Tag Archives: Easy Appetizers

Southwest Chicken & Black Bean Nachos

August 11, 2014 By in Recipe Experimentation Tags: , , , , , , , 6 Comments

Southwest Chicken & Black Bean NachosYesterday was pretty glorious…and by glorious, I mean lazy! I’m usually gigging on Sunday afternoons and after a late night gig on Saturday it can be pretty exhausting. Since I had the day off yesterday I figured I would do absolutely nothing and get some rest. So for dinner I opened up some wine and the refrigerator and threw some ingredients together for this delicious plate of nachos.

I’m notorious for buying too many groceries so this was a perfect recipe to use up some leftover chicken, beans and veggies. I spent a little more time adding ingredients to each chip instead of just piling everything on and it was worth it! The cheese kept the ingredients on each chip so no spillage when you go to dunk your chip into some salsa.

Happy Eating!

Southwest Chicken & Black Bean Nachos

Ingredients

  • tortilla chips
  • 1 cup cooked black beans (recipe below)
  • 1/2 cup diced red onion
  • 1/2 large jalapeño, diced
  • 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 1 cooked chicken breast, diced
  • mexican style taco shredded cheese
  • 1/2 cup diced tomato
  • 1 diced avocado
  • chopped cilantro
  • sour cream

Spread a single layer of tortilla chips on a large non stick cookie sheet.

Top each chip with a spoonful of black beans then top evenly with the red onion, jalapeño, bell pepper and chicken.

Top each chip with as much cheese as your heart desires.

Broil until the cheese is melted and the chips are golden (around 5-7 minutes).

Move to a serving platter and garnish with the diced tomato, avocado and cilantro.

Top with two large dollops of sour cream.

Spicy Black Beans

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup diced red onion
  • 1/2 jalapeño, diced
  • 2 tablespoons diced red bell pepper
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 tablespoon chile powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon cumin
  • kosher salt and pepper
  • 15oz can black beans
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

In a medium sauce pan heat the olive oil over medium high heat and sauté the onion, jalapeño and bell pepper until softened.

Add the garlic, chile powder, cumin, salt and pepper and sauté until fragrant.

Add the black beans and cook until liquid is reduced and no longer runny.

Stir in the cilantro and adjust seasoning.

Bon Appétit!

 

Red Wine Caramelized Onions & Goat Cheese Tartlets

August 5, 2014 By in Heaven to My Taste buds Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Red Wine Caramelized Onions & Goat Cheese Tartlets

I’ve been out of the kitchen for quite a while and I have seriously missed it. This lovely little recipe landed in my inbox from my favorite blog, The Simply Luxurious Life, and I was instantly inspired. I didn’t change a thing and it turned out absolutely delicious.

I’m obsessed with caramelized onions and the flavor of the wine soaked onions and thyme paired so beautifully with the tangy goat cheese and flaky puff pastry. It’s the perfect appetizer or mid day snack. I ate one cold the day after and the flavors were so bold and scrumptious!

So add this to your list to make and enjoy! Your taste buds will thank you. 🙂

Happy Eating!

Red Wine Caramelized Onions & Goat Cheese Tartlets

Recipe makes 8 tartlets.

Ingredients

3 onions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup of red wine
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 – 4 sprigs of thyme leaves removed and a few extra for garnishing each tart
Salt & black pepper
2 sheets of puff pastry
1 large tube goat cheese
splash of milk to brush the pastry rim

Instructions

Red Wine Caramelized Onions & Goat Cheese Tartlets

Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onions over a low heat until softened but not browned, about 15 minutes.

Red Wine Caramelized Onions & Goat Cheese Tartlets

Add ½ the red wine and deglaze the pan, allowing all the liquid to cook off.

Add the sugar, thyme, salt and pepper and cook for 5 more minutes.

Red Wine Caramelized Onions & Goat Cheese Tartlets

Add the remainder of the red wine and once again continue cooking and stirring until the liquid has cooked off.

Red Wine Caramelized Onions & Goat Cheese Tartlets

Place your puff pastry sheets on a floured surface and cut out the circles to desired size. You could also cut the pastry into 4 squares. This way you better optimize the pastry sheet with no wastage through offcuts.

Score the inside of the pastry with a small cookie cutter or a knife, but don’t cut all the way through, to make a small rim.

Brush the rim of each case lightly with milk, or and egg and milk mix (I find the egg just makes it a little darker but isn’t entirely necessary), and bake in a oven that has been preheated to 180C for 10 minutes.

Red Wine Caramelized Onions & Goat Cheese Tartlets

Remove from the oven and press down on the inner circle piece so that it drops down, it should come away where you have scored it, and fill each pastry case with the caramelized onion.

Top with the goat cheese (you can either crumble this or cut into discs), scatter over fresh thyme leaves and return to the oven to bake for 20 more minutes.

 

 

Snackin’ with Sarah Sellers: Mini Sausage Calzones

January 17, 2013 By in Snackin' with Sarah Sellers Tags: , , , , , , , , 7 Comments

Mini Sausage Calzones

Last night season 12 of American Idol premiered with it’s usual dose of drama, sob stories and of course…the new judges! While Mariah and Nicki were turning it on for the cameras I was cooking up my premier recipe for this year’s Snackin’ with Sarah Sellers.

All season long I’ll be making themed recipes for Yahoo! Music blogstress Lyndsey Parker and her Reality Rocks blog. So for tonight’s episode in Chicago I’m keeping with the Italian theme with my Mini Sausage Calzones.

IMPORTANT TIP: Don’t skimp on the cheese!! I was worried about stuffing the dough with too much filling that they lost that cheesy flavor we all associate with a hearty calzone (don’t worry I adjusted the recipe). So don’t be afraid to go crazy with the cheese!

Mini Sausage Calzones

  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 pound Italian sausage
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella
  • 1 cup shredded Parmesan
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 can refrigerated thin crust pizza dough
  • egg white
  • marinara for dipping
  • parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 375.

Mini Sausage Calzones

Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Sauté the bell pepper and onion until translucent.

Mini Sausage Calzones

Add the sausage and cook until no longer pink. Add the garlic, oregano, salt and pepper and sauté for one minute until fragrant.

Mini Sausage Calzones

Combine the mozzarella, Parmesan and dried thyme in a small bowl and set aside.

Mini Sausage Calzones

Spread the pizza dough on floured surface and cut into 8 pieces.

Mini Sausage Calzones

Top with the cheese and sausage mixture. Fold dough over and lightly press edges together with water. Bake until golden brown, around 15-20 minutes.

Mini Sausage Calzones

Serve with the marinara sauce garnished with the chopped parsley.

Bon Appétit!

Snackin’ with Sarah Sellers: Italian Pinwheels

January 16, 2013 By in Snackin' with Sarah Sellers Tags: , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Italian Pinwheels

Another year has passed and a new round of judges are filling the American Idol seats for season 12. During my brief stint on Idol during season 10 (watch my audition here) I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Yahoo! Music blogstress Lyndsey Parker. Ever since then I’ve been cranking out Idol snacks every week for her Reality Rocks blog.

For tonight’s episode in New York City I thought I would stick with the Italian theme with this quick and simple snack. So give this recipe a try and enjoy the craziness I’m sure Mariah and Nicki will bring!

Italian Pinwheels

  • 4oz package prosciutto, chopped
  • 1.5 tbsp sun dried tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
  • egg white
  • 1 package refrigerated thin crust pizza dough
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • marinara sauce for dipping
  • parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Italian Pinwheels

Combine the prosciutto and next 6 ingredients through the egg white in a large bowl. Mix until well combined.

Italian Pinwheels

Lay out the pizza crust on a floured surface and spread the prosciutto mixture evenly on top.

Italian Pinwheels

Starting with the longest side, roll the pizza dough into a log and pinch the sides closed. Refrigerate until nice and cool.

Italian Pinwheels

Using a serrated knife (dip in water to prevent sticking) slice the log into 1/2 inch slices.

Italian Pinwheels

Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and brush with the egg wash. Bake until golden brown, around 15-20 minutes.

IMG_8008

Spoon the marinara sauce into a small ramekin for dipping and sprinkle with the parsley.

Bon Appétit!