Roasted Vegetable Appetizers: Two Options

I started out by making a roasted vegetable dip. Really, all I did was cut up a Vidalia onion, two zucchini, and a carton of cherry tomatoes and mix them with some olive oil and an onion soup seasoning packet, just like this recipe. I let the vegetables cool, and then tossed them in my new food processor for a quick blend. The end result was a flavorful vegetable dip.

The dip was good, but perhaps a little boring on a cracker. Since I had quite a few leftover won ton wrappers from the Chocolate Ricotta Rolls, I decided to try Roasted Vegetable Won Tons. I placed about a tablespoon of dip in the center of one wrapper, covered it with a second wrapper, and sealed the edges with a touch of water. I baked them at 350F for 8-10 minutes, and a second appetizer was born. They were crunchy and delicious!

Chocolate Ricotta Rolls

I love watching Roni’s videos on Green Lite Bites, mostly because they’re so real. She’s not surrounded by a flurry of production assistants; she shows you that you can do this on your own. And there is my first goal of 2010, to make a video for the blog that aims to inspire readers to try something new.

So I was really excited when I saw this video and recipe for Chocolate Ricotta Rolls, because they are just so darn cute! Making the shells from won ton wrappers was not too difficult, a few fell over and caved in, but most of the them came out quite well. The filling was easy too, although next time I will definitely make it sweeter, and maybe use a real liquor instead of almond extract. Filling the shells was a snap with the homemade pastry bag, and after a dusting of powdered sugar, they were done. I filled them about 3-4 hours before they were served, and they definitely softened up quite a bit, so don’t make these too far in advance. But do make them, even if it’s just for yourself.

Thai Turkey Meatballs

I was on the hunt for an appetizer meatball recipe last weekend. I could have gone retro and simmered beef meatballs in the crockpot, but instead I tried this Asian-themed recipe. As the title suggests, I used ground turkey instead of beef, and decided on ‘Thai’ because they are simmered in coconut milk. I made a few other changes to the recipe, skipping the leek and the garnish, and using red chili paste in place of the fresh chile pepper. They weren’t spicy at all though, the most dominant flavor was ginger. Next time, I might make the meatballs as a main dish, and serve the sauce over some rice noodles.

Walnut Pesto

Let’s jump right into the new year with a recipe, and when I finally finish my 2010 goals, you’ll be the first to know. I made this walnut pesto from Smitten Kitchen and then served it along with fresh bread and crackers at a small gathering of old and new friends (and loyal blog readers!) It was good, but it didn’t have the ‘wow’ factor I expected. The group seemed to like it though, and it wins points for being fairly easy to put together in advance. The rest of the fresh thyme is now stored in the freezer, so I’ll be putting that to good use in another recipe this winter.

2009: Year in Review

2009 was my first full calendar year of blogging, and what a year it’s been! Let me take you on a little tour with a few complimentary beverages.

January featured many warm and cozy meals, including this pork roast. In February, I tried Hungry Girl’s Girlfredo Pizza, just one of the great recipes you can make with Laughing Cow cheese. In March I was on location in Florida for a week, and posted a demo of homemade manicotti.

I had no idea that the lazy cabbage casserole I posted in April would be such a hit with readers, but my favorite recipe of the year was the Squash and Potato Torte, which I made three times in May. My Dad’s favorite was the risotto in June, and at least one reader told me that Pizzas on the Grill from July were a hit.

I used the grill again for this salad from Giada in August, and then the griddle for these Banana Pancakes with Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirls in September. To celebrate the birth of my nephew in October, I made tiramisu, and then to celebrate my birthday in November my sister made this Chocolate Peanut Butter cake. December featured lots and lots of cookies.

My goals for the year were to use more local produce, enjoy a variety of whole grains, and focus on meals which were portable. I did use a lot of locally grown zucchini, in cold salads and hot dishes, but didn’t visit as many local farms as I wanted. And although I didn’t try many new grains, I did find new ways to use barley and wheatberries. I really made strides though in the portable meal category, starting with Overnight Oats for the perfect breakfast at work, and some great salads and wraps for lunch or dinner.

Thank you to everyone for reading, eating, and cooking.

So what’s up for 2010? Tune in Monday to find out!

Chicken and Vegetable Potato Soup

Did anyone out there know about the US Potato Board? See, you learn new things every day! Seriously though, there are quite a few recipes and even some videos on the site, and I was inspired to combine a few of the recipes to make this soup. The soup was thick but I liked the mix of vegetables and chicken, and it needed just a bit of salt and pepper at the table.

Potatoes are nutritious, and they are also good for the budget. Make sure you keep a few on hand, and next time you are snowed in, you can give a new potato recipe a try!

2 c. chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 1/4 lbs. potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 c. skim milk
1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 chicken breast, cooked and cut into bite sized pieces
1 c. reduced fat cheddar cheese
1/2 t thyme
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper

Heat chicken broth in a large pot. Add vegetables, and simmer covered for 20-30 minutes. Mash vegetables in the pot with a potato masher. Add the remaining ingredients, and cook for 10-20 minutes more, or until heated through.

Mascarpone Parfait

By Christmas dinner, we’ve had our share of cookies, and chocolate, and whiskey cake, and are ready for a simpler dessert. This parfait fit the bill with equal parts mascarpone and ricotta cheese mixed with a bit of confectioner’s sugar, then layered with almonds and blueberries. I can’t say this dessert was light, but it was a great way to end the holiday.

Potato Gnocchi

It was a great plan to nestle a pasta course between the antipasto salad and the Christmas roast. But not just any pasta, we wanted to try homemade gnocchi. I made this ricotta version earlier in the year, but on Christmas we tried potato gnocchi from 101 Cookbooks. The writer admits that making this pasta can be difficult, and indeed there were eight hands involved in rolling, cutting, and marking the gnocchi with the tines of the fork. But we had high hopes as the gnocchi flew into the pot of boiling water.

Unfortunately, I cooked them too long. They really are done when they float to the top, even if it goes against your instinct to take them out so quickly! Some of them even fell apart in the boiling water, so we left those behind, and covered the rest with homemade tomato sauce and fresh Parmesan. A wonderful reminder that Christmas doesn’t need to be perfect.

Chocolate Truffles

I do not have a lot of experience working with chocolate, but nevertheless, I decided to tackle chocolate truffles. Let’s just say that two batches later, I learned a lot. I used this recipe, replacing the Grand Marnier with amaretto, and skipping the coffee as some reviewers suggested. The chocolate itself came from Trader Joe’s, which had a great selection of high quality varieties.

My truffles were not really round, but each one was shaped a little differently, just like snowflakes. I couldn’t find the window where the chocolate was set, but could still be molded into a ball. So I dusted them with a blend of powdered sugar and unsweetened cocoa, and hoped for the best. Remember, it’s what’s inside that counts, and there’s enough chocolate goodness here to make you forget the rest.

Have a Merry Christmas, and I’ll be back on Monday with new recipes from the holiday!

Baby Apple Pancake

This pancake reminded me a little of the Baby Apple at a well known breakfast chain (a much healthier version of course!) but you can decide for yourself. It’s a thin fluffy pancake, which totally covered my Santa plate!

1 apple, peeled, cored, and chopped

1/3 c. whole wheat flour

1/2 t baking powder

1 t cinnamon

1 egg

1-2 T milk

Put apple pieces in a small bowl, add a splash of water, and microwave for 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients to bowl to create a pancake batter. Heat a small skillet coated with cooking spray, and cook pancake on one side until bubbles appear. Flip, and cook on the other side until golden brown.