Layered Pizza Dip

An easy recipe to put together. I would recommend using the already sliced pepperoni and chopping that unless you plan on slicing the link of pepperoni REALLY thin. I served with pita chips.

Layered Pizza Dip

Mexican Spinach Dip

This was really quick and easy to make and quite tasty. I was worried the spinach would make it all taste too earthy but it worked really well together. Enjoy!

Mexican Spinach Dip

Blood Orange Margaritas

Delicious! If you can't find blood oranges or juice, use half orange juice, half cranberry juice.

Blood Orange Margaritas

Seven Layer Greek Dip

A delicious, healthy, and easy to prepare appetizer! I used regular feta instead of the crazy feta and it still had tons of flavor.

Seven Layer Greek Dip

White Pizza Dip

White Pizza Dip

Spicy Sausage Dip

Spicy Sausage Dip

Chicken Hot Pockets

This is a nice, hearty appetizer good for a cocktail party or any other event where you aren't serving a full meal right away. Basically a crescent roll wrapped around a mixture of chicken, cream cheese, and green onions; it's great finger food and very delicious.

I thought it would be a little troublesome to fold the cresecent rolls around the mixture but it was really very simple and just took a little bit of prep time. I was bringing these to a party so I made the chicken mixture in advance, refrigerated it and then assembled the pockets and baked them right before the leaving for the party. These can be reheated in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes, covered with foil.

Assembled and ready to go in the oven

I had printed this recipe out before I started blogging so there is no citation, but I changed a few things around anyway. If this looks like it might be your recipe, please send me the link to it and I will give you credit!

Chicken Hot Pockets

adapted from unknown source

Makes 24 pockets

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted

2 cups chicken (about 1 pound or two chicken breasts), cooked and shredded

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3 green onions, chopped

3 (8-ounce) packages crescent rolls

cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with non-stick foil or parchment paper.

In large bowl, combine cream cheese and melted butter with an electric hand mixer. Add chicken, salt, pepper, and green onions, and mix to combine.

Unroll dough (it's easier if you do this one package at a time). Cut each package into 8 squares. Firmly press perforations in rolls to seal. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of chicken mixture into the middle of each square. Pull the 4 corners of the square up to the center; twist and pinch edges to seal.

Place on prepared baking sheet. Lightly spray the top of each pocket with cooking spray.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Cheese Straws with Feta and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

So I am now back to taking out an insane number of cookbooks from the library every few weeks. It's a great way to browse through a cookbook, write down a few recipes if desired, or even decide to purchase one if I like it enough. Since I love menus and planning events, I added Celebrations 101 by Rick Rodgers to my bag right away. This book is great - he gives a compehensive menu (including shopping list!) for every major holiday of the year. I love to see dishes put together in a complete meal and, unlike some other cookbooks I have read, would actually eat most, if not all, of these dishes.

I picked out this recipe from the book to bring as an appetizer for my sister-in-law's birthday dinner (I halved the recipe below and only got 16 straws with the way that I cut). I was a little nervous to work with puff pastry in this way, but with a little patience and some counter space it was actually pretty easy. This looks to be pretty versatile as well, as I can imagine almost any crumbled cheese would be delicious here. Enjoy!

Cheese Straws with Feta and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

from Celebrations 101

Makes 40 straws

1 (17.25-ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package directions

1 large egg white, beaten until foamy

2 cups (8 ounces) well-crumbled, flavored feta cheese (sun-dried tomato and basil is best)

Position your racks in the oven in the center and top third and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or non-stick foil.

Unfold one pastry dough sheet on a lightly floured work surface (a clean counter or a large cutting board). Refrigerate the remaining sheet. Lightly dust the sheet you are working on with flour and roll into a 14x10 inch rectangle. Brush lightly but thoroughly with egg white. Cut the dough in half to make two 10x7 inch rectangles.

Sprinkle half of the crumbled feta evenly over one of the rectangles. Top with the second rectangle, egg-white side down. You are basically making a sandwich with the feta in the middle and the two egg-white sides facing inwards. Lightly roll the pin over the dough to press the cheese into both sides of the dough, or you can lightly press with your hands if need be.

Starting on a long side, cut the dough into 20 1/2-inch wide strips. (As you can see by my commentary above, I only got 16 strips out of half the dough. I also did not measure, but just eyeballed it by continually cutting in half.) Twist the strips into spirals and place 1/2-inch apart on prepared baking sheet. Press the ends of each strip into the pan to prevent untwisting during baking.

Repeat with the remaining dough, egg white and cheese. Freeze the baking sheets for 10 minutes.

Bake, 20-25 minutes until straws are lightly browned; switching the sheets on the oven racks half way through baking time. Let cool about 1 minute on the sheets, then transfer to wire cooling rack.

These can be made up to one day ahead. Once cooled completely, store in an airtight container. When ready to serve, reheat and crisp at 350 degrees F for about 5 minutes.

Parmesan Rosemary Breadsticks

This is a nice little appetizer to put with an antipasto platter or a nice little side dish to put with soup or salad. It's very easy and quick since it uses refrigerated breadstick dough and develops a nice flavor from the rosemary and Parmesan.


I got this recipe at a cooking class I attended a few years ago so I have no way to cite this or give credit for this recipe. Just know that it's not mine but I use it a lot!

Parmesan Rosemary Breadsticks
from unknown source
Makes about 24 breadsticks

1 package Pillsbury breadstick dough (12 breadsticks)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
Olive oil
Kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a two heavy baking sheets with nonstick foil, parchment paper, or cooking spray.

Combine the grated cheese and rosemary on a large, shallow plate. Set aside.

Lay the breadsticks out on a work surface and cut each in half lengthwise, to make 24 long strips. Lightly brush olive oil over the strips; place strips in cheese mixture and turn to coat both sides. Then roll the strips with your palms on the work surface or between your hands to incorporate the cheese mixture into the dough. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with all strips (12 on each baking sheet).

Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden. Serve immediately. If you need to make these ahead, prepare through placing them on the baking sheet and store in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before baking.

Buffalo Chicken Cheese Bites

With all the craziness of the party, I didn't get a chance to take an individual picture of these little guys. But if you look closely they are on the plate at the front of the table, the one with the green bowl of dip on it.

I really liked the idea of this recipe because they aren't fried, but baked. Not that I have anything against deep-frying itself, but I really don't want to do it in my kitchen. So I prepped these bites the morning of the party, stuck them in the fridge, and baked them right before the guests showed up. They were delicious - nice and cheesy, not too spicy, and crispy enough on the outside. Serve with blue cheese dressing or the dip of your choice!

Buffalo Chicken Cheese Bites
adapted from Macaroni and Cheesecake, originally from Made by Melissa via Food Network
Makes about 3 dozen bites

2 small cans Swanson chicken breast, shredded
1/4 cup hot sauce (preferably Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Sauce)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with non-stick foil or lightly spray a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine chicken, hot sauce, cream cheese, and cheddar cheese. Mix thoroughly. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out mixture, roll into a ball between your hands, and place on a plate to begin dipping process.

Place flour, eggs, and bread crumbs into three separate bowls for dipping. Take each buffalo chicken ball and roll it in the flour, then egg, then bread crumbs. Place on prepared baking sheet or in baking dish.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot with dipping sauce.

Antipasto Platter

No real recipes for this dish, just ideas for a large platter with a variety of food. I wanted to keep it low on prep time, since I was making so many other things for Abbie's party. You just need to spend a little bit of time in the gourmet section of your grocery store, and many of these things can be substitued out for others. For example, use Serrano ham instead of the prosciutto with the cantaloupe, or serve slices of goat cheese with the sundried tomatoes.

Antipasto Platter

• Marinated bocconcini (tiny mozzarella balls) skewered on a toothpick with marinated julienned sundried tomatoes
• Cantaloupe scooped out with a melon baller or cookie scoop wrapped in slices of prosciutto and skewered on a toothpick
• Slices of roasted eggplant - make it like this recipe directs
• Roasted red peppers marinated in balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper
• Chopped marinated artichoke hearts
• Chunks of Asiago and Parmesan cheese
• Marinated assorted olives

Serve with assorted crackers and breadsticks.

Feta Crostini with Tomato, Bacon, and Apple Jam

This was an elegant little appetizer that was easy to put together and made an impressive presentation. The bacon gives the jam a smoky, salty flavor; while the apples give it a little bit of sweetness. Try to cut the apples and onion the same size as the diced tomatoes so that the jam has a uniform look to it and you get all the flavors in one bite.

So make this for a cozy evening in at home or to bring to a dinner party - it will be a hit!

Feta Crostini with Tomato, Bacon, and Apple Jam

from Better Homes and Gardens, September 2010 issue

Makes about 30 pieces

1/2 pound smoked bacon, or 8 tablespoons REAL Bacon Bits

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained

1 cup sugar

1 medium apple, peeled, cored, and diced

1 small yellow onion, diced

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 loaf baguette style French-bread, thinly sliced (toasted, optional)

8 ounces crumbled Feta cheese

snipped fresh or dried chives

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until just browned, about 5 minutes. (Omit if using Bacon Bits.) Transfer to paper towel to drain and cool; crumble.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine drained tomatoes, sugar, apple, onion, vinegar, salt, pepper, and bacon. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring often, for 12 minutes or until apples are tender and most of the liquid is reduced.

Remove pan from heat; let sit for 5 minutes. (If making jam ahead, just rewarm.)

Top each baguette slice with a spoonful of warm jam, then sprinkle with crumbled Feta and chives. Serve immediately.

Bacon Appetizer Crescents

Yes, another post with no photos - I do apologize! I brought these to a barbecue and neglected to take any pictures as they were being gobbled up by everyone. But I got so many compliments (and they are so EASY) I couldn't keep them all to myself. And you can look at some nice photos over on Delish where I found these!

You can pretty much change up the add-in ingredients here to suit your tastebuds, I can't wait to try some new variations! I wouldn't make these too far in advance, and if you do, warm them slightly before serving.

Bacon Appetizer Crescents
slightly adapted from Delish
Makes 32 pieces

1 package (8-ounce) cream cheese, softened
8 sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled, or 1/2 cup REAL Bacon Bits
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon milk
2 cans (8-ounce) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or non-stick foil.

Mix together all ingredients except crescent rolls until well-blended. An electric mixer helps, but is not necessary.

Separate each can of dough into four rectangles on a work surface. Firmly press perforations together to seal. Spread each rectangle with about 2 tablespoons of cream cheese mixture; cover evenly. Roll up each rectangle (starting with the shorter side) and then cut each cylinder into 4 equal pieces with a serrated knife. Place on prepared baking sheet.

Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Baked Mozzarella and Tomato Antipasti

This little appetizer was gobbled up almost immediately - it was so simple and delicious! Add that to an almost nonexistent prep time, and I will definitely be adding this to my list of tried-and-true apps.

The pasta sauce plays a large part in the taste of this, so use a homemade one or a good quality store bought. Fresh mozzarella is a must, as well as fresh basil. If you don't have time to make the Parmesan baguette, crackers would do, but it's really worth the effort to toast some little crostini :) This dish is so simple to throw together, I wouldn't recommend making it in advance. I prepped it a few hours before I baked it and the sauce settled a little and left the top kind of watery.

I didn't change anything else from the original recipe so I will link you below. Just keep an eye on the baking time - you may need to leave it in the oven a bit longer than directed to melt the cheese more. Or even turn the broiler on (if you have it in a direct heat-safe dish) at the end for a few minutes. Enjoy!

Baked Mozzarella and Tomato Basil Antipasti

Cranberry, Caramelized Onion, and Goat Cheese Dip

This was sooooo good. That pretty much sums up what everyone said about it! The sweetness of the caramelized onions really accented the tart cranberries well. And then layered over a bed of creamy goat cheese, how can you go wrong? The only change I will make next time is double the amount of goat cheese, as most of us agreed that we wanted more of that flavor. This is a great dip to make in advance or to bring to a party because there is no baking. Nothing to keep hot!

I also noticed on the original post from Beantown Baker that her original recipe used blue cheese instead, which I love as well, so I may try that another time! Other than that, no changes made so I will link you to where I got the recipe:

Cranberry, Caramelized Onion, and Goat Cheese Dip

Baked Caprese Salad

The first recipe from the Duet Birthday Dinner, this is a delicious little bite that looks gorgeous and is easy to assemble! A twist on the standard tomatoes and mozz; the tomato and mozzarella are placed on a toast slice and baked again to melt the cheese. A piece of fresh basil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper complete this wonderful appetizer.

Make sure to use good quality olive oil and fresh basil is a must! Here's the link directly to Giada's recipe:

Baked Caprese Salad

Chicken Enchilada Dip Rollups

Happy New Year everyone! This is a fabulous little appetizer that feeds a crowd and is easy to assemble. You get lots of spicy southwestern flavor combined with the creamy cheeses all rolled up in an easy-to-eat bite.

If you can't find the flavored tortillas, the plain flour ones work as well - there is enough flavor from the filling. Also, the original recipe calls for a shredded rotisserie chicken, but you know that I prefer to make my own shredded chicken - do whichever is easier for you!

Chicken Enchilada Dip Rollups

slightly adapted from Delicious Meliscious, originally from Cook Like a Champion

Makes about 50 pieces

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 1/3 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

1 clove garlic, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

cayenne pepper, to taste

kosher salt, to taste

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

4 green onions, chopped

10-ounce can Rotel tomatoes, drained

1 package (10-count) jalapeno cheddar tortillas

Mix cheeses together in large bowl until well blended. Add all remaining ingredients except tortillas and mix well.

Lay out tortillas and place one heaping spoonful of filling in the middle of each tortilla. Spread mixture to edge of each tortilla, leaving a small border. Roll up and refrigerate for at least one hour (you will use about 9 tortillas, depending on how much filling you place on each).

Remove rollups from refrigerator and cut off the very ends, where there is no filling. Slice each rollup into 6 pieces each. Serve immediately or refrigerate until needed.

300th Post and Brie-Stuffed Mushrooms

Well, it took me a little longer comparably to get to 300 posts than it did 100 and 200 but I made it! And this is the perfect little appetizer to celebrate it. I love stuffed mushrooms and am always looking for a different way to make them, so when I saw these in my friend Lauren's blog I thought, what's better than Brie?!

Please excuse the photos in this post - they were taken as we were scrambling to put everything on the table at my parents' party. So they were taken in the wrong setting as well as not very pretty. Check out the photos in Lauren's post below instead!

*And special shout out again to my wonderful sister, Meghan, who helped me with this.*

I didn't change anything so I am linking you to the original recipe - the amount in my photos is double the amounts. Enjoy!

Brie-Stuffed Mushrooms

Eggplant Caviar

I have had this recipe from Good Things Catered bookmarked for quite awhile. I love using eggplant in appetizers, and decided my parents' annual holiday party was a good occasion for this one.

My sister and I made this together, and it was super easy. You don't even have to peel or chop the eggplant - just throw the whole thing in the oven to roast and the rest is done in the food processor!

Changes I made: I have an aversion to peeling whole tomatoes (it NEVER works for me) so I substitued a 14.5 ounce can of drained petit diced tomatoes for the two fresh ones in the recipe. We also served this on untoasted baguette slices, but if you like the toasty version, just follow the directions in Katie's original recipe.

Otherwise, everything else was the same as the original recipe found right here:

Eggplant Caviar

Beach Bread

This appetizer was a hit at my mother-in-law's birthday dinner this past weekend. To be honest, you can't really go wrong with buttery bread topped with diced tomatoes and melted cheese! I can't wait to make this down the shore for happy hour!

I sliced my bread a little differently from the pictures on Melissa's site, so make sure to check out the link to see the variation. We also loved this so much that I made this again with different flavors last night to go with a spinach salad so my own variation on the dressing and cheese is in parentheses - you can really mix and match depending on your tastes! Amounts are approximate, I didn't really measure anything, just made sure I had enough to cover the surface of the bread.

Beach Bread
from Delicious Melicious
Makes about 8 appetizer servings

1 large loaf French bread
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1/3 cup blue cheese dressing (or three-cheese ranch dressing)
1 large tomato, diced or 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (or three-cheese italian)

Preheat the broiler to high.

Slice the bread in half lengthwise. Butter the inside surface of the bread. Place on a baking sheet under the broiler until slightly toasted (be careful, this happens fast!).

Remove from oven and drizzle the dressing over both halves. Spread evenly with a knife. Top with diced tomatoes and then cover with shredded cheese.

Put back under broiler until cheese is melted and just beginning to turn brown. Cool slightly (so you can slice it), cut into appetizer-sized pieces and serve immediately.