{watermelon goat cheese bites}

Today's super easy appetizer recipe is my favorite kind of recipe.  Is there cheese in it? Yes- creamy goat cheese that happens to be one of my favorites.  Does it look super impressive like it took you all day long to put together and makes people wonder if you moonlight at a fancy catering company in your free time, but really it takes about 15 minutes total?  Absolutely.  Plus it's a mini serving that can be consumed in one bite without a mess!

I recently picked up a a set of circle cutters from Sur La Table hoping they would inspire a variety of dishes, but up until now I have only used the largest size once to arrange a salad.  When I spotted this adorable appetizer of watermelon cylinders topped with goat cheese and garnished with a crisp cucumber I knew it was my chance to break out some unused kitchen gadgets!  Read below for recipe and instructions then proceed to impress people when you roll up to a casual BBQ with this masterpiece of a potluck dish.

 {this little set up is the best trick for filling a pastry bag.  simply place the bag in a tall glass and fold the top over the sides of the glass. fill the bag then fold back the top to avoid a big mess!}

 {piping the cheese onto the watermelon slices is what makes this dish look so impressive- you can certainly just spoon out the mixture, but the effect just wont be the same, although let's be honest -the cheese tastes great either way}

what you need:

• 1 small seedless watermelon
• 1 package soft goat cheese
• 2 tablespoons cream
• 1/4 fresh cucumber, cut into slices
• pastry bag with star tip
• 1.5 inch metal cylinder cutter

1. Cut watermelon in 1 inch wide round slices, then punch out circles using cylinder cutter.  Place directly on serving tray.
2. Mix together goat cheese and cream until combined into a smooth texture. 
3. Transfer cheese mixture to a pastry piping bag with desired tip attachment - I used a star tip for this one. 
4. Pipe about 1 tablespoon of cheese onto each watermelon slice.
5. Garnish with a small cucumber slice.
6. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator for a few hours before. 

{pumpkin crescent rolls}

I am like most people during the month of October- absolutely unapologetically obsessed with any food or drink including pumpkin.  On a recent trip to Trader Joe's I got sucked into buying pumpkin waffles, mini frozen pumpkin pies & pumpkin cream cheese.  It's clearly a problem.

Using the pumpkin cream cheese and a package of crescent rolls, I whipped up this easy dessert the other night.  If you don't include the cinnamon sugar topping (which you need to include obviously) it is truly a recipe using only two ingredients!!  Full recipe at the bottom of the post.

We had these for dessert, but they would be perfect for a Halloween or Thanksgiving brunch - or even to bring as an appetizer to a pumpkin carving party!

what you need (makes 8):

• 1/2 cup pumpkin cream cheese
• 1 package of crescent rolls 
• sheet pan topped with Silpat or covered in cooking spray
• cinnamon sugar topping mixture

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Unwrap crescent rolls and lay out on silpat. 
3. Spread about 1 tablespoon per roll of the pumpkin cream cheese on each roll.
4. Roll up crescent rolls in traditional way.
5. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Before rolls cool completely- roll them in cinnamon sugar to top. 

{tailgate food: mini corn dog bites + fancy ketchup}

While I am not a huge football game fan, tailgating and the food that goes along with it is something I can definitely get behind.  With football season in full swing, I thought it might be fun to whip up an unfussy dish for game day snacking.  This quick recipe for mini "corn-dogs" is the perfect item to bring to your next potluck tailgating invite.

I, of course, had to make it a bit more fancy than typical football related food dishes by whipping up some gourmet ketchups and a honey mustard to go along with it.  Also I opted to use cornbread mix rather than making cornbread from scratch because well...I enjoy my free time and cornbread mix is a lot like cupcake mix to me in that it tastes just as good if not better than the real thing, but in waaaaay less time.  All recipes at the bottom of the post....

Mini Corndogs

what you need:

• corn bread mix (I used Trader Joe's version) and ingredients listed on box for mix which for me was vegetable oil, 1 egg & whole milk
• 1 pack of regular hot dogs
• mini cupcake pan
• cooking spray 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix corn bread according to box instructions.
3. Cut hot dogs into 1-inch long pieces- usually about 6 pieces per hot dog.
4. Spray mini cupcake pan with cooking spray.
5. Place about 3/4 tablespoon of cornbread mix in each cupcake basin. 
6. Place one hot dog piece in the middle of each "muffin."
7. Bake corndogs for about 12 minutes or until edges just start to get golden brown. 
8. Allow to cool before removing from cupcake pan. 

Gourmet Ketchups & Honey Mustard: to make each of the dipping sauces simply mix the ratios listed below together in desired container:

Curry Ketchup: 1/2 cup ketchup to 1/2 teaspoon Curry powder

Spicy Ketchup: 1/2 cup ketchup to 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce

Honey Mustard: 1/4 cup dijon mustard to 1/4 cup honey

{easy dinner party menu}

You're busy, I'm busy....everyone is busy right now, but that doesn't mean you can't still have friends over for dinner and cook them an amazing meal in a short amount of prep time! We whipped up this simple menu last night for a group of 4 in almost no time at all by using fresh available ingredients and straightforward unfussy recipes.  A platter of charcuterie accompanied by fresh bread and a quick ricotta spread to start the meal followed by an easy watermelon feta salad and a marinated flank steak on a bed of arugula with sliced heirloom tomatoes.  Rather than make a dessert from scratch, I opted to pick up a selection of mochi ice cream flavors from our local Trader Joe's and skewer them for easy serving.  Scroll down to the bottom of the post for links to all the recipes and a download for the menu printable!

Honey Lemon Thyme Ricotta Spread served with fresh bread & selection of charcuterie

Watermelon Feta Salad

Pan Seared Rib Eye Steak served on bed of fresh arugula with Lemon Vinaigrette and heirloom tomatoes

Mochi Ice Cream in Mango, Strawberry & Chocolate

MENU PRINTABLE

{easy appetizer: mini toasts with boursin, tomato & mango}

I had never eaten Boursin cheese until I happened across the recipe I used to make these cucumber bites for our last birthday party, but ever since then I have been hooked.  I love to keep cheese and crackers on hand in our fridge/pantry for unexpected guests and Boursin is particularly perfect for this since it keeps for so long.  This appetizer has only four ingredients that require so little prepartion you could whip up this recipe at a moment's notice and delight your guests who will think it took you considerably longer.  The mixture of mango and tomato topping make the whole thing feel decidedly fresh and summery. Recipe at the bottom of this post!

what you need:

• one pack of garlic & fine herb Boursin cheese
• one tomato
• one fresh mango or one can of sliced mangos*
• one pack of mini toasts or cracker of choice
• a few tablespoons of cream, half & half or whole milk

*I used canned mango because it tastes the same and I am lazy. I guess if you really want to put zero effort into this you could also used canned diced tomatoes! :)

1. Mix Boursin with a few tablespoons of cream until you get a consistency that allows you to "pipe" the cheese.
2. Place Boursin into a piping bag with simple round attachment.  If you dont have a piping bag, simply place the cheese mixture into a large ziploc bag and cut a tiny whole in the corner!
3. Chop mango and tomato slices into small quarter inch sized squares. Toss together in a bowl and set aside. 
4. Pipe Boursin directly onto the border of each mini toast- essentially creating a cage for the tomato/mango topping to sit inside. 
5. Place a small spoonful of tomato/mango topping onto each toast. 
6. Lightly salt & pepper if desired. Then serve immediately!