C is for Crostini

I have a new favorite appetizer for spring: strawberry basil crostini.   It is so simple and so fresh, you'll be prepping a platter of these delicious bites in no time.  I used a honey chevre which I spotted at the grocery store and wanted to try.  I would recommend this cheese for a lot of uses; Peter and I thought it was wonderful with sliced pears, fig jam, and crumbled over a salad with berries.  I took a roll of honey chevre along with me to make a cheese plate at my Grandma's birthday party too, so this might be one of my new favorite cheeses.    

Strawberry Basil Crostini

by Rachel

French baguette

honey chevre, room temperature

sliced strawberries

small basil leaves (I used boxwood basil)   

Slice and toast the French baguette.  Using a knife, spread the honey chevre on each piece of toast.  Top each toast with a slice of strawberry and a basil leaf.  Serve!  

A is for Appetizers

I believe some desserts and dishes should be left alone in their full-fat glory.  I'm thinking about treats like homemade ice cream, creme brulée, brownies, or a meal like fried chicken or macaroni and cheese.  These splurges show up on my menus rarely and usually just for a special occasion.  In my opinion, they're so much better when made with real cream, real sugar, butter, etc. that the low-fat-diet-friendly versions just aren't worth the time and effort.  They aren't delicious.  They just make you think about how much better the "real thing" is!  

Ellie Krieger, one of my favorite Food Network stars, classifies foods as either "usually"(like most vegetables, fruits, and lean meats), "sometimes" (like breads, dairy products, grains, and starches), or "rarely" (like fried foods, baked goods, and other sweets).  I like this way of sorting and cataloging because her strategy doesn't eliminate or ban any foods; she's just helping us realize that some foods can be eaten regularly and even in great quantities, while other foods should be treated like a special event that only comes around once in a while.    

In spite of my feelings about a few sinfully decadent sweets and unhealthy treats, I also enjoy finding ways to lighten up recipes.  I try to adjust things to move a food from the "rarely" category to "sometimes."  I read America's Test Kitchen, Cooking Light magazine, Skinny Taste, and cookbooks like Cook Yourself Thin to get ideas for lightening up dishes.  I've tried quite a few Hungry Girl recipes, but none have turned out very well for me, so I'd recommend the other resources if you're interested in adding more "sometimes" and "usually" foods to your plate.  

When I'm making changes to a recipe, if I can't swap out an unhealthy ingredient for something more beneficial, I'll try using less than a recipe calls for.  This strategy usually works for a casserole, a meat course, a vegetable side, or a salad, but I'd caution against altering a baking recipe too much.  Cakes, cookies, muffins, and breads are much more sensitive to ingredient ratios, temperatures, fat content, and the texture of the ingredients.  Just make those cookies and cakes the way the recipe calls for and savor a smaller serving.

Today I want to share two incredibly simple appetizers that you can serve this spring or summer and they're sure to be a hit.  Both recipes include a "usually" food (fresh, raw veggies) and a "sometimes" food (cheese).  Enjoy these snacks without guilt!
 

Stuffed Radishes
from Linda Strup

2 bunches of radishes
2-4 Tbsp. cream cheese
1/4 c. raw shelled sunflower seeds


Clean the radishes and cut a flat surface on each end so that they will stand upright.  Use a spoon to gently top each radish with a small amount of cream cheese or neufchatel.  In a 350 oven, toast shelled sunflower seeds on a cookie sheet until fragrant and golden (about 5 minutes).  Roll the cheese-topped end of each radish in sunflower seeds so they stick.  Serve immediately for best results.

Caprese Skewers
by Rachel

Cherry tomatoes
1 hothouse cucumber
mini fresh mozzarella balls
1/4 c. olive oil
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil

Use a vegetable peeler to scrape stripes along the sides of the cucumber.  Cut into wedges or cubes.  Skewer cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and mozzarella in a pattern onto small skewers (I cut my long skewers in half).  Mix the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and drizzle over the skewers just before serving.  Sprinkle with finely chopped basil.      

C is for Cheese Plate

My favorite appetizer to serve for dinner guests is a cheese plate because it's quick and versatile.  People love it because they can mix and match different crackers, spreads, fruits, nuts, or other nibbles to find tasty combinations that are worth talking about.  A cheese plate can also be packed up into different glass dishes and carried along to a vineyard for a delicious snack that won't break the bank.  It can be a romantic treat if you do it right!
 

I can usually throw together an impressive-looking cheese plate in less than 10 minutes without turning on the oven or making much of a mess, so it's a go-to appetizer if your dinner course requires a lot of attention.  You can serve it in the kitchen while guests linger around and fix drinks or you can take it to the living room and people will naturally flock around it (and then you can have the kitchen to yourself for final touches on the main meal!).  

There are no hard and fast cheese plate rules, but there are a few guidelines for making a well-rounded platter than any guest will enjoy.  To be cheese-plate-ready, you need to keep a few things on hand in your pantry or fridge.  Plan to set out about three cheeses, one spread, three types of crackers or bread, one dried fruit, one fresh fruit, and a protein like nuts or a sliced meat.  This setup will give your guests lots of choices for pairing flavors and textures.  If you store a few spreads, nuts, crackers, and dried fruits in your pantry, you're more than halfway to a great appetizer.  
    

A little asiago goes a long way, so cut it into small pieces in advance

Great cheese plates have at least three varieties of cheese.  I like to include at least one hard cheese and one spreadable or crumbly cheese so that there are different textures on the platter to play with.  I aim to use different colors of cheese, so that there aren't three yellow hunks on the plate; it's more exciting to see a combination of white, orange, and maybe even green (like an herbed cheese).  I like to buy a unique variety like champagne cheddar or XXX sharp cheddar instead of just going for ordinary cheddar.  Folks like "regular" cheese on their sandwich, but not on a cheese plate.  Slice some of the cheeses in advance or put the proper tools with the tray and just cut a few pieces to serve as an example.  Try to use the tip of a knife to crumble hard cheeses like asiago into bite-sized pieces and put them in a small dish.  Consider labeling your cheeses with tags or a chalk sign.  Peter and I use a slate cheese board that we can scribble the names on.      

Dill havarti, sliced into triangles, looks very appealing

Choose a spread to feature, such as a local jam, preserves, honey, pesto, apple or pumpkin butter, pepper jelly, or maybe a roasted garlic and onion spread.  It's usually best to serve this from a small dish with a pretty spreader, but if it's a unique topping, you might want to serve it from the jar so that people will know what to expect.        

As far as crackers and breads go, don't overwhelm your guests with choices.  Just stack up and spread out a few of two or three different kinds.  Pick different shapes and textures to make it interesting.  I like to put crunchy breadsticks in a cup and spread a ring of multi-grain crackers around that.  You can also slice a small baguette and fan it out on the tray.  

Fruit and cheese go so well together, it'd be wrong to not include it on your cheese plate.  Apple is perfect every time, but I also enjoy serving slices or pear, cantaloupe, grapes, cherry tomatoes, or berries.  I like to set out at least one dried fruit like apricots, dates, figs, golden raisins, or cranberries.  While it's not a fruit, sliced cucumbers are also great on a cheese plate because people tend to use them in lieu of crackers.  I love seeing people get creative and "repurpose" food!  

Try arranging apple slices into a starburst

Dried dates

As a last option, you might want to add a protein like sliced summer sausage, pepperoni, salami, or prosciutto.  If you don't have a meat like this to serve, consider putting out a small bowl of nuts like pecans, pistachios, cashews, or even candied nuts or a spicy nut blend.  

Pepperoni or summer sausage pairs well with cheese and crackers

A cheese platter isn't hard to put together, and I like to think of it as an edible piece of art.  Peter and I sometimes make a cheese plate as our dinner and share a bottle of nice wine while we nibble away.  If you think a little outside of the box and you aren't afraid to try new combinations, you'll never get tired of this classic appetizer!               

Edible art!