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It’s summer. It’s hot. Too hot – I think the heat is to blame for my missing culinary mojo. There’s just something about 95 degree temperatures that makes turning on my oven a little less appealing than normal.
With all the heat, blue skies, and an 85 acre pond in our backyard, we’re kind of used to last minute entertaining. So we keep the fridge stocked with simple, fresh ingredients that can be transformed into delicious eats without too much cooking involved.
For our recent Fourth of July festivities, I decided to keep things pretty effortless and portable, so people wouldn’t have to be tied to the table while enjoying the food. One of the most well received items on the menu were these easy Greek Salad Skewers. With only 6 ingredients and minimal prep time, these Greek Salad Skewers couldn’t be easier – or cuter!
Now, here’s where things get a little fun! I want you to share YOUR favorite appetizer recipe that uses 6 ingredients or less (see below for specifics) for the chance to win a $600 gift card. I’ve teamed up with American Express and their Dinner @ 6 promotion to create simple appetizer recipes that use 6 ingredients or less.
Are you seeing a theme here with the number 6? Let me explain. American Express recently launched two cash back credit cards – Blue Cash Preferred and Blue Cash Everyday.
One of the most exciting benefits of the Blue Cash Preferred card is that Cardmembers receive 6% cash back for purchases at the supermarket – the highest cash back rate available for grocery purchases! With these new Blue Cash® Cards, there are no spend minimums, cash back caps, ongoing enrollments or rotating categories of cash back benefits. Which is a pretty sweet deal when used responsibly.
Greek Salad Skewers
Ingredients:
12 grape tomatoes
4 ounces feta cheese, cut into 12 (1/2-inch) cubes
1 mini cucumber sliced into 12 pieces
12 pitted kalamata olives
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons Za’atar*.
12 (4-6 inch) bamboo or wood skewers
Directions:
1. Thread the skewers starting with a tomato, then a piece of feta cheese, a cucumber and an olive. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
2. Just before serving, arrange skewers on a platter, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Za’atar.
Notes:
- I highly recommend finding Za’atar. It’s such a great spice (a blend of sumac, sesame seeds and herbs) to have on hand. I love the brand Urban Accents because it’s flavorful and readily available at my local market.
Follow Jamie on Instagram. We love to see what you're baking from MBA! Be sure to tag @jamiemba and use the hashtag #mbarecipes!
Requirements for Participation
One winner will receive a $600 Gift Card from American Express:
1. Submit your favorite APPETIZER recipe that features 6 ingredients or less. You MUST cut and paste the entire recipe into the comment form. If you have a blog, please also provide a link to the post.
2. You may submit 2 recipes – leave each recipe in a separate comment.
Seasonings, spices and herbs, garlic, vinegars and oils DO NOT count as one of the 6 ingredients.
3.. Contest ends July 23, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. PST. Entries that do not follow the directions above will be deleted without notification.
4. Winner will be posted in a follow up post by July 29, 2011.
5. Contest open to US residents only.
6. Winner will be chosen via random.org and will have 3 days to respond or a new winner will be selected.
Additional Entries
If you also have a MAIN COURSE recipe that uses 6 ingredients or less, be sure to head over to goodLife {eats} and enter on Katie’s blog as well. Good luck!
Disclosure
This post and the giveaway are sponsored by American Express. The views and opinions expressed within this post are my own.
Pumpernickel Rounds
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup real mayonaise
1 cup chopped black olives
2 teaspoons chopped onion
bacon bits — optional
1 loaf pumpernickel cocktail bread, or rye
Mix cheese, mayo, black olives, and onion. Spread on bread slices and place on cookie sheet, sprinkle each with a few bacon bits. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 – 20 mins.
Tracy’s Mediterranean Dip
2 small containers crumbled feta cheese
1/2 small container whipped cream cheese
1 large spoonful mayonnaise — or Miracle Whip
chopped green onion
chopped Kalamata olives
chopped tomato
Mix 1st 3 ingredients well. Spread on a 9″ plate. Sprinkle with veggies.
Serve with pita bread, crackers, or chips.
Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates with Bacon
1 package pitted whole dates
1 package mild goat cheese – room temperature
1 lb of bacon
Brown sugar
Cut each bacon strip into 3 pieces. Load goat cheese into a pastry bag or ziploc bag with one tip cut off. Squeeze a small amount of goat cheese into each date, wrap each date with a piece of bacon and place seam side down on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper. Sprinkle with just a touch of brown sugar. If desired, secure with a toothpick. Bake at 375 until bacon is cooked through. Serve warm or at room temp. DELISH!
Warm Cheesy Bacon Spread
1 round loaf sourdough bread
1 package cream cheese, softened
1½ cups sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1½ t. Worcestershire Sauce
¾ pound sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled
Cut the top off the loaf of bread; hollow out, leaving a 1- in shell. Cut the removed bread and top of loaf into cubes; set aside.
Beat the cream cheese. Add the sour cream, cheddar cheese and Worcestershire sauce until combined; stir in bacon. Spoon into bread shell. Wrap in a piece of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour or until heated through.
Spinach Rounds aka Easiest Recipe You’ll Ever Love!
10 ounces of frozen spinach, cooked and drained.
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/3 + cup Parmesan cheese
3 eggs lightly beaten
1 medium onion finely chopped
4 Tbsp melted margarine
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix ingredients, roll into balls and bake for 25-30 minutes.
http://brokenwon.blogspot.com/2011/07/spinach-rounds-aka-easiest-recipe-youll.html
White Bean Dip w/Oregano and Parmesan
1 15oz can canellinin beans
3 TBS olive oil
3 TBS chopped parsley
2 TBS grated parmesan cheese
2 TBS chopped fresh oregano
1 large clove garlic, chopped
Puree all ingredients in food processor. Serve with assorted veggies and crackers.
http://puckandkudzu.wordpress.com/2011/06/04/rhubarb-crostini/
Rhubarb Crostini
3 stalks rhubarb, diced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
sliced baguette
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 ounces honeyed goat cheese
1/2 cup chopped mint
In a small pot, bring balsamic vinegar and sugar to a simmer. Add rhubarb and cook for 1-2 minutes. Transfer rhubarb with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Continue to cook vinegar mixture until thick, about 5 minutes. Add to rhubarb.
Spread olive oil over sliced baguette and broil in oven until toasted, 3-4 minutes. Spread goat cheese over warm toasts. Add rhubarb compote and top with mint.
Dip w/Sun Dried Tomatoes
1 – 8.5oz jar oil packed sun-dried tomatoes
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pecorino romano cheese
1/2 fresh packed basil leaves
6 cloves garlic
Put all ingrdients in food processor and puree. Serve on baguette rounds.
Stuffed Mushrooms
18 mushroom caps
1 Alouette Garlic & Herbs (6.5 oz)
3 tbsp. seasoned bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 375º F.
Place mushroom caps hollow side up & fill with 1 tsp. Alouette Garlic & Herbs
Sprinkle with seasoned bread crumbs.
Bake 12-15 minutes.
above recipe **Alouette spreadable cheese…can use Spinach & Artichoke as well.
My favorite appetizer recipe #2
Easy Cheesy Pull Bread
————————————
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoons garlic powder, onion powder & celery salt
1 round loaf sourdough bread (1 pound)
1 pound Monterey Jack cheese, thinly sliced
————————————————————————————
In a bowl mix melted butter, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and seasonings. Cut bread loaf diagonally into 1-in. slices to within 1/2 in. of bottom of loaf (Do Not cut all the way through the loaf). Repeat cuts in opposite direction. Arrange cheese slices in cuts. Drizzle butter mixture over bread. Wrap loaf in foil; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. The loaf with open up to look like a blossom and guest will just pull of the cheesy bread chunks. So cute!