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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.
Southwest Salsa
Ingredients:
1 can yellow corn, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 large tomatoes, diced
1/2 fresh cilantro, chopped
2 ripe avocadoes, peeled and diced
1 Tbsp yellow mustard
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper
Mix all ingredients except avocado in large bowl until thoroughly mixed. Gently fold in avocado. Serve with tortilla chips.
This is a delicious and easy recipe. My bff and I ate the entire bowl in one setting one time!
Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon and Sugar Tortilla Chips
Fruit Salsa
1- 12 oz bag frozen Strawberries, chopped
1- 10 oz bag frozen mixed berries, chopped
1 can sliced peaches, chopped
1/2 to 1 tsp. lime zest
2 Tlbsp. sugar
Mix all ingredients and chill in fridge for about an hour. Drain excess juice and serve with Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Chips.
Cinnamon and Sugar Tortilla Chips
1 pkg. soft taco size flour tortillas (about 10in.)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Brush tortilla with butter on one side, then sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mixture. Repeat on other side. Using a pizza cutter, cut the tortilla into 8 pieces/wedges. Continue this process with the rest of the tortillas. Spread wedges in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, turning chips halfway through baking time. Cool.
Serve with chilled Fruit Salsa.
http://ginabeabakes.blogspot.com/2011/02/fruit-salsa-and-cinnamonsugar-baked.html
Asparagus Roll Ups
Ingredients:
12 slices white bread, crusts removed
1 8 oz. carton onion and chive soft cream cheese
8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
24 asparagus spears, trimmed
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup grated parmesan, plus additional for sprinkling
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
1. Flatten bread with rolling pin.
2. In bowl, combine cream cheese, bacon, and parmesan cheese. Spread mixture over bread.
3. Place 1-2 asparagus spears on each slice of bread, and trim spears to fit bread. Roll up.
4. Place rolled up bread seam side down on greased baking sheet. Brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese if desired.
5. Bake at 400F for 10-12 min, or until lightly browned.
Enjoy!
And, my second entry…this is a “recipe” my great-grandmother started making, and it’s become a family gathering must-have over the years.
We just call it “Sausage and Cheese”
Ingredients:
1 lb pork sausage (mild or hot)
1 lb processed cheese (Velveeta – can use the Mexican kind if you like spice), cubed
Directions:
1. Brown sausage and drain off grease.
2. In the same (warm) skillet, add the cubed cheese and stir around until semi-melted and well-incorporated into the sausage.
3. Press mixture into the bottom of a plastic food storage container – the size of the container depends upon how thick you’d like your snack! We usually use something smaller than a 13×9.
4. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until chilled and solid. Enjoy!
Polish Mistakes
Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef
1 pound pork sausage (I like to use hot!)
1 tsp. minced onion
1 lb. processed cheese (like Velveeta), cubed
1 1/2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 1-lb loaf cocktail rye bread
Directions:
1. Preheat the broiler.
2. Place ground beef, sausage and onion in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until meat is evenly brown and onions are soft. Drain liquid.
3. Mix in the processed cheese food and Worcestershire sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir continuously until the cheese is melted.
4. If the bread is not sliced, cut it into thin slices. Spoon approximately 1 tablespoon of the mixture onto each slice. Place the slices in a single layer on a baking pan.
5. Broil the slices 10 minutes, or until the cheese is slightly browned and the bread is toasted.
Your appetizer is beautiful! I love the idea of a greek salad skewer! My appetizer is too simple for words – bruschetta!
Artisan bread, but on the bias and grilled.
Mix tomatoes, garlic, salt, olive oil, basil and green onions (amounts to taste).
Take the grilled bread and top with the tomato mixture – drizzle with more olive oil and salt.
Too easy, but too delicious for words!
Here is a recipe I did on my blog, My McDonald Meal- for Casey over at Kitchen Play. Perfect appetizer for a hot summer night!
Kiwi Avocado Bruschetta
1 French baguette
2 tbsp butter
Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
Your favorite salsa (amount varies depending on how many servings you are making)
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp coarse sea salt
1 kiwi, peeled and diced
1 ripe avocado, diced
Directions:
Heat oven to low broil or heat your grill to low. In a small microwave safe bowl, melt butter. Slice bread into 1 inch slices and brush melted butter on top. In a small bowl add kiwi and avocado and about 1 tbsp of lime juice and toss. Sprinkle with sea salt and set aside.
Slice cheese into ½ inch slices and place on bread. Spoon a very small amount of salsa on top of cheese and heat under broiler or on grill until cheese bubbles. Remove from oven or grill and immediately top with kiwi avocado mixture and serve!
http://www.mymcdonaldmeal.com/2011/06/kitchen-play-event-with-zespri-kiwis.html
This is our family favorite. I got the original recipe from my daughter so we refer to it as “Jessica Dip”. I have modified it slightly by adding the diced onions and minced garlic.
Hot Sausage Dip
1 roll bulk breakfast sausage, hot flavor (we use Jimmy Dean most often)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 8oz. Pkg cream cheese
1 10 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chilies (like Rotel brand)
Brown sausage in skillet, crumbling as it cooks. Add onion and garlic, cooking until onions are tender. Drain if excessively greasy. Add cream cheese and canned tomatoes. Cook and stir until cheese is melted. Serve warm with tortilla chips or Frito Scoops.
This recipe can easily be doubled (or tripled! ) and kept warm in a Crockpot/slowcooker.
Hope y’all like it :-)
Fried Mushrooms!
Ingredients:
1 package mushrooms
1 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp, baking powder
1/3 cup beer
4 cups oil for frying
mix flour, salt, pepper, baking powder and beer together. Heat oil in dutch oven to 300 degrees. Drentch mushrooms in batter and fry for 2 minuets or until golden brown. Serve with ranch
I love to make what I call Pizza Salad in the summertime when it’s hot as a little appertif.
Ingredients:
1 package cherry tomatoes
2 small cucumbers diced
1 red onion diced
2 avocados diced
Toss all ingredients with olive oil, balsalmic, salt and pepper! YUM!!!! easy peasy!