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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.
Endive, Prosciutto, and Mozzarella Crostini
Ingredients
18 diagonal slices (1/2-inch-thick) baguette bread
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 head of curly endive or frisee leaves, separated into 2-inch strips
1 (7-ounce) ball fresh water-packed mozzarella cheese, drained, cut into 18 thin slices
18 paper-thin slices prosciutto
2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinaigrette, recipe follows
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Arrange the bread slices on 2 heavy large baking sheets. Brush 3 tablespoons of oil over the bread slices. Bake until the crostini are pale golden and crisp, about 15 minutes.
Wrap 1 curly endive and 1 slice of cheese with 1 slice of prosciutto, allowing the tops to extend 1-inch over 1 long side of the prosciutto. Arrange the crostini on a platter. Top each crostini with a prosciutto roll. Drizzle the vinaigrette over and serve.
Red Wine Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Mix the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper in a blender. With the machine running, gradually blend in the oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with more salt and pepper, if desired.
Quick “Homemade” Corn & Black Bean Salsa
2 jars of your favorite salsa (I use 1 hot and 1 medium, nothing with fruit l)
1 can sweet corn, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped.
Mix everything together, refrigerate for several hours and serve with your favorite tortilla chips
Here is another great one. Again, less that 6 ingredients!
BACON WRAPPED DATES
12 Bacon Slices
1 Package of Pitted Dates
2/3 Cup Crumbled Blue Cheese or Goat Cheese
Balsamic Vinegar Glaze
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut each bacon slice into thirds. Wrap a piece of bacon around a date and secure with a toothpick.
Place dates on a foil lined baking sheet and cook for 15-20 minutes or until bacon is crispy.
Drizzle Glaze over dates. Sprinkle with Cheese and Bake another 4-5 minutes.
Here’s an app that I found it on a website for busy moms, it’s really good and people love it, only 4 ingredients!
4 INGREDIENT CRAB DIP
8 oz crab meat
8 oz whipped cream cheese
1 small onion, diced
1 T Paprika
Salt and Pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients together. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until top is brown.
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts (1)
8-oz Frank’s Hot Sauce (2?)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened (3)
8 ounces (half a bottle) Ranch dressing (4)
1/2 cup chopped celery (5)
4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese (6)
Bake the chicken breasts at 350* for 25 minutes. Cool completely and then pull meat apart with a fork.
In a nine inch casserole dish, spread out the chicken and pour the wing sauce over. Mix well and spread out, covering the entire bottom of the dish.
In a medium sized saucepot, combine the cream cheese and ranch dressing. Whisk while heating until smooth. You don’t want any cream cheese clumps!
Pour the cream cheese mixture over the chicken and spread out. Sprinkle the celery on top. Bake for fifteen minutes at 375*.
After fifteen minutes, sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top and continue baking for another ten to fifteen minutes, or until the cheese has melted and is bubbling. Remove from oven and let sit for ten minutes.
Serve with chips, celery sticks and buffalo chicken wings.
http://www.eatrunread.com/2011/04/weekend-report-bridal-shower-jalapeno.html
Jalapeno Cheddar Hummus (adapted from Eat Live Run)
Ingredients:
2 14.5 oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (1)
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped and seeds removed (2)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup warm water (add more water as needed to make a creamy smooth hummus)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ lemon lemon juice (about 2 tablespoons) (3)
1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese (4)
Directions:
Combine the chickpeas, jalapeno pepper, olive oil, water and salt in a vita-mix or food processor. Process until smooth (adding more water if you desire to thin the hummus out a bit).
Add the cheddar cheese and cumin and lemon and cayenne pepper and process again until everything is well combined.
Serve with pita and/or veggies.
http://www.eatrunread.com/2011/04/weekend-report-bridal-shower-jalapeno.html
Cucumber Appetizer
8 oz cream cheese
1 pkg dry italian dressing mix
1 c. mayonnaise
1 – 2 cucumbers
Italian baguette, slided thin, or white party rounds
Fresh dill
Mix first three ingredients to make the cheese mixture. Slice cucumbers. Spread cheese mixture on bread and then top with cucumber.
If you use the party rounds, you may assemble appetizers the night before the party. If you use Italian baguette, wait to prepare until same day.
Top with fresh dill.
http://lifewithgena.blogspot.com/2010/11/appetizers-cucumber-and-celery.html
Spinach Dip
1 (16 ounce) tub sour cream
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 (10 ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess water
1 small can water chestnuts, finely chopped
1 package dry ranch dip mix
Mix all ingredients together until there are no lumps of cream cheese left. Serve with pieces of sourdough bread.
Hot Pizza Dip
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon each dried oregano and dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup pizza sauce
Pizza toppings of your choice
In a small bowl, blend together the cream cheese, oregano, parsley and basil. Spread in a 9-inch pie plate. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. Spread pizza sauce over the whole thing. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, then top with pizza toppings. Bake in a 350 degree oven until hot and bubbly, about 40 minutes. Serve with sliced baguette or sliced pizza crusts.
fresh fruit with dip
Fruit dip:
8 oz marshmallow fluff
8 oz cream cheese
fruit of choice
amazing, and so easy