Appetizers Archives

Category: Appetizers

15
Mar
2019

Baked Asian Chicken Wings

categories: Appetizers, Chicken, Main Dishes

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Baked Asian Chicken Wings are seasoned with spice rub, baked, then glazed with a sticky soy/Sriracha/sesame sauce before serving as an appetizer or main dish!

Okay… seriously… these baked Asian chicken wings are wonderful! They have GREAT flavor, thanks to the spices used AND the delicious Asian-inspired sauce they are coated in. YUM!

I have loved traditional hot buffalo wings for a long time, but I’m telling you… sticky Asian wings are a force to be reckoned with! Chicken wings are seasoned, baked, then broiled for crispness, then coated in a yummy sauce, and served. Believe it or not, baked Asian chicken wings are also very easy to make. Here’s how to make these lip-smackin’ appetizers:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Make Spice Rub For The Baked Asian Chicken Wings

Mix the ingredients for the spice rub together in a small bowl. The ingredients in the spice rub are ground ginger, baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Set aside. See? Not too hard at all!

Prepare The Wings For Baking

Lay the chicken wing pieces on several layers of paper towel, and pat them dry. Place the dried chicken wings into a large mixing bowl (or freezer bag), and sprinkle with the dry spice rub. If you are doubling the recipe, make sure to do this step in two batches.

Toss the chicken several times until all the wings have been evenly coated on all sides with the spices.

Cover a baking sheet with foil, and spray with a non-stick baking spray. Lay the seasoned chicken wings out on the foil, in a single layer, with a bit of space between each one.

Baked Asian Chicken Wings are then cooked (on the middle rack) in a preheated 400° F. oven. Bake the wings for 45-50 minutes, until they are nice and golden brown.

Prepare Sauce For The Baked Asian Chicken Wings

While the chicken wings are cooking, prepare the Asian-inspired sauce that will cover the wings, once they are done.

Whisk together soy sauce, dry sherry (or Japanese sweet rice wine/mirin), water, sesame seed oil, grated ginger, Sriracha sauce, minced garlic cloves, salt, pepper and cornstarch in a small bowl. Set the sauce aside, while you make a simple syrup.

Make Simple Syrup For The Sauce

A few minutes before the wings are done, you will need to make a sticky simple syrup that will be added to the Asian sauce. To do this, place water and sugar in a large skillet. Stir to combine.

Bring this mixture to a boil on medium heat, and once boiling, let it cook for one minute, stirring often. IMPORTANT: Make sure to only cook it for ONE minute, otherwise it might harden up!

Finishing The Asian Sauce

Once the syrup has cooked for one minute, immediately add the reserved Asian sauce into the skillet. Stir to combine, and cook this sauce on low heat for about 2 minutes, stirring often, until it has thickened.

Broil Wings After Baking, To Desired Crispness

As soon as the baked Asian chicken wings are done baking, turn on the broiler element for the oven. Move the chicken wings on the baking sheet up in oven until they are about 6-8 inches from the broiler.

Let the wings broil until they become crispy, but make sure to keep your eye on them so they won’t burn. Turn the wings over and crisp up the other side under the broiler, then remove from oven. This step will only take a few minutes total! Remove from oven once done.

Prepare Baked Asian Chicken Wings For Serving

Place the baked and broiled chicken wings into a large bowl. Pour the warm Asian sauce over the top, then toss gently, to fully coat the wings with the sauce.

The photo on the left (below) is how the chicken looked after broiling. The pic on the right (below) is how the baked Asian chicken wings looked, once the yummy sauce had been added to coat them!

Now all that is left to do is to serve the wings! Place the baked Asian chicken wings onto a serving platter, and sprinkle lightly with sesame seeds. You can also add some fresh cilantro (optional) if you want, for extra color!

That’s it! This recipe, as written below, will make a dozen YUMMY baked Asian chicken wings, but can be easily doubled! We enjoyed these wings while watching the super bowl, along with a delicious batch of Buffalo Honey Hot Wings!

Hope you have an opportunity to make these delicious appetizers for a family get together, a party, or just a “lay on the couch in sweat pants and watch sports all afternoon” day. I really think you will enjoy these wings… they taste wonderful!

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Recipe Adapted From: http://carlsbadcravings.com/recipe/baked-sticky-general-tsos-chicken-wings/

0 from 0 votes

Baked Asian Chicken Wings

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

Total Time

55 mins

Baked Asian Chicken Wings are seasoned with spice rub, baked, then glazed with a sticky soy/Sriracha/sesame sauce before serving as an appetizer or main dish!

Category: Appetizers, Main Dish

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: baked Asian chicken wings

Servings: 24 wings

Calories Per Serving: 136 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

24 chicken wings , skin on, rinsed and patted dry
Sesame seeds, to garnish when serving wings

For Spice Rub:

2 Tablespoons baking powder
2 Tablespoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon (EACH) salt, garlic powder and onion powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For Asian Sauce:

1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup dry sherry
1/3 cup water
1 Tablespoon sesame seed oil
3/4 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (or Asian hot chili sauce) , can double amt. if you like the heat
1½ Tablespoons ginger, freshly grated
3 garlic cloves , minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
black pepper (a pinch)
1 Tablespoon corn starch

For Sticky Simple Syrup

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons water

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400° F. Mix ingredients for spice rub in a small bowl, then set aside.
Lay chicken wings on several layers of paper towels; pat them dry. Place wings into a large mixing bowl (or freezer bag), and sprinkle with spice rub. If you are doubling the recipe, make sure to do this step in two batches. Toss the chicken several times until all wings have been evenly coated on all sides.
Cover a baking sheet with foil; spray with non-stick baking spray. Lay seasoned wings out on the foil, in a single layer, with space between each one. Bake at 400° F. on the middle rack in oven for 45-50 minutes, until nice and golden brown.
While wings are cooking, prepare the Asian sauce that will cover the wings, once done. Whisk together soy sauce, dry sherry, water, sesame seed oil, grated ginger, Sriracha sauce, minced garlic cloves, salt, pepper and cornstarch in a small bowl. Set the sauce aside, while you make a simple syrup.
A few minutes before wings are done, make a sticky simple syrup that will be added to the Asian sauce. To do this, place water and sugar in a large skillet. Stir to combine. Bring this to a boil on medium heat; once boiling, let it cook for one minute, stirring often. IMPORTANT: Make sure to only cook it for ONE minute, otherwise it might harden up! Once it has cooked for one minute, immediately add the reserved Asian sauce. Stir to combine, and cook on low heat for about 2 minutes, stirring often, until it has thickened.
As soon as the wings are done baking, turn on the broiler element for the oven. Move the chicken wings on the baking sheet up in oven until they are about 6-8 inches away from the broiler. Let the wings broil until they become crispy, but keep your eye on them so they don't burn. Turn the wings over and crisp up the other side under the broiler. This step will only take a few minutes total! Remove from oven, once done.
Place hot chicken wings into a large bowl. Pour warm Asian sauce over the top, then toss gently to fully coat the wings with sauce. Transfer wings onto a serving platter, and sprinkle lightly with sesame seeds. You can also add some fresh cilantro (optional) if you want, for extra color! Serve, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Baked Asian Chicken Wings

Amount Per Serving (1 wing)

Calories 136 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 37mg12%

Sodium 260mg11%

Potassium 100mg3%

Carbohydrates 5g2%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 80IU2%

Vitamin C 0.6mg1%

Calcium 11mg1%

Iron 0.6mg3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

18
Feb
2019

Buffalo Honey Hot Wings

categories: Appetizers, Chicken, Main Dishes

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Buffalo Honey Hot Wings are the perfect appetizer for a crowd! Yummy chicken wings are covered in a mild buffalo honey sauce, and are baked, not fried!

I don’t know what it is about the Super Bowl, but it seems like a great time to eat yummy food, while watching grown men smash into each other and run all over artificial grass with a small little football! My husband and I don’t even watch football. Go figure! We haven’t for years and years, but this year my husband decided to watch the Super Bowl.

Naturally, this momentous occasion called for some delicious food, worthy of the occasion, so I found a great recipe to try on Pinterest! I ended up making two varieties of hot wings. This recipe for buffalo honey hot wings was one of them! Boy, were they GOOD! The chicken wings are coated in an amazing spice mixture, baked (not fried), and then coated with a mild honey, molasses and buffalo sauce mixture, and served! YUM!

NOTE: The recipe, (as written in the printable recipe below), makes 24 hot wings. When I made these, I cut the recipe in half (for 12 wings), since there were only two of us eating, so my photos below will reflect that!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Make The Spice Rub For Buffalo Honey Hot Wings

While the oven is preheating to 400° F, mix together the spice rub for the chicken wings in a small bowl. Easy peasy! The spice rub adds incredible seasoning for the buffalo honey hot wings.

The spice rub consists of brown sugar, baking powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, and celery seed. Set the spice mixture aside when done.

Prepare The Chicken Wings

Cover a 9″x13″ cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Method #1: Spray the foil generously with non-stick cooking spray (the spray will help you remove the wings from pan after baking). Method #2: If you have a LARGE ovenproof wire rack, spray it generously with the non-stick spray and place it on top of the aluminum foil.

Rinse, then place the chicken wings onto paper towels, and blot them dry with additional paper towels. Once dry, place half the wings into a large bowl.

Pour half of the seasoning mixture onto the chicken wings in bowl. Mix with your hands or tongs, until the wings are covered on all sides with the spice rub. Place the coated wings onto the prepared baking sheet in a single layer (either on sprayed foil or sprayed wire rack). Repeat process with remaining wings.

Bake The Hot Wings

Once all the wings are prepped, it is time to bake them! Put the baking sheet on an upper middle rack of the oven. Bake the buffalo honey hot wings at 400° F. for 45-50 minutes.

Once baked, turn the oven setting to BROIL, and place the baking sheet with the wings 6-8″ away from the broiler element. Broil the wings until they reach the crispness you want, then turn them over and do the same on the other side. TIP: This step will take only a couple minutes. When broiling the wings, definitely keep an eye on them, so they will not burn!

Prepare The Dipping Sauce For Buffalo Honey Hot Wings

While the chicken bakes, prepare the bleu cheese dressing, if you will be serving it on the side to dip the wings in, once done! You can make homemade bleu cheese dressing, but found it quick and easy to use bottled bleu cheese dressing.

I added a couple Tablespoons of crumbled bleu cheese to the bottled dressing, for more flavor and texture! Cover and place in refrigerator until you are ready to serve it as a dipping sauce for the buffalo honey hot wings. NOTE: Don’t like bleu cheese dressing? You can substitute Ranch dressing for dipping the finished wings into, if you prefer.

Prepare The Buffalo Honey Hot Wings Sauce

A few minutes before the chicken wings are done baking, prepare the buffalo honey hot wings sauce. This sauce will be used to coat the baked chicken wings.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Mix Frank’s ORIGINAL Hot Sauce together with cornstarch, and add this to the pan. Add the honey and molasses, and whisk ingredients together to blend.

Heat the buffalo sauce until it comes to a boil, whisking or stirring often. Once boiling, turn the heat down to a simmer. Continue to cook for 3-5 minutes, which slightly thickens the sauce, then taste test it. Want it sweeter? Add more honey. Want it spicier? Add more hot sauce.

Once finished cooking, remove the baked wings from the baking sheet and place them into a large bowl. Pour the buffalo honey hot wings sauce over the chicken, and toss the wings (with a spoon or spatula) to coat them with the sauce.

Serve The Buffalo Honey Hot Wings And Dig In!

Arrange the buffalo honey hot wings onto a serving platter. We served them with the prepared bleu cheese dressing, and some celery and carrot sticks on the side!

The creamy “coolness” of the bleu cheese dressing pairs well with the sweet and slightly spicy buffalo wings. The crunchy carrots and celery sticks round out this fun appetizer, and make it look just like a platter of wings you would get at a restaurant!

We truly LOVED these hot wings (they are NOT even too spicy hot!), and I KNOW I will make them again. They would be perfect to serve at any gathering of hungry friends or family! Hope you will consider trying them, too! Have a GREAT day!

Looking For More APPETIZER Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few appetizer recipes you might also enjoy include:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Original Recipe Source: Jen, at https://carlsbadcravings.com/buffalo-honey-hot-wings-traditional-buffalo-hot-wings-recipe/

0 from 0 votes

Buffalo Honey Hot Wings

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

50 mins

Total Time

1 hr

Buffalo Honey Hot Wings are the perfect appetizer for a crowd! Yummy chicken wings are covered in a mild buffalo honey sauce, and are baked, not fried!

Category: Appetizers, Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: buffalo honey hot wings

Servings: 24 chicken hot wings

Calories Per Serving: 133 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Spice Rub:

2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 Tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground celery seed

For Wings:

24 chicken wings, with skin (approx. 3 lbs.)
2/3 cup Frank's ORIGINAL Hot Sauce (not hot wings sauce)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 cup honey
1 Tablespoon molasses
1 Tablespoon butter

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

While the oven is preheating to 400° F, mix together the spice rub for the chicken wings in a small bowl. Set aside.
Cover a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Method #1: Spray foil with non-stick cooking spray (this helps you remove wings after baking). Method #2: If you have an ovenproof wire rack, spray it with non-stick spray and place it on top of the aluminum foil. Rinse, then place wings on paper towels, and blot dry with additional paper towels. Once dry, place half the wings into a large bowl. Pour half the seasoning mixture onto wings in bowl. Mix, until covered on all sides with spice mix. Place coated wings in a single layer either on sprayed foil or sprayed wire rack. Repeat process with remaining wings.
Bake the buffalo honey hot wings at 400° F. for 45-50 minutes. Once baked, turn oven setting to BROIL, and place baking sheet 6-8" from the broiler element. Broil wings until they reach crispness desired, then turn them over and do the same on the other side. Keep an eye on them to ensure they do not burn!
A few minutes before the wings are done cooking, make the sauce. Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Mix Frank's ORIGINAL Hot Sauce with cornstarch, and add this to the pan. Add honey and molasses; whisk ingredients to blend. Heat sauce until it comes to a boil, whisking or stirring often. Turn heat down to a low simmer. Continue to cook for 3-5 minutes until sauce slightly thickens, then taste test it. Want it sweeter? Add more honey. Want it spicier? Add more hot sauce.
Once done, place hot wings in a large bowl. Pour the sauce over them, and toss with a spoon or spatula to coat them fully. They are now ready to eat! Transfer to serving platter and serve with bleu cheese dressing, carrot and celery sticks! Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Buffalo Honey Hot Wings

Amount Per Serving (1 wing)

Calories 133 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 38mg13%

Sodium 442mg19%

Potassium 206mg6%

Carbohydrates 5g2%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 8g16%

Vitamin A 220IU4%

Vitamin C 0.4mg0%

Calcium 57mg6%

Iron 0.8mg4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

05
Dec
2018

Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites

categories: Appetizers, Holidays!

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Make these colorful & delicious Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites for your next party or get together! These EASY bite sized appetizers are made in 15 minutes!

Recently I hosted a Christmas get together for former co-workers. Several of us hadn’t seen each other in 12 years! It always seems like the holidays are a great time to renew friendships and enjoy spending time with those you love!

I made a couple simple desserts, provided beverages, and asked everyone that came to the party to bring an appetizer to share! It was a lot of fun, and there were some nice food choices we all enjoyed!

The appetizer I decided to make was this recipe for Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites. I originally found the recipe on Pinterest, from Jessica (at The Novice Chef), and decided to try it!

The recipe is super easy to make, and the results? Fantastic! Creamy, slightly sweet cheese balls, are coated in dried cranberries, fresh parsley, and chopped pecans. These colorful (green and red) tiny bite size treats were a perfect appetizer for the holiday season! YUM!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites Filling

Place the goat cheese, cream cheese, honey and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to fully combine these ingredients until blended and smooth.

Once the goat cheese mixture is smooth, add 1/2 cup of the chopped pecans, reserving the remaining pecans (1 cup) for later. Stir the 1/2 cup of chopped pecans into the cheese mixture until combined. This will be the filling for your cranberry pecan goat cheese bites!

NOTE: I “dry-toasted” the pecans in a skillet (no oil, etc.), stirring for a few minutes to slightly toast them before using them in this recipe. I then let the pecans cool before adding them to the cheese mixture. THIS STEP IS COMPLETELY OPTIONAL (but good!).

Covering The Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites

Place a sheet of parchment paper on kitchen counter. Put the remaining 1 cup of chopped pecans, dried cranberries and chopped fresh parsley on the paper.

Gently combine the pecans, cranberries and parsley. Spread them out a bit on the parchment paper. Grab a cookie scoop (or a Tablespoon measuring spoon), and get ready to create these cute cranberry pecan goat cheese bites!

Place a scoop of the goat cheese mixture on top of the cranberry/pecan/parsley mixture. Make sure the cheese mixture is rounded into a ball. Roll it around in the topping, until the cheese ball is covered on all sides. When done, place the cranberry pecan goat cheese ball on a large plate or platter.

Repeat this process (one at a time) until all the goat cheese mixture is gone. The recipe will yield about 18 cranberry pecan goat cheese bites!

The cheese balls will need to be refrigerated, for peak flavor and texture. They will firm up a bit as they chill. They are at their best, when served cold, right from the refrigerator! You can make these cute and festive little appetizers up to 3 days in advance, which is really a great timesaver! They need to be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed, airtight container.

Don’t they look colorful? Perfect for the Christmas holidays! And… since they are so easy to make (and can be made ahead of time), this appetizer is PERFECT for such a busy time of year!

Serving The Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites

Right before serving the cranberry pecan goat cheese bites, I transferred them to a pretty Christmas serving platter. Gently insert a stick pretzel into the center of each cheese ball, to serve. That step is completely optional, but it made it very easy for my guests to pick up the cranberry pecan goat cheese bites to put on their plate!

I received several compliments on these colorful and yummy appetizers! They are GOOD! Sure do hope you will consider making these for your family, friends, a holiday party… or ANY time of the year! Have a wonderful day, friends. Make it a GOOD one!

Looking For More Appetizer Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index located at the top of the page. A few favorite appetizers (that are wonderful for parties) are:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Recipe Source: https://thenovicechefblog.com/cranberry-pecan-goat-cheese-truffles/

0 from 0 votes

Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

0 mins

Total Time

15 mins

Make these colorful & delicious Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites for your next party or get together! These EASY bite sized appetizers are made in 15 minutes!

Category: Appetizers

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cranberry pecan goat cheese bites

Servings: 18

Calories Per Serving: 150 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

10 ounces goat cheese (chevre)
6 ounces cream cheese
3 Tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1½ cups pecans , chopped and divided
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place goat cheese, cream cheese, honey and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to fully combine ingredients until smooth. Add 1/2 cup of chopped pecans (reserve the rest for later). Stir the pecans into cheese mixture until combined. NOTE: I "dry-toasted" the pecans in a skillet (no oil, etc.), stirring for a few minutes to slightly toast them before using them in this recipe. I then let the pecans cool before adding them to the cheese mixture. THIS STEP IS COMPLETELY OPTIONAL (but good!).
Place a sheet of parchment paper on kitchen counter. Put remaining cup of chopped pecans, dried cranberries and chopped fresh parsley on the paper. Gently combine pecans, cranberries and parsley. Spread them out on the parchment paper.
Place a scoop (using cookie scoop or Tablespoon) of the goat cheese mixture on top of the cranberry/pecan/parsley mixture. Make sure the cheese mixture is rounded into a ball. Roll it around in the topping, until the cheese ball is covered on all sides. When done, place the cranberry pecan goat cheese ball on a large plate or platter. Repeat process (one at a time) until all the goat cheese mixture is gone.
The cheese balls will need to be refrigerated, for peak flavor and texture. They will firm up as they chill. They are at their best, when served cold, right from the refrigerator! You can make these appetizers up to 3 days in advance, which is a great timesaver! They need to be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed, airtight container. Serve as is, or gently insert a stick pretzel into the top of the cheese ball right before serving. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 150 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Cholesterol 12mg4%

Sodium 103mg4%

Potassium 73mg2%

Carbohydrates 10g3%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 360IU7%

Vitamin C 2.3mg3%

Calcium 47mg5%

Iron 0.7mg4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

28
Sep
2018

Spicy Roasted Garbanzos

categories: Appetizers

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Looking for an easy, healthy, crunchy snack? You’ve got to try these spicy roasted garbanzos (chickpeas)! They’re a little bit sweet, and a little bit spicy!

I found the recipe for these spicy roasted garbanzos online, and thought it sounded quite interesting! Garbanzo beans are also highly nutritious and filling. I had all the ingredients, so quickly whipped up a batch (easy peasy)!

Garbanzo beans are lightly tossed with olive oil, then roasted. Once they are crunchy, and hot straight from the oven, they are tossed in a dry spice mix that is only a bit spicy and a bit sweet, to cover. The best part? The taste and the fact it is a fairly low calorie, nutritious snack!

Spicy roasted garbanzos (chickpeas) are BEST when eaten right after roasting… they tend to lose a bit of the crunch factor after sitting for awhile. I like to think of them as an alternative to hot popcorn, except without all the carbs and butter! Popcorn is always best right after popping, too!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How Do I Make Spicy Roasted Garbanzos?

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. While your oven is preheating, open, drain and rinse a can of garbanzo beans (also called chickpeas). Pat the garbanzos dry. I used a dish towel to remove most of the moisture.

Once garbanzos are dry, place them on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with a Tablespoon of olive oil, then gently toss, to coat. Spread the garbanzos out on the baking sheet, then bake in preheated 450 degree oven for approximately 15-20 minutes. When done, they should be crunchy on the outside and golden brown in color.

While the garbanzos are roasting, mix together the spices in a small bowl or cup.

When the garbanzos were done roasting, I placed them in a small bowl while they were still hot. The spice mix was then sprinkled over the hot garbanzos, and they were tossed together until the roasted garbanzos were covered with spice mix.

Time To Enjoy Some Spicy Roasted Garbanzos!

Serve the spicy roasted garbanzos hot and fresh! You can snack on them just like popcorn! A single serving (approximately 1/2 cup) has under 150 calories! Remember- this healthy snack is at it’s very crunchy BEST when served hot and fresh!

The spicy roasted garbanzos are a wonderful snack! They are only a little bit spicy, and you do taste a little bit of the sweetness from the small amount of brown sugar! They taste so good, it’s a safe bet to say that it will be hard for you to stay out of them!

Hope you enjoy these spicy roasted garbanzos! I can hardly wait to make some more to snack on. You might also enjoy a few other of my snack recipes for Tex Mex Party Nuts, Coconut Candied Cashews or Candied Orange, Cinnamon Clove Spiced Pecans!

Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you will come back soon. Be sure to check out ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. Have a FANTASTIC day!

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Recipe Source: Larisha, at https://wereparents.com/bbq-roasted-chickpeas-recipe/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Spicy Roasted Garbanzos

Prep Time

2 mins

Cook Time

18 mins

Total Time

20 mins

Looking for an easy, healthy, crunchy snack? You've got to try these spicy roasted garbanzos (chickpeas)! They're a little bit sweet, and a little bit spicy!

Category: Appetizer/Snack

Cuisine: Southwest

Keyword: spicy roasted garbanzos

Servings: 4 servings

Calories Per Serving: 132 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

15.5 ounces garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1 Tablespoon olive oil

For Spice Mix:

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 pinch cayenne pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. While your oven is preheating, open, drain and rinse a can of garbanzo beans (also called chickpeas). Pat the garbanzos dry.
Once garbanzos are dry, place them on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with a Tablespoon of olive oil, then gently toss, to coat. Spread them out on the baking sheet, then bake at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes. When done, they should be crunchy on the outside and golden brown in color.
While the garbanzos are roasting, mix together the spices in a small bowl or cup. When garbanzos are done roasting, place them in a small bowl while hot. Sprinkle spice mix over hot garbanzos, and gently toss until roasted garbanzos are covered with spice mix.

Nutrition Facts

Spicy Roasted Garbanzos

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/2 cup serving))

Calories 132 Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value*

Fat 5g8%

Sodium 308mg13%

Potassium 158mg5%

Carbohydrates 15g5%

Fiber 4g17%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A 175IU4%

Calcium 38mg4%

Iron 1.5mg8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

29
May
2018

Cajun Tater Tots with Dipping Sauce

categories: Appetizers, Side Dishes

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Spicy Cajun tater tots (fried OR baked), served with a seasoned Ranch/Sour Cream dipping sauce and BBQ sauce on the side, are the perfect appetizer to munch on at any dinner, get together or party!

My husband and I enjoy eating out at a Pacific Northwest well known restaurant called McMenamins. They have over 55 casual restaurant / brewhouses located in Oregon and Washington (including one about a mile from our home), and are a very popular hangout.

Our favorite appetizer to get (each time we go) is a basket of their Cajun Tater Tots! I love the dipping sauce they’re served with, and my husband loves his tots with BBQ sauce, so we each get our own little cup of sauce to dip the tots into! Perfect!

The deep fried tater tots, seasoned with Cajun-style spices are the perfect little treat to munch on while we wait for our order to be cooked! These little tots are so addictive… once you eat one, it is hard to stay out of them (trust me…I know what I’m talking about here)!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Time To Try Making My Own Cajun Tater Tots!

I decided to try and make something similar at home, just for fun, and found a copycat recipe (for the tots only) online. That particular recipe baked the tater tots, so I adapted the recipe a bit, changed the recipe from baking to deep frying, then created my own sauce, and made them!

The Cajun tater tots turned out really good! NOTE: I am posting pictures of the “deep fried” version, but am including directions for baking them, for your convenience, in the printable recipe below.

Okay… So How Do I Make Them?

The first thing you need to do is make the dipping sauce. I made a sauce similar to what they serve at the restaurant. A small amount of Cajun spices are added to a simple mixture of Ranch dressing and sour cream.

Ingredients are mixed until smooth, covered, then refrigerated until ready to use. This cooling sauce is a great balance to the slightly spicy tots! It’s easy to make the sauce up early in the day for later use!

After you’ve made the dipping sauce, it’s time to make the seasoning for the tots. This is done by simply mixing up the dry ingredients in a small bowl, then setting it aside.

To Deep Fry Cajun Tater Tots:

Frozen tater tots are carefully deep fried in a basket in a pan half full of hot oil (375 degrees). They cook for 3-4 minutes until they become crispy and the color has changed to golden brown.

Once they are cooked to a golden brown color, the fryer basket and tots are removed from oil, drained slightly (over the pan), then tots are transferred to a large bowl.

Sprinkle Cajun spice mixture is immediately over hot tater tots, then toss them until the tots are covered with seasoning. The spices will stick to the oil remaining on the drained tots. I serve them hot in a parchment paper lined basket.

Serve The Cajun Tater Tots

Serve the hot spiced tater tots with two bowls of dipping sauces. Sauces are the perfect way to enjoy your tots! Dip away! Pictured on the left is the Ranch/Sour cream dipping sauce, and the dish on the right contains bottled BBQ sauce (my hubby’s preferred sauce, straight out of the bottle).

That’s it! It’s not too hard to make these delicious Cajun tots at home, if you can’t get to a McMenamins to taste the original! They are so good!

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. If you’re looking for more appetizers like this one, you might also enjoy Crunchy Homemade Onion Rings , Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries or Crispy Homemade French Fries. Each of them is a wonderful, yummy appetizer or side dish!

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Tot recipe adapted from Sandy, at: http://www.everydaysouthwest.com/recipes/cajun-spiced-tater-tots/

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Cajun Tater Tots with Dipping Sauce

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

4 mins

Total Time

14 mins

Spicy Cajun tater tots (fried OR baked), served with a seasoned Ranch/Sour Cream dipping sauce and BBQ sauce, are the perfect appetizer to munch on at any dinner, get together or party!

Category: Appetizer

Cuisine: Cajun

Keyword: Cajun tater tots

Servings: 4 servings

Calories Per Serving: 342 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Tots:

2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper , or more if you like 'em spicy!
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon salt , + more to season at finish
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
16 ounces Ore Ida Tater Tots
Enough oil to deep fry tater tots (Fill pan HALF full only)

For Dipping Sauces:

1/3 cup bottled Ranch Dressing
2 Tablespoons sour cream
1/8 teaspoon (EACH) Cajun seasoning, cayenne, dried rosemary, salt, garlic and onion powder
1/2 cup bottled BBQ sauce

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make dipping sauce by mixing Ranch dressing with sour cream, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, rosemary, salt, garlic powder and onion powder. Stir until fully combined. Cover, then refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the seasoning for the Cajun tater tots, by simply mixing up the dry ingredients in a small bowl, and set aside.

OPTION #1 - Deep Fried (this is the method I used):

Fill a cooking pot half full of vegetable oil (no more than half full!). Preheat oil to 375° F. (uncovered). Carefully add frozen tater tots to fryer basket (only fill basket HALF full), and lower into hot oil. IMPORTANT: Be very careful-ice crystals on the frozen tots may splatter when they hit the hot oil. If this happens, immediately put a lid on pan and reduce heat till splattering stops, then uncover and return oil to cooking temp. Cook tater tots for 3-4 minutes at temperature, until they turn golden brown. Turn off heat, and carefully lift fryer basket out of oil, letting oil drain out of basket back into the pot. Once fairly well drained, pour 1/2 of hot tots into a medium mixing bowl. Immediately sprinkle with 1/2 of the Cajun seasoning mixture and lightly mix or toss to season. Repeat with other half until all tots are seasoned. Lightly season with additional salt (to taste), if desired, and serve while hot.

OPTION #2 - Baked

Preheat your oven to 425° F. Melt 3 Tablespoons butter with 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil. Combine the Cajun season mixture with the butter/oil mixture. Stir until combined. Pour 1/2 of the sauce into medium mixing bowl; swirl it around to coat sides of bowl. Add 1/2 of the tots. Place plastic wrap over the bowl, seal tightly, then toss the tater tots carefully (keeping bowl tightly sealed) until they are fairly well covered by the spice/butter mixture. Transfer the seasoned tots onto a 13x9 inch rimmed baking sheet, in a single layer. Repeat process until all tots are coated. Bake tots at 425° F. for 20-25 minutes, or until crispy and light golden brown. (Note: If doubling recipe, baking time will increase to between 25 and 35 minutes). When done, remove from oven. Lightly season with additional salt (to taste), if desired, and serve while hot.
To Serve: Place hot, seasoned tots in a parchment paper lined basket or bowl and serve, with little cups of dipping sauce(s) on the side. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Note: IF baking (Option #2), you will also need 3 Tablespoons butter, and 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil added to ingredient list.

Nutrition Facts

Cajun Tater Tots with Dipping Sauce

Amount Per Serving (1 serving + Ranch dipping sauce (1/4 of total))

Calories 342 Calories from Fat 216

% Daily Value*

Fat 24g37%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 8mg3%

Sodium 854mg37%

Potassium 348mg10%

Carbohydrates 31g10%

Fiber 2g8%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 540IU11%

Vitamin C 9.2mg11%

Calcium 29mg3%

Iron 0.9mg5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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01
May
2018

Garlic Focaccia Bread

categories: Appetizers, Breads, Side Dishes

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Garlic Focaccia Bread, with olive oil and fresh herbs, is a great side dish for a variety of meats and salads, can be served as an appetizer with dipping oil and herbs, or simply used to make sandwiches!

Garlic Focaccia Bread is a versatile side dish for a variety of meats or salads, can be served as an appetizer (served with dipping oil and herbs), or simply used to make a great sandwich! The crispy “dimpled” crust of this delicious bread (with olive oil, garlic and fresh thyme topping), is it’s trademark feature!

My friends and I used to frequent a local restaurant that brought baskets of sliced warm focaccia bread and a small bowl of dipping oil (with herbs) to the table before dinner. Oh. My. Goodness. I think that place is where I really fell in love with focaccia bread!

Talk about GOOD!!! I knew I wanted to make something similar at home, so I decided to try an old recipe I had stored in my trusty (and practically dilapidated) file box.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Where I Discovered The Original Recipe

Many years ago I found a recipe in a newspaper, cut it out, and taped it to a 3×5 index card. Didn’t even write down what newspaper it was from. It’s now old and yellowed, but I had NEVER tried that particular recipe until recently. WOW- it was DELICIOUS!

The original recipe was titled “Nona’s Courtyard Cafe Focaccia”, and I THINK (not sure) it might have originated from a restaurant in Ventura, California (which is now closed). I tried to find the recipe online, but no luck… oh well. At least I had this old recipe on file to try. It’s very easy to make… here’s how!

How To Make Garlic Focaccia Bread

Mix yeast with warm water (100 degrees) in a large bowl. Stir, then set the bowl aside for 5 minutes to let yeast fully dissolve. Bubbles will begin to appear on the surface, which tells you the yeast is active, alive, and working.

Add flour, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, Parmesan cheese, honey, salt and cold water to bowl. Mix the ingredients well. I started mixing it with a spoon, then switched to using my (clean) hands to mix it up, because it was easier that way, as it is a thick dough.

Form the dough into a ball, then put it on a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough out with a rolling pin, smoothing and shaping it into a circle of dough about 10 inches wide.

In a separate small bowl or measuring cup, mix together 1/3 cup olive oil and crushed garlic. Set aside to let the flavors “mingle”, while you get the dough ready for it!

Poking Holes In the Garlic Focaccia Bread Dough

Transfer the dough circle to a large baking sheet with edges (I used a ratty old pizza pan with edges). Poke holes in the top of the dough using your finger. Make deep holes all over the top of the dough, but don’t go all the way through dough to the bottom.

Cover the top and sides of dough with the olive oil/ garlic mixture. I started off spooning it on top, then used a pastry brush to fully coat top and sides of dough, and to spread the garlic around.

What Should I Do With The Excess Olive Oil?

There is a lot of “excess” oil that will run off the edges of dough onto pan. Just scoop it up with a spoon and fill up all the holes with it. Sprinkle top of dough with chopped fresh thyme (or fresh rosemary, if substituting). There will STILL be excess oil around bottom of dough, as you can see in the photo below. Leave it there! It will absorb into the bread while it bakes, and help to make a nice crispy crust!

Set the pan aside, and let the dough rise a bit (uncovered) for about 30 minutes in a warm place, free from drafts. Preheat oven to 400º F. while dough is rising.

Bake The Garlic Focaccia Bread

After dough has risen, bake it in a 400º F. oven for 23-25 minutes, or until the bread is evenly browned all over. Remove from oven, transfer the garlic focaccia bread to a wire rack, and let it cool for 20-25 minutes before you serve it.

Doesn’t it look GOOD? See the little pieces of garlic in the “dimples”? ALL the oil has been absorbed into crust. The 2 photos below show the top and bottom of the bread… nice and crispy on the outside, but soft on the inside!

If you want to make the garlic focaccia bread ahead of time, you can easily reheat it by covering it tightly with aluminum foil and reheat on low heat (250º F.) in oven for 10-15 minutes. To serve, slice bread in half left to right, then cut into 2″ wide strips from top to bottom.

You can serve it with a (2 to 1) mixture of olive oil and balsamic vinegar or olive oil and fresh herbs (like garlic, thyme and rosemary, etc.) in a little bowl for dipping, if you wish.

Here’s a close up of a slice of the garlic focaccia bread so you can see what the inside looks like! YUM.

My husband, oldest son and I enjoyed this bread served with Orange and Rosemary Glazed Salmon, steamed broccoli and rice. It was delicious. We ended up with a few pieces of focaccia bread left over, so I will serve it on the side with spaghetti, made with Easy Spaghetti Sauce with Italian Sausage for tonight’s dinner!

Hope you will consider making this garlic focaccia bread! It’s a great side dish to compliment a variety of main courses or salads.

It can also be used as an appetizer BEFORE the meal, when served with a mixture of olive oil and fresh herbs (or olive oil/balsamic vinegar). You can also use it to make a delicious sandwich! Lots of possibilities. Hope you enjoy it… and have a wonderful day!

Looking For More BREAD Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of delicious bread recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Adapted from Recipe Source: old newspaper article (original source/newspaper/author unknown)

0 from 0 votes

Garlic Focaccia Bread

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Rising Time

30 mins

Total Time

40 mins

Garlic Focaccia Bread, with olive oil and fresh herbs, is a great side dish for a variety of meats and salads, can be used to make sandwiches, or served as an appetizer with dipping oil!

Category: Appetizer, Bread, Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: garlic focaccia bread

Servings: 10 slices

Calories Per Serving: 229 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1/2 ounce dry active yeast
1 cup water heated to 100 degrees
3 cups flour (all purpose)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup cold water
1 teaspoon honey
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese ,freshly grated
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic (crushed)
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme (or rosemary) , finely chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Mix yeast with warm water (100 degrees) in a large bowl. Stir, then set bowl aside for 5 minutes to let yeast fully dissolve. Bubbles will begin appearing on the surface, which tells you the yeast is active and working.
Add flour, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, Parmesan cheese, honey, salt and cold water to bowl. Mix ingredients well. NOTE: I started mixing it with a spoon, then switched to using my (clean) hands to mix it up, because it's easier (it's a thick dough). Form dough into a ball, then place on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough out with a rolling pin, smoothing and shaping it into a circle 10" wide.
In a separate small bowl or measuring cup, mix together 1/3 cup olive oil and crushed garlic. Set aside to let flavors "mingle" while you get dough ready.
Transfer the dough circle to a large baking sheet or pizza pan (with edges) . Poke holes in top of the dough using your fingertips. Make deep holes all over the top of the dough, but don't go all the way through to the bottom.
Cover top/sides of dough with olive oil/ garlic mixture using spoon and/or pastry brush. There will be oil that runs off edges onto pan. Scoop it up with a spoon and fill the holes with it. Sprinkle top with chopped fresh thyme (or rosemary, if using). There will STILL be excess oil on pan around bottom of dough. Leave it there! It will absorb into the bread when it bakes, and help to make a nice crust! Set bread aside, and let dough rise a bit (uncovered) for 30-40 minutes in a warm place, free from drafts. Preheat oven to 400º F. while dough rises.
After dough has risen, bake in 400º F. oven for 23-25 minutes, or until bread is evenly browned. Remove from oven, transfer bread to a wire rack, and let cool 20-25 minutes before serving. To serve, slice in half from left to right, then cut into 2" thick slices from top to bottom. If desired, serve with dipping sauce of (2 to 1 mix) olive oil and balsamic vinegar OR olive oil and fresh herbs, like thyme, garlic, rosemary. ENJOY!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: Yeast used is equivalent of 2 (¼ ounce) packages OR 4½ teaspoons of bulk dry active yeast.

Nutrition Facts

Garlic Focaccia Bread

Amount Per Serving (1 slice)

Calories 229 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Fat 9g14%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 1mg0%

Sodium 216mg9%

Potassium 53mg2%

Carbohydrates 29g10%

Fiber 1g4%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A 20IU0%

Vitamin C 0.1mg0%

Calcium 35mg4%

Iron 1.8mg10%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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22
Jan
2018

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries

categories: Appetizers, From Our Veggie Garden, Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes

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Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries are a delicious side dish or appetizer! Baked until crispy, and served with dipping sauce, these “fries” will be a big hit!

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries are a delicious family-friendly way to get kids (and adults) to EAT THEIR VEGGIES! Baked (not fried) to a crispy finish, and served with a cool, seasoned dipping sauce on the side, these “fries” won’t last long, as a side dish or an appetizer!

The zucchini are crispy on the outside, and have lots of flavor with the simple coating, and the PLUS is that they are BAKED, not FRIED. They are really very easy to prepare, and it’s a great way to get more veggies into the food rotation!

It’s easy to get these veggies into everyone, in a fun way (especially if the kids like French fries)! Zucchini fries are delicious baked and eaten without any accompaniments, but I like to dip them in a tasty sauce (or ranch dressing).

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At the Bottom Of The Page

Making The Sauce/Dip For Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries

This time I made up a quick and simple Mexican-spiced dip/sauce (with some of my favorite spices), to serve on the side. I made the sauce by combining non-fat plain Greek yogurt with a Tablespoon of mayonnaise. I then added cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, and paprika, and mixed until blended.

The dipping sauce has good Southwestern flavor, but is not too spicy, by the way! Make ahead, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.

How To Cut Zucchini For Zucchini Fries

I used a green zucchini and a yellow zucchini to make the fries. After slicing the ends off, they were cut like this:

#1 Cut each in half in the middle.
#2 Cut each half in half lengthwise.
#3 Cut those pieces into 4 lengthwise slices each (so they are wedges about 1/2 an inch wide).

In a small bowl, place two eggs. Lightly beat the eggs until they are fully combined. In a separate bowl, place Panko crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Add the garlic powder, salt, pepper, paprika and Italian seasoning, and stir until combined.

Prepping Zucchini Fries For Baking

Dip the zucchini wedges, one at a time into the egg mixture to coat. Shake off excess egg back into bowl, and then dip and roll in Panko mixture to coat all sides.

Place each coated piece of zucchini on a baking sheet which has been lined with aluminum foil, covered with non-stick spray. Repeat until all “fries” have been coated. Make sure to keep wedges separated on foil.

Cooking The Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries

Spray the top of the zucchini with cooking spray or lightly drizzle with olive oil. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 22-25 minutes, flipping zucchini fries over, half way through the cooking time. When done, the zucchini should be crisp on the outside and lightly browned.

Time To Eat!

Transfer zucchini fries to a platter, and serve with dipping sauce (if desired). They taste the very best when served hot, crispy, and fresh!

Serve, and enjoy this yummy finger food side dish (or appetizer!). Recipe is easily doubled for a larger crowd… as written, the recipe makes 32 “fries”. Hope you enjoy these zucchini fries – we sure did!

Looking For More APPETIZER Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have some delicious appetizer recipes you might enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Zucchini Fries Recipe Source: Trish, at https://www.momontimeout.com/baked-parmesan-zucchini-fries-recipe/

0 from 0 votes

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

22 mins

Total Time

32 mins

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries are a delicious side dish or appetizer! Baked until crispy, and served with dipping sauce, these "fries" will be a big hit!

Category: Side Dish / Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: baked Parmesan zucchini fries

Servings: 32 fries

Calories Per Serving: 18 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 zucchini (medium sized- I used 1 green and 1 yellow)
2 eggs , beaten lightly
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika

For Dipping Sauce:

1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt (can substitute sour cream)
1 Tablespoon Mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon EACH of spices (chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder and paprika)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To Make Dipping Sauce:

Mix Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, and paprika in small bowl until blended. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.

To Make Zucchini Fries:

Cut both ends off each zucchini (discard). Cut each zucchini in half across the middle, then cut each half in half lengthwise, then cut those pieces into 4 lengthwise slices each (so they are wedges about 1/2 an inch wide). You should have 32 wedges.
In a bowl, lightly beat eggs until combined. Set aside.
In another bowl, mix Panko crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt, pepper, paprika and Italian seasoning until combined.
Dip zucchini wedges, one at a time into the egg mixture to coat. Shake excess egg back into bowl, then dip and roll zucchini slice in Panko mixture to coat all sides. Place each coated piece of zucchini on baking sheet lined with foil, and sprayed lightly with non-stick spray. Repeat until all "fries" have been coated. Keep wedges separated. Spray the top of the zucchini with cooking spray, or lightly drizzle with olive oil.
Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 22-25 minutes, turning zucchini slices over, half way through cooking time. When done, zucchini should be crisp on the outside and lightly browned. Transfer zucchini fries to a platter, and serve with dipping sauce (if desired).

Nutrition Facts

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries

Amount Per Serving (4 wedges)

Calories 18

% Daily Value*

Cholesterol 11mg4%

Sodium 45mg2%

Potassium 42mg1%

Carbohydrates 1g0%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 55IU1%

Vitamin C 2.2mg3%

Calcium 17mg2%

Iron 0.1mg1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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03
Aug
2017

Watermelon, Feta, and Mint Salad

categories: Appetizers, Salads

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Sweet, cold watermelon feta mint salad with fresh mint, salty feta cheese crumbles and red onion is an easy, delicious salad for a hot Summer day!
I recently made a very yummy and unique salad as a side dish with our dinner! It is a chilled Watermelon, feta cheese, and mint salad, to be exact! Wow! This is a fantastic chilled salad to serve when temperatures heat up, like it’s doing in Oregon this week (temps of 108)!

I found the recipe for this watermelon feta mint salad on Pinterest and thought it sounded interesting, and guess what? It tastes FANTASTIC! Cold, ripe sweet watermelon pairs unbelievably well with slightly salty feta cheese! The addition of chopped fresh mint, a touch of olive oil and a some red onion make this a delectable and refreshing summer salad!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make A Watermelon Feta Mint Salad

This simple recipe could not be any easier to prepare! There are two methods, and both are simple! Shown here is the way I made this yummy watermelon feta mint salad. See the printable recipe at the bottom of this post for other method.

Cut up a well-chilled seedless watermelon into cubes. You only need 6 cups worth of watermelon cubes, and so this was only two large slices out of a whole watermelon!

Add the remaining ingredients to the watermelon cubes. These ingredients are crumbled feta cheese, olive oil, thinly sliced red onion, and chopped fresh mint. Season the salad with a little bit of salt and pepper to taste.

Toss gently to combine, and try not to break up the feta crumbles too much. See the printable recipe below, for another way to prepare this salad!

Serve The Watermelon Feta Mint Salad Chilled

Once the salad is gently mixed together, it CAN be served right away. HOWEVER, I think the salad is at it’s best when really cold, and the flavors have come together in the fridge. If you like watermelon really cold, refrigerate this salad for about an hour before serving.

When ready to serve, place the watermelon feta mint salad in a pretty serving dish, and garnish with a fresh mint sprig. Grab a fork, and dig in, because it is DELICIOUS!

We’ve had record-breaking heat here in the Portland, Oregon area this week. Our power has gone out 2 times in 24 hours (last night and this morning), so it hasn’t been fun trying to stay cool with no electricity or cooling! We are very thankful for COLD SALADS and CANDLES, and that the problems have now been fixed. Whew!!!

If you enjoy watermelon like we do, be sure and check out some of my other recipes featuring it, like Watermelon, Feta and Balsamic Bites, Watermelon and Cucumber Gazpacho, and Watermelon Lime & Mint Agua Fresca! Hope you have a great day!

Looking For More SALAD Recipes?

You can find all of my salad recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have many salad recipes, which include:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Recipe Source: http://www.slenderkitchen.com/recipe/watermelon-feta-and-mint-salad

0 from 0 votes

Watermelon, Feta, and Mint Salad

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

0 mins

Total Time

10 mins

Sweet, cold watermelon feta mint salad with fresh mint, salty feta cheese crumbles and red onion is an easy, delicious salad for a hot Summer day!

Category: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: watermelon feta mint salad

Servings: 4 servings

Calories Per Serving: 160 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

6 cups cold watermelon , cubed
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup red onion , sliced thinly
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves , roughly chopped
1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper , to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Method 1: (this is the method I used)

Combine all ingredients in large serving bowl. Toss gently, to combine, trying to not break up the feta crumbles too much. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve and enjoy!

Method 2:

Combine all ingredients except for crumbled feta cheese. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Sprinkle salad with feta cheese crumbles (but do not mix it in) right before serving. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Watermelon, Feta, and Mint Salad

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 160 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 25mg8%

Sodium 326mg14%

Potassium 288mg8%

Carbohydrates 18g6%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 15g17%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A 1535IU31%

Vitamin C 19.4mg24%

Calcium 161mg16%

Iron 0.9mg5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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22
Jun
2017

Maple and Cinnamon Spiced Nuts

categories: Appetizers

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Maple cinnamon spiced nuts are a great snack, featuring pecans, cashews and almonds coated with maple syrup, sugar and spices, then baked until done.
Recently I made a batch of Maple Cinnamon Spiced Nuts and served them at a birthday dinner for my husband. Pecans, cashews and almonds are coated in a small amount of maple syrup and beaten egg white, then tossed with sugar, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamon and a touch of cayenne pepper, and baked until done (and delicious!).

They were really quite good; we enjoyed them alongside other snacks/appetizers before dinner! These maple cinnamon spiced nuts are really easy to make – here’s how:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Male Cinnamon Spiced Nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt, cardamom, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl until spices are well blended. Set aside.

In a separate large bowl, beat or whisk the egg white with the maple syrup until the liquid is bubbly and frothy.

Add pecans, cashews and almonds to the egg white mixture. Stir well, to fully coat the nuts with the egg white/maple syrup mixture.

Once the nuts are coated, add the spice mixture, and stir well, to fully coat the nuts with the spices. Line a large (13×9) rimmed baking sheet with a layer of parchment paper.

Bake The Maple Cinnamon Spiced Nuts

Pour the coated nut mixture out onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Spread them out so they are in a single layer, separating them from each other as much as possible. Place in oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes (then re-spread them out), so the nuts and sugar won’t burn.

When the maple cinnamon spice nuts are done baking in 25-30 minutes (mine took 25), they will be dark brown. Almost all of the liquid will have dried onto the nuts. Spread the nuts out on a clean piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil to let them continue drying (and are not sticky).

Eat, Store, Or Give Away As Gifts!

Store the nuts in an airtight container. You can serve them as a wonderful tasting snack OR the maple cinnamon spiced nuts would be a great gift for a friend any time of the year, when packaged in a cute mason jar or decorative container!

These Maple Cinnamon Spiced Nuts are delicious! Not too sweet, not too spicy… just right! Sure hope you will give this recipe a try. I really appreciated how easy they were to make!

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Recipe Adapted From: http://www.tablefortwoblog.com/maple-cinnamon-spiced-nuts/

0 from 0 votes

Maple and Cinnamon Spiced Nuts

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

35 mins

Maple cinnamon spiced nuts are a great snack, featuring pecans, cashews and almonds coated with maple syrup, sugar and spices, then baked until done.

Category: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: maple cinnamon spiced nuts

Servings: 9 (3 cups total)

Calories Per Serving: 295 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 egg white
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
2 cups pecans
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup cashews
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom (optional- I left it out)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Whisk granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt, cardamom, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl until spices are well blended. Set aside.
In a separate large bowl, beat or whisk egg white with maple syrup until the liquid is bubbly and frothy.
Add pecans, cashews and almonds to egg white mixture. Stir well, to fully coat the nuts with egg white/maple syrup mixture.
Once the nuts are coated, add the spice mixture, and stir well, to fully coat the nuts with the spices. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with a layer of parchment paper.
Pour the coated nut mixture out onto a parchment paper-lined large baking sheet. Spread them out so that they are in a single layer, and separate them from each other as much as possible. Place in oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes (then re-spread them out), so the nuts and sugar won't burn. When they are done in 25-30 minutes, they will be dark brown, and almost all of the liquid will have dried onto the nuts. Remove from oven, and spread the nuts out on a clean piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil to let them continue drying (and are not sticky). Store the nuts at room temperature in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Maple and Cinnamon Spiced Nuts

Amount Per Serving (0.333 cups)

Calories 295 Calories from Fat 198

% Daily Value*

Fat 22g34%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Sodium 136mg6%

Potassium 208mg6%

Carbohydrates 21g7%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 15g17%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A 35IU1%

Vitamin C 0.2mg0%

Calcium 47mg5%

Iron 1.4mg8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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05
Jun
2017

Coconut Candied Cashews

categories: Appetizers

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Coconut Candied Cashews are a terrific appetizer for any event! Cashews with coconut oil, coconut milk, sugar, and coconut flakes are baked to yummy perfection!

Looking a great tasting snack that doesn’t take a lot of work? How about these delicious Coconut Candied Cashews? They are easy to make, and will be an instant hit at any gathering where snacking is involved!

I found the original recipe for these candied cashews (Trader Joe’s inspired) on Pinterest, and thought they sounded wonderful! The recipe is very straightforward, easy to make, and the results are amazingly delicious! Now the only problem I have had is STAYING OUT OF THEM, because they are soooo good!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The bottom Of The Page

How To Make Coconut Candied Cashews

Begin by putting the cashews in a large bowl. Melt the coconut oil and pour it over the cashews. Stir, to coat.

Whisk the canned coconut milk until fully blended, then pour 1/4 cup of it over the cashews. Stir again, to coat the cashews.

Add the granulated sugar. Stir, to fully coat cashews.

Bake The Coconut Candied Cashews

Place a silicone liner onto a 9×13 baking sheet. Gently spread the cashews out on the sheet. Bake cashews at 300 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Stir. Spread out cashews.

Put back into oven and bake for 10 additional minutes. Remove from oven. Stir. Spread out cashews. Put cashews back into oven and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven. NOTE: During last 5 minutes of baking, pulse coconut flakes 7-9 times in a food processor until the flakes become fine, for next step).

Sprinkle the finely processed coconut flakes over the cashews. Stir well, to coat the cashews. Spread the cashews back out on the baking sheet. Place the pan back into oven and bake for 10 more minutes.

After The Coconut Candied Cashews Have Baked

The cashews will be done after 10 minutes OR when all of the syrupy liquid is gone from sheet. Carefully remove hot pan from oven. Let the coconut candied cashews sit, until they have cooled to room temperature. Once cool, separate any cashews that might have clumped together.

Ready To Serve!

Once the cashews have cooled to room temperature and the coating has firmed up, they are ready to serve. Offer coconut candied cashews to your family or guests on a pretty serving plate or in a bowl… and watch just how fast they disappear!!! They are so very good!

Hope you will give this fun snack of coconut candied cashews a try. It really only took a few minutes to get them in the oven, then the only effort (if you can even call it “effort”) made was just keeping them stirred as they baked. Easy Peasy!

Looking For More APPETIZER Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a variety of delicious appetizer recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Recipe Source: http://www.dessertnowdinnerlater.com/coconut-cashews/

0 from 0 votes

Coconut Candied Cashews

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

35 mins

Total Time

40 mins

Coconut Candied Cashews are a terrific appetizer for any event! Cashews with coconut oil, coconut milk, sugar, and coconut flakes are baked to yummy perfection!

Category: Appetizer/Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: coconut candied cashews

Servings: 12 (¼ cup) servings (3 C. total)

Calories Per Serving: 246 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

3 cups cashew halves (Used roasted/salted cashews for salty/sweet balance)
1 Tablespoon coconut oil , melted
1/4 cup coconut milk (from a can)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Begin by putting cashews into a large bowl. Melt coconut oil and pour it over cashews. Stir, to coat.
Whisk the canned coconut milk until fully blended, then pour 1/4 cup of it over the cashews. Stir again, to coat the cashews. Add granulated sugar. Stir, to fully coat.
Place a silicone liner onto a 9x13 baking sheet. Spread cashews out on the sheet. Bake cashews at 300 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Stir. Spread out cashews. Put back into oven and bake for 10 additional minutes. Remove from oven. Stir. Spread out cashews. Put cashews back into oven and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven. (NOTE: During last 5 minutes of baking, pulse coconut flakes 7-9 times in a food processor until the flakes become fine, for next step).
Sprinkle finely processed coconut flakes over cashews. Stir well, to coat the cashews. Spread cashews back out on baking sheet. Place in oven and bake 10 minutes more.
The cashews will be done after 10 minutes OR when all of the syrupy liquid is gone from sheet. Carefully remove hot pan from oven. Let cashews sit until cooled to room temperature. Separate any cashews that might have clumped together. Once cashews have cooled to room temperature and coating has firmed up, they're ready to serve. Store in covered container.

Nutrition Facts

Coconut Candied Cashews

Amount Per Serving

Calories 246 Calories from Fat 153

% Daily Value*

Fat 17g26%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Sodium 14mg1%

Potassium 235mg7%

Carbohydrates 20g7%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 11g12%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin C 0.2mg0%

Calcium 13mg1%

Iron 2.4mg13%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Eat, Store, Or Give Away As Gifts!

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How To Make Coconut Candied Cashews

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Ready To Serve!

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You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks