Category Archives: Appetizers

SRC: Smoky Fried Chickpeas

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It’s Secret Recipe Club time!

Secret Recipe ClubIf you’ve missed my other SRC posts, the premise is this: you’re assigned a different member’s blog every month. You visit their blog, choose any recipe you want, then make it and share it on your blog. Then, everyone posts about their assigned blog on the same day. It’s so fun to try out new blogs. If you have a blog, definitely check it out and consider joining! I highly recommend it.

This month I was assigned Susie’s blog, Eat Little, Eat Big. Susie lives in Maui [jealous!! Can you even imagine?] and has tons of fresh, tasty, and creative recipes on her blog. I have several new things on my to-make list including Three Cheese Mini Macs, Avocado Dressing, and Pear & Prosciutto Appetizers. As tasty and intriguing as those treats sound, I decided to try out her Smoky Fried Chickpeas. Guess I was in a savory mood when recipe selecting, huh?

I had previously made roasted chickpeas, but never fried… and boy were they tasty! [edited to add: I must have had "roasted chickpeas" on my mind as I worked on the photos... see above! Whoops!] These chickpeas just required five simple ingredients: chickpeas [duh], olive oil, smoked paprika, chipotle chile powder, and lime zest. Oh, and salt. Six. I lied. Nevertheless, not a whole lot of ingredients, but a whole lot of flavor!

This simple appetizer is such a treat, with the smoky/spicy contrasts drawn from smoked paprika and spicy chipotle chile powder that is livened up with a hint of lime-salt goodness. Since we almost always have some chickpeas in the pantry, this may just be my new go-to snack. Sweet! Or, should I say… savory? :)

Smoky Roasted Chickpeas [from Eat Little, Eat Big]
click to print

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 can [15 ounce] chickpeas [garbanzo beans]
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons lime zest [about 1 lime]
  • salt

Directions:

In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Meanwhile, rinse, drain, and pat dry chickpeas. Add to skillet and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until brown, stirring occasionally.

In a small bowl, combine paprika, chipotle chile powder, and lime zest.

Remove chickpeas from pan and drain on paper towels. Then place in a bowl and toss with spice mixture. Salt to taste. Serving with paper napkins for greasy fingers suggested. :)

Time: 15 minutes.

Yield: 3 servings.

Note: I halved the original recipe, so you can easily multiply this but just check out the original for adjustments to cooking time/method.

Check out other great Secret Recipe Club posts here:


Conflicted…

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Oh goodness. This has been such a stressful night. I’m not, like, the biggest sports fan ever… but tonight, sports were the cause of my stress. Ahhhhhhhhhhh!

Yes, the Super Bowl is tomorrow. As you probably know, the big game is in Indianapolis; the game a mere hour’s drive away from me. [I've heard it's super crowded there right now.... not my scene at all.]

But in Indiana, there was another big game this weekend. A game that some might argue is more important. Indiana versus Purdue basketball. Hence the stress.

See, I’m a grad student at IU. So daily I’m surrounded by Hoosiers. And of course everyone in Bloomington has gotten wrapped up in the drama of Hoosier basketball coming back and all. However… I grew up in West Lafayette, home of Purdue. My mom is a graduate of Purdue and professor there, my sister a student. My high school is a couple blocks away from campus. I took a class at Purdue my senior year of high school. My high school running routes wove through campus. We ducked into the basketball arena for water breaks on hot days. See my conundrum?

If you’re not from Indiana, you might not understand what a big deal this is. What the big conflict is. But let me tell you… it is big. Just trust me. However, I had some tasty treats to help ease my dilemma as the Hoosiers eventually went on to win against Purdue: Loaded Sweet Potato Fries. I hope to make them again and get some good photos in the daylight, but for now my Instagram shot will have to do.

These semi-healthy remake of the classic sports treat are fantastic, no matter what sport you enjoy. Football? Basketball? Cross country skiing? Reading? Good for you.

They’re a little spicy, but not over the top, and each crispy sweet potato fry [check the method below for the madness of my go-to crispy baked sweet potato fries] is enhanced with Mexi-spiced black beans, cool guac and sour cream, and jack cheese. Of course, cheese. Duh.

P.S. And if you must know… despite my conflictedness… I think I secretly am reallyreallyreally glad that IU won. Cause my favorite player had a career high and Purdue has just won more games recently in the series. So an IU victory is only fair. :)

Enjoy!

Loaded Sweet Potato Fries
click to print

Ingredients:

  • 2 large sweet potatoes
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder, divided
  • 1 cup black beans
  • 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
  • shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • [homemade] guacamole –> 1 mashed avocado + lime juice + lemon juice + garlic powder + black pepper + salsa
  • sour cream
  • chopped green onions
  • chopped cilantro

Directions:

Peel and cut sweet potatoes to medium thickness, and be sure to keep them the same size for even cooking. Place in a bowl of ice water for at least 30 minutes to get rid of the starch. Then preheat the oven to 425 degrees, drain water, and pat dry. Put 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in a plastic bag, add sweet potatoes, and top with another tablespoon. Close bag and shake, coating evenly. Place on a large baking sheet, top with olive oil, and 1/8 teaspoon chipotle chili powder. Use your hands to evenly coat the sweet potatoes, then spread in a single layer, using more than one baking sheet if necessary. Bake for 15 minutes, flip, and bake for another 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix black beans with 1/8 teaspoon chipotle chili powder, oregano, and garlic.

Remove from oven and add sweet potato fries to individual baking dishes. Top with black beans and cheese. Return to the oven and bake for 2-3 minutes, or until cheese melts. Top with guac, sour cream, green onions, and cilantro. Enjoy!

Time: 1 hour [15 minutes active].

Yield: 2 dinner servings; 3-4 appetizers.

Cranberry Feta Pinwheels

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When I have a choice between bringing something sweet or something savory to a party, nine times out of ten I will choose sweet. Not that I necessarily like desserts that much more than appetizers, but to me, they are just easier. [I mean, unless I'm making cheesy quesadillas or microwave nachos at home...yeah...] However, after making this appetizer for our church’s yearly vision night, I might have to rethink that stance.

Baked goods require tons of mixing, measuring, and pouring. Lots of dishes are involved and you have to follow the rules, or else what seemed amazing on paper will turn out like a rock. Or mush. Or some combination thereof. But these… these Cranberry Feta Pinwheels are fuss-free and amazing. They should be made ahead so that their flavors have a chance to meld, and so their sweet, tangy, creamy, and salty nature can shine through.

I can’t wait to try these again… perhaps with some arugula, ham, or brown sugar pecans mixed in? They were fabulous and festive… without all the work of desserts. What more could you ask for?

Cranberry Feta Pinwheels [from Food.com]
click to print

Ingredients:

  • 6 ounces sweetened dried cranberries
  • 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/4 cup chopped green onions
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 8-10 tortillas

Directions:

In a bowl combine cranberries, feta, and green onions. Add a little black pepper to taste. Then spread cream cheese on tortillas and spoon on cranberry mixture, approximately 1/4-1/3 of a cup per tortilla. Roll up tightly, place in a baking dish, and repeat until finished. Cover baking dish and refrigerate for an hour before cutting into 5-6 slices before serving.

Time: 1 hour 15 minutes [15 minutes active].

Yield: 50-60 pieces.

OTT: Thai Peanut Ginger Chicken Wings

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This is a guest post from my husband, Ben. Periodically, he has agreed to share some of his favorite recipes with you in a guest post column entitled One Tablespoon Testosterone, or OTT for short. Enjoy!

———-

Ah, it’s that sweet time of year again.  The air is aflutter with the sounds of helmets crashing, pads popping, players trash talking, fans whining, and coaches alternating between tirades and smug silence.  Football season has returned (and sadly, is now closer to being over than beginning) and with it, so has OTT.  And I’m here to bring you recipes you might not otherwise find around these parts.  Recipes that embrace manliness.  Like these chicken wings.

Ben cooking

Chicken wings are quite manly in general.  This is evidenced by the distressed look on my wife’s face when I came home with a 10 pound bag of chicken wings with the intention of shoving it in our already jam-packed freezer.  Bigger is manlier.  Meat covered in sauce is manly.  These chicken wings do appeal to the ladies though too.  Just a little bit spicy with an Asian twist.  It doesn’t get much better than that.  So without further ado, here’s the recipe.

thai chicken wings

Thai Peanut Ginger Chicken Wings
printable version

Ingredients:

  • 1 can evaporated milk
  • 1 c creamy peanut butter
  • 1/2 c soy sauce, divided
  • 2 1/2 t ground ginger
  • 2 t rice vinegar
  • 1/2 t red pepper flakes (add more for a delightful increase in spiciness)
  • 5 lbs frozen chicken wings

Directions:

Put the evaporated milk, peanut butter, 3 Tablespoons soy sauce, ginger, vinegar and red pepper flakes in a blender or food processor.  Blend until it’s smooth and looking like something you’d want to lather on chicken.  Combine 1/2 c of the blended sauce, the remaining soy sauce, and chicken wings in a large bowl.  If you thawed the chicken wings,  you can let it marinate for an hour.  If you’re cooking them from frozen, then there’s not as much point.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Line two (probably) baking sheets with foil and coat with cooking spray.  Put the chicken on the baking sheets and bake for 45 minutes thawed, or 55 frozen.  Spoon the remaining sauce over the wings.  Grab several napkins and turn on some football.  Enjoy.

Time: 65 minutes [10 minutes active].

Yield: 5 regular servings or 2 man-sized servings.

And in case you’re curious… the best kind of football you can turn on is THE Ohio State Buckeyes. You can do that tomorrow, if you wish. Beat Michigan!

buckeyes socks

Question of the Day — Recently, we visited the Exotic Feline Rescue Center.  It was lots of fun watching big cats play with pumpkins filled with a surprise!  I think my favorite (maybe, they were all pretty awesome) one there was a black leopard appropriately named Blackie.  What’s your favorite type of exotic animal?

Salsas for Cinco de Mayo

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salsas

salsa on the porch... peeking behind, see my new herby babies?! so excited it's spring!

It’s no secret based on my meal plans that Mexican is my absolute favorite cuisine. There’s just something so refreshing and inviting about the flavors. I just love the ooey gooey cheese, fresh tomatoes, spice, cilantro, tortillas, and more! In fact, for my birthday lunch last week Ben took me to my favorite Mexican place in town. It was absolutely divine.

Since today is Cinco de Mayo, I thought I’d jump on the blogger bandwagon and share two of my favorite salsas. I love salsa because it is so versatile. It’s great for dipping or topping Mexican food [nachos, anyone?] but also is very complementary to other dishes, like sandwiches, burgers, and fries. Seriously. I am salsa obsessed and I do not discriminate! All my foods are equal acceess for salsa. :)

Okay, enough of that. I’m weird. I’m sorry.

There are two salsa recipes to share with you today, in honor of Cinco de Mayo. The first is Simple Tomato Salsa. With just a little bit of kick and some distinct, pure tomato taste, this salsa is fabulous for any authentic Mexican fiesta. [well.... authentic... not sure I'm qualified for that but any fiesta will do!]. The second is Pineapple Salsa. This stuff is awesome! I experimented around with this recipe the first summer we were married and I’ve made it several times since then. Sometimes I add some mango into  the mix, but other times I keep it simple. This time, I kept it simple by choice as my Indiana grocery store was fresh outta mangoes. Sad day. But what I love about this salsa is the contrast between sweet pineapple, cool corn, crunchy peppers, and just the right amount of spice from my friend Mr. Serrano Pepper. Fabulous. I could go on and on all day about these babies but I gotta run… going shopping today! The semester is over and I’m taking a break today before my summer schedule begins next week. Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Simple Tomato Salsa [from Simply Recipes]

Ingredients:

  • 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained
  • 2 14-ounce cans fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 2 7-ounce cans green chiles, drained
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh chopped cilantro
  • salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Pour the whole tomatoes into a large non-reactive mixing bowl. Break them up into small, bite-size pieces with a fork and sharp knife or your fingers. Mix in fire roasted tomatoes and green chiles.

In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and oregano. Pour over tomato mixture and fold in gently. Add cilantro and stir gently. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Make 4-6 cups.

Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups finely chopped fresh pineapple [or 1 cup pineapple and 1 cup finely chopped mango]
  • 1 cup diced green bell pepper
  • 1 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
  • 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup chopped green onions
  • 1 serrano chili pepper, finely chopped [control the spice by adding/discarding seeds and membranes]
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1-4 tablespoons lime juice
  • salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Stir together pineapple, bell peppers, corn, black beans, onions, and chili peppers. Add in cilantro and cumin. Add lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste.

Makes 3-4 cups. Delicious with lime tortilla chips. :)

Click here for the printable version: Salsas for Cinco de Mayo