Crostini with Roasted Vegetable Spread and Havarti

I'm one of those people who has no problem eating the same food over and over again. So long as it's something I like, I'm totally down with leftovers...two, three, even four days in a row! I get that not everyone is that way, however, but I'm going to offer you the best of both worlds today. I'm obsessed with this roasted vegetable puree. It's easy to make (especially if you have a food processor), makes a huge batch, and is healthy to boot! I was first introduced to it earlier this year when we visited our besties Katie and Matt in New York. Katie went above and beyond her hostess duties and prepared an array of foods for us throughout our visit, this spread being my favorite. We mostly used it on sandwiches (highly recommend it with melty cheddar and avocado!), but by the time we were headed home I was dreaming up all sorts of ways to use it.
Even if I don't mind eating the same foods time and time again, you don't have to! Whip up some vegetable spread, pick up some havarti, and let creativity fly free!

Crostini with Roasted Vegetable Spread and Havarti
Ingredients:
-1 medium eggplant
-2 red bell peppers, seeded
-1 red onion, peeled
-2 garlic cloves, minced
-3 tbsp olive oil
-1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
-1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
-1 tbsp tomato paste
-1 baguette, thinly sliced
-4 oz shredded Havarti

Directions:
1. To make the roasted vegetable spread, preheat oven to 400F. Cut the eggplant, bell peppers, and onion into 1-inch pieces. Toss with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Spread on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes, until vegetables are lightly browned and soft (toss once during cooking).
2. Allow vegetables to cool slightly before pulsing in a food processor with tomato paste, pulsing to blend to desired level of smoothness. Season with salt and pepper, as needed. *Roasted vegetable spread can be made several days ahead of time. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
3. To make the crostini, line a baking sheet with foil. Place sliced bread on prepared baking sheet and bake at 400F for 10-12 minutes, until golden and toasted. Remove from oven and top each with roasted vegetable spread. Sprinkle with cheese and return to oven for 3-5 minutes, until cheese is melted. Serve immediately or at room temperature. 

spread from Ina Garten, crostini an original recipe

Garlic Feta Cheese Dip

Minty Spinach Dip

One Year Ago: Cranberry Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies and Kale, Broccoli, and Feta Saute
Two Years Ago: Mocha Almond Fudge Ice Cream and Bourbon-Marinated Pork Tenderloin
Three Years Ago: Cheesecake Extravaganza and Sweet & Salty Brownies
Four Years Ago: Raspberry Citrus Bars and Caprese on a Stick

Strawberries and Fresh Mozzarella with Mint Pesto Drizzle

One Year Ago: Roasted Vegetable and Goat Cheese Omelets and Chicken & Vegetable Pressed Sandwiches with Goat Cheese and Pesto
Two Years Ago: Chewy Chocolate Peanut Butter Butterscotch Cookies and Zucchini Quiche
Three Years Ago: Buffalo Blue Cheese Dip and Spinach Salad with Nectarine, Blueberries, and Lime Balsamic Vinaigrette
Four Years Ago: Blueberry Crumb Bars and Mexican Couscous Dinner

Bacon Parmesan Shortbread

One Year Ago: Pork Chops with Charred Vegetable Puree and Chocolate Brownie Cookies
Two Years Ago: Baked Lemon Buttermilk Donuts and Feta, Mustard Greens, and Tomato Chutney Pizza
Three Years Ago: White Bean and Spinach Bulgur Salad with Bacon, Caramelized Onions, Mushrooms, and Blue Cheese and Chocolate Ice Cream Cupcakes
Four Years Ago: Candy Bar Cookie Bars and Corn Dip

Bacon and Cheese Stuffed Peppers

 When in doubt, add cheese to it. Right?? Unless you're vegan, in which case, you probably aren't reading this blog anyway! I found myself with an extra package of miniature peppers on hand and while the health conscious thing to do would be to slice 'em up and eat them plain or even with hummus, I decided something more fun was in store!
With two kinds of cheese (cream cheese and mozzarella), these are absolutely delightful. I kept the rest of the filling simple--just bacon, green onions, and a few spices--in part because I already had these ingredients on hand, but also because for an appetizer like this, less is more. These can be prepped ahead of time and then baked just before serving!
As with a lot of my recipes, make these your own. Skip the bacon and wrap them in prosciutto (dang it! why didn't I do that?!). Add your favorite cheese. Use different spices. The come back here and tell me what you did so that I have some inspiration next time I get overzealous buying mini peppers!

One Year Ago: Barbacoa Tacos and Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
Two Years Ago: Chewy Peanut Butter Butterscotch Cookies and Slow Cooker Indonesian Chicken with Peanut Sauce 
Three Years Ago: S'Mores Ice Cream Pie and Spinach Artichoke Flatbread Pizzas
Four Years Ago: Spring Greens Dinner Salad and Peach Amaretto Upside Down Cake

Artichoke Goat Cheese Dip

Two Years Ago: Quick Turkey Bolognese with Spaghetti Squash and Salted Caramel Chocolate Shortbread Bars (Homemade Twix)
Three Years Ago: Cookies and Cream Ice Cream and Creamy Five Cup Fruit Salad
Four Years Ago: Asparagus Soup and 30 Minute Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

Sweet Potato Asparagus Flatbread with Goat Cheese

It's been way too long since I've posted a new pizza or flatbread recipe on The Sweets Life. In fact, a quick dig through the archives showed that it's been almost a year...the last flatbread posted was this Bacon Apple Butter Flatbread with Caramelized Onions and Gouda. Pizza's on the menu at least once a month around here, but it's usually a "whatever's in the fridge and can be put on a pizza" type meal, which isn't usually blog-worthy.
This flatbread, on the other hand, is definitely blog-worthy! Inspiration came from Martha Stewart, but I opted to use sweet potato instead of a Yukon gold. The best part of this flatbread was how crispy the crust was. Usually when I make pizza at home, I pre-bake the crust, but only at a temperature of 400F. Little did I know, the secret for the best, crispiest crust lie in a 500F oven!! From here out on I'll bake my pizza at a much hotter temperature! 
The toppings were simple, but satisfying...and not to mention pretty! Skip the red pepper flakes if you have picky palates, but I liked the tiny bit of heat it added to the freshness that the asparagus and sweet potato contribute. Be sure and give this a try while asparagus is in its prime!

One Year Ago: Avocado Egg Salad and Monster Cookies
Two Years Ago: Brownie Macadamia White Chocolate Cookies 
Three Years Ago: Mini Truffle Tarts and Open-Faced Teriyaki Chicken Burgers
Four Years Ago: Lemon Bulgur Salad with Asparagus, Spinach, and Goat Cheese

Roasted Eggplant Dip

Eggplant is, in my humble opinion, an underutilized vegetable. Sure, eggplant parmesan is a popular dish, but do people really use it beyond that? It has found its way into a fair share of Sweets Life recipes (pasta sauce, unique sandwiches, meatless meatballs), but it's nowhere near as popular as many of the other veggies that grace this space (kale!). I'm striving to change that, and have been picking up eggplant at the store more often recently. I'm a huge fan of Joanne's eggplant burgers, and this is a great way for the vegetable to star in an appetizer. My only change to this recipe would be to toss in a generous amount of feta! It needs some saltiness to counter the tang of the vinegar. We ate it with pita chips, but you could also scoop it up with pita bread!

One Year Ago: Brown Sugar Cookies and Quinoa Salad with Sweet Potato and Apples
Two Years Ago: Ham, Cheddar, and Jalapeño Scones (one of our favorite savory baked goods!)
Three Years Ago: Sweet Potato Pancakes
Four Years Ago: Cornflake Scotcheroos and Mexican Salad

Whenever I think appetizer, my mind immediately goes to dips. If you look at my archive of appetizer recipes, you'll see about 50 dips on the list! However, sometimes it's nice to serve something other than a dip, especially if people are going to be standing or walking around and eating and don't want to be bothered with carrying a drink and a plate AND trying to dip their crackers or bread or crudités in something.
These cheesy chorizo pinwheels are an ideal appetizer in that case! They can be eaten with one hand, and even in one bite. If you're hosting, you can make them ahead of time and bake them just before your guests arrive...ensuring that they'll be biting into the warm, buttery puff pastry oozing with melted cheese and spicy chorizo.


































Chorizo not your thing? Stuff these with chopped bacon or crumbled spicy sausage instead! These are definitely a new go-to party food in our house, and I can't wait to try several different variations!

One Year Ago: Grilled Sourdough Flatbreads
Two Years Ago: Caramelized Onion Hummus and Black Bean & Corn Burgers
Three Years Ago: Birthday Cake Batter Ice Cream Cake and Pesto, White Bean, and Spinach Soup
Four Years Ago: Tilapia Zucchini Skillet and Buffalo Chicken Wraps

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps

If you don't have a slow cooker, can you please tell me WHY? Seriously, that appliance is too great! As you can tell from my recipe index, I kind of have a thing for crockpot recipes. My friends and family have been way too awesome the last few weeks in providing us meals so that I can adjust to taking care of Brecken without worrying about getting dinner on the table. However, once I get back into the swing of cooking regularly, you better believe the crockpot will be getting a lot of use!
This is my definition of the perfect crockpot recipe because you don't do much more than throw a few ingredients in and let the slow cooker do its thing. Furthermore, the work required for the "rest" of the meal is also very easy--a few minutes of chopping and you're ready to eat!
If you love buffalo chicken anything, you must add these to your repertoire! Lettuce wraps aren't always the simplest to eat, but a little mess on your plate is worth it for this healthy, easy appetizer or light meal!


One Year Ago: Roasted Zucchini and Chickpea Salad with Lemon and Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Two Years Ago: Butternut Squash, Black Bean, and Feta Quesadillas and Irish Coffee Gobs with Bailey's Filling
Three Years Ago: Cranberry Orange Butter Granola Bars and Cheeseburgers with Red Onion Jam
Four Years Ago: Bookworm Cupcakes (vanilla) and Bookworm Cupcakes (chocolate)

Rosemary Cayenne Nuts

My mom's been making these nuts for years, but from here on out they will forever remind me of Christmas 2013. This year we introduced some of our family to the board game Settlers of Catan, and then proceeded to set a record for most games of Catan played in the shortest period of time. I actually sat out the initial game, when my brother and parents were first learning, and instead played the part of "consultant" and "bringer of snacks". When you're busy building roads and settlements, there is no time for breaks to run to the kitchen....hence where I came in!
These rosemary cayenne nuts were one of the snacks I brought to the table, leftover from Christmas Eve appetizers the night before. The bowl of nuts made its way around the table a heck of a lot more quickly than the dice did! And thankfully, the sweet and spicy nuts provided enough fuel to last everyone through a marathon game. I'm starting to think these might be a new requirement for all Settlers of Catan games!

Board game lover or not, you don't want to miss out on these nuts. They're the perfect party appetizer (and can be made ahead...in less than 15 minutes!), hostess gift (bring in a pretty dish!), or snack for you to hoard for yourself (I won't tell!). Enjoy!

One Year Ago: Raspberry Shortbread Bars
Two Years Ago: Carrot Ginger Soup and Chubby Hubby Rice Krispie Treats
Three Years Ago: Leek and Mushroom Tart and Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Chili
Four Years Ago: Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte 

Beet, Cheddar, and Apple Tarts

I know, I know, two beet recipes in one week, but 'tis the month for all things red, am I right?? Not only that, but if you use a heart-shaped cutter to create your puff pastry tarts, they make for an adorable appetizer for a Valentine's Day dinner or party!
I'm cooking with beets more than ever before, finally overcoming my trepidation of cooking with them and no longer resigning myself to only eating them in restaurants. They honestly couldn't be easier to cook, whether you're roasting them or sautéing them. In this case, neither is required, and the thinly sliced beets are simply added raw and then baked. Their gorgeous color makes these bite-sized apps as pleasing to the eye as they are to the palate!

One Year Ago: Roasted Red Pepper Dip and Mediterranean Chicken Skillet
Two Years Ago: Honey Chipotle Turkey Meatballs and Cannoli
Three Years Ago: Banana Coconut Muffins and Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Four Years Ago: Banana Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

Beet, Cheddar, and Apple Tarts
from Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
-2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed and cut into rounds or desired shape
-1 1/2 cups shredded white cheddar
-1-2 small apples, cored and very thinly sliced
-1-2 small beets, scrubbed, peeled, and very thinly sliced
-coarse salt and ground pepper
-1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and prick each tart all over with a fork. Divide half of the cheese among the pastries.
2. Top with a few apple slices, beets, and remaining cheese. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with thyme.
3. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until pastry is golden brown and beginning to puff. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pimento Cheese Dip

I mentioned back in an August Odds & Ends post that I'd fallen in love with pimento cheese after our summer vacation to Charleston. It was only a matter of time before I made my own, which became part of our appetizer spread on Thanksgiving. Some people eat a big Thanksgiving meal around lunchtime, but in our family we enjoy appetizers in the afternoon before sitting down to a feast for dinner. I planned the appetizer spread this year and couldn't resist throwing this into the mix in an ode to one of my favorite food discoveries of the year!
The instructions for this recipe couldn't be simpler--toss everything in a food processor and combine. I didn't have access to a food processor when making this, but a blender worked in a pinch. My only complaint was that the cheddar and pimentos got a little too blended. I prefer a chunkier pimento dip, but this could easily be controlled with a food processor, or you could skip the electronics all together and put a little arm muscle into it! My only recommendation is to add the Tabasco to taste. I got a little overzealous with my pour and felt the hot sauce overpowered the cheese flavor. 

This is great served with crackers, but would also be good with crudités, pita bread, or as a sandwich spread! 

One Year Ago: Nutty No Bake Energy Bars and Taco Chili
Two Years Ago: Wilted Greens and Roasted Sweet Potato Winter Salad and Texas Sheet Cake
Three Years Ago: Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette and Cranberry, Pistachio, and Ginger Blondie Cake 
Four Years Ago: Ten Minute Tomato Soup and Zucchini Banana Bread