Easy Appetizer

This time of year often involves lots of entertaining and fellowship. I've started serving up a very simple appetizer that always disappears. No cooking, minimal prep, and healthy to boot. Try this at your next gathering.

Gather an assortment of nuts, fruit (Clementines are ideal, but grapes also work well), and cheeses. Crackers are totally optional.

I get a nice-looking tray or board, pour nuts in a pretty bowl, and place a few Clementines on the board. I peel one to two Clementines. If I'm serving cheese, I'll put a few slices or cubes out. Napkins are all you need. Folks grab a few bites here and there and, even if kids "spoil their appetites," they're still eating nourishing food. Bonus: the fruit makes it so pretty! Folks seem to welcome lighter, simpler fare in the midst of all the rich food this time of year.

Image credit

Kid-Friendly Green Smoothie

This is a delicious, fruity-tasting smoothie that my three children INHALED. My daughter even asked for seconds; normally, while she claims to like smoothies, she has a hard time finishing them (and the kids usually get an 8-10 oz. serving--not one of of those giant smoothie servings some restaurants pass out). Keep this in mind for a quick nutritional boost on school mornings! (We made triple this batch for 3 kid servings and 2 generous adult servings plus a small amount leftover.)

Kid-Friendly Green Smoothie

• 1 c. baby spinach
• 1  frozen bananas
• 1 1/2 c. frozen fruit blend (I used Dole's mango/pineapple/peach/strawberry blend)
• 1 c. almond milk

Blend/puree! Start with less almond milk and adjust as needed for consistency. We like them fairly thick (and ate with a spoon, but could have used a straw.)

Cranberry Coffee Cake

If you're like me, you're liable to discover a bag of cranberries in your freezer around this time of year--totally forgot about them! Try this sweet coffee cake if you're able to round up cranberries, fresh or frozen. It's best warm, straight from the oven or reheated. I make it Saturday night so we can have it Sunday morning for breakfast (and Monday morning, too!). Note that there are two measurements for sugar--in case you're checking to make sure you have enough.

Cranberry Coffee Cake
~Simply in Season

• 3 c. cranberries
• 2/3 c. sugar 
• 1 c. chopped walnuts
• 3/4 c. butter, softened
• 2/3 c. sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 1/3 c. flour (can do half whole wheat)
• 1 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. salt

Combine cranberries and first amount of sugar. Spread over bottom of greased 13x9-inch pan (glass is pretty). Sprinkle walnuts over cranberries. Cream together butter and second amount of sugar with an electric mixer. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Combine dry ingredients left and add to creamed mixture, mixing well. Batter will be thick--almost like cookie dough. Spoon clumps of batter out over cranberries. You will have some small gaps here and there, but the batter will spread out as it cooks. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

~Serves 12-15

Salted Nut Bars

Salty nuts + butterscotch + shortbread. What's not to like? These gooey bar cookies are yummy, easy to make, and a nice after school treat. Watch for the cans of mixed nuts to go on sale and grab one for these treats--you'll need about the equivalent of one can. I used lightly salted, but I don't think "full salt" would be bad either!

Salted Nut Bars
~from the Betty Crocker Cookbook (2006)

• 1 1/2 c. flour
• 3/4 c. packed brown sugar
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/2 c. butter, softened
• 2 c. salted, mixed nuts or peanuts
• 1 c. butterscotch chips
• 1/2 c. light corn syrup
• 2 T. butter

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until it looks evenly mixed and crumbly. Pat into a 13x9-inch pan (no need to grease the pan!). Bake 15 minutes; cool slightly.
2. While shortbread is baking, cut up any large nuts and set nuts aside. Heat remaining ingredients together in a 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, just until chips melt. 
3. When shortbread is done, pull out of oven. Sprinkle nuts evenly over the top. Pour melted butterscotch mixture evenly over top and bake for 5 more minutes.
4. For bars, cut into desired pieces while cookies are still warm (but not hot).

 ~Makes 32 small bars (those pictured are larger)

Afternoon Tea (and Snack)

Prompted in part by some of my summer reading as well as my long-lived love affair with the idea of the British tea time, my kids and I have begun having afternoon teatime every afternoon.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I often had a vague idea of a looming need for something snack-y, hadn't planned for it, was up to my elbows in something messy in the kitchen or a lengthy edit of some homework paper of my own, and just threw the critters something moderately wholesome while they watched their afternoon TV show.

NO MORE. Our teatime plan has helped solve the late afternoon hunger strike as well as keep food out of the rest of the house. No more

• string cheese wrappers, 
• animal cracker crumbs, 
• apple cores, 
• bits of sticky raisins, 
• or the unrecognizable crumbly surprise 

await us in the evening when we sit down to watch some grown-up TV. This is the only snack we have; even at the grocery store (where, I confess, I formerly offered some sort of food-based reward for good behavior), we picked out a snack that we would have that afternoon at teatime--NOT one we would eat when we got to the car. No more food in the car. Aaahhh....

Our teatime no doubt sounds more elaborate than it really is. Essentially, at around 4:00 (when the kids' rest time ends), we have a small snack plus a beverage. Portion control is key here; I want them hungry by 6:30 (when we usually eat dinner), so I'm okay if they aren't "full" after their snack. And I make it feel like a treat--we often don't have dessert, so this is a fun way to bring in some sweet treats. I'll have to do this earlier on school days this coming year; the kids eat lunch at 10:30!! So, we'll probably have something slightly larger at around 2:00 or 3:00.

What do we eat? If I have time, we eat something that we can eat leftover for breakfast the next morning (I have more time in the afternoon to bake up some muffins than I do first thing in the morning!). I usually offer some sort of fruit, some sort of starchy thing, and/or some sort of protein.

What do we drink? Hot or iced tea, lemonade, juice, or water--really, whatever we have on hand or have time to whip up. I predict some hot chocolate or hot chai in the cooler months ahead.

Incidentally, this has become a terrific way to use up bits and pieces--waste not, want not! I use small plates and a few pieces of something go much further than they might at a meal time.

Here are some of our recent teatime snacks:

• Slice of French bread smeared with Nutella (this was a huge hit) (1 slice/kid)
• Small piece of coffeecake with some fruit (I got 16 pieces out of an 8x8 pan)
• Pistachio nuts and some fruit
• Muffin with some fruit
• Trail mix
• Graham crackers with peanut butter and brownie crumbs on top (2 squares/kid)
• Bread pudding
• Banana bread with cream cheese and some fruit
• Various snack cakes with some fruit

What will you serve at YOUR teatime?

Whole Wheat Peach Kuchen

The last time I tried peach kuchen was years ago; I remember not being terribly keen on it. However I decided, given the mountain of peaches on my counter, to give it another whirl--different recipe, though. This was a HUGE hit with my children. We ate the first half warm from the oven for a snack with our tea, and finished off the rest for breakfast. It's sweet, but not overly so. There's plenty of fresh fruit in it to assuage any guilt over "dessert" for breakfast ☺.

Whole Wheat Peach Kuchen
~from Simply in Season

Combine following in mixing bowl:

• 3/4 c. whole wheat pastry flour (or white whole wheat)
• 1/2 c. flour
• 2 T. sugar
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/4 t. baking powder
• 1/4 c. walnuts, ground (optional)

Cut in 1/4 c. butter (1/2 stick) until crumbly. Pat mixture over bottom and sides of a pie plate.

Arrange 4-5 halved, peeled peaches, cut side down, over pastry. If you work it right, you can have 8 halves around the edge (they will be snug) plus 1 half in the middle and maybe the final half just chopped up and sprinkled in.

Mix together 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle on top. Bake in preheated oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

Combine the following and pour over peaches; bake for 30 more minutes or until set:

• 1 c. plain yogurt* or sour cream
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 T. sugar
• 1/2 t. vanilla

 *If your yogurt is nonfat and/or "loose," put about 1 1/2 cups in a coffee filter lined colander and let drain while you fix the remaining ingredients. If you do this at the very beginning, you will have much thicker yogurt (more like sour cream in texture) by the time you get to the part where you mix it with the egg, etc.

~Serves about 8 if you have 8 peach halves lining the edges ☺

Cookbook says you can substitute blueberries, too. I think that sounds yummy, too!

Blueberry Coffee Cake

Delicious! We cut ours into 16 small squares, enjoyed one each as a snack with afternoon tea and then finished off the rest for breakfast the next morning.

Blueberry Coffee Cake
~from Simply in Season

• 1 c. flour
• 1/2 c. whole wheat flour + 1/3 c. whole wheat flour
• 1/2 c. sugar + 1/3 c. sugar
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1 t. cinnamon + 1 t. cinnamon
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 1/2 c. blueberries
• 1 t. lemon zest, optional
• 1 egg
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1/4 c. melted butter or oil
•  2 T. butter
• 1/3 c. chopped walnuts or pecans or almonds

1. Prepare topping and set aside: mix second amounts of whole wheat flour (1/3 c.), sugar (1/3 c.), butter (2 T.), cinnamon (1 t.), and the chopped nuts.
2. For batter, combine flour, first amount of whole wheat flour (1/2 c.), first amount of sugar (1/2 c.), baking powder, first amount of cinnamon (1 t.), and salt. Stir in blueberries and lemon zest, if using.
3. Combine egg (slightly beaten), milk, and melted butter or oil. Add to batter mixture and fold in, mixing gently until all is combined.
4. Spread/pour batter into greased 8x8-inch pan. Sprinkle topping over.
5. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until top is light golden brown (I had to cover mine with foil the last few minutes while the inside finished cooking--use a toothpick to test). Serve warm or at room temperature.

~serves 9 or more

Peanut Butter Apple Bowls

I'm experimenting with after school snack ideas while I have the time ☺. Getting my ducks in a row, as it were, before school craziness hits. This is delicious! Adapt for your family's needs; I think the filling is good by itself and am contemplating making just that up and tucking it into some kiddos' lunch boxes come August...

Peanut Butter Apple Bowls

~adapted from a Kroger flyer

• 1 apple*
• 2 1/2 t. sunflower seeds (peanuts would work well, too)
• 2 T. raisins
• ground cinnamon, to taste
• 1 T. orange juice concentrate
• peanut butter

*depending on size of apple, you may need more/less of the other filling ingredients

1. Cut top off of apple horizontally. Core apple, making sure to remove all seeds. Hollow out the apple and set aside apple pieces (chop into small pieces if necessary).
2. In a small bowl, combine sunflower seeds, raisins, and apple pieces. Dust with cinnamon. Add orange juice concentrate; mix well and set aside.
3. Smear peanut butter inside apple to coat. Fill the apple with the raisin mixture.

~Serves 1

Curried Black Bean Hummus

This is the way my friend Alondra makes her black bean hummus. There's no tahini in it which makes it a little cheaper than regular hummus--and you might have all the ingredients already on hand! I don't like regular hummus with plain ol' carrot sticks, but the curry kick in this is delicious with veggies!! Try it.

~recipe from allrecipes.com

• 1 cup canned black beans, drained
• 1 cup canned garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons plain nonfat yogurt
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Place black beans, garbanzo beans, olive oil, lemon juice, yogurt, water, and garlic into the bowl of a blender. Season with curry powder, salt, and pepper. Cover and puree until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.  

~Makes about 2 cups

Herb Veggie Dip (aka Ranch)

We love us some Ranch dressing around here: the kids call it "white ketchup." And, while they aren't brand specific or anything, the homemade stuff usually doesn't pass muster.... until now! My 6-year-old helped me make this, and she pronounced it better than the usual stuff. She ate LOTS of veggies dunked in this delicious dip.

I like that it's mayo/yogurt because I usually have yogurt on  hand (as opposed to buttermilk). It also makes just a cup--easier to use up before it goes bad. I used fresh chives and parsley because, amazingly, they survived last night's snowfall. If you need to sub in dried herbs for the fresh, use 1 teaspoon instead of the tablespoon called for. I used everything listed, but the recipe says you can mix and match or use them all.

~from Simply in Season

• 1/2 c. mayonnaise (I used lowfat)
• 1/2 c. plain yogurt (I used lowfat)*
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 T. fresh dill, chopped
• 1 T. fresh chives, chopped
• 1 T. fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 t. lemon juice
• 1 t. celery seed
• 1/2 t. garlic powder
• 1/2 t. paprika

*for a thicker dip, drain about a cup of yogurt for a few hours in a cheesecloth or coffee filter-lined colander and use 1/2 cup of the thicker yogurt.

Mix mayo and yogurt and salt together. Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Let chill for an hour (if you can wait that long!) and serve with fresh vegetables.

~Makes about a cup

Life Party Mix

This is a terrific snack to offer at a kids' party. It's sweet, easy to make, and keeps well (so you can make it ahead of time). It reminds me of classic trail mix--and I added peanuts to the original to make it more trail-mix-like! (For another sweet party mix, see Cinnamon-Apple Chex Mix; for the original savory goodness, see Chex Winter Party Mix).

Note: I used chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in mine because I didn't have any M&M's. I think seasonally colored M&M's would make this is a great holiday snack for any holiday (Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.).

~From back of Life cereal box

• 4 c. Life cereal, any flavor (1 regular--smallish box is enough for 2 batches)
• 1 c. small pretzel sticks
• 1 c. peanuts, optional
• 1/4 c. butter
• 3 T. brown sugar
• 1 c. raisins
• 1 c. M&M's, any color (or sub in chocolate chips)

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. 
2. Mix cereal, pretzels, and peanuts, if using, in large pan (I used the bottom drip pan of my broiler pan for a double batch; a large roasting pan would also work).
3. In a small saucepan, bring to a boil the butter and sugar. Drizzle over cereal mix. Toss lightly to mix thoroughly.
4. Bake at 250 degrees for about an hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
5. Add raisins and let cereal mix cool.
6. When completely cool, add chocolate pieces--whatever you happen to be using.

~Yields approximately 7-8 cups

Cinnamon-Apple Chex Mix

While not as ubiquitous as the original Chex Winter Party Mix, alternate versions like this sweet one are showing up premade in grocery stores and gas stations all the time. Now you can make some at home!

~from back of Wheat Chex box

• 5 c. multi-bran Chex or wheat Chex cereal
• 1 c. lightly salted whole almonds
• 1/4 c. butter or margarine
• 1/3 c. packed brown sugar
• 2 T. light corn syrup
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 1 c. chopped dried apples
• 1/2 c. vanilla yogurt-covered raisins

1. In large microwavable bowl, mix cereal and almonds; set aside.
2. In 2-cup microwavable measuring cup, microwave butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and cinnamon uncovered on High about 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute, until mixture is boiling; stir. Pour over cereal mixture, stirring until evenly coated.
3. Microwave uncovered on High 3 minutes, stirring and scraping bowl after every minute. Stir in apples; microwave uncovered on High about 2 minutes or until apples just begin to brown on edges.
4. Spread on waxed paper or foil to cool, about 5 minutes. Place in serving bowl; stir in raisins. Store in airtight container.

~Makes 16 (1/2-cup) servings

Autumn's Special Yogurt

A young friend of mine (named Autumn) concocted this super simple, super yummy yogurt dish. It's perfect for right after holidays and other occasions when you might have leftover whipped cream (whether the real deal, Redi-Whip, or Cool Whip).

• yogurt of choice
• whipped cream of choice
• fruit, if desired

We used vanilla yogurt with a nice spoonful of Cool Whip swirled in this morning. Mmmm... My kids all dipped their fruit into it (one had a pear, one had a clementine, and one had a banana).

Enjoy!

Smoky Black Bean Dip/Spread

We are BIG black bean fans around here (well, my husband and I are... the kids are coming around). My husband also is a chipotle addict; no matter what the recipe is, he would add a bit of chipotle to kick it up a notch. We use this dip as a quesadilla filling. Spread it on and sprinkle some cheese on top. It would make a great addition to a wrap as well or dip for tortilla chips (MUCH less fattening than queso dips). And, important in this day of increasing grocery prices: it's cheap!

• 2 cups cooked black beans plus 1/2 cup cooking liquid or water (about 1 can)
• 1 T. oil (or less if you're cutting back)
• 1/4 c. chopped green onions
• 1 t. grd. coriander
• 1 t. grd. cumin
• 1/4 c. chopped cilantro (optional but great)
• 1 t. chopped chipotle chile (or just one whole chipotle chile)*
• juice of 2-3 limes
• salt

*from those canned in adobo sauce; keep leftovers in a ziploc bag in the fridge--they'll keep for a few months

1. Heat beans and water in a pot until warm.
2. Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat; add onions and spices and cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes.
3. Put beans, onion mixture, cilantro--if using--and chipotle in a blender (let cool slightly) and puree. Add lime juice and salt to taste.

~Makes about 2 cups

Haystacks

One of my husband's favorite flavors is butterscotch; these tasty little treats are, therefore, one of his favorites! My mother-in-law made sure I had the recipe when I got married--it's an easy recipe to memorize and an easy one for kids to make.

1 bag butterscotch chips
1 regular size can of chow mein noodles
1 c. peanuts (lightly salted or regularly salted)

Melt butterscotch chips in top of double boiler. When melted, quickly and thoroughly stir in peanuts and chow mein noodles. Quickly drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper and allow to cool.

Makes roughly 2 1/2 dozen or so

Cranberry Fruit Relish

This is a refreshing holiday treat that a friend of Carrie's made. It's simple to make, but make it a couple of days ahead of time to let flavors "marry." It's a nice, bright red color.

• 1 whole apple, cored
• 1 whole pear, cored
• 1 whole orange, seeds removed but peel left on
• 1 bag cranberries
• 2/3-1 c. sugar

Cut fruit into chunks and put all ingredients in food processor (or blender). Process until desired consistency (well-chopped to pureed, depending upon desired use). Start with smaller amount of sugar and add to taste (if your apple is tart, for instance, you may need more).

Uses: with meats, on cream cheese as an appetizer, mixed with vanilla or plain yogurt, to top ice cream, by itself....

Lettuce Wraps

We love the lettuce wraps at PF Chang's Chinese Bistro*. This recipe tastes awfully similar! These make a great appetizer or main course. There is some chopping involved, but the cooking process is pretty quick.

Side Dish Serving Suggestion (if using as a main course): steamed rice and/or crunchy Asian noodles; fresh fruit

From Southern Living Magazine

• 1/2 c. finely chopped carrots
• 1/2 c. water
• 20-oz. ground turkey
• 1 c. chopped shiitake mushrooms
• 1 (8-oz.) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 T. minced fresh ginger
• 1/3 c. teriyaki sauce
• 3 T. creamy peanut butter
• 1 T. sesame oil
• 1 T. rice vinegar
• 1/4 c. hoisin sauce
• 1/2 c. sliced green onions
• 1 head iceberg lettuce, separated into leaves**
• hoisin sauce, optional

1. Cook carrots and water in a large skillet over hight heat, stirring occasionally, 3-5 minutes or until carrots are softened and water is evaporated. Remove from skillet.

2. Reduce heat to medium. Cook turkey in skillet about 5 minutes, stirring until turkey crumbles and is no longer pink. Add carrots, mushrooms, and next 8 ingredients. Increase heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring constantly, 4 minutes. Add green onions, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Spoon mixture evenly onto lettuce leaves; roll up. Serve with hoisin sauce, if desired.

*PFChang's also includes crunchy little rice noodles--or bean thread noodles?--for added crunch.

**To separate lettuce leaves easily, hold under water in the sink. It also helps to let the lettuce leaves soak in cold water for a bit--they're extra crunchy that way!

Herbed Spinach Dip

I took this to a potluck and got rave reviews (and requests for the recipe). It's a nice, garlicky version of a chilled spinach dip (as opposed to the hot, spinach-artichoke dips).

From America's Test Kitchen Family Favorites Cookbook with some modifications

• 1 (12-oz.) bag chopped, frozen spinach (amount is flexible), thawed and squeezed dry
  
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 c. sour cream or plain yogurt (I used yogurt)
  
• 1/2 c. mayonnaise
• 1/2 c. packed fresh parsley leaves (I think I left this out...)
  
• 1 T. fresh dill or 1 t. dried
• 1-2 garlic cloves, minced (I used 2)
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/4 t. Tabasco
• 1/4 t. pepper

Process all ingredients in a food processor until well combined, about 1 minute. Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate until the flavors have blended, at least 1 hour.

Can be made ahead; refrigerate, wrapped tightly, for up to 24 hours before serving. Taste before serving and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Makes 1 1/2 cups

Pine Bark Candy

Some folks around here call this "cracker candy," but there are at least two versions of the recipe floating around. This one uses semi-sweet chocolate on top of the crackers; you can use butterscotch or something else in place of the chocolate, but I like the chocolate version best.

• 40 saltines (1 "sleeve")
• 12-oz. semi-sweet chocolate morsels
• 2 sticks REAL butter
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. nuts, chopped (we like pecans)
• 1 jelly roll pan (or cookie sheet with rim)

Line pan with foil. Spray foil with Pam. Spread crackers in one layer in pan. Melt butter and sugar in small saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil 3 minutes (time from moment "first bubble" appears). Pour butter/sugar mixture over crackers. Bake at 375 degrees for 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Spread chocolate on top. Wait a minute or so and then smooth with knife or plastic spatula once chocolate is soft. Sprinkle nuts on top. Put pan in refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours. Remove from fridge and peel back foil from back. Break up candy with hands. Can be stored at room temperature.

Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

Boy, are these addictive!!! When you get your pumpkin(s) this year, don't throw away the seeds! This recipe is a combination of two other recipes I've found online and it's my favorite to date (I've tried several). Consider it a virtually free snack since you bought the pumpkin for a different use and would throw these away otherwise.

Recipe combined from 101 Cookbooks and Pumpkin Patches and More

• pumpkin seeds
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Wash pumpkin seeds thoroughly (I put them in a bowl of water once I've separated them from the "goop" and just run them between my fingers under water--the last bits of slimy stuff slip off). Drain them in a colander for 30 minutes. Spread them out on a cookie sheet to dry (you can speed this up with a hairdryer according to one site). If you're not in a hurry, just turn them over/stir around every few hours or so, when you think about it. You can toast them the next day in a flash.

Once pretty dry, combine the seeds (1 cup for the ratios in the recipe ingredients list) with an egg white and the seasonings. Drain excess egg white off using a strainer and place on a cookie sheet. Toast at 375 degrees for about 12 minutes, until light brown. They will burn quickly after that time limit, so keep an eye on them!

Let cool slightly and enjoy!