Category Archives: Appetizer

Tomato Tarts from Paula’s Cookbook

Tomato Tarts

There is nothing better in the summer than a good sliced tomato sprinkled with salt and pepper.  But, that window of opportunity to have those mouth-watering slices is so short.  During the winter I crave those tomatoes as I’m sure you also do.  There are a couple of recipes that I pull out of my back pocket to satisfy the tomato craving and this is one of them.  I have gone through my cookbook collection marking recipes with post it notes that I want to try.  If I cooked something new everyday for the rest of my life I am pretty sure that I would not get to all of the ones on my list, but thank goodness I tried this one.  When I read Paula’s headline that a catering friend of hers used this recipe all the time  in Savannah, Georgia I knew it had to be a winner.    I was right!  It is easy, good, pretty on a platter and it makes a winter tomato taste as good as the summer!

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Taco Cups

Taco cups

Whoever came up with the idea of using wonton wrappers as the base of everything from lasagna to tacos is a GENIUS!  These are great for parties.  Anything that does not require a fork when eating is always a hit.  And who doesn’t love a taco both kids and adults .  These are so quick and easy that your kids can put them together.  They’ll have a blast in the kitchen.

I first had Taco Cups at my neighbor Kim’s  along with this.  YUM!  I got there early and watched her put these together in a matter of minutes and popped them in the oven for just seven minutes.  She pulled them out and served.  That quick and I was sold!  Guests then topped them with their favorites such as this guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo and jalapenos.

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Quesadillas

cheesy

We all want that quick fix for dinner.  I’ve found that perfect fix.  Quesadillas!!  They are fast, easy, so versatile and above all tasty.  My students made these last week and they had a blast.

The photo is from my second period.  I was so impressed with their work.  I loved their extra effort and their super excitement in class.  And yes they will get extra credit.

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Crispy Baked Hot Wings

Hot wings

Oh Yes!  Baked Wings you can make that will knock your socks off.  And they are just in time for your Super Bowl party.  You’ll  be so proud of yourself for pulling this off without all of the calories of frying.  I cannot think of anyone that does not love hot wings, but I’ll be the first to say that I cannot eat them without the guilt.  We now can  because of the recipe that I saw posted from my friend Diana last year during the super bowl from this fabulous blog.  Yes, a year ago.   I’ve made these a dozen times and have enjoyed them immensely.  Today I made them for lunch and finally could take a decent photo. So  here it is for all of you to try.  You’ll never buy them again.

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Italian Sausage Tomato Cups

Italian Sausage Tomato Cups

These are perfect for Sunday’s Superbowl Game!  They’re so cute and so good. Think spicy pizza bites, but better.  Carter said, “This is in the top three Mrs. Lupo!”  Now that’s good!  Two years ago I was introduced to this variation and they were a hit.  I wanted to try them again but with a little change-up.  It worked well.  If you are trying to make out a Superbowl menu make sure you serve these little cups.  They are super easy and will be a party pleaser for sure.

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Pepperoni Pizza Appetizers

photo (2)

I’m so glad that I tried this recipe at home before making it for 130 students.   So many things can go wrong even with the simplest of dishes .     After taking a closer look at this I discovered that one of the pepperoni balls has 350 calories. Well, that may be fine and good for my swimmers and football players but for the average person that’s not what I would like to encourage as a snack. With that said I set out to reduce the calories by cutting the serving size to 80 calories. The original recipe called for an entire biscuit. I cut each biscuit into quarters and proceeded with the original recipe. It really came out beautifully, but did not have the pizza punch that I wanted and it  was a little time-consuming.  So I used a recipe from the dark ages and my students thought it was genius. I couldn’t believe that only two or three had made small pizzas using biscuit dough. They all said , “Why would we make them when we can just buy frozen pizza pockets at the grocery store? ” Now they can create their own pizza appetizers and control the ingredients.

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Caprese Salad on a Toothpick

Caprese SaladLove this recipe!!!  My neighbor Kim had these had a party and I must have eaten 12 without even thinking.  They are so good.  There is nothing better than finding a great recipe that takes less than 10 minutes to put together and is healthy.  I’ve served these at least six times this summer and everyone is so amazed.  You will be,too.  Just keep this idea in your back pocket for your next get together.  It is a hit for sure.  Hope your summer is going well.  My vacation time is coming to an end as of July 31!

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Sausage Balls Made with Buttermilk

Sausage Balls made with Buttermilk

I love sausage balls for breakfast.  When Syble told be about this recipe that she got from her sister Sue I knew that I had to try it.  It’s another easy one that anyone can do.   Make and freeze so you can pull them out anytime.  My freezer is my friend for so many baked goods.  Let it do some work for you.  You’ll be that much more organized in the morning when it is crunch time to get out of the door.

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Slice-and-Bake Cheese Straws

DSC_0545Last month I served these to my book club. Now they are here for you to pull out for your next get together.    They are so easy to make.  In fact you can prepare the dough ahead of time and freeze so it will be sitting there ready when you are ready.  A hundred years ago I  made these cheese straws using a  manual cookie gun and I found them quite difficult to push through.  Now Paula Deen has saved all of us some manual labor.   How much easier can you get than slice and bake?

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Mediterranean Crescent Pinwheels

Here I am back again with a boatload of recipes for you!  School is in full swing and everyday I am bombarded by the question when are we cooking?  I hate it that we can’t cook everyday, but there are Standards to be covered and all that other stuff  the state requires.  I am excited about this year’s angels that have been given to me to broaden their knowledge about my love  of cooking.  I have a plan to teach them 30 dishes that everyone should know when they leave home and endeavor life on their own.  I am excited especially when I hear a student talking to a friend and saying to them that I am a cool teacher.  It really makes my day because there are times that I have some self doubt.  You know every once in a while you just want to know if they really care about what you are doing.  I had a lot of fun doing this recipe from Pillsbury.    There are so many students that want to help me in the kitchen!  For this first demonstration of the year I had some great volunteers.  Surprisingly none of the four had any cooking experience, but they did great!   I am looking forward to another fabulous year with  rewarding cooking experiences to share  along the way.

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