tasty thursdays - appetizer edition

-

and we're back with another round-up of culinary delights - this time all appetizers that are sure to get your mouths watering. my disclaimer about food photography still stands --  these photos are linked directly back to the blogs from whence they came! i'm also linking up to Taste and Tell's weekly round up! 

here are some of our favourites:

spicy buffalo chicken beer dip
from plain chicken


image credit from Plain Chicken

i've probably made this recipe ten times, between choir parties and football games. it's so quick and easy, and absolutely delicious! if i have leftover cooked or rotisserie chicken, i prefer to use that over the canned version. highly recommend! 
seven layer salad
from allrecipes.com

Seven Layer Salad Recipe
image credit from allrecipes.com

so if you can get over the fact that it's 2013 and not 1982, this salad will knock your socks off. there's something about the crunch of the lettuce, the sweetness of the peas and tang of the cheese and dressing that makes it addicting. plus it looks fantastic on a buffet table.  (i have to admit, for once i could probably have managed to take a more flattering photo than the one attached...)


cheese-stuffed mushrooms
from paula deen

Cheese-Stuffed Mushrooms
image credit from paula deen

oh my land. first of all, the fact that these contain spinach practically makes them a health food. second of all, i took these to an extended family gathering and was a little concerned about how they'd go over (mushrooms? spinach? even throwing Paula Deen's name out there might not appease this largely meat-and-potatoes crowd). i shouldn't have worried. they're perfectly cheesy and delicious, just as you'd expect from Ms. Paula.
boursin sausage balls
from plain chicken


image credit from Plain Chicken

these are basically meatballs on crack. if you're frantically trying to prepare several other dishes all at the same time, they're a lifesaver: simply dump all the ingredients in the KitchenAid and let it run with the paddle attachment on medium until well combined. then form into balls and bake, served with hot marinara sauce. i recommend placing them on a wire rack on top of a cookie sheet so that the grease drains out and they hold their shape. i've also frozen them on the cookie sheet the night before a party, so then they only have to sit on the counter for a while to defrost and then pop in the oven before guests arrive. their only downfall: there are never any leftovers!


bacon ranch potato salad
from confections of a foodie bride

Bacon & Ranch Potato Salad
image credit from confections of a foodie bride

such a refreshing alternative to traditional potato salad! i like to make this a day in advance and make an extra batch of dressing to toss in just before serving. the colors pop and, well, there can really never be too much bacon. 

mm mm good! see you next week! 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

whine and cheese (2024 edition)

-
Image
it's about time for a good old airing of the grievances. while we have ever so much for which to give thanks, sometimes we need the catharsis of enumerating our woes, big and small. (you can read the 2023 edition here.) _________________________________________ first up, potty training.  I buckled down and trained Greta and Cecilia both around age 2 1/2, and it went fairly well (I'm a big fan of waiting until the kid is practically ready to train themselves). Elizabeth turned 2 1/2 near the end of the school year, and logically it seemed like a great time to buckle down -- we wouldn't be driving around to after school sports and activities and we'd have more time at home. I kept waiting for the day when I'd wake up full of excitement and motivation to strip off the diaper and chase a naked toddler around the house. and ... shockingly ... that day never came. then we were preparing for our trip to Seattle in July and it definitely didn't seem like the right time
Read more

eight months

-
Image
dear Victoria, sometimes I scoop you up and can't stop myself from squishing your little body right into my chest, and nuzzling my face into your neck until you squeal with giggles. you are just so darn cute! you can spend up to an hour scooting around the family room playing with various toys -- recently you've started to be interested in baby dolls and the Fisher Price doll house. you mostly army crawl, but sometimes you pull yourself forward when you're sitting, too, and a few times you've been able to launch forward an inch or so from a bona fide crawling position. you can stand supported for a little while, but you're not close to pulling up by yourself yet.  we had another wonderful report from the orthopedic surgeon this month. both hips remain in place. your left hip has what they call a "delayed ossification center", meaning that it's still primarily cartilage since the hip socket didn't form properly to begin with, but the doctor said tha
Read more

what's good for the goose {my first foray into therapy}

-
Image
sitting outside the new independent coffee shop that opened in the neighborhood this summer as a physician assistant with an undergraduate minor in psychology, I've always been fascinated by the connection between the mind and the body. that interest serves me well in my chosen specialty of primary care/internal medicine, as mental health comes to bear so frequently on physical, or somatic, complaints like fatigue, upset stomach, and dizziness. in any given day, I'll typically have one or two appointments that are scheduled specifically so someone can address their anxiety or depression, and it often comes up as a subject of conversation during routine physicals. I have probably recommended therapy to my patients literally thousands of times, whether it's to deal with an isolated situational stress or grief, or more pervasive issues like OCD, chronic insomnia, bipolar disorder, depression, or borderline personality disorder. when we're discussing starting antidepressant
Read more