Category Archives: Appetizer

Colorful Carrot and Pea Tart Recipe + More Spring Brunch Ideas

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Colorful Carrot & Pea Tart is an easy but showy addition to your spring celebration brunch or dinner.When I first started dating my husband, I remember an older family friend saying we go together like “peas and carrots.” I wondered what that even meant! But I remembered that classic frozen veggie mix I used to be served as a kid, and it was always peas and carrots –both a little naturally sweet and packed with wholesome goodness, but each very different at the same time – green v,. orange, round vs. square diced, firm vs. soft textured. These similarities and differences pair up like no other – they are the perfect complement to one another, just like the hubs and me.

Colorful Carrot and Pea Tart makes a light lunch or showy addition to your spring brunch.So, in honor of peas and carrots and recently celebrating my 25th wedding anniversary, I’m sharing a harmonious, must-have recipe for your next brunch — Colorful Carrots and Peas Tart. This garden gorgeous recipe is ideal for your spring celebrations including Easter, Mother’s Day, bridal showers, graduations and more.

I’ve used tri-colored baby carrots to kick up the color even more and pre-made puff pastry dough for quick convenience. I’ve kept the creamy layer of my Colorful Carrots and Peas Tart lighter by using reduced-fat dairy products and Opadipity by Litehouse™, a Greek yogurt-based savory dip with fewer calories and less fat than conventional products. Carrot and Peas Tart is a vibrant addition to your spring brunch, featuring wholesome goodness from the farmer's market.
Also, in keeping with the Peas & Carrots theme, I’ve rounded up some of my favorite recipes that feature peas and/or carrots for a collection on Mode.com.

Check out Pea & Carrot Recipes for Spring

by The Fit Fork at Mode

What goes together like #PeasAndCarrots ? My Colorful Peas & Carrots Tart and your Easter brunch!

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What is on your menu for Easter weekend? Or, what is your favorite spring vegetable? Please share in the comments below — XOXO, Jennifer

This post is sponsored by Mode.com and Litehouse Foods. All opinions are my own.

Carrot and Peas Tart is a vibrant addition to your spring brunch, featuring wholesome goodness from the farmer's market.
Print
Colorful Carrot and Pea TArt
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
45 mins
 
Bring family together for brunch with our gorgeous, garden-fresh tart. The classic combination of English peas and carrots gets a tastefully trendy upgrade for your spring table.
Course: Appetizer, Main Dish, Side Dish, Vegetable
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
  • 1 medium egg, whisked
  • 1 1/2 cups tri-colored baby carrots cut into thin discs
  • 3/4 cup shelled fresh English peas
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup Opadipity by Litehouse™ Spicy Asiago Artichoke
  • 1/3 cup part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup additional Opadipity by Litehouse™ Spicy Asiago Artichoke for servingadditional Opadipity by Litehouse™ Spicy Asiago Artichoke for serving
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.
  2. Place parchment paper or silicone mat on baking baking sheet and unfold thawed puff pastry dough. Using knife, carefully score ½” inside perimeter without cutting all the way through. Fold sides up and pinch dough at the corners.
  3. Brush dough on top and sides with egg wash. Use tines of fork to slightly puncture dough to prevent puffing while baking.
  4. Bake for 10 minutes or until turning lightly golden brown. Remove from oven. If still puffed up in center, gently push down with fingers.
  5. Mix together cream cheese, dip, mozzarella cheese, parsley and salt in small bowl. Using spatula, gently spread across bottom of tart crust.
  6. Add olive oil, peas and carrot slices to skillet and sauté for about 3 to 4 minutes or until softening and lightly caramelized. Add on top of cheese layer.
  7. Return tart to 400 F degree oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes, taking care that edges don’t over brown.
  8. Cut into squares or wedges and serve with additional OPAdipity.

BBQ Brisket and Bean Skillet Nachos – Yee Haw, Y’all!

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Barbeque Brisket Skillet Nachos will satisfy a crowd!Today is National Tortilla Chip Day! My appetite just couldn’t wait for National Nacho Day to roll around on November 6th before sharing my recipe for hot, hearty and “yippee-yee-haw” yummy Cowboy BBQ Brisket & Bean Skillet Nachos.  Thousands have actually devoured this recipe, I developed it on behalf of Litehouse Foods to feed thousands of hungry expo carousers at the Produce Marketing Association’s “Fresh Summit” in Atlanta back in October. The line to get my grub was huge!

Cowboy Brisket Nachos with Tortilla Chips

Most “skillet” nachos I’ve tasted have been limp, lame and ready to be put out to pasture, the result of wet and dry ingredients loitering too long. However, this isn’t my first nacho rodeo and I revealed a nacho hack I’d been hiding – to keep the saddle off the horse until it’s time to ride! What I mean by this is to cook up toppings in cast-iron cookware and then slop atop tortilla chips right before serving, the result passes muster with this Sheriff of Sogginess.  Just imagine a platter with crisp, crunchy chips on the bottom and a hella ooey, gooey heaven on top! Don’t just imagine, try it!

Ingredients for BBQ Beef Brisket Skillet NAchosGrab you some barbeque brisket, roasted corn, pinto beans and seasonings – you’ll be wrangled those ingredients up stove top in a skillet at then smothering with a heaping helping of cheddar cheese and jalapenos. I love using the center cut portion of brisket for this recipe because it is actually considered a lean cut of beef (that surprises a lot of folks) and just tastes so down home delicious. When ready to feed your hungry hombres, pile chips on a plate, cover with a generous pile of brisket and bean topping, and dollop with sour cream, guacamole, salsa or whatever scoots your boot!

Cowboy BBQ Brisket Nachos

Cowboy Beef Brisket, Bean and Corn "Slop" on Sweet Potato makes a quick and healthy meal solution!These skillet nachos are perfect for a party, patio snack or last-minute meal solution with leftovers Any remaining topping from my Cowboy BBQ Brisket & Bean Skillet Nacho can be served over baked potatoes, wrapped taco style in tortillas or scrambled with eggs. And, feel free to swap out the chopped up brisket for equal proportions of lightly seasoned ground beef or shredded chuck roast — you can’t go wrong!

Skinny Garden Guacamole makes a light and nourishing lunch served on whole grain toast.If this inspired by Texas recipe isn’t your style, how about some English pea and asparagus packed Skinny Garden Guacamole?

CowboYUM! BBQ Brisket Skillet Nachos #Beef #BeefLovingTexans #LivingLitehouse

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So, how are your dipping, dunking or topping your tortilla chips today? Please share in the comments below – XOXO, Jennifer 

Barbeque Brisket Skillet Nachos will satisfy a crowd!
Print
BBQ Brisket and Bean Skillet Nachos
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 
Believe in the legend of leftovers! My BBQ Brisket & Bean nachos are a right easy way to feed a hungry crowd and use up extra beef from last night's dinner!
Course: Appetizer, Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican, Southern, Southwestern
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup diced onion
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 cup frozen corn kerals, thawed
  • 1 1 pound precooked, pre-sliced brisket
  • 1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoe, with juice
  • 1/2 cup spicy BBQ sauce
  • 12 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 medium jalapenos, cut into rings
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 16-ounce bag tortilla chips
  • garnishes: avacado, salsa, sour cream, etc
Instructions
  1. Add olive oil to 12-inch cast iron skillet and bring to medium high heat. Add onion, garlic and thawed corn and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, or until kernels start lightly browning.
  2. Coarsely chop brisket add to hot skillet along with beans, tomatoes and barbeque sauce. Stir until combined and heated through.
  3. Top mixture with cheddar cheese and jalapeno rings. Place lid on skillet and simmer a few minutes until cheese melts.
  4. To serve, pile tortilla chips on a plate (individual or family-style), spoon on brisket and bean topping, sprinkle with cilantro and add additional garnishes of your choice.

5 Easiest Ever Almond Ideas for Holiday Party

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Blue Diamond Almonds on treeTime to get serious about last minute holiday preparations; it’s the final countdown to Christmas! I still have some shopping and wrapping to do, cookie baking with the kids, and prepping for my contributions to the huge family feast on Christmas Eve — oh and the brunch I’m hosting on Christmas Day.

Enjoy family movie night with Pop Secret popcorn and this genius container hack for serving up the snack!In between all this, we’re squeezing in a Star Wars movie marathon of past prequels and sequels – even though we’ve seen these classic flicks numerous times, it’ll be good to be fresh for the new Star Wars – The Force Awakens.

So, we’ll need snacks – lots and lots of snacks, and preferably healthy things to nosh and nibble on that won’t make a mess in my media room! Almonds are one of my go-to choices for healthy appetizers and snacks – they punch a nice little pack of protein and are great source of other nutrients, especially iron, vitamins A and C, and dietary fiber. Another great thing about almonds (Blue Diamond Almonds are my favorite) is just how easy they are to incorporate into entertaining.  Today, I’m sharing five fun and easy ways to crunch and much on almonds this holiday season – and into the New Year, too!

  1. Simply eat almonds straight out of the can (or fancy serving bowl). I’ve never seen a soul walk past delicious almonds and not stop to pick up a few! A one-ounce serving (about 23 almonds) pairs perfectly win a light cocktail or glass of sparkling water.Almonds for Holiday Entertaining
  2. This idea is for the kids (of any age) – Almond Lover Gingerbread Men! To keep it easy, use store-bought cookies and simply melt a chocolate chip on one hand (or pipe a dot of frosting) and press down gently with an olive. Use a piping bag filled with frosting to decorate with a little edible bow!Almonds for Holiday EntertainingEasy Almond Lover Gingerbread Men
  3. This is one of my favorite snacks with almonds — Almond Chocolate Apricot Bites! Just layer up the three ingredients (melt the chocolate chip if you want to be fancy so that all the ingredients stick together) and, viola, a yummy 20-calorie treat in mere minutes.20 Calorie Apricot Almond Chocolate Bites
  4. Chocolate Almond Popcorn – could this be easier?! Air pop some kernels and then, while still warm, top with your favorite flavor of Blue Diamond Almonds and chocolate chips. Toss together so the chocolate slightly melts – it’s like being at the movie theater and dumping candy into your big tub, but healthier!Popcorn with Chocolate Chips and Almonds makes a healthy salty-sweet snack!
  5. Almond Lover Cookies are a favorite with my boys and only take a few minutes to whip up a batch and 12 minutes to bake – if short on time, double up a batch the week before and keep in the freezer!jennifer fisher- thefitfork- almond lover cookies
5 Easiest Ever @BlueDiamond Almond Ideas for Holiday Party #Ad

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What are your stress-free ways to enjoy almonds, aside from straight out of the can?! Oh, and have you seen the new Star Wars movie yet — just a thumbs up or down, no spoilers! Let me know in the comments below — XOXO, Jennifer 

This post was sponsored by Blue Diamond Almonds. However, all comments, ideas and enthusiasm are my own. 

Life of Party! 5-min Blue Cheese and Orange Gingersnap Appetizer

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Blue Cheese & Orange Gingersnap BitesInvited to a holiday party, you dutifully ask “can I bring anything,” fully assuming the host will not want you to risk ruining her celebratory spread of nibbles and noshes. But this time (gasp) you to “it would be so lovely for you to bring an appetizer or dessert . . . if it isn’t too much trouble.” 

sweet treat personalityYou’re thinking –

“It really IS too much trouble, why’d I have to open my big mouth.”

 

 

 

As I see it, you have several options to this potluck-ish predicament. First, you could skip the party and save yourself the trouble. Second, you could show up empty-handed and blame it on the dog or dropping your dish on the way to the car. Third, you could attempt a fancy recipe seen in a gourmet cookbook and spend precious free-time hours in the kitchen with no guarantees of the results. Fourth, you could grab anything left on the store shelf like a bag of chips and onion dip and end up looking like an uninspired slacker. Or, fifth, and the obvious winning choice – make this proven to be insanely delicious app in a snap  — Gingersnap Blue Cheese & Orange Bites.

Gingersnap Blue Cheese Orange Bites

So many things to love about Gingersnap Blue Cheese & Orange Bites – the taste is insane with “pows” of sweet, spicy, pungent, salty and zesty citrus tastes with every bite. You also get pretty much every texture in the textbook too – crunchy, smooth, juicy and chewy. But, drum roll, one of the most amazing things about this appetizer recipe with a complex flavor profile yet simple presentation is that it can be made in 5 minutes or less. You don’t need a culinary school certificate to make this easy and elegant appetizer recipe — in fact, you don’t even need to know how to cook!

I originally made this hors d’oeuvre recipe for Litehouse Food as a way to feature their deliciously rich and creamy Artisan Reserve Center Cut Blue Cheese.

Life of the party! 5-min Blue Cheese and Orange Gingersnap Bites with personality! <img class=”media-image” src=”https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CWgsddYUYAAexyf.jpg:large” data-height=”550″ data-width=”696″ style=”margin-top: 0px;…

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cooking light appetizer gallerLooking for more quick, easy and healthy nibbles for your party? Check out Cooking Light’s gallery of Top Rated Party Appetizers!

What is your favorite 5 minute appetizer? Please share in the comments below – XOXO, Jennifer

 

Gingersnap Blue Cheese Orange Bites
Print
Blue Cheese and Orange Gingersnap Bites
Prep Time
5 mins
Total Time
5 mins
 
Razzle dazzle holiday guests with this 5 minute appetizer that mixes and mingles orange segments, blue cheese, honey and crunchy ginger cookies into a festive flavor experience worth celebrating any time of the year.
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 36 appetizers
Ingredients
  • 36 2" diameter gingersnap cookies
  • 5 ounces center cut blue cheese, coarsely crumbled or cut into 36 chunks
  • 5 mandarin oranges, peeled and segmented
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint or "Instantly Fresh" Mint from Litehouse Foods
Instructions
  1. Lay gingersnaps out on serving platter. Top each with an orange slice and chunk of blue cheese. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with mint.

Pomegranate, Blue Cheese and Quinoa Caviar – Easy & Elegant Holiday Appetizer

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Blue Cheese Pomegranate and Quinoa CaviarNow that Thanksgiving is over, it’s time to refocus on the remaining festival of eating that spans now through the New Year!  There is more noshing and nibbling packed into the next 30 days than perhaps in the whole calendar year! With invited (and quite possible uninvited guests) dropping by with holiday cheer and hungry appetites, I like to have a few simple yet show-stopping appetizer recipes at my fingertips so that no one is disappointed.

Pomegranate Blue Cheese Quinoa Caviar is an easy and elegant appetizer for your next party or celebration. Leftovers are delicious sprinkled on a salad.

Blue Cheese Pomegranate and Quinoa Caviar

My recipe for Blue Cheese, Pomegranate and Quinoa “Caviar” is an easy yet elegant addition to any gathering, whether you need sophisticated snacks to headline a cocktail party or as a prelude to a full-scale dinner party. Or, perhaps as an “I’m not cooking tonight” mini meal to enjoy with a bottle of wine in your fuzzy slippers after everyone heads home!

jennifer fisher pomegranate fresh summitOne of the treasures of this holiday hors d’oeuvres recipe is pomegranates. Pomegranates on their own are a quite festive fruit, the little arils inside resemble ruby-red jewels and taste decidedly more precious. When paired with a pleasingly pungent blue cheese and the almost nutty texture and taste of quinoa, you get a taste experience that I can describe no other way than Manheim steamroller for your Mouth – a modern orchestra of fa-la-la flavor!

Blue Cheese Pomegranate and Quinoa CaviarWhile this holiday appetizer looks like it spent all day getting ready for a food glamour shot, it’s actually embarrassingly easy to make. All the ingredients are just tossed together in a bowl and then molded into a standard 6-ounce ramekin dish. If you’d like to do individual servings, mold with a mini melon baller or cookie dough scoop.

I’ve served this Christmas and New Year’s Eve party recipe on one of my favorite cracker; the nearly paper-thin wafers from 34º Crisps.  However, you can use the cracker of your choice or even serve a dollop atop an apple or pear slice.

Blue Cheese Pomegranate and Quinoa Caviar on Steak Salad

If you have leftovers, a big spoonful or two of Blue Cheese, Pomegranate and Quinoa “Caviar” is fantastic on a steak salad – especially with the Pomegranate Blueberry Vinaigrette. Enjoy!

 

Pomegranate, Blue Cheese, Quinoa “Caviar” + Cracker Topping Madness #HolidayFood

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Make a a quick and healthy appetizer platter with these 10 Easy and Elegant Ways to Top Crackers.PS – Need some other easy cracker-topping ideas? I’m your girl, I have a gazillion combinations of goodness. Here is just a sampling of my madness — 10 Easy and Elegant Ways to Top a Cracker.

So, what are your favorite things to put on a cracker? See if you can surprise me! Share in the comments below – XOXO, Jennifer

Blue Cheese Pomegranate and Quinoa Caviar
Print
Pomegranate, Blue Cheese and Quinoa Caviar
Prep Time
10 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 
Course: Appetizer, Salad
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 appetizer servings
Ingredients
  • 2 ounces Artisan Reserve Blue Cheese (Crumbles or Center Cut) or blue cheese of choice
  • 1/3 cup pre-cooked red quinoa
  • 1/3 pomegranate arils (1 tablespoon reserved) pomegranate arils (1 tablespoon reserved)
  • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 tbsp chopped walnuts
Instructions
  1. Add blue cheese crumbles, cooked quinoa, pomegranate arils and vinegar into small bowl, stir gently to combine.
  2. Transfer to 6-ounce ramekin dish and use back of spoon to tightly pack down.
  3. Place serving plate on top of ramekin and quickly invert.
  4. Carefully lift up ramekin, leaving mixture in mold form.
  5. Sprinkle with chopped fresh thyme and walnuts along with reserved pomegranate arils.
  6. Serve with crackers, apple slices or on a salad.