Cranberry & Brie Puffs
These easy, festive puff pastry bundles of brie and cranberry sauce (or raspberry jam, or fig preserves) are delightful party appetizers.
Pineapple Salsa
This is the perfect summer salsa thanks to diced fresh pineapple, which is much easier to slice into than I used to think. Red bell pepper and red onion add color, and cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, and lime juice add mouth-watering flavor.
Pressure Cooker Boiled Eggs
“Boiling” eggs in an electric pressure cooker gives you consistent results and eggs that are really easy to peel.
Soy Eggs
We’ve fallen in love with the soy-marinated boiled eggs found at ramen shops and the festivals at Leo’s school, and they’re so easy to make at home. We use medium-boiled eggs (though the little dude likes them hard-boiled), and soak them in a solution of soy sauce, sherry vinegar, and sugar.
Mom’s Cranberry-Avocado Salsa
Salsa is standard party fare, but this fresh, holiday-themed version with chopped jalapeño, red onion, avocado, cranberries, and cilantro is a delightful surprise. It went quickly when mom took it to a recent holiday get-together.
One-Pan Ham & Cheese Melts
Guy loves his cooking magazines, and recently picked up a copy of a Better Homes and Gardens’ One-Pan Recipes in the check-out lane. The cover of the magazine featured this pan of ham and cheese melts, made with Hawaiian rolls, brushed with melted butter, chopped shallots, parsley, and garlic, and browned until melty and delicious. We made them for a weeknight dinner and then spotted them at the book club holiday party – they’re really great for any occasion.
Caramelized Onion Dip
Last month we had an amazing vacation in Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone. After a day of hiking around Jenny Lake, we were ravenous and ended up at Signal Mountain Lodge for a very late lunch. We ordered their fried Brussels sprouts and French onion dip, which was better than any onion dip we’d ever had. Served with homemade potato chips, their dip was a creamy base filled with rich caramelized onions, like this recipe we ran across when we got home.
Guy’s Grilled Shishito Peppers
We first tried shishito peppers on a rare date night during our two-hour wait for a table at Uchi. They were the only food option at the bar, but we fell in love with their crispy, salty, mild pepper bite.
To make your own, toss peppers with olive oil and sea salt, and grill until pleasantly blistered.
Brie & Grape Crostini
Top toasted slices of French bread with brie, red grapes, drizzled honey, and chopped walnuts for a perfect girls’ night snack.
Fresh Mozzarella Toasts with Spicy Herb Oil
These mozzarella toasts, alongside Roasted Chickpeas and crisp white wine, make an excellent appetizer course or light dinner with friends.