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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.
Recipe 2: Quesadillas with Manchego, roasted red peppers and basil pesto
6 flour tortillas (6-inch)
Heaping ½ cup Manchego cheese, coarsely grated (don’t worry if there are some chunks)
1 jar roasted red peppers (drained), or home roasted
⅓ cup homemade pesto (or store bought)
Oil to grease the pan (optional; I use a nonstick skillet and don’t grease it)
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat (medium if your stove tends to burn things). If you like and are not using a non-stick pan, grease the skillet with a little oil. Place one flour tortilla on the hot skillet. Sprinkle with a third of the cheese. Top with some roasted red peppers, and finally spread on some basil pesto. Top with another flour tortilla. Cook on each side until crispy and golden, a few minutes, watching so it doesn’t burn and making sure the cheese has all melted. Repeat with remaining ingredients until you have made the three quesadillas and used up all of the fillings.
Cut into wedges for easy entertaining!
And number 2 – only 4 ingredients!
Cucumber Hummus Appetizers
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
1 cucumber, sliced
1 cup hummus
1/3 cup chopped roasted red peppers
1/3 cup crumbled feta
Directions:
Top cucumber slices evenly with hummus and evenly sprinkle roasted red peppers and feta over the hummus. Makes about 20 slices or 4 servings.
What a fun giveaway, for my first recipe I have to go with stuffed mushrooms!
Mashed Potato Stuffed Mushrooms
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 large yellow onion, cut into thin strips
24 ounces baby bella mushrooms, stems removed
2 Yukon gold potatoes (mine were 13 ounces), scrubbed, peeled, and cut into chunks
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup crumbled feta
Directions:
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and butter over medium low heat in a large nonstick pan and cook onions for 45 to 55 minutes, or until caramelized, stirring occasionally.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat and sauté mushrooms for 7 to 10 minutes, or until tender, working in batches. Remove from heat and drain well.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add potato chunks to the pot and boil for 10 to 15 minutes or until fork tender. Drain and mash in a large bowl (yield should be about 1 1/2 cups). Mix mashed potatoes with buttermilk and salt until smooth; mix in crumbled feta.
Spoon potato mixture into mushroom cavities and top evenly with caramelized onions. Makes 12 servings.
Philly Cheesesteak Nachos
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound thinly sliced round steak
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
4 tablespoons butter, divided
2 green bell peppers, seeds and ribs removed, diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
4 cups shredded medium cheddar cheese
2 ounces cream cheese
tortilla chips
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add steak and salt and pepper. Cook until steak is cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
In the same skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Once butter has melted, add bell peppers, onions and Worcestershire sauce. Cook until onions start to brown 5 – 7 minutes. Return the steak to the pan. Reduce heat to low to keep mixture warm while you prepare the cheese sauce.
Melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Cook 1 minute. Whisk in 1 cup of milk. Reduce heat. Bring milk to a simmer but do not boil. Stir in cheeses and seasoning salt. Cook until melted. If cheese sauce is too thick for your liking, add the remaining milk.
Place a couple large handfuls of tortilla chips on 4 plates. Spoon cheese sauce and steak and pepper mixture over the top. Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
Great giveaway!
My first recipe is mushroom dip, great on toast or crackers.
Ingredients
1 scant TBSP olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 green onion (white part only), coarsely chopped
5 oz fresh mushrooms, any kind (that’s how much I had on hand, feel free to use more)
2 TBSP chopped red bell pepper
lemon juice
¼ tsp salt
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 TBSP grated parmesan cheese
Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and make sure it doesn’t burn while you process the green onion, mushrooms and red bell pepper until somewhat fine in your food processor. Add mushroom mix to the pan. Stir and cook until heated through. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, salt, pinch of red pepper flakes, and parmesan cheese. Stir to combine. Serve warm or hot on toasted baguette (I served it on a toasted and yummy “pan parisienne original” baguette) or pita chips. Make it a lunch with a green salad and creamy garlic dressing
Warm Pepperoni Pizza Dip
8 ounces, weight Cream Cheese, softened
3 cloves Garlic, Pressed
½ cups Parmesan Cheese
14 ounces, weight Canned Pizza Sauce
¼ pounds Chopped Pepperoni
2 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9-inch pie pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine cream cheese, garlic and Parmesan cheese in a mixing bowl. Spread cream cheese mixture on the bottom of the pie pan. Pour pizza sauce over the cream cheese and spread it so there’s a nice even layer of sauce. Sprinkle with the chopped pepperoni. Top this with the mozzarella cheese.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the mixture is nice and bubbling and the house smells all yummy.
Serve warm with chips or baguette slices or crackers.
Cheesy crab bombs
18-20 jalapeño peppers, halved and de-seeded
1 block cream cheese (fat free or low fat ok)
3/4 standard bag shredded cheddar or Colby-jack cheese
1 lb crab meat
Old bay seasoning, if preferred, to taste
2 lb bacon, if preferred, to wrap
Preheat the oven to 250F. Allow cream cheese to soften slightly at room temp, then mix in shredded cheese and crab meat (by hand is easiest). Add old bay seasoning if preferred. Next, fill the jalapeño pepper half with the cheese and crab mixture. (I am a vegetarian, so I don’t use bacon, but my husband then wraps the whole thing in a slice of bacon).
Put the tray of stuffed peppers in the oven until the cheese is melty and bubbling and bacon (if you used bacon) is to your desired doneness, about 40 minutes. Serve warm or room temp.
Matador Mushrooms
1 lb mushrooms, Crimini
1 T capers, rinsed and chopped
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 T Olive Oil
4 T butter, cut into pieces
Pinch of red pepper flakes
2 chipotle peppers, chopped
2 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 Loaf Crusty Bread – Sourdough is perfect.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450. Mix together oil, capers, garlic, pepper flakes, chipotle. Toss with mushrooms, to coat. Pour into a pan to contain the deliciousness. Put pats of butter on top of mushrooms. Put in oven for 15-20 minutes. You will smell when it’s done. When it’s out, finish with lemon (it’s refreshing!), let it cool just long enough that your mouth won’t be burned for a week. Try to breath between bites.
I should note that the bread is for dipping the extra sauces left over from the mushrooms. The main appetizer is the mushrooms themselves.
GUACAMOLE
1 Avocado
2 Tbsp Salsa
1/2 Small Onion, chopped
pinch of salt
Tortilla chips
Mash up avocado; add salsa, onion and salt and mix well. Serve immediately with chips.
Always a crowd favorite and so, so easy to make!
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Ingredients:
1lb (give or take) fork shredded chicken breast
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup Ranch dressing (I use Hidden Valley)
3/4 cup Franks Red Hot (or other pepper sauce)
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Serve with Celery, Carrots, Chips or bread of your choice
Directions:
Boil chicken until thoroughly cooked through. When cooled shred chicken with fork and add to skillet with hot sauce and heat over medium heat, until heated through. Stir in cream cheese and ranch dressing. Cook, stirring until well blended and warm. Mix in half of the shredded cheese, and transfer the mixture to a slow cooker. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, cover, and cook on Low setting until hot and bubbly. Serve with Celery, Carrots, Chips or bread of your choice.