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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.
Spicy Roasted Red Pepper and Feta Hummus
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/spicy-roasted-red-pepper-and-feta-hummus/detail.aspx
Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 (4 ounce) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
1.Place the garbanzo beans, feta cheese, drained red peppers, lemon juice, parsley, cayenne pepper, and salt in the bowl of a food processor; blend until smooth.
Serve with choice of crackers, pita chips, or homemade fried tortilla triangles (YUM!)
I adapted this recipe from one I found in magazine years ago. I make the bites for parties & they always get rave reviews. At Christmas time last year this recipe won me first place in the appetizer division of a local recipe/cooking contest held by our local newspaper & grocery store!
Chicken-Bacon Bites w/Sauce
Serves: 24-30
Prep. Time: 30 mins
Ingredients:
1 lb of Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Cut into
½ C Honey Mustard Barbeque Sauce, plus 2 Tbsp for sauce
1Tbsp Cider Vinegar
1lb Bacon cut in thirds crosswise
½ Cup Jellied Cranberry Sauce
½ tsp Stone Ground Mustard
Directions:
Mix together Honey Mustard Sauce and Vinegar, stir in chicken pieces. Place in plastic bag. Place in Refrigerator or Marinade 4 hours or overnight.
In a non-stick skillet cook chicken with just enough water on bottom of pan to cover the surface of the pan, being careful not to brown the chicken. Cool chicken until able to handle, but into ½ – ¾ inch pieces. Wrap bacon around each piece of chicken, secure with toothpick. Place on ungreased cookie sheet with rim. Continue to wrap until all Chicken or Bacon is used.
Broil for 8 to 12 minutes until center of the bacon looks crisp
Meanwhile, mix cranberry sauce, 2 tbsp Honey Mustard Sauce and the Stone Ground Mustard. Cook over low heat stirring occasionally, just until cranberry sauce is melted and well blended. Pour sauce in a bowl. I sometimes garnish the sauce with fresh chopped chives for an added touch & taste.
Serve hot Bites with warm sauce.
Rueben Crackers
8 ritz crackers
8 slices turkey
sauerkraut
4 slices cheese
Pile turkey, sauerkraut, and cheese on crackers and place in toaster oven until cheese is melted.
Turkies in a Blanket
1 pkg. mini turkey franks
2 pkg. Pillsbury reduced fat crescent rolls (in a can)
Preheat oven to 350F. Unroll crescent rolls onto flat surface and break into little perferated triangles. Place mini frank on triangle and roll; place on cookie sheet covered in aluminum foil. continue this process until all franks or rolls are used. Bake 30 min or until lightly browned ontop
ultimate mushroom bruschetta
http://thefoodyenta.blogspot.com/2010/12/ultimate-mushroom-bruschetta.html
• about 8oz of mushrooms chopped (i used a gourmet blend)
• 2 cloves of garlic chopped
• 1/2 a hot pepper
• 3 tbl butter
• 2 tbl olive oil
• 1/4 cup white wine
• handful of dill and parsley chopped
• half a lemon – juice and rind
• a baguette
• salt and pepper for seasoning
•in a big skillet, heat olive oil and butter. when butter is bubbling, add mushrooms, garlic, half of the herbs, lemon rind and chili pepper.
•after about 5 minutes, add the wine and lemon juice and simmer for about 5 minutes.
•when mushrooms are cooked, and the rest of herbs and season with salt and pepper.
•cut your baguette and sprinkle with olive oil. broil for 2 minutes. take out and brush with a clove of garlic.
•top with mushrooms and enjoy
since you said oil, herbs and spices don’t count i think this fits the description:-)
http://thefoodyenta.blogspot.com/2011/07/lamb-and-shrimp-kabobs.html
lamb and shrimp kabobs
1/2 pound of ground lamb
1/2 pound shrimp (shelled, and cleaned)
spices
4 cloves of garlic
1/2 red onion
1/2 tsp cumin
1 chili pepper
a handful of cilantro, about 1/4 cup chopped
1/4 cup good olive oil
pinch of salt and pepper
to a bowl, add your lamb.
in a food processor, process the spices and add to bowl with lamb.
to the food processor add shrimp. pulse 3-4 times. add to bowl with lamb and spices and combine all with your hands.
roll meatball like shapes and insert your stick in the middle. carefully, flatten out the meat a little to wrap around the stick and make uniform so it all cooks evenly.
brush your kabobs with a touch of olive oil and grill 6-7 minutes on each side. serve with rice or salad.
My favorite hummus
2 15 oz cans chickpeas
2 to 3 cloves garlic, roasted
2/3 cup tahini
juice of one large lemon
2 T olive oil
salt and cumin to taste
Drain chickpeas, reserving liquid. Combine chickpeas and garlic in a food processor; pulse to combine. Add tahini and lemon juice; process until blended. With the processor running, add reserved liquid until desired consistency is reached. Add olive oil in a steady stream, season with salt and cumin.
My favorite, simple Guacamole
2 ripe avocados
1-2 ripe limes
1 roma tomato, seeded and chopped
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 large handful cilantro, chopped
salt and cumin to taste
Peel and seed avocados; mash pulp with a fork. Slice and juice limes, add to avocado pulp. Toss in the tomato, red onion and cilantro, season with salt and cumin. Serves 4 (or 2, depending upon how much you like guacamole).
This appetizer never fails to please a crowd.
Perfect Fruit Dip
1 package of instant vanilla pudding
1 pint of sour cream
Juice from a 16 oz. can of pineapple chunks in own juice (Save the pineapple chunks to serve with the dip.)
Mix all ingredients together and chill overnight. Serve with cut up fruit. Works well with melon, apple slices, grapes, and strawberries.
Steak Quesadillas
http://cleverlyinspired.blogspot.com/2011/07/steak-quesadillas.html
8 oz left over steak (already cooked)
1/2 onion chopped
1/2 green pepper chopped
1 T olive oil
2 C shredded mild cheddar
Flour tortillas
Saute onion and pepper in oil until soft. Drain. Add meat to pan to just heat a bit. Heat oven to 425. Place foil on cookie sheet. Place two tortillas on the foil. Spoon meat mixture onto tortilla top with shredded cheese. Place another tortilla on top. Place in the oven and top with another cookie sheet and press down. Bake for 10 minutes.