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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.
Curry Shrimp Cups!!
8 ounces Cream Cheese
1/2 cup Green Onion, diced
1 pound cooked Shrimp, diced
1 tbsp Curry Powder
15 Phyllo Dough Cups
2 dashes hot sauce
Salt
Pepper
Mix onions and cream cheese. Add curry powder, hot sauce, salt & pepper. Fold in shrimp. Spoon mixture into cups. Enjoy!
Black Bean Mango Salsa –
I can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 mango, peeled and diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 small green bell pepper
1/2 jalapeno, diced fine
1 lime, juiced
Combine all together in a medium sized bowl. I let mine sit in the fridge for a few hours before I eat it, to let the flavors marry. Serve with chip of your choice!
Asparagus Dip!!
Have you ever overcooked your asparagus??? NOT ME!!! Actually, yes I have & when that happens, I make this wonderful dip!!
1 cup of asparagus, chopped
1/2 cup of green onion, diced
1/3 cup of bacon, cooked and chopped
1/4 cup of bleu cheese crumbles
2 tbsp. of hot wing sauce
8 ounces cream cheese
Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
Serve with veggie & crackers.
Enjoy!
who doesn’t love a caprese salad?
Ingredients
2 cups Balsamic Vinegar
3 whole Ripe Tomatoes, Sliced Thick
12 ounces, weight Mozzarella Cheese, Sliced Thick
Fresh Basil Leaves
Olive Oil, For Drizzling
Kosher Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Preparation Instructions
In a small saucepan, bring balsamic vinegar to a boil over medium-low heat. Cook for 10 to 20 minutes, or until balsamic has reduced to a thicker glaze. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl or cruet. Allow to cool.
When you’re ready to serve, arrange tomato and mozzarella slices on a platter. Arrange basil leaves between the slices. Drizzle olive oil over the top of the salad, getting a little bit on each slice. Do the same with the balsamic reduction, making designs if you want. Store extra balsamic reduction in fridge for a later use.
End with a sprinkling of kosher salt and black pepper. Serve as a lunch, with crusty bread. Or serve alongside a beef main course for dinner.
i’m a spicy gal, so i LOVE these!!
Ingredients
20 whole Fresh Jalapenos, 2-3 Inches In Size
2 cubes Cream Cheese, softened
1 pound Thin(regular) Bacon, Sliced Into Thirds
Preparation Instructions
If you have them, slip on some latex gloves for the pepper prep… Cut jalapenos in half, length-wise. With a spoon, remove the seeds and white membrane (the source of the heat; leave a little if you like things HOT). Smear softened cream cheese into each jalapeno half. Wrap jalapeno with bacon pieces (1/3 slice). Secure by sticking toothpick through the middle.
Bake on a pan with a rack in a 375-degree oven for 20-25 minutes. You don’t want the bacon to shrink so much it starts to the squeeze the jalapeno. If, after 20 minutes, the bacon doesn’t look brown enough, just turn on the broiler for a couple of minutes to finish it off. These are best when the jalapeno still has a bit of bite to it.
http://mustbethewaters.blogspot.com/2011/04/day-late-dollar-short.html
Ro-Tel and Olive Dip
– 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
– 10 oz. can Ro-Tel, drained
– 1/2 c. ripe olives, sliced or chopped
– 1/2 c. green olives, sliced or chopped
Soften cream cheese and mix with Ro-Tel tomatoes which have been well-drained. Add olives that have been sliced or chopped, depending on the consistency you prefer. Chill. Delicious served with Fritos Scoops or Wheat Thins. Enjoy! : )
Date Appetizer:
4 dried dates, pitted
2 Tbs goat cheese
4 Walnuts
1. Stuff dates with goat cheese and walnut
2. Heat in an oven until warm, serve
Asian twist on the classic Cheese and Crackers:
10 Crackers
10 slices of cheese (I used mozzarella and cheddar)
1/2 cup tobiko (about 2 teaspoons per cracker)
1. Place sliced cheese on crackers
2. Spoon tobiko onto cheese
Italian portabella mushroom cap
4 – 4 oz portabella mushrooms
1 Bottle Italian mushrooms
8 oz. Fresh mozzarella cheese
16 leaves fresh basil
2 grape tomatoes
16 – 2 inch yellow pepper slices, cut approximately 1/8 inch in width
This recipe is both delicious and quick!
Set oven to 375 degrees. Rinse four mushroom caps and place top side down on a baking sheet. Fill meat of mushroom with italian dressing. Add mozzarella cheese. Place in oven for 18-20 minutes on middle rack of until cheese is almost melted. Add basil leaves in a cross or x patterning top of cheese. Return to oven until cheese is completely melted. While caps are baking, cut yellow sweet paper into
Appropriate size and cut the two cherry tomatoes into slices. When the cheese on the caps is melted, remove from oven and add yellow peppers alternating basil leaves and a single slice of grape tomato in the center as garnish.
Feeds 8 people
The appetizer is easy to make, beautiful, and nutritious!
Correction to recipe above. Line 2 should say Italian Dressing not Italian mushrooms and line 16 should say sweet peppers not sweet papers. That’ll teach me to proofread better!
White Bean Hummus
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic
fresh lemon juice from 1 whole lemon
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Throw all ingredients except for the olive oil into your food processor and pulse while streaming in the olive oil. Pulse until creamy, but still kind of chunky.
I usually refrigerate over night because it taste better the next day. Serve with pita chips and fresh cut veggies.
Enjoy!