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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.
SPANISH SPINACH AND TOMATO PIZZAS
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1-14oz can of diced tomatoes
4 ½ oz baby spinach leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ c pine nuts
1 can of Pillsbury pizza dough
½ c grated Manchego cheese
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, or until softened. Add garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes until reduced to a thick mixture.
Add spinach leaves and cook until they have wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Roll dough out and use a glass to cut out circles. Spread each dough circle with spinach mixture to cover, then sprinkle the Manchego cheese and pine nuts over the top. Drizzle a little olive oil over each pizza. Bake for 10-15 minutes.
These were a hit! Since oil, garlic, and spices don’t count, it’s really only 3 ingredients. =)
Mouth-Watering Stuffed Mushrooms (found on AllRecipes.com)
Ingredients:
12 whole fresh mushrooms
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Carefully break off stems. Chop stems extremely fine, discarding tough end of stems.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and chopped mushroom stems to the skillet. Fry until any moisture has disappeared, taking care not to burn garlic. Set aside to cool.
When garlic and mushroom mixture is no longer hot, stir in cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, onion powder and cayenne pepper. Mixture should be very thick. Using a little spoon, fill each mushroom cap with a generous amount of stuffing. Arrange the mushroom caps on prepared cookie sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the mushrooms are piping hot and liquid starts to form under caps.
PROSCIUTTO AND GOAT CHEESE BRUSCHETTA WITH DATES AND HONEY BALSAMIC DRIZZLE
1 baguette, cut into 1-inch thick slices
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 (4-ounce) packages of plain goat cheese
4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
1 cup dried dates, sliced
1/4 cup basil, chiffonade (optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
On a sheet tray lay out the slices of bread and drizzle both sides with extra-virgin olive oil. Toast in the hot oven for 10-12 minutes until crispy and light brown in color. While it is still hot, gently rub each slice on one side with a garlic clove then set aside.
Layer each slice of toast with 1 to 2 slices of goat cheese (depending on the size of your bread slices), a twisted piece of prosciutto and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Put tray of bruschetta back into the oven and heat until cheese is melted, prosciutto is crispy and bread is golden brown, about 2 minutes.
While the toasts are in the oven, make the honey balsamic vinaigrette by combining the vinegar and honey while you drizzle in the 1/4 cup olive oil whisking to combine. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
To serve, lay the prosciutto and goat cheese toast on a plate, top with sliced dates drizzles the honey-balsamic dressing on top. Garnish with basil chiffonade (optional).
Death By Cheese Dip
-1 package of PepperJack Velveeta, cut into 1 inch cubes
-1 cup Jalapeno Ranch Dressing or Regular Ranch Dressing
-1-1/2 cup Sour Cream
-1/2 Yellow Onion-minced
-8 oz. of Beer
-Tortilla Chips
Melt the cheese over medium heat in a saucepan. Add the other 4 ingredients, stir until incorporated and heat the dip until it reaches a slight boil/simmer for 3-5 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!
Cheese and Beer – I’m in heaven!!!
Tortilla Pinwheels
Ingredients:
2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese, softened
1 Ranch Dressing Packet (or make your own!)
4 oz jar of dices pimentos, drained
4 oz can diced green chiles, drained
Black olives, drained and diced or sliced – I usually use the whole can cause I like olives!
1 package tortillas
I like to lay the pimentos and chiles out on a paper towel to soak up some of the juice.
Mix together the cream cheeses and ranch packet. Spread the flavored cream cheese all over the tortilla. Sprinkle with a little bit of the rest of the ingredients. Roll up like a taco. Let sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
Slice into pinwheels.
Always a hit!
http://www.myhomemadehappiness.com/2011/01/recipe-tortilla-pinwheels.html
These are tasty and easy! I used Ranch dressing mix. I hear they are also great with pumpernickel bread, and/or with some dill sprinkled on top.
Cucumber Sandwiches (found on AllRecipes.com)
Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package whipped cream cheese
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style (or Ranch) salad dressing mix
1 (1 pound) loaf cocktail rye bread
1 cucumber, thinly sliced
Directions:
In a small bowl, mix whipped cream cheese and dry Italian-style dressing mix. Spread equal portions of the mixture on slices of the cocktail rye bread. Top each with a slice of cucumber.
Corn Dip
2 packages cream cheese
2 sticks butter
2 cans shoepeg corn
chopped jalepenoes
mix all ingredients together and warm in crock pot. serve with tortilla chips.
so unhealthy…but so delicious!
PESTO CREAM CHEESE SPREAD
INGREDIENTS:
1 8-ounce package plain cream cheese, softened
8 ounces of store bought basil pesto sauce in oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
DIRECTIONS:
Spread softened cream cheese over entire bottom of a shallow serving platter or pie plate. Evenly spread pesto sauce over the cream cheese. Sprinkle garlic over pesto and top with the chopped tomato. Place a spreader or small spoon in the dish for topping on toasted French bread or crackers.
Corn Salsa
3 Roma Tomatoes – seeded
2 cans mexicorn
1 can black beans
1 bunch green onion
1 bunch cilantro
1 avacado
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white vinigar
1 tsp garlic
1 package italian seasoning mix
salt, pepper, and tabasco to taste
Mix first 5 ingredients in bowl, mix olive oil through tabasco together and pour over salsa.
add diced avacado before serving.
Raspberry Chipotle Dip
1 brick cream cheese
8 oz raspberry chipotle sauce or pepper jelly
wheat thins
Simply cut the cream cheese into squares, and pour the raspberry chipotle over the cream cheese. As the cream cheese comes to room temperature, it becomes soft and easy to scoop up the cheese and sauce with Wheat Thins or your choice of cracker.
SO simple, but my favorite appetizer!!