easy appetizer – In Good Taste

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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Pears with Brie and Prosciutto

Maris Callahan — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 06:00:00 +0000

Even though the tongue is covered in taste buds, about 75% of what we taste actually comes from our sense of smell. Our mouths can only detect four distinguish four tastes: bitter, sour, salty and sweet. Even though there are times when I’ll specifically crave sweets or savory, there are other times when a combination of flavors are the only thing that will fit the bill. Sweet and salty is a popular combination of flavors: a slice of bacon wrapped around a sweet date, a tangy cheese topped with a sweet chutney. So when I was party-recipe shopping a few weeks ago and found the blue cheese on sale and aftewr several indecisive laps around the grocery store, decided that pear and prosciutto would be the winning combination. The best part about these is that they’re so easy to assemble that you’ll have no problem delegating them out to friends who arrive early to your dinner party or to a significant other doing his or her due diligence in the kitchen. Save Print Pears with Brie and Prosciutto Author: Maris Callahan Recipe type: Small Plates & Snacks, Cooking for a Crowd Prep time: 5 mins Total time: 5 mins Serves: 8 Ingredients 2 […]

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Pumpkin Walnut Crostini

Maris Callahan — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 08:45:09 +0000

Delicious and flexible, pumpkin is a highlight of the autumn season, well beyond the shelf life of the pumpkin spice latte. During the holiday season, canned or fresh pumpkin is a great way to add a rich, creamy texture to your favorite hors-d’oeuvres. Pumpkin walnut crostini is a healthy twist on a simple starter that blends seasonal flavors with simple nutrition. The nutrition team at Guiding Stars, an organization that helps take the guesswork out of making healthy food choices, suggests using canned pumpkin purée for a faster preparation, or use your favorite nuts to change the flavor up. You can customize your crostini by mixing up your choice of fresh herbs. Save Print Pumpkin Walnut Crostini Author: Guiding Stars Recipe type: Small Plates & Snacks Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 10 mins Total time: 20 mins Serves: 10 Ingredients 2 pounds fresh pumpkin, roasted 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ medium onion, minced 2 tablespoons fresh mint, minced ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg ¼ cup walnuts, toasted and minced ⅓ cup Asiago cheese, grated ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 1 whole-wheat baguette, thinly sliced Instructions Puree squash. Over medium heat, sauté onion in 1 tablespoon oil until lightly caramelized. Add the cooked onion, mint, nutmeg, walnuts, […]

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Warm Brie with Wild Mushrooms

Maris Callahan — Mon, 10 Nov 2014 05:00:48 +0000

Planning hors d’oeuvres for any big dinner party isn’t easy. How do you begin your meal properly without taking up using appetite real estate that would be better saved for the main event? We love the idea of serving a simple cheese platter or an Italian charcuterie and cheese board, but if you want to keep it simple, a wheel of warm brie with wild mushrooms is a crowd pleaser. Chef Daniel Boulud, owner of 7 restaurants in New York City and 6 in national and international destinations, shared a version of this with Food & Wine. His version use a fancy French cheese and exotic mushrooms, but ours is a simplified recipe inspired by the chef that anyone could easily whip up at home. Use whatever mushroom medley you can find in your grocery store and an 8-ounce cheek of brie cheese, which typically run under $10. Save Print Warm Brie with Wild Mushroom Fricassee Author: Maris Callahan Recipe type: Small Plates & Snacks, Cooking for a Crowd Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 16 mins Total time: 26 mins Serves: 6 Ingredients One 8-ounce wheel of ripe brie in its wooden box, at room temperature 1 tablespoon olive oil ¾ […]

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Belgian Endive with Smoked Trout Salad

Maris Callahan — Wed, 27 Aug 2014 05:00:56 +0000

Although a common ingredient in the kitchens of Belgium and France, endive did not reach the mainstream in America until the 1970s, when it became a popular addition to salads. Now, you might recognize the miniature leaves of the compact heads as tender, crisp greenery used as a garnish or a salad addition in restaurants. Endive are inexpensive, so they’re a popular way to spruce up an otherwise simple hors d’oeuvres or entrees. The first time you see endive, you might very well be uncertain as to what exactly you’re supposed to do with it. Generally, endive has a crisp texture while its flavor ranges from sweet to bitter. It’s most common in the winter months in the U.S. but most grocery stores stock it year round. Because endive is still not as common as some of its leafy green cousins, it’s a fun ingredient to pair with some other less-common market finds.. Smoked trout is something that rarely appears on menus, in favor of more common sea dwellers like smoked salmon. Smoked trout has long been a favorite of fine cuisine aficionados. Originally, people smoked trout and other kinds of fish to preserve it to keep longer. Now, people smoke it because it’s […]

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