Elote {Hot Mexican Corn Dip} Elote a.k.a. Hot Mexican Corn Dip is made with roasted corn in a creamy sauce of spicy mayonnaise, lime, and cotija cheese.Whether you eat it with a spoon or dip into it with tortilla chips, Elote Dip is a snack that everyone loves. Elote Sedona This dish is the creation of Chef Jeff Smedstad, the chef-owner at Elote Cafe in Sedona, AZ. On a weekend getaway in Sedona this past spring, my first taste of this...
Everything Bagel Cheese Straws combine all the flavors from a classic everything bagel with the crunchy, flaky cheese straw snack. These cheese straws are made with puff pastry and Asiago cheese and sprinkled with poppyseeds, sesame seeds, dried onion, and garlic. Cheese Straws Have you ever tried cheese straws? If you love cheese and pastries (and who doesn’t?) I’m sure you’ll love them. A good cheese straw is light, flaky...
This quick and easy Spicy Guacamole is perfect for snacking, topping your burgers, and possibly just eating with a spoon. My kids were pretty excited when I mixed up a batch this week. It’s been too long since we had guacamole in the house! Just in case you’re like me and lucky/unlucky enough to have accidentally ordered 10 avocados instead of 2, and they showed up at your door very very ripe, this recipe will hopefully help you use them up...
Pomegranate Guacamole is a spicy, creamy, fresh as can be guacamole that is likely to turn your idea of what guacamole is supposed to be completely upside down. If you are anything like me, you’re reading the title of this guacamole recipe and you’re likely about to scroll quickly past. But give me a quick moment to change your mind. A few years ago, we went out to dinner at a new to us restaurant, Barrio Queen. While there,...
Cranberry glazed meatballs with lean ground turkey, thyme, fennel seeds, ricotta, glazed with a spicy-sweet ruby red cranberry sauce. Cranberry-glazed meatballs. Holiday party anyone? I don't know about you, but I love party appetizer meatballs. These cranberry meatballs are particularly fun, in that they are sweet, sour, spicy, and savory, all at once. Cheerful little flavor balls in a festive, candy red cranberry glaze Yum! I can say that...
We're taking this beloved, retro recipe up a notch with Italian sausage, gooey Camembert cheese and fresh herbs. Meet your new favorite appetizer, or a mighty fine addition to family movie night! Let's bring a little retro back this season, shall we? Maybe you've heard of them or maybe they're new to you – regardless, we're willing to bet these cheesy sausage balls will be a hit at your next family gathering! Often made with sausage, boxed...
Are you a turnip lover? If so, try these delicious turnip and potato patties! They're a cross between pancakes and fritters, but made with turnips and potatoes. Turnips on their own can be on the bitter side. Great for those who love nothing more than the zing of strong turnip, but for the rest of us? Enter the potato. When you cook and mash turnips together with potatoes, and then fry them up in savory patty, you transform this bitter root...
These Gouda and Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms, made with your basic white button mushroom, are a hearty, crowd-pleasing party appetizer. Stuff them ahead and bake them when ready. Your guests won't be able to have just one! Stuffed mushrooms are one of the first things I ever learned to cook as a budding home cook. They seem fancy but are actually quite approachable and endlessly flexible. Over the years I’ve made them every which way,...
Minced clams mixed with butter, onions, parsley, and bread crumbs, spooned into half clam shells and baked. Quahog Stuffies recipe. For most California girls, the idea of "digging for clams" isn't really part of our cultural makeup. But out in Rhode Island, and the beaches south of Cape Cod, digging in the sand for your dinner is apparently a regular summertime activity. My friend Alden (age 8) and her sister Piper (my goddaughter, age 5) took...
Jalapeños Peppers stuffed with cheese and bacon make a great appetizer for a crowd! They're easy to prep ahead and then throw a batch in the oven when people get hungry. Are you a risk taker? I think one has to be a bit adventurous to eat jalapeños. You never know if biting into one is going to yield that wonderful flavor and kick that is the basis for so much of Southwestern food. Or if that one little bite will pack such a fiery punch that...
