Crostini and Other Hand Held Appetizers

• Each of these make about 24 unless otherwise stated
• Crostini toasts: 2 loaves of baguette yields about 100 pieces
  • Slice into to 1/4 slices, brush with olive oil and bake at 350 degrees for 6-7 minutes.
  • May be made the morning of the party and stored in airtight container
• Gingered Peach Crostini with Ricotta and Peach Reduction
  • Stir in 1/4 tsp fresh ginger, sugar and salt into 1 cup ricotta cheese. Let chill.
  • Thinly slice fresh peaches and stir in fresh ginger, brown sugar and pinch of salt
  • Reduce about 2 cups of peach cocktail (from Trader Joe’s) with a few slices of ginger until it’s about 1/4 cup.  Take off the heat, and add 1 TBSP bourbon and 1 TBSP butter
  • Top toast with ricotta mixture, then top with peaches and drizzle the sauce
• Strawberry Basil Balsamic Crostini with Ricotta
  • Stir in lemon zest, sugar and salt into 1 cup ricotta cheese.  Let chill.
  • Reduce 3/4 c balsamic vinegar to about 1/4 cup.  Add brown sugar to taste
  • Top toast with ricotta, then thinly sliced strawberry, balsamic reduction and basil chiffonade
• Apple Brie Crostini with Honey
  • Place thin slice of brie onto each toast.  Bake at 350 till melted.
  • Top with sliced apple, honey and chopped walnuts.
    • If slicing apples ahead of time, toss well with lemon juice
  • Garnish with optional pomegranate or cubed pancetta
  • Can be left in warmer prior to serving
• Mushroom and Goat Cheese Crostini
  • Saute mixture of mushrooms with chopped rosemary.  I used crimini, trumpet and enoki.  Could also used a little bit of chopped bacon if desired
  • Mix equal parts herbed goat cheese and whipped cream cheese for the base.
  • Spread cheese mixture onto each toast and lay onto platter
  • Pile on the mushrooms and garnish with chopped parsley
  • Can be assembled ahead of time and kept warm
• Artichoke Red Pepper Crostini
  • Combine 1 can chopped artichoke, 1/2 jar roasted bell pepper, mayo, mozzarella, parmesan, green onion
  • Top crostini and bake at 350degrees until cheese is melted
  • Can be assembled an kept in warmer
• Chicken in Endive
  • Mince 3/4 pound chicken thighs and stir fry with 4 cloves minced garlic, 1/2 can chopped water chestnuts, finely chopped onion, oyster sauce and sweet soy sauce.
  • Spoon into endive leaves right before serving.
  • Garnish with cilantro and serve Siracha on the side
• Pizza Cups with Meatball and Siracha BBQ sauce (makes about 20)
  • Cut Pillsbury pizza dough into 3 inch rounds and form cup into the wells of a well-greased mini muffin tin.  Scraps re-roll with good results
  • Prick bottoms with a fork
  • Fill with cheese and a dab of TJ’s Siracha BBQ sauce
  • Parbake per package instructions for about 5 minutes
  • Place 1/4 Aidell’s chicken meatballs (from Costco), top with more sauce and mozarella
  • Bake until crust is light brown (if too dark, the edges get too crisp)
  • Garnish with parsley and hold in warmer till ready to serve
• Pig in a Blanket (aka hot dogs in a blankie per S)
  • Using 1 package of puff pastry and 1 pound package Aidell’s chicken sausage
  • Cut each sausage in half and cut puff pastry into thirds, then into thirds again
  • Roll sausages, seal seam with egg wash and slice into 1/2 inch pieces.
  • Brush puff pastry with egg wash and lay them flat.  Refrigerate
  • Bake at 400 degrees until light and puffy
• Brazilian Cheese Bread from Rasa Malaysia (Yields 36)
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
    1/3 cup olive oil
    2/3 cup milk
    1 1/2 cups (170 grams) tapioca flour (tapioca starch)
    1/2 cup packed (about 100 grams) grated cheese
    1 heaping teaspoon salt
  • Place all ingredients into food processor and blend till smooth (about 20 seconds)
  • Scoop into mini muffin tins, about 3/4 full
  • Bake at 400 degrees until light and puffy (about 17 minutes)
  • Let cool slightly, then remove before completely cooled

Pizza Topping Ideas

We have been making pizzas at home for about 4 years.  Recently, it has become more of a stable, ever since we realized that our preschooler loves it (no surprise!)  Our go to method:

1. Use  a store bought whole wheat dough.  It’s sweeter and has a nice texture compared to regular dough.
2. Drizzle a metal baking pan with oil and press the dough into the pan.
3. Often less is more-not too much sauce or topping otherwise you end up with a raw crust.  But most would argue that you could pile on the cheese!
4. Using light shredded cheese takes some of the guilt away since we eat this pretty often.
5. Bake at 425 degrees on the middle rack for 10-12 minutes, depending on the amount of toppings works our quite well.

The product is a pizza with a chewy, fluffy, ready crust!   Here are a few of my favorite combinations

the Chicago-Sausage, mushroom, provolone, pecorino and caramelized onion, pizza sauce – our favorite thus far. Can’t go wrong with pork!

the Naked Pizza-Bacon, mashed potato, roasted garlic, roasted cauliflower, sautéed spinach, ricotta, pecorino (no sauce)

BBQ Chicken-Store bought BBQ pulled chicken, red onion, sliced black olives, frozen roasted corn, mozzarella, BBQ sauce

Meatball Sub-Meatball, marinara, mozzarella, basil, pecorino

I would love to play around with figs and more roasted vegetables. Next pizza will be sausage, roasted bell pepper, basil for tomorrow night.

My favorite restaurant pizza combinations:

Spinach, garlic, ricotta, tomato sauce

Broccoli, tomato, olive, onion

Zucchini, Mushroom, Eggplant

Peach Crostini

• Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of fresh ginger, a bit a sugar and salt into 1 cup ricotta cheese. Let chill
• Thinly slice fresh peaches and stir in fresh ginger, brown sugar and pinch of salt
• Reduce about 2 cups of peach cocktail (from Trader Joe’s) with a few slices of ginger until it’s about 1/4 cup.  Take off the heat, and add 1 TBSP bourbon and 1 TBSP butter
• Toast thin slices of bread brushed with oil in 350 degree oven for 7-10 minutes

Take a slice of bread, spread on the ricotta mixture, top with peaches and drizzle the sauce

Strawberry Basil Crostini with Balsamic Glaze

Strawberry Crostini

• Mix 1 c ricotta with 1 tsp lemon zest, a bit of sugar and salt to taste.  Place in a serving bowl and chill
• In another bowl, add sliced strawberries, sugar, minced basil and salt to taste.  Let chill
• Make a balsamic reduction using about 1 cup balsamic vinegar boiled down to about 14 cup.  Add brown sugar while it’s still hot to taste.  Let cool to room temp.
• Toast thin slices of bread brushed with a bit of oil in 350 degree oven for 7-10 minutes till crisp

To assemble

Spread ricotta onto the bread, spoon on strawberries and top with the balsamic glaze