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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.
One of my favorite appetizers is to slice a dried fig down the middle and place a bit of goat chees inside. Wrap the fig with goat cheese with a strip of dried proscuitto and secure with a toothpick.
Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Dates
This are quick and easy, but taste like they aren’t!
20 Big fat juicy dates
1 Cup soft cheese of your choice – I like blue cheese or feta
10 Slices bacon
Pit each date by making a small slit with a paring knife.
Stuff a bit of cheese inside each date.
Wrap each date with 1/2 slice of bacon. Secure with toothpick if needed.
Place each date on parchment lined cookie sheet and bake in 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes or until bacon is crisp.
Great giveaway! Thank you.
Link to recipe: http://www.cookincanuck.com/2010/07/grilled-zucchini-roll-recipe-with/
Grilled Zucchini Rolls with Goat Cheese & Kalamata Olives
1 very large or 3 small zucchini
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 1/2 oz. herbed goat cheese
1 1/2 oz. (about 7 or kalamata olives, finely chopped
Preheat grill to high heat.
Slice a strip lengthwise from the zucchini to expose the inside of the vegetable. Discard or reserve for another use. Cut the 2 ends from the zucchini to make straight edges. Cut the zucchini lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips. If using a large zucchini, cut each of these strips in half crosswise. This wonโt be necessary with small zucchini.
Brush both sides of the zucchini pieces liberally with olive oil. Season well with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lay the zucchini pieces on the grill at a 45-degree angle (for more attractive grill marks). Cook until the zucchini is very tender, but not mushy, about 3 minutes per side, moving the pieces during cooking to ensure even browning.
Remove zucchini from the grill. Set a wire cooling rack on top of a bowl to give the cooling rack extra clearance from the counter. Drape the zucchini pieces on the rack to cool. This method will stop the zucchini from steaming will cooling.
Place goat cheese in a medium bowl. Stir olives into the goat cheese.
Spread a layer of the goat cheese mixture onto one side of each zucchini piece. Gently roll each piece of zucchini. Serve.
Makes 8 to 10 rolls.
Link to recipe: http://www.cookincanuck.com/2010/12/savory-cranberry-pistachio-goat-cheese/
Cranberry, Pistachio & Goat Cheese Palmiers
1 sheet (8 oz) purchased puff pastry sheet, thawed
2 oz. goat cheese (chevre), room temperature
1/3 cup (slightly packed) dried cranberries
1/4 cup pistachios, roughly chopped
Roll the puff pastry sheet into a rectangle that is at least 8 inches wide and no less than 1/8-inch thick. With the standard puff pastry sheets found in the grocery stores, you wonโt have much rolling to do.
Spread goat cheese over the puff pastry and top with dried cranberries and pistachios. Using your hand, lightly press the cranberries and pistachios into the cheese. Roll each long end of the rectangle into the center. Chill for about 15 minutes.
Cut the roll crosswise into 1/8-inch slices and divide the palmiers between two baking sheets covered with parchment paper. Chill for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Bake the palmier until they are puffed and light golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Quickly flip the palmiers and place back in the oven, switching positions of the baking sheets. Bake for an additional 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the palmiers to a cooling rack and cool completely before serving.
Make ahead: The palmiers can be baked and then store in the fridge in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days, or frozen. Before serving, place unthawed palmiers on a baking sheet in a 350 degree F oven for 5 minutes.
Makes 2 dozen palmiers.
Pizza Fondue
Ingredients
* 1/2 pound ground beef
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 3 cans (8 ounces each) pizza sauce
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
* 1-1/2 teaspoons fennel seed
* 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
* 1 loaf French bread, cubed
Directions
1. In a large saucepan, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the pizza sauce, cornstarch, oregano and garlic powder. Add 1/2 cup cheddar cheese; stir until the cheese is melted. Gradually add remaining cheddar cheese; stir until blended.
2. Pour into fondue pot. Add fennel seed and mozzarella cheese, stirring until melted. Serve with cubed French bread. Yield: 10-12 servings.
Bacon-Chicken Crescent Ring
Ingredients
2 tubes (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent rolls
1 can (10 ounces) chunk white chicken, drained and flaked
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Italian salad dressing mix
Directions
1. Grease a 14-in. pizza pan. Unroll crescent roll dough; separate into 16 triangles. Place wide end of one triangle 3 in. from edge of prepared pan with point overhanging edge of pan. Repeat with remaining triangles along outer edge of pan, overlapping the wide ends (dough will look like a sun when complete). Lightly press wide ends together.
2. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Spoon over wide ends of dough. Fold points of triangles over filling and tuck under wide ends (filling will be visible). Bake at 375ยฐ for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
blueberry salad
take a large bowl and put in enough salad mix (any kind of salad mix). top with a pint of fresh blue berries. crumble in some Queso Fresco. make a vinaigrette of 3 parts extra virgin olive oil to 1 part vinegar (I’ve used balsamic vinegar and rice vinegar – both are nice, the rice vinegar is much more delicate and subtle). dress your salad. slice on top some peaches or nectarines, and serve.
garlic parmesan bread
mix in a food processor, 1 stick butter + 1/4c grated Parmigiano Reggiano + 1T extra virgin olive oil + 2 garlic cloves (minced) + 1/4 tsp salt + 1/8 tsp black pepper + 1 tsp lemon zest.
preheat oven to 425F.
cut an artisan bread loaf into 1″ slices. Butter up the bread well with the mixture. Place on a pan. Cover and pop into the oven about 10 minutes, with a foil cover. Then take the cover off, and bake for a few minutes longer until there’s a nice toasted color. serve.
Sausage and Cheese Balls
Yield: 6-7 dozen
3 cups baking mix, such as Bisquick
1 lb. pork sausage
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I used a Mexican cheese blend)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley (or 1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes)
Preheat oven to 350หF. Using the paddle attachment, mix all ingredients together in the bowl of a stand mixer. You can use a wooden spoon or your hands, but it will take some elbow grease. Roll into 1โณ balls and place on a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until browned. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce (optional), such as barbecue or chili sauce.
Bloominโ Onion Bread
1 unsliced loaf of (round is preferable) sourdough bread
1 pound Monterey Jack cheese, thinly sliced
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup finely diced green onion, including white part
2-3 tsp poppy seeds
Directions:
Using a sharp bread knife cut the bread going both directions. Do not cut through the bottom crust.
Places slices of cheese between cuts. Mix together butter, onion, and poppy seeds. Pour over bread. Wrap in foil the entire thing in foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Unwrap. Bake 10 more minutes, or until cheese is melted.