Category Archives: Appetizing Apps

Crispy Kale Chips

Posted on by

Over the weekend I had kale chips for the first time. I fully expected not to like them (bitter greens as chips? Palease).  But, I loved them! (Surprisingly my husband did too. This is so far from normal for him, but they were THAT good.) Seeing that we both liked them so much, I of course wanted to make them myself and share the wealth with you lovely readers. So here they are!

  • 1 bunch of fresh kale (remove leaves from the stalk and cut in to bit sized pieces)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil (you could also use a teeny tiny bit of truffle oil if you’re feeling adventurous)
  • 1 tsp course sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss kale in olive oil until fully covered, and spread out on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until edges of the leaves are brown.

Kale chips

Happy Eating, XO.

Pesto Chicken & Tomato Kabobs

Posted on by

It’s officially the season to get to grilling and dining alfresco! (Thank God!) And although it’s easy enough to just throw burgers or steaks on the grill with some veggies, it’s time to mix it up a bit. But don’t worry, these kabobs have just as much yumminess in them! They’re perfect and quick for a summer BBQ, right along with this refreshing lemonade spritzer.

  • 1 pack of skewers (if you’re using wood ones, be sure to soak them in water for at least a half hour before grilling)
  • 4 chicken breasts, cubed
  • 1 large package of cherry tomatoes
  • 1 package of pesto sauce (Knoll’s instant pesto sauce is perfect)

Soak the skewers for at least a half hour before grilling. (I know I’ve already said this but it’s super important! I didn’t do this the first time I used skewers and they burnt to ash, obviously…). While the skewers are soaking, mix the pesto sauce according to package instructions. Marinate the chicken in the sauce in a plastic bag for a half hour. (Feel free to do it longer for a bolder flavor.)

When you’re ready to start kabob-ing, layer the chicken and tomatoes on the skewers and put directly on the grill. Let them cook for a total of 20 minutes, rotating every 5 minutes.

Pesto chicken & tomato kabob

Happy Eating, XO.

Aloo tiki

Posted on by

Aloo tiki or potato cutlet is a North Indian snack made of boiled potatoes and various spices. “Aloo” means potato, and the word “tikki” means a small cutlet or croquette. It is found in almost every chaat shop or stall in Delhi, as well as, in other parts of India. It is served hot along with, tamarind and coriander-mint chutney (sauce), known as Hari (green) chutney. I decided I need to learn how to make these after my best friend had a craving for them over the weekend and asked my mom to make us some. They are fairly simple to make and very filling. They are excellent to serve as an afternoon snack with tea or with drinks as an appetizer. Next time we have a craving, we won’t need to run home for them…yum!

  • 3 medium size potatoes
  • 1 small onion- finely chopped or a half of a medium
  • 1 green chili- finely chopped (remove seeds when chopping to minimize heat if you are worried about spice level)
  • 1 tsp. cumin powder
  • 1 tsp. coriander powder
  • 1 tsp. fennel powder (I didn’t have any so I left out, you won’t die if it isn’t in there)
  • ½ tsp. red chili powder
  • ¼ tsp. dry ginger powder (I also added garlic powder in place of the fennel, mainly because I can’t eat most food without some sort of garlicky goodness)
  • ½ tsp. chaat masala powder (MDG is my fav brand, but there are tons of kinds out there & easy to find)
  • 2 tbsp. flour or corn starch (you cant skip this, it helps bind them and give them a crust, they will fall apart without it)
  • handful of fresh coriander leaves chopped (AKA cilantro. If you don’t like the flavor of cilantro, fresh parsley works as well)
  • oil for pan or shallow frying (vegetable is best since olive oil has a stronger flavor)
  • salt (I also added a pinch of black pepper)

Boil the peeled potatoes and after they are cooled a bit, using a grater to grate them. You can even use a potato masher instead of grating to save time. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Divide the mixture into equal portions and shape each portion into a round, flat tikki. (Pack them tightly so they don’t fall apart in the pan) Heat a non-stick pan on a medium to high flame and cook each tikki, using oil generously: think shallow fry, till both sides are golden brown. (you will be tempted to mess with them but let each side firm up & get browned, flip gently). Drain on an absorbent paper towel to catch any excess oil and serve hot. This is the Indian version of our latkes. It tastes like nostalgia/home.

Happy Eating, XO.

Pear Salad

Posted on by

So all my lamenting about it feeling more like fall & winter than Spring finally paid off! This was the first time we had nice weather and it lasted all weekend long! I mean we had to turn on the AC that’s how nice it was! Having said that, its time to eat lighter and more spring like now. So below is my quick and easy salad. I served it with the are you too chicken last night. Yum-o!

  • 2 Bartlett pears (fairly ripe)
  • 1/2 of a medium yellow onion (Vidalia works, but so does a Spanish onion)
  • 1 bag of the Sorrento Salad Mix from Trader Joes (it just has arugula, baby spinach, and lettuce in it. I also throw in a fist full of shredded raddicho just because I had some in the fridge and I like the purple color).
  • 1 cup of sesame sticks (photo below & also bought from Trader Joes-sorry that’s where I grocery shop, but I will say most stores will have them in nuts & snacks aisle, look near trail mixes)
  • 1/4 cup of champagne pear vinaigrette with gorgonzola from Trader Joe’s (I know homemade dressing is better, but I was hung over so I did a short cut, big deal, its yummy nonetheless).
  • Optional is to add some crumbled gorgonzola on the top but I was trying to keep it light so I left out, the vinaigrette is creamy and silky enough you shouldn’t miss the added cheese.

Slice the pears in long, Julienne strips. Do the same for the onions and toss with the sesame sticks, salad packet and dressing. Serve immediately and a good tip is to make sure the pears and onions are cold from the fridge when serving, I don’t know what it is about a cold salad on a warm afternoon! Oh and the peppery arugula coupled with the sweet pear and the sharp onion and crunchy sesame sticks is the perfect combo of different taste bud pleasers we try to achieve in all of our sultry salads 🙂

photo

Happy Eating, XO.

Pull Apart Bread

Posted on by

It’s time to get creative with the old “bread bowl” idea. Don’t get me wrong, I love bread bowls, but it’s high time to make them even easier to make. I’m sure it goes without saying, but this is a great app for a dinner or cocktail party. I always tend to wait to the last minute to get ready for a party and this honestly has saved me many times.

  • 1 loaf of sourdough bread
  • 1 cup of pesto sauce (I used the instant powder kind. Works just as well.)
  • 1 cup of mozzarella
  • Sprinkle of oregano all over

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Score the bread (ie, don’t cut it all the way through) horizontally and vertically to get your “pull apart” pieces. Pour the pesto sauce in to the crevices and use a spatula to smother it in there. Trust me, you want it on every piece! Next, stuff the mozzarella in each crevice and sprinkle on the oregano. Bake for 15 minutes.

Last step – go to town on it! You won’t be able to restrain yourself. But don’t worry, we don’t judge.

Pull apart bread

 

Happy Eating, XO