Tasty Tiny Nibbles

 The weather is getting warmer and that means one thing - there's no urge to eat big meals any more. Spring's schedule also require quick bites that are filling and tasty. These are perfect for a Sunday night or after a work day.

One of the tasty nibbles I love I s bruschetta.I created a quick dish using Stop and Shop's Diced tomatoes with jalapeno. A bit if  their olive oil was added to give it smoothness .

Stop and Shop(yes I shop there again) also has excellent garlic rounds. These were perfect for this impromptu dinner that's light yet filling for a warm Spring night.

Another tasty  tiny nibble is a plate of queso and chips.

Good Foods has excellent non dairy cheese dips.Their queso with jalapeno bits is filling and perfect with the Good & Gather Chips from Target. Keep in mind that any kind of nachos a great quick dinner. You can layerthem in a small microwave bowl with beef or plant based beef crumbles and cheese for a quick version of brick years nachos. Add a side of guacamole for even more nutrition and flavor.

Spring means lighter fare. Think of these tasty ,tiny nibble for a light supper to snack. They're may be small bites but they are filling and satisfying.

Picnics For Pennies

 This is picnic season.Yet with the price of food it's hard to have a good time , enjoying the park or the beach. What to do ? Shop wisely.

Most would head to their local hero shop to get a sandwich for an outdoor feast. The problem is this can be costly . Despite their combo meals Jersey Mike's can be expensive, especially if you have a group to feed. Even a simple ham and cheese or roast beef sub can run high. Add in a bag of chips and a soda or water and you have fifteen dollars gone Times that for a family of five and its's a good seventy five dollars gone, more if the kids want extras like cookies. You could go to your grocery store. Both Acme and Shop Rite make very good heroes for a lot less and give a lot more sandwich. The grocery stores also allow you to buy bigger bags of chips and soda twelve packs  too. Smaller shops may be cheaper than the sub sandwich chains but not by much. It doesn't pay to bring fast food  hamburgers along . You can easily pack a cooler with patties and buns and make your own of you really want to cook. Keep in mind that some beaches do not have any braziers and frown upon visitors bringing their own.

A better choice is making your own picn. That way everyone gets to have their favorite sandwiches, drinks and snacks. You can also slip in fruit and vegetables for a healthy bite.Stores such like Ldl have delicious freshly baked rolls for  as low as seventy-nine cents. These are perfect with any kind of filling. Think ham and Swiss with a dab of mustard or a turkey one with an avocado slice and tarragon mayo. It's always not advised to bring store bought egg or tuna salad  on an outing yet it's fine to make it at home and then bring it. You know it's freshly made and its hans't been left out too long. Make it right before you leave. wrap it tightly in Saran wrap and place in a cooler. You could also vary this and make a chicken or ham salad to bring too. Bags of potato chips are always welcomed but you can also try the healthier Sun Chips or everyone;s favorite Pepperidge Farm goldfish. Kds love nibbles and with a self packed picnic you can toss in some grape tomatoes along with baby carrots. Carry small containers of dip for dipping. Bright fruit too. Peaches are a great take a long and they're in season Also also bring small bags of strawberries and blueberries.

You can have a lavish picnic  for a lot less. It's just creating your own sandwiches and bringing a long snacks that are good for your budget and family.It's easy to picnic for less.

Barbecue Ready

 A ll set for tomorrow or Monday's grill fest? Have you got everything in place? Hamburgers? Hot dogs? Salad ingredients? Drinks?

I have iI spent a quick half an hour making my friend's Deb's mom's delicious Swedish meatball recipe. They'll be served without sauce and reheated just for fun bites

To go with the vegan meatballs are the vegan hot dogs from Light Life. These will be brushed with melted Melt plant butter and then grilled. 

There will also be salads to compliment them along with other tasty nibbles.

As for dessert it's Delizza's Belgian cream puffs. I wanted something different that the usual watermelon slices or s'mores. These just add a pop of elegance and I may serve them with chocolate syrup for dipping.

Are you this ready for the upcoming days of grilling and chilling? Be ready and prepped.It makes for a more enjoyable barbecue

Fun Holiday Snacks

The Christmas party goer does not live on drinks alone. There are also nibbles and bites that keep them happy and dancing throughout the season. It could be something as small as a handful of nuts or dried beans or a plate of hot appetizers. Whatever you serve , it will always be the right treat to go with the champagne or egg nog.

There's nothing like a handful of nuts to go with any holiday drink. Most hosts and hostesses have served smoked almonds for decades. These are still good and healthy but you can switch it up a bit. Try flavored pecans or walnuts. Pour a mix of melted butter and different spices over them and roast for five to ten minutes.Edamame is another fun party bite. These can already be bought dried or can be served steamed with a side of soy -ginger sauce. You can also  do the same thing with green peas. Sprinkle frozen peas with oil and sea salt and bake for an hour.Add some cayenne pepper for some punch and heat.

Parties can also have bigger nibbles. Bruschetta and crostini are always good and they go well with every thing from champagne to wine. Bruschetta is just Italian bread thinly sliced and topped with a chopped tomato and oil mix.  Crostini is just the same thing, except the bread is toasted and drizzled with olive oil, With both you cna have fun by adding meat such as salame or mortadella or even crumbled Italian sausage and some grated Parmesan or shredded mozzarella. Mini quiches are also great right now as are hot phyllo puffs. The last can be labor intensive. You can always buy a few boxes of them already made.

Parties always require some knd of nibble to offset the various drinks and punches. You can go big or go small, dpending on the amount of people you have. You can even mix it up, with havign just nibbles and bigger bites together for a really fun time.

Holiday Nibble Time

These next two weeks are going to be filled with all sorts of parties from tree trimming to at home office gatherings. It's the time of the year to dust off all those hors d' oeuvre recipes and pick out what works. After all, a full blown sit down dinner is a bit too fusty for all that mingling. The best bet is to serve trays of nibbles, first savory and then sweet with coffee and liqueurs afterwards.

Savory appetizers are easy to serve and to make. They also go great with everything from non alcoholic punches and sodas to champagne. One of the easiest is bruschetta . This is just simply toasted rounds of sliced Italian and/or French breads with a scoop of chopped tomatoes , olive oil and spices. You can vary the recipe by placing slices of Italian cold cuts such as Genoa salami or soppressata under the tomatoes. For healthier fair try inch long celery bits stuffed with a mix of cream cheese and chopped hard boiled egg. These are tasty and fun without being oh so decadent.Another idea is getting trays of frozen nibbles. There are some great ones out there,especially from Target's Archer Farms brands. Try crab or chicken puffs which are easy to dip and easy to maneuver. Themed savories such as Japanese or Mexican also make for fun eating.

Nibbles aren't only relegated to the salty and savory. There's nothing like ending the evening with tiny bites of sweetness. A fun ender is stuffed dates. These are easy to make, with stuffing pitted dates with either creamy or chunky peanut butter and then rolling in granulated sugar. You can also make mini brittles which is forming small clusters or hills of nuts and then pouring a heated sugar syrup ove r them. Spiced nuts are also good. All it takes are any nut of choice and then dipping them in egg white. Later roll in a mix of cinnamon and sugar or for more zip and zing nutmeg and mace . Bake for twenty minutes for 25 minutes. Mini tartlets or galettes are a great dessert. These can be made with biscuit dough cut in small squares and filled with pie filling. Of course there are the traditional cookies and bars too. If you're serving these , then vary it with a melange of shortbreads, bars, sugar cookies and chocolate chips. You can add some sophisticated types such as madeleines and macarons.

This is the time for fun eating and fun parties. Try a night of nibbles to satisfy guests . Nothing beats a bize size treats to get a gathering going!