Category Archives: appetizer

Chili Parmesan Crisps

The perfect cocktail or wine companion are these chili parmesan crisps. Easy to make and delicious to eat, you’ll discover a new food addiction! If you don’t like chili, you can replace the red chili flakes with one of these options such as crushed black pepper, fennel seeds, minced rosemary or thyme. These crisps also make a great snack for on the go. Try them out this weekend!

From by the bay wishing you, crispy food memories.

Maryann

blog chili parm crackers

Chili Parmesan Crisps

Ingredients

  • 5 ounces shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degree F. On a parchment lined baking sheet , take half the shredded parmesan and form a rectangle approximately 8″ by 12″. Sprinkle half the chili flakes and all the salt uniformly over the cheese. Layer the remaining cheese lightly pressing down. Sprinkle the remaining chili flakes over the cheese. Bake in the oven until golden brown, approximately 10 minutes. Cool and break into piece. Store in an air tight container until ready to serve.

Options: substitute 1 teaspoon of red chili flakes with one of the following:

minced rosemary, minced thyme, crushed black pepper or fennel seeds

blog parm crisps tray

New Year’s Eve Easy Party Snacks

Here’s a couple of my favorite party recipes , easy to use for New Year’s Eve or any party!

From my the bay wishing you Happy New Year’s Eve memories!

Maryann

blog olives 1

Marinated Olives with Orange and Cranberries

Ingredients

1/2 pound green pitted olives, such as manzanilla
1 shallot, minced
1/4 fresh orange cut into 1 inch pieces, with rind
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 teaspoon rosemary leaves
Directions

Bring 1 cup water to boil in small sauce pan. Remove from heat and add cranberries. Let sit 15 minutes and drain and cool in mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

blog bacon date

Bacon Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Provolone
24 pieces

Ingredients
24 pitted Medjool dates
12 slices bacon
2 ounces provolone cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the bacon slices in half with a scissor. Cut the provolone cheese into 24 small sticks approximately 1” x 1 ¼”. Place cheese into the date. Wrap date with a ½ slice of bacon and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes and turn the dates over and bake for 15 more minutes until the bacon is crispy. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Variations
You can make these with other sharp cheeses such as Manchego, Parmesan or Soft Gorgonzola.

blog pickle grapes

Pickled Grapes with Rosemary and Chiles

Ingredients

6 cups stemmed mixed red and green seedless grapes (about 2 pounds)
2 cups distilled white vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
3 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
Leaves from 1 four-inch sprig rosemary
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried red chile flakes

Directions

Pack the grapes into 3 pint-size glass containers with lids. Pour the vinegar and 1 cup water into a saucepan, set it over medium-high heat, and add the salt, sugar, garlic, rosemary, and chile flakes. When the mixture starts to simmer, remove the pan from the heat and divide the hot brine among the pints of grapes. Cover loosely and let cool to room temperature. Cover tightly and chill in the refrigerator for about 1 hour before serving. The pickles will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.

Reprinted from The Lee Bros. Simple Fresh Southern: Knockout Dishes with Down-Home Flavor by Matt and Ted Lee. Copyright © 2009 Published by Clarkson Potter

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Yield: Makes 1 1/2 quarts

blog curry cashews

Curried Cashews
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon curry powder
¾ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups raw whole cashews
Additional coarse sea salt to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil. Heat olive oil in pan add curry powder, salt, cayenne pepper and cook until fragrant – approximately 1 min.
Add cashews and coat nuts for one to two minutes. Remove from heat and place on baking sheet in one layer. Bake for 12-15 minutes, stirring once. Remove from oven, sprinkle with additional sea salt. Serve warm or at room temperature.

blog shrimp cocktail

Bloody Mary Cocktail Sauce

Ingredients
3/4 cup organic low sodium ketchup
3 tablespoons grated horseradish
1/4 teaspoon tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon vodka, optional

Directions
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and chill until ready to use. Serve with shrimp, crab or lobster.

Leftover Cranberry Sauce ? Try these Cranberry Cheese Crostini

blog cranberry leftovers

 

Bring new life to your leftovers, try this tasty bit – by toasting your left over bread, add some cheese and a dap of cranberry sauce. You’ll want to make this easy appetizer through out the holidays!

 

Cranberry Cheese Crostini

Make 4

Ingredients

  • 4  round slices – 1/2 inch thick of a baguette
  • 2 ounces soft or semi soft cheese such as brie or gruyere
  • 2 teaspoons cranberry sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degree F.  Place bread on baking sheet and toast in oven until golden brown, about 5 minutes.  Remove from oven – divide  cheese on top of each toast and then place a 1/2 teaspoon of cranberry sauce in the center. Place under the broiler until melted and remove and serve.

 

 

 

 

Marinated Olives with Orange and Cranberries

Here is an easy recipe to make ordinary olives, extraordinary – bursting with flavor and color!  The combination of orange, cranberries and rosemary is what makes this recipe so delicious and it only takes a few minutes.

From by the bay, wishing you some marinated food memories!

Maryann

blog olives 2

Marinated Olives with Orange and Cranberries

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound green pitted olives, such as manzanilla
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 1/4 fresh orange cut into 1 inch pieces, with rind
  • 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 teaspoon rosemary leaves

Directions

Bring 1 cup water to boil in small sauce pan.  Remove from heat and add cranberries. Let sit 15 minutes and drain and cool in mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

blog olives 1

Cool Cucumber Salsa

In the height of summer, cucumbers abound. Here is a perfect summer side dish for those sultry summer nights. The cucumbers make a crisp, cool base for this salsa. It’s great to serve with fish, chicken or with some grilled vegetable kebabs.
From by the bay, wishing you cool food memories!
Maryann
blog cuke salsa

Cool Cucumber Salsa

Ingredients
2 English Cucumbers, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon fine granulated sugar
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lime, juice and zest
Directions
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and place in a refrigerator for at least two hours before serving.
Note: You can also use regular cucumbers, but remove the seeds before chopping. It’s easiest if after you peel the cucumber slice length wise in half , take a spoon and scoop out the seeds.You might want to add a little more sugar to taste, sometimes regular cucumbers are little more bitter.

Maple- Glazed Peanuts and Bacon

I was wandering through the Food Hall in Grand Central Terminal and happened upon these beautifully packaged and very addictive tasting peanuts! They are from ” The Redhead” Restaurant in Manhattan http://theredheadnyc.com/. They are without a doubt the perfect combination of sweet and salty, and then you add bacon and well this is one perfected recipe. Fortuantely, it seems as if the recipe was shared with Food and Wine and Meg Grace, who I think is a fantastic contributor. Now you can head to Murray’s Cheese Shop in Grand Central and buy these tasty little morsels or you can make them just as easily. I suggest using a great quality thick cut bacon – such  as one using bershire pork and if your tastes lean to the spicy side like mine do, I increased the about of Old Bay Seasoning from 3/4 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon. The menu at “The Redhead” reads ” because everything is better with bacon” and isn’t that so true!


From by the bay wishing you tasty food memories, with bacon please!
Maryann

blog maple peanuts

 

Maple- Glazed Peanuts and Bacon
Recipe from “The Redhead” restaurant published in Food and Wine by Meg Grace
Makes about 4 cups

Ingredients
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
3 cups unsalted roasted peanuts ( 1 pound)
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon thyme leaves, minced
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
3 thick slices of bacon , 3 ounces ( note I use a little more)
1 tablespoon fine sea salt or kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt such as Maldon Salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degree F. In a medium skillet , cook the bacon over modrate heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain and cool. Finely, chop the bacon into small pieces. In a medium bowl mix together the thyme, fine sea salt, Old Bay, cayenne and dry mustard. Add the peanuts, maple syrup and bacon and toss until the peanuts are evenly coated. Scrape the nuts onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes, stirring at least once, until the maple syrup has thickened. Remove from oven and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.  Let peanuts cool completely, stirring frequently to break up any large clumps. Transfer the peanuts to a glass jar or a bowl and serve.

Peanuts will last 5 days when stored in an airtight container – but these are SO GOOD, it’s not likely to last!

Natural Egg Dye

Last year I make for the first time, red eggs for Greek Easter using onion skins. I was amazed at how easy and beautiful the eggs turned out. So for Easter this year, I plan on making naturally dyed Easter Eggs in different colors using vegetables and spices many of us already have at home. I had to experiment a little to find what worked best. I suggest using either glass jars with a lid since the natural dyes take longer to color, it’s easiest to make the eggs and dyes and close the jar and store them in the refrigerator over night. The eggs will not have the same uniform color as store bought dyes but I think that gives the eggs a more organic and rustic charm. Many of the dyes needed a cup of boiling water added to an ingredient so I suggest putting the ingredients in a jar while the water is boiling and you will save some time. Below are my favorite dyes! Enjoy!

From by the bay wishing you colorful food memories!
Maryann
blog red eggs
Making the Perfect Hard Boiled Egg
Place eggs in the bottom of a large pot add water to just cover the eggs along with a little sea salt and place on medium heat. Bring water to a boil. Remove from heat and cover with a lid for 13 minutes. Use a timer to make sure you are not over cooking your eggs. Once the eggs are done, run them under cold water to cool to stop them from cooking. The result will be a perfectly cooked hard boiled egg.
A Few Suggestions While Coloring Your Eggs

To start I suggest using glass jam jars with covers or 16 ounce plastic deli containers with lids. Add the cooled hard boiled eggs to the natural dyes. Make sure eggs are completely submerged in the dye, add a little water if the eggs are not covered. Place a lid on your container and place into the refrigerator overnight for intense colors. If you want softer color you can let eggs sit in dye for just a few hours in the refrigerator. Add hard boiled eggs to the dye once cooled unless recipe says otherwise. When making the dyes, I suggest using plastic gloves so not to stain your fingers.
blog egg dye
Natural Egg Dye Recipes
Red Beets / Pink Eggs  – Grate 4 tablespoons of red beets and add to a heat safe container. Add 1 teaspoon white vinegar and 1 cup boiling water. Let sit for 1 hour, strain and add eggs to dye.
Red Cabbage/ Blue Eggs – Add 3 tablespoons chopped red cabbage to a heat safe container. Add 1 teaspoon white vinegar and 1 cup boiling water. Let sit for 1 hour, strain and add eggs.
Annatto Seeds/ Reddish Golden Color – Add 2 tablespoons annatto seeds ( achiote seeds) to 1 cup of water, bring to a boil for about 5 to 7 minutes. Strain. Add eggs to the dye.
Red Cabbage and Turmeric Powder/ Green Color – Add 3 tablespoons chopped red cabbage and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder to a heat safe container. Add one cup of boiling water. Let sit for 1 hour, strain and add eggs. The result is a speckled color.
Turmeric Powder/ Deep Gold Color – Add 2 teaspoons ground turmeric powder to a heat safe container. Add  1 teaspoon white vinegar and one cup of boiling water. Once dye is cool add eggs . Rinse off any residual powder.
Paprika Powder/ Light Orange – Bring one cup of water and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to a boil, add 1 tablespoon paprika and continue to boil for 15 minutes. Place in a heat safe container, add eggs to dye while warm. Rinse off any residual powder.Here is the post to make red dyed eggs:https://blog.entertainingbythebay.com/2012/04/03/easter-eggs-with-natural-red-dye.aspx

blog eggs

Spicy Maple Roasted Marcona Almonds

One of my guilty pleasures as evening approaches here by the bay is watching the glorious sunsets with a glass of chilled white wine and some little nibble along with it. These spicy maple roasted marcona almonds are the perfect pairing to a glass of wine. Each bit captures the perfect mix of being savory and sweet with an under note of heat. The best part is just how simple these cocktail nuts are to make. Enjoy!
From by the bay, wishing you savory and  sweet food memories!
Maryann
blog marcona almonds
Spicy Maple Roasted Marcona Almonds
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups marcona almonds, roasted and salted
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon smoked spanish paprika
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh coarse sea salt, such as Maldon
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl toss all ingredients except the salt. Turn onto the lined baking sheet, spreading into a single layer. Bake nuts for about 20 minutes, until the nuts are golden and bubbling. Sprinkle with the sea salt and let cool for 20 minutes, before breaking about. Serve immediately or store in an air tight container for up to one week.
Note: if you can’t find marcona almonds this will also work with regular dry roasted almonds or actually any dry roasted nuts that you prefer.

Bacon Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Provolone

Well, we are well into the holidays season and still a few parties to go from now until New Year’s.  I thought I would share my all time favorite crowd pleasing appetizer recipe . Variations of this recipe abound but if you have never tried it , you definitely should. It’s easy to make and assemble in advance for a party, which is a plus in book for any party recipe.

From by the bay wishing you happy holiday food memories!

Maryann

blog bacon date

Bacon Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Provolone

24 pieces


Ingredients

24 pitted Medjool dates

12 slices bacon

2 ounces provolone cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the bacon slices in half with a scissor. Cut the provolone cheese into 24 small sticks approximately 1” x 1 ¼”. Place cheese into the date. Wrap date with a ½ slice of bacon and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes and turn the dates over and bake for 15 more minutes until the bacon is crispy. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Variations

You can make these with other sharp cheeses such as Manchego, Parmesan or Soft Gorgonzola.

 

Two Spring Crostini

I like to welcome Spring with food. Two of the first vegetables to make their appearance at the farmstands are bright green pencil thin aparagus and vibrant red/pink radishes. My favorite way to to eat both are fresh and raw. Here are two easy appetizers to make at the first sign of Spring. Enjoy!

From by the bay wishing you vibrant food memories!
Maryann

blog aparagus crostini

Asparagus Puree with Lemon Ricotta Crostini

Serves 4

Ingredients

16 very thin asparagus spears or 8 asparagus thicker spears

2 tablespoons fresh mint

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

¼ pound fresh ricotta cheese

4 tablespoons grated pecorino cheese

4 slices ciabatta bread toasted

Coarse sea salt

Fresh ground black pepper

Directions

Clean asparagus, remove the tender tips and place to the side. Snap off woody stems and discard. In to food processor add asparagus stalks broken into pieces and coarsely chop. Add the following to the asparagus:  mint, olive oil, lemon juice and 2 tbs. grated pecorino. Pulse a few times. In a separate bowl combine the ricotta cheese, lemon zest salt and pepper. On hot toasted ciabatta bread layer the ricotta cheese, puree asparagus, grated pecorino cheese. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and add asparagus spear to the top.

blog radish app

Simple Radish Crostini

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 fresh radishes
2 tablespoons salted butter

4 slices ciabatta bread

Coarse sea salt

Directons

Clean radishes and using a mandoline slice the radish into rounds. Keep radish slices in iced water until ready to use. In a 400F degree oven, place 4 slices of ciabatta bread on a baking sheet in the oven until the bread starts to brown, flip bread over and toast the other side, 2-3 mins per side. Let toasted ciabatta bread cool a little, then spread with the best salted butter you can buy. Take radish slices out of the water and dry with a paper towel before layering the rounds on top the bread and butter. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and serve.