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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.
Here is one of my new favorites, Italian Herb & Cheese Stuffed Tomatoes…
Ingredients:
6 vine ripened tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh italian parsley, chopped
1/4 cup oregano, chopped
1/2 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend (cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan)
ground black pepper to taste
extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons italian seasoning
Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Cut the tops off of the tomatoes and scoop out the mushy insides using a melon baller and set aside. Leave the thick tomato wall in tact making sure not to pierce through the skin.
3. In a medium sized mixing bowl add in the tomato pulp, herbs, bread crumbs, cheese, and pepper to taste. (You can also add about 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil). Mix ingredients together until mixed evenly.
4. In a 9×13 pan line up your tomatoes and fill each with the pulp mixture. Top off with a sprinkle of olive oil. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
Check out my post at: http://thefreshfridge.com/2011/07/italian-herb-cheese-stuffed-tomatoes/
Baked Goat Cheese Dip with Caramelized Onions and Figs
http://www.greensnchocolate.com/2011/05/baked-goat-cheese-dip-with-caramelized.html
16 oz goat cheese
14 dried California Mission figs, quartered
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large white onions, thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp kosher salt
French baguette, sliced
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In small pot, combine figs with sherry, along with enough water so the figs are completely covered. Bring mixture to a boil, then cover and remove from heat. Let the figs plump while the onions are cooking.
In medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onions, garlic, rosemary, and salt and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the onions are lightly browned. Add figs (without excess liquid) to onions and stir to combine.
In an oven-safe dish (the size of your liking, depending on how deep you want the dip to go and what onion to goat cheese ratio you want) spread goat cheese evenly. Top with caramelized onion and fig mixture, and bake in pre-heated oven for 20 minutes. Serve immediately with sliced baguettes. Enjoy!
Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Dip
http://www.greensnchocolate.com/2011/05/creamy-roasted-red-pepper-dip.html
2 red bell peppers
8 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
Directions:
Preheat oven on broiler setting. While it is heating, wash your peppers. Place peppers on baking sheet and once oven is heated, place peppers in oven. Keep a close eye on your peppers, making sure they don’t burn, and after one minute, take the peppers out of the oven, turn them onto other side, then return to oven. Once they are blistered on all sides, remove them from the oven. Place the peppers in a paper sack or ziploc bag that can be sealed. Let them sit for 15 minutes in the bag.
After 15 minutes, you can remove the peppers from the bag and the skin should easily be torn off. Cut off stem and place red peppers in food processor, along with the rest of the ingredients. Pulse until mixture is very smooth. Transfer dip into serving bowl and serve with crackers, pita chips, or slices of baguette. Enjoy!
This one only has one ingredient too…
Ranch Crackers
1 bag oyster crackers
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 packet ranch salad dressing mix
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Pour oyster crackers in a 13×9 pan.
Whisk together oil, dressing mix and garlic powder.
Pour over crackers and mix well, coating all crackers.
Bake for 15 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
http://amy-zach.blogspot.com/2009/05/ranch-crackers.html
If oil and spices don’t count then this only has one ingredient!
Gonzo Garbanzos
Ingredients
Two 15.5 ounce cans chickpeas — drained, rinsed and patted dry
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 cup shelled pistachios (optional)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400.
Place the chickpeas in a medium bowl and discard any loose skins. Toss with the olive oil, salt, black pepper, cumin and cayenne pepper until evenly coated.
Spread the chickpeas on a large rimmed baking sheet and bake, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, about 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and quickly stir in the thyme and pistachios, if using. Bake until crunchy, about 10 minutes more.
Let cool and serve at room temperature.
http://amy-zach.blogspot.com/2009/05/gonzo-garbanzos.html
Fried Pickle Chips
For frying: I use a cast iron dutch oven, place about 2 inches of oil in it.
2 tsp salt
2 tsp cracked black pepper
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp cayenne pepper
I Jar of pickle chips
2 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs
2 cup Panko Bread crumbs.
In a fryer or Dutch oven, heat oil to 350F.
Combine flour with a tsp of each of the spices (salt, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper) and mix thoroughly.
Combine panko breadcrumbs with a tsp of each of the spices (salt, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper) and mix thoroughly.
In a bowl whisk eggs.
Pat dry pickle chips between layers of paper towels, removing as much liquid as possible.
Dredge pickles in the flour mixture and shake of excess, then dip in egg, then dredge in panko mixture and shake of excess.
Carefully drop into the oil. don’t overcrowd the pan so they don’t stick together. When golden brown, remove and drain on paper towels.
Serve with ranch and enjoy!
Thanks for posting, we love it! So much so that we shared with our readers on our weekly blog roundup! Check it out here: http://bit.ly/oHuxDm
xo, Thursday Girls
Southwestern Spinach Artichoke Dip
http://www.pumalifeblog.com/2011/02/super-bowl-snacks-southwestern-spinach.html
1 1/2 blocks cream cheese, softened
1 pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/2 jar artichoke hearts
1/2 can Rotel (more or less to taste)
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Parmesean cheese, shredded
1 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash Chipotle seasoning
Pita bread for dipping (or others dippers, optional)
Thaw spinach and soften cream cheese. Drain and chop artichokes. Mix all the ingredients together well, saving 1/4 cup of each cheese to top. Mix up the remaining jack and parmesean cheese in a separate bowl. Spread mix into a greased baking dish and top with the remaining cheese blend. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 350, or until bubbly. Leave the oven on while you cool the dip.
If you’re using pitas to dip, Leave the oven on while you cool the dip. Slice the pita bread into triangles and arrange on a baking sheet. Toast the pita chips in the oven for about 3-4 minutes, or until lightly toasted.
Party Pinwheels
See full post with optional add-ins on my blog here: http://www.pumalifeblog.com/2011/02/super-bowl-snacks-party-pinwheels.html
Ingredients:
2 blocks cream cheese, softened
1 pkg ranch mix, more or less to taste
1/3 cup bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup chopped black olives
Flour tortillas (8-12)
Directions:
Mix ranch mix into cream cheese. Mix in bell pepper and olives. Spread onto tortillas and layer with any optional items. Roll tortillas and refrigerate for an hour. Slice into 1 inch bites and serve, or refrigerate until serving.
Grilled Chicken Nachos
8 cups tortilla chips
1-1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken
3/4 cup spicy barbecue sauce
3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3 cups shredded Chedder cheese (or any cheese you prefer)
Heat grill. Tear off a large rectangles of heavy duty foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Spread tortilla chips down center of foil. In small bowl, combine chicken and barbecue sauce and spoon over tortillas. Sprinkle with tomatoes and cheese.
Seal packages with double fold. Place on grill, cover, and cook on medium coals for 8-10 minutes until hot and cheese is melted.