ve made many of these bread sticks before and they are one of the easiest (and most loved) appetizers you can make. It’s amazing the way puff pastry can transform ingredients. If you’re looking for some other options to make, give my Olive and Mozzarella Breadsticks a try. You know what would be even more fun? If you made the Jalapeno Cheddar Breadsticks and Olive Mozzarella Breadsticks at the same time and had options for your guests. This is why they pay me the big(!) bucks my friends.

Jalapeno Cheddar Breadsticks
Recipe by Lou

Ingredients

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg + 1 tbsp water, whisked
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 jalapenos, seeded and finely diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 400.

On a lightly floured surface roll out both pieces of puff pastry and brush with egg wash.

In a medium bowl, mix together cheese, jalapenos, garlic, pepper and salt.

Leaving a 1/2 inch border, sprinkle one sheet of puff pastry with cheese mixture.

Place the second sheet of puff pastry on top of the first sheet. Pressing around the edges to seal.

Using a knife or a pizza cutter cut the sheets into 24 thin strips. Picking up by each end, twist the breadsticks and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Be sure to press down the ends of the dough onto the cookie sheet so that the breadsticks keep their shape.

Repeat with remaining dough and bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes.

Give these Jalapeno Cheddar Breadsticks a try at your next dinner party.

- Lou

Roasted Eggplant Dip

When I received my July assignment for The Secret Recipe Club I was a little bit nervous. You see, I was assigned the lovely blog Smells Like Brownies which would normally be the perfect fit because I love brownies, but…

I’m in Greece! And baking on a small island in Greece is completely different from baking in Toronto. The flours are different and the sugar is different. What if I didn’t have the right tools? What kind of impact would the change in altitude have? Luckily, Melissa from Smells Like Brownies has such a variety of recipes on her blog that I found the perfect recipe, a popular Greek dip, Melitzanosalata, also known as Roasted Eggplant Dip. The best part – eggplants straight from the garden.

My grandparents grow a ton of vegetables. Talk about a food bloggers dream, literally having a farmer’s market in your own backyard. Typically a Melitzanosalata uses just parsley instead of rosemary, but I loved the addition of rosemary – plus we have about three massive bushes of rosemary growing in the garden. If you’re looking for another one of my favourite eggplant recipes, checkout my Eggplant Salad – it’s too good.

Roasted Eggplant Dip (Melitzanosalata) (serves 2-4)
Recipe by Lou

Ingredients

1 large eggplant
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/4 onion
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary
2 tbsp fresh parsley
1/4 cup olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 400.

Poke the eggplant all over with a fork and roast for 40 minutes or until tender.

Once eggplant is done, slice in half and scoop out the inside.

In a food processor, combine the eggplant, garlic, onion, rosemary, parsley and olive oil. Pulse until desired consistency.

Serve with crackers or pita, I served mine with melba toast and it was delicious.

Have a great Monday everyone!

Lou

Chipotle Roasted Almonds

I’ve seen roasted nuts – almonds, peanuts and walnuts everywhere, but I never had the urge to try them until recently. The real reason I made these Chipotle Roasted Almonds is for a new recipe coming your way next week. Here’s a hint: it has to do with ice cream and it is to die for. Back to the roasted nuts, what’s so special about them? Here’s what’s special – they are so good and so addicting. The perfect blend of sweet and salty with a slight smoky and spicy aftertaste that makes your taste buds sing. I can see many variations of roasted nuts becoming a staple snack in my house. I always thought that I loved almonds but this takes our relationship to a whole new level. What’s your relationship like with almonds? I can almost guarantee that after trying these, you might fall in love all over again.

These make a great protein packed snack or a fabulous appetizer to have at your next gathering.

Chipotle Spice Roasted Almonds (makes 2 cups)
Recipe by Lou

Ingredients

2 cups raw almonds
3 tbsp honey
3 tbsp water
1/8 cup sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 325. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine sugar, salt and chipotle chili powder, set aside.

In a medium pot bring honey and water to a boil.

Add almonds and stir to coat in honey/water mixture. Continue boiling and stirring until most of the liquid has been absorbed.

In one layer, pour almonds onto the prepared baking sheet.

Roast for 30 minutes – stirring almonds every 10 minutes to ensure even cooking.

Once fully roasted, pour almonds into a large bowl and sprinkle with sugar mixture. Tossing to coat.

Allow nuts to cool, tossing every little while to ensure that they do not stick together. Store in an airtight container.

I hope you enjoy these Chipotle Roasted Almonds as much as I do.

- Lou

Appetizer Meatballs

I know there are others out there like me, we’re the ones who are just not really into the Superbowl. Football isn’t really my thing. I’m more into figure skating, or soccer, or food. Which isn’t a sport, but it should be. So while North America is gearing up for the big game, I’m gearing up for the big night. We’re well on our way to The Oscars; The Critics Choice are a distant memory and The Golden Globes have come and gone, all that’s left is that coveted golden statue, Oscar. You see, there are tons of Oscar categories that unfortunately, go unnoticed. One of my favourite “under the radar” categories is the Best Original Score. Have you ever taken the time to listen to a score? They are beautiful, and they add so much to a film.

It’s only recently that I’ve begun to notice scores, but I’m so glad that I did. Not only are they stunning, they help me concentrate. Everyone has those times when things have to get serious. You throw your hair into a messy bun and set a plan to get all your readings done, or to reply to all of your emails or to write a couple of blog posts. It’s during those times when focusing is necessary that I turn to film scores to help me concentrate. One of my favourite websites, 8tracks.com has amazing playlists of movie scores. This is one of my current favourites as well as this playlist. Also, as you all know I love Harry Potter so naturally, I love listening the Harry Potter scores, they bring back so many memories.

Appetizer Meatballs (makes 40 small meatballs)
Recipe by Lou

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs minced pork
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp cayenne
3/4 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp oregano
3/4 tsp black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients for the meatballs.

Using your hands, roll out 40 small meatballs. Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet.

Cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until fully cooked. Serve with toothpicks.

Have a great Superbowl Sunday everyone, I’ll be off listening to my film scores.

- Lou

Shrimp and Vegetable Skewers

So we’re nearing the halfway mark for our award show countdown and the Oscar nominations are finally out – yay! Who’s surprised? Disappointed? Excited? I have to say that I’m a little surprised that Michael Fassbender wasn’t nominated for Shame. I’ve yet to see the movie, but I’ve heard his performance was one of the best of the year. I’m off to see My Week With Marilyn today and am really looking forward to it, having heard great things. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is also on my radar.

Onto the food – this next dish for our Oscar spread are these easy and flavorful Shrimp and Vegetable Skewers. Shrimp for the meat-eaters and vegetables are a vegetarian option, which means that there will be something for everyone at your party. These are also pretty substantial so your guests won’t be hungry. What I love about these skewers is that you can serve them warm, but they also taste amazing when cold. Since both skewers are made with the same marinade, they are really versatile and delicious. My favourite part is the deep flavor of the tomatoes, mmm.

[Have you been keeping up with our Oscar Party recipes? Check out the Olive and Mozzarella Breadsticks and the Seafood Salad.]

Skewers (serves 8 – about 14 skewers.)

Ingredients

Marinade
6 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp melted butter
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 dried basil
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp thyme

Skewers
1 lb bag of raw, deveined peeled shrimp
8 New potatoes
8 pearl onions, peeled
8-10 asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
12-14 cherry tomatoes

Directions

Preheat oven to 325.

Skewer shrimp onto half of the skewers, and then skewers the vegetables onto the remaining half of the skewers.

Combine the ingredients for the marinade and brush over all skewers.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Flip skewers and bake for another 15.

These taste great served warm or cold, happy Award Season.

- Lou