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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.
Second favorite dip EVER —
1 block cream cheese
1 jar of Salsa
Mix together and serve with tortilla chips.
Delicious!! :)
My most favorite dip EVER ….
Dill Pickle Dip
1 block cream cheese
Chopped Dill Pickles (roughly 1 cup give or take your love for pickles!!)
1 tsp. Dill Weed
Pickle Juice mixed in pickle/cream cheese mixture to desired consistency
Mix together and refrigerate overnight for best taste.
Serve with plain ripple chips.
I usually double this recipe because it is SO addicting i could eat it with a spoon!! LOL
Bacon Cheddar Pinwheels
Ingredients
1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
2 tablespoons ranch dressing
4 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled
1/2 cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz)
1/4 cup chopped green onions (4 medium)
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F.
Unroll dough; separate into 2 long
rectangles. Press each into 12×4-inch rectangle, firmly pressing
perforations to seal.
Spread dressing over each rectangle to edges. Sprinkle each with
bacon, Cheddar cheese and onions.
Starting with one short side, roll up each rectangle; press edge to
seal. With serrated knife, cut each roll into 8 slices; place cut
side down on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 12 to 17 minutes or until edges are deep golden brown.
Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm. Yield: 16
appetizers.
Bacon Cheddar Dip
Ingredients
2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream
1 cup (4 ounces) finely shredded cheddar cheese
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
2 to 4 bacon strips, cooked & crumbled
Crackers &/or assorted fresh vegetables
Directions
In a large bowl, combine the sour cream, cheddar cheese, salad
dressing mix and bacon. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Serve with crackers &/or vegetables. Yield: 2-1/2 cups.
Sweet and Spicy Grilled Jalapeno Peppers
Ingredients
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• ¼ C fire roasted corn (thawed if frozen, drained if canned) *see note
• 12 jalapeño peppers, tops off, cored and seeded.
• 4 slices of bacon cut in thirds
• ¼ C barbecue sauce for basting
Preparation
• Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
• In a mixing bowl combine cream cheese, lime juice, salt, garlic powder and cilantro. Mix until thoroughly combined.
• Fold in corn.
• Wearing gloves, fill each jalapeno with the cream cheese corn mixture
• Wrap a piece of bacon around the middle of the pepper securing it with a toothpick.
• Place peppers on grill and cook until bacon is crispy, basting with barbecue sauce during the last 2-5 minutes of cooking.
*Note: Trader Joes offers a frozen fire roasted corn which I use in this recipe but any type of corn will work.
These take some time to make, but are SO good. Everytime I’ve made them, they’ve pretty much disappeared before I got any! So now I snag some as I cook :D
Mini Twice Baked Potato Appetizers
Makes 2 dozen
Ingredients:
24 baby Yukon Gold or red potatoes (small russets work too – but they are usually too big)
2-3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp freshly chopped Thyme
4 oz. pancetta or applewood smoked bacon, cooked-crispy and crumbled
5 TBSP chives, finely chopped
1/2 cup creem fraiche or sour cream
1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, coarsely grated
Sea salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Step 1: Wash, dry potatoes and place on a large baking sheet. Toss with olive oil to lightly coat potatoes. Sprinkle with half of the fresh Thyme, sead salt and pepper. Toss. Bake potatoes until they are very tender when pierced with a skewer or tooth pick… approximately 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to completely cool.
Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees.
Step 2: Make sure potatoes are cool enough to handle. Cut the top 1/4 of the potato off. Discard tops. Use a small spoon to gently hollow out the inside. Scoop the potato flesh out and transfer it to a large bowl. Mash the potato flesh with a fork or masher. Combine it with bacon or pancetta, chives and creme fraiche and the remaining Thyme. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.
Step 3: Again, carefully using a small spoon, gently fill each hollowed potato with the filling. Use your fingers to ensure it’s all the way inside and it should be slightly mounded at the top. Sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Step 4: Make sure all potatoes are facing up on the baking sheet and return to the oven. Bake an additional 8-10 minutes until filling is completely heated. Sprinkle with the remaining chives. Serve immediately while warm.
Enjoy!
BLT Pizza
1 can crescent rolls
Mayonnaise
Shredded lettuce
1 tomato, diced
1 lb bacon, fried and crumbled
Roll out crescent rolls into cookie sheet, crimp edges. Bake at 350 degrees 10-15 minutes until brown. Cool, then spread with a thin layer of mayonnaise. Top with bacon, lettuce, and tomato. Slice into squares.
Artichoke Dip
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup, more or less, of Hellmans Mayonnaise
Mix together and put in oven save bowl. Bake at 350 degrees about 30 minutes until browned.
Savory Apple Slices
Yield | 4-6 servings
Ingredients
2-3 Granny Smith apples
1 container of herbed cheese spread, like Boursoin Garlic and Herb
Bacon, cooked and crumbled
Directions
1. Core apple(s). Slice into quarter inch thick rounds.
2. Spread each apple round with some of the softened cheese spread.
3. Sprinkle crispy bacon bits on top. Serve! :)
Notes
I had this at my husband’s boss’s house and was skeptical at first-but after that first bite, I couldn’t wait to make this at home!
You can use different types of the soft cheese spreads or vary the type of apple as well to match the season as well as your own personal tastes. You can also use a different type of bacon-the maple bacon adds a sweetness that’s incredible.
This is the easiest appetizer ever.
Take a block of cream cheese, put it on a plate, pour over a jar of your favorite salsa and serve with Tortilla chips. We usually use a local tomato salsa from the farmer’s market, but have tried it with Peach salsa too. Very yummy. Also works very well with a jar of Cranberry Jalapeno jello & Wheat Thins.