Appetizer Made Easy - Pinwheels

I have thought about making something like this for quite a while.  The opportunity finally arose to create a special appetizer when I had a bunch of my girl friends over for a jewelry party.  This recipe is great if you are in a rush and need something quick to throw together.

I debuted my very first "pinwheel" recipe over the weekend at the party.  There are many more pinwheel recipes to come.  Pizza dough is a blank canvas - you can put almost anything on a pizza crust and turn it into a work of art.

Give this a try along with your typical cheese and cracker plate.  The appetizer is meant to be light but packed with flavor.  It was a major hit with my ladies.


Prep time = 10 minutes
Cook time = 15 or 20 minutes

Sun-dried Tomato and Basil Pinwheels
- 1 cup sun dried tomato, diced
- 1/3 cup fresh basil
- 1 roll of thin crust pizza dough (not baked)
- 1 TBSP of extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Garlic salt
- Pepper

Spread the dough over a greased baking sheet.  Leave an inch open on each long side of the dough... this will help with rolling.  Spread the EVOO over the dough and season.  Apply the rest of the ingredients evenly to the the dough.  Roll tightly and seal both ends.  Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes.  Cut and serve.

Tip 1:  Freeze the dough first.  I completely lost track of time with this and did it the opposite way.  My suggestion is to freeze the pizza dough, build the the pinwheel and THEN cut it before baking.  It is difficult to cut dough that is not firm; which is why I cut it after baking.  It's up to you and your preference though.  Keep in mind that cutting before baking will decrease the cooking time to about 10 minutes.

Tip 2:  Look for sun-dried tomatoes in a jar of oil and use some of that oil on the dough instead.  The flavor will be even more bold. 

Wallet Alert:  Sun-dried tomatoes can be a little pricey.  An 8 oz. jar of these delicious treasures will run you about $4.99 depending on where you shop and where you live.  But you can also use this on sandwiches or in a pasta dish.  A little goes a long way.

I hope that your friends and guests enjoy this as much as mine did.  Keep reading... there is more where that came from!  Thanks for reading... have a fantastic week.


We could all use a hint of more time!
Copyright 2011 Hint of Thyme.  All rights reserved.

Cinco de Mayo Appetizers - Heart Healthy, Kid-Friendly

Frozen burritos and taquitos no more!  Get ready to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with simple recipes that are also heart-healthy and possibly kid-friendly.
(Note: Look for the entree recipes tomorrow)

The celebration of Cinco de Mayo is primarily celebrated in the United States.  In 1862, the Mexican army was victorious over the French army in the battle over Puebla.  According to Wikipedia, Cinco de Mayo is an American Civil War holiday and not a Mexican holiday.  Learn more about Cinco de Mayo.

I hope that you find these recipes refreshing, quick and worthy of the celebration.

Pineapple & Red Pear Salsa
- 1 whole pineapple, diced (for added flavor.. put it on the grill)
- 2 red pears, diced
- Half of red onion, minced
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 TBSP fresh cilantro, chopped
- Salt and pepper
- (Optional) 1 jalapeno, minced

The idea for this salsa came from my friend, Danielle, who originally suggested grilling the pineapple.  The flavor from the grill will add depth to the salsa.  We decided to use pineapple to steer away from the typical mango salsa.  If you are do not enjoy pineapple... give the mango a try.

Tips for making this salsa:
1) If you want some heat, be sure to add the jalapeno without the seeds.  Remove the seeds and be careful not to touch your eyes or face.  I know plenty of people that wear gloves when handling hot peppers too.  The jalapeno is entirely optional though.
2) Children would love this because there is sweet fruit in it.  Do not add the jalapeno if you are serving this to kids.
3) If you prefer less "chunky" salsa, then add it to a food processor and blend until the consistency is to your preference.  There is no oil in this salsa so it will not become completely smooth.

Mara's 10 minute Guacamole

- 3 avocado's (look below for instructions on easy cutting)

- 1 cup of fresh tomato, diced

- 1 clove of garlic, finely minced

- 1 lime, juiced

- (Optional) 1 TBSP fresh cilantro, chopped

- 2 TBSP red onion, minced

- Salt and pepper

This recipe will serve about 6 people. 

Tips on making the guacamole:

1)  Cut the avocado last because it will start to turn brown right away.  Lime juice prevents the avocado from turning brown.

2)  The cilantro is optional because it tastes just fine without.

3)  This is meant to be a "chunky" guacamole.  You are welcome to use a food processor if you prefer. 

4)  Dicing the avocado - Run your knife the long way against the avocado and slice into halves.  Twist and pull apart.  Remove the pit with the blade of your knife (careful!) or a spoon.  Dice the avocado inside the tough skin.  Run your knife through the halves to create small diced squares - but do not put your knife all the way through the skin.  Scoop out with a spoon into the bowl with other ingredients.  Stir and serve.

There is no oil in the guacamole or the salsa.  Avocado's are very good for you and so that's why I am calling these appetizers "heart healthy".

 

Tomorrow I will post the Cinco de Mayo entrees.  Be sure to come back for that!

Preview of the entree menu.

Big thanks to my ladies for helping cook this menu.  Jo, Molly, Haley, and Danielle... you're the best!

Copyright 2011 Hint of Thyme. All rights reserved.

Quick Fix Super Bowl Ideas

Let's be real about this.... who wants to spend time in the kitchen on Super Bowl Sunday?  I certainly would rather be gathered in front of the TV with my family and friends to cheer on my favorite team (Go Packers!!) while also supporting delicious hops of a local brewery.  So when you're creating a menu for a Super Bowl party it's important to come up with ideas that can be created ahead of time and also won't take a lot of time. 

My recommendation is to make home made pizza's or subs for the main course.  If you don't have time for that then I would suggest calling your local sub or pizza place and placing an order.  This will save you the hassle and a whole lot of time. 

With the main course down.. this will give you plenty of time to create sides and appetizers.  Of course you don't have to do this all by yourself.  Is there a foodie coming to your party?  Assign them a specialty.  I am typically asked to bring a pasta salad. 

Pasta salad's are great for side dishes because it keeps the men full and the light-weights less tipsy.  Starchy and filling.. it's a great choice.  You can always go the traditional salad route too... Caeser salad, Asian salad, what ever you prefer.

We all know who the stars of the show are (well besides the teams on the screen)!  .... Appetizers!!

One of my favorite appetizers to make is Rumaki - also known as bacon wrapped water-chestnuts.  If you have any bacon advocates at your party then this is guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser!  Do you really know any men that don't enjoy bacon?  Doubtful.

The technique that I use is simple... Pre-heat the oven to 425.  Get about 2 or 3 cans of whole water-chestnuts (typically found in the Asian food aisle).  I would recommend getting Center Cut Bacon, which won't have as much fat on the edges.  Cut the bacon in half twice - length and then width.  So essentially you make 4 pieces out of 1 piece of bacon.  Wrap the bacon around the water-chestnut and secure with a toothpick (for a little fun.. pick the colors of your favorite team).  Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray and place the wrapped pieces onto the sheet.  When completed.. sprinkle a little seasoning salt over the Rumaki pieces.  Bake for 20 minutes or until the bacon is brown and crispy.  To keep warm, I will place them in a slow cooker and set to warm.  You can leave them plain OR add a sauce to the slow cooker.  Choose your favorite BBQ sauce (which would be appropriate for this year's Super Bowl) OR a Sesame Ginger Marinade.  Yum!!  The guests will love it.

Taco roll-ups are also a crowd-pleaser.  Basically.. just mix up taco dip in a dish - a combination of salsa, cream cheese (at room temperature), green chili's in a can, and taco seasoning.  Spread over large tortilla (buritto size would be best).  Then choose your favorite toppings or make an assortment of toppings.  Diced tomato, black olives, scallions, cheddar cheese.  Spread a thin layer over the entire tortilla and then roll it up.  Cut into bite size pieces and serve!

Check out the Spinach dip appetizer recipe that I provided during the Christmas season. 

Enjoy the big game and enjoy the food without being in the kitchen too long! 

Go Packers!!