Flavorful Mediterranean Tarts

Cheater Tomato, Olive and Caramelized Onion Tarts

This recipe is great if you already have to be in the kitchen preparing other dishes and can therefore keep an eye on the onions as they slowly caramelize. If not, then feel free to skip the onions, it will still taste great without them! Normally I’m against purchasing pre-made frozen pastry, pie crusts, etc. because there are only 2 or 3 ingredients, but in the case of puffed pastry with all the folding and rolling, folding and rolling, I prefer to let Pepperidge Farm do the work, hence the word ‘Cheater’ in the title.

Ingredients:

1 medium yellow onion

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 sheet frozen puffed pastry, thawed at room temp.

1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1/2 pint Kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped

2 oz. Boursin cheese (or any soft cheese you prefer)

Fresh basil

Salt and pepper

Balsamic vinegar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

-Heat butter and oil in a fry pan over medium heat

-Add sliced onions and a pinch of salt, keep onions moving around the pan for the first 5 minutes or so

-Reduce heat and stir occasionally until they are a rich color and have significantly reduced in volume (about 20 minutes)

-Place puffed pastry on a parchment lined sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes (it will puff up quite large in the oven and then deflate once you remove it)

-Once the pastry has cooled slightly, smear with the boursin cheese and then cover with caramelized onions, tomatoes and olives

-Sprinkle basil, salt and pepper overtop and finish with a tiny drizzle of balsamic vinegar

-Bake for another 15-20 minutes until pastry is golden brown and flaky and the tomatoes have roasted under the heat

-Cut into squares and devour

*Delicious when served with spring greens, baby spinach or arugula dressed lightly with freshly squeezed lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper.

New Use for Leftovers

CORN AND YAM FRITTERS

When you are only cooking for one or two, there always seems to be a ton of leftovers, and who really likes eating the same thing three nights in a row (not me, I have food ADD). I had roasted some yams earlier this week with some salt and cayenne pepper and after eating them alone and on salads, I came up with these yummy little fritters to eat with fish or chicken. If you’re like me, you always have that random half bag of frozen corn or peas in the fridge, so this is a great recipe to clear up some space for more exciting freezer residents, like ice cream and truffles!

Ingredients:

1 cup corn (if using frozen, thaw under running water)

1 cup roasted yams, skins removed

1/2 tsp. each: ground mustard, garlic powder, cumin, curry powder

1/4 tsp. each: paprika, cayenne pepper

Pinch of salt and Pepper

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup bread crumbs (panko or regular)

Vegetable or Canola oil for frying

Instructions:

-Pulse yams in the food processor a couple whirls, it will look like chunky baby food (yummm)

-In a medium bowl combine yams, corn, egg yolk and all spices

-Wet your hands and form 6 little patties with the mixture

-Place on a plate/tray/half-sheet and freeze for 30 minutes so the cakes hold their shape easier

-Cover the bottom of a fry pan with oil (1/8th inch, we are not deep frying) and heat over medium heat until the oil is hot but not smoking, you want the cakes to heat and cook all the way through

-Spread bread crumbs out in a dish and flip yam cakes over in the crumbs one or two times until covered (feel free to properly bread the cakes, a.k.a dredge with flour, then in egg, then in bread crumbs – I was really hungry and the yams were sticky enough that cheating a bit was no problem)

-Lay in heated oil (away from you) and let cakes bubble away for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown

-Remove and place on some paper towel to remove any excess oil

*These would be really yummy with a cucumber, mint and avocado yogurt dipping sauce!

Easy and Addictive Party Appetizer

BAKED BRIE

This is one of those go-to recipes when you’re short on time and don’t want to acquire a ton of ingredients and assemble individual appetizers. It’s addictive quality will easily keep your guests occupied while you are finishing dinner, your hair, getting dressed, etc. As an added bonus, it can be assembled the day before and kept covered in the fridge until your guests arrive and it’s time to bake.

Ingredients:

1 Brie Wheel

1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped

1/3 cup dried cherries or cranberries

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp. honey or corn syrup

1 box of your favorite gourmet crackers

Instructions:

-Heat oven to 400 degrees

-Place the wheel of Brie in the middle of an oven-proof serving dish, preferably one that is at least 1 inch deep

-Cover the top of the Brie with the pecans and dried cherries, letting them spill over around the edges

-Sprinkle with brown sugar and then drizzle with honey

-Bake uncovered until the brown sugar begins to caramelize and the Brie looks like it is about to burst, depending on your oven this should take about 15 minutes

-Cut an ‘X’ across the top of the Brie and let the melted cheese spill out

-Spread crackers around the edges of the serving dish and let your guests dig in

[For an added touch, brush four sheets of phyllo dough with melted butter and stack on top of each other. Place the Brie wheel in the center of the phyllo and cover with the pecans, cherries, brown sugar and honey. Wrap the edges of the phyllo dough up around the Brie, like a present, and brush the outside with any remaining melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees until the dough is golden brown and flaky. Provide a knife for guests to cut slivers of the Brie.]

Breakfast for the whole week in 1 hour

SPINACH FRITTATA

Make breakfast for the entire week in 1 hour! This frittata recipe is easy, healthy, and entirely gluten-free.

Melt 1 tbsp. of butter in a fairly deep ovenproof fry pan and sauté the following ingredients for 5-7 minutes until soft:

¼ cup yellow onion, diced

1 ½ cups mushrooms, chopped

Pinch of salt and pepper

1 clove minced garlic (optional)

2 cups of roughly chopped spinach – Add for the last minute only

In a bowl combine:

16 oz. Egg whites

2 large eggs

½ cup organic low-fat milk

½ cup low-fat cottage cheese

1 tsp. Baking powder

Remove pan from heat, pour egg mixture over vegetables and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. For added flavor you may want to add tomato slices and a dusting of paprika on top of frittata while baking.

Nutritional Information per Slice (when cut into 8 slices)

Calories: 105

Fat: 3.4g

Protein: 11.25g

New Website & Facebook Page!

The past couple weeks have been a learning experience to say the least (mostly about patience), however I am happy to announce that the Appeteasers Catering website is up and running! We are also now on Facebook! Click on the link on the right side of the screen to view the Appeteasers page.

Please feel free to share these links with friends!

Introducing Sweet Teasers

You don't have to know me that well to know about my fascination (or borderline obsession) with desserts - it was after all a Nigella Lawson chocolate pie on T.V. that got me interested in cooking at age 11. When creating the Appeteasers Catering menu this past fall I had pages and pages of dessert ideas and agonized over having to edit this list into a manageable size.

It has recently occurred to me that there are other like-stomached souls out there whose idea of a perfect event ends with a smorgasbord of treats, small enough that you can actually try all of them! Alas, Appeteasers Catering would like to introduce Sweet Teasers, a service that will provide a unique touch to any event with a beautiful display of tempting two-bite treats along with fun and interactive dessert stations.

Check out the Sweet Teasers Dessert Menu here!

Wedding Shower!

Appeteasers was thrilled to be able to cater an afternoon wedding shower for the sweetest couple last month! We created a fun spring menu that was entirely gluten-free and tree-nut free for friends and family to enjoy while celebrating the couple's upcoming summer wedding.

Main Course

• Arrangement of fresh fruit skewers
• Salmon Caesar Salad with homemade croutons and dressing
• Strawberry Spinach Salad with goat cheese, dried cherries, orange-honey dressing
• Individual Fritattas: Spinach, mushroom and feta cheese/White Rose Potato, ricotta and fresh herbs
• Crab Cakes with roasted garlic and dill aioli
• Lamb Chops with Tzatziki sauce
• Miniature sirloin & turkey burgers on heart-shaped gluten-free crostini with caramelized onions and chipotle mayonnaise

Gluten & Tree nut-Free Dessert Bar

• Chocolate Ganache truffles dipped in white and semi-sweet chocolate, rolled in various chocolates, butterscotch and M&Ms
• Rice Krispie and flourless-Cheesecake 'Pops' dipped in white and semi-sweet chocolate, rolled in various chocolates, butterscotch and M&Ms
• Miniature pavlova with whipped cream and fresh strawberries
• Individual frozen lemon souffles with vanilla gluten-free crust, topped with a lemon blackberry-blueberry reduction

Congratulations - It was a pleasure being included in your celebration!