easy appetizer recipe – In Good Taste

Hot and Spicy Crab Dip

Maris Callahan — Wed, 15 Mar 2017 05:00:53 +0000

The first time I ever had crab dip was at a restaurant in The Tiger’s Tale, a simple bar and grill where my parents would take us to have dinner if we happened to be north of Princeton. It was nothing special, but probably a fun place to get drinks and appetizers if you live in the New Jersey suburbs and happen to like getting drinks and appetizers. I say this because the one thing on the menu that did stand out to me was the “Varsity Club” hot spicy crab dip. This was most likely my first date with a dip loaded full of cream cheese and mayonnaise, and you know what? It was good. Real real good. The version that I’ve recreated since is not quite as real, real good as the version I remember at The Tiger’s Tale, but that is also not leaving room for the fact that I probably have that one hyped up in hindsight (hindsight tends to do that). At The Tiger’s Tale, the crab dip was loaded with cream cheese and mayonnaise, Maryland crab meat and “secret seasoning” which to be honest, is probably something like Old Bay seasoning and not so secret. In any case, I tried […]

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Miniature Macaroni and Cheese Cups with Parmesan Crust

Maris Callahan — Wed, 28 Dec 2016 07:09:20 +0000

One of my favorite, favorite food is macaroni and cheese. I like all versions of it: store-bought, boxed, homemade, from scratch, low-brow, gourmet. It’s comfort food, and it’s celebration food, and so versatile that even Brad, whose culinary abilities extend to making eggs and spaghetti, can whip up a reasonably tasty macaroni and cheese. This miniature macaroni and cheese cup recipe, prepared in ramekins, are the perfect party food or portion-controlled quick weeknight dinner. There are plenty of recipes for from-scratch, homemade macaroni and cheese that are creamy, cheesy and full of goodness, but sometimes you want something that’s going to be quicker, easier and just as delicious. This is where I’ll note that Brad only likes boxed macaroni and cheese, and I’m especially partial to making us the O Organics version from Jewel-Osco, which is fun to doctor up in a bunch of different ways. Jewel-Osco’s O Organics line incorporates fresh fruits and vegetables, wholesome dairy and meats, cereals, snacks and more. With the wide variety of products offered by O Organics, there are so many easy ways to incorporate organic foods into meals. I get my O Organics products at Jewel-Osco, but if you are outside of the […]

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Brie, Cranberry and Leek Flatbread

Maris Callahan — Mon, 09 May 2016 05:00:03 +0000

Cranberries, brie and leeks balance this filling and easy to bake flatbread perfect for an evening of entertaining or paired with a salad as a quick dinner for two. I’m going to go ahead and make a quick confession here: sometimes I go to Whole Foods and I don’t buy anything. Yes, you’re reading this correctly. I window shop at Whole Foods. Just like some people go to department stores, try on a sweater and check back online every few days to see if its gone on sale, I go to the grocery store, cruise the prepared food section for ideas and file them away in the notes section of my iPhone until I’m ready to make something nicer than the yogurt and pretzel sticks that I had for dinner tonight. Last week, I was doing just this when I spotted a new shelf of ready-to-bake flatbread next to the pizza counter at my neighborhood Whole Foods. I happened to have a bag of dried cranberries and a wheel of brie in my refrigerator so one pre-packaged flatbread and a leek later, I knew what I was making for a gathering that I was hosting. Save Print Brie, Cranberry and Leek […]

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Create the Perfect Game Day Table Scape

Maris Callahan — Wed, 20 Jan 2016 22:47:45 +0000

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GameDaySnackHacks #CollectiveBias January gets a really bad reputation for being long, cold and dreary as we all recover from the excitement and nonstop party vibe of the end of the year. In Chicago, it’s hard to find the will to leave your house sometimes, when the temperature is below zero and the wind hurts your face. And well, is not leaving your house really so bad? We all need some down time at home, but that doesn’t mean that your weekend afternoons at home need to be boring and tasteless, either. Luckily, football playoff season is here to keep us all entertained from the comfort of our living rooms. If you’re going to spend a lazy Sunday watching football, you need to prepare your game day fare accordingly, too. I like to serve a combination of homemade dips and appetizers with store-bought treats so that I can enjoy my company, and not spend the full day in the kitchen. For those instances, Farm Rich is the perfect go-to snacks and appetizers brand to invite to your table. Made with real ingredients and ready anytime for […]

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Jalapeño Popper Dip

Maris Callahan — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 06:47:22 +0000

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #VivaLaMorena #CollectiveBias It’s been well documented on this blog that I believe there is one way, and one way only, to watch a football game, and that is with lots and lots of snacks. A few weeks ago, I made bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers stuffed with cheese for a party and they were devoured before they even had a chance to cool out of the oven. As good as they were though — savory, salty, spicy and piping hot — I haven’t wanted to make them again. As much as I might love something, I always feel compelled to try different recipes whenever I have the occasion to entertain, but I knew I needed to channel these poppers again. As we enter the home stretch of football season for 2015-2016, you might think I’d be running out of ideas, but this dip is easily one of the most genius creations to ever emerge from my kitchen on a Sunday. It pairs perfectly with tortilla chips, but crackers, raw veggies or toasted French bread would all pair well, too. If you like your snacks with a little […]

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