Snacks & Appetizers: Risotto Rolls

I make risotto a lot, mostly because my kids adore it. I make it in large batches so they can take it to school the next day, but sometimes there's a bit left even after that. I've taken to making rolls with whatever I have left. These rolls can be cooked immediately, or you can freeze them and cook them later.


This recipe works with any risotto you have left. Try Parmesan Risotto, Cheddar Risotto, Spanish Risotto, Mushroom Risotto, Hot Pepper Risotto, or any other type of risotto you're fond of.


Ingredients


1 package rice paper
leftover risotto


Directions


Making these rolls is a simple process. First, your risotto must be cold. If it's still warm, it becomes more difficult to shape your rolls. When it's cold, open your package of rice paper. Rice paper is stiff right out of the package. So stiff you won't be able to work with it immediately. You'll need to soak it.


Fill a shallow dish with cool water. Make sure this dish is large enough to fit a single piece of rice paper without bending. If you bend dry rice paper, it will crack on you. Place one piece of rice paper in the water. Let it soak until it is slightly pliable. This can take up to 20 or 30 seconds, but if you leave the rice paper too much longer than that, it will practically disappear on you.


Remove the rice paper from the water and lay it out on a cutting board. Take some risotto and place it in the center of the rice paper. Shape the risotto into a log using your fingers. Fold the rice paper around the risotto on 3 sides, then roll up on the remaining side. Pat the damp rice paper in place the seal the roll.


Place the roll on a fresh cutting board or pan to dry a little. Repeat the process with remaining rice paper and risotto. Line up the rolls beside each other, but don't let them touch or they'll stick together.


At this point, you can either cook them or freeze them. If you freeze them, freeze them individually. Once they're completely frozen, you can put them in a bag or container together, but don't let them touch while freezing or you'll never be able to get them apart.


Whether you freeze them or not, cooking them is the same. Warm 3 tbsp of oil in a pan over medium heat. Place the rolls in the pan, not touching each other, and cook until golden brown on each side. The risotto is already cooked, so you only need to crisp up the rice paper.


Drain on paper towels, drizzle with soy sauce or honey garlic sauce, then serve warm.

Snacks & Appetizers: Taco Chicken Fingers

This is a quick and easy way to serve fried chicken. There's no breading, so nothing to slide off in the fryer. Fry them up, dip them in butter, and roll in the coating. Simply and easy.


For frying the chicken, you can either use a deep fryer or simply pan fry the chicken. As long as the chicken is cooked throughout, it doesn't really matter.


Ingredients


1 package tortilla chips
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
8 tbsp butter, melted


Preparation


Crush the tortilla chips until you have a bunch of fine crumbs. You'll need about 2 cups of crushed chips, so you may not need to use the entire package. Place the crumbs in a large bowl. Add chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and cumin. Combine well and set aside. Place melted butter in a shallow dish and set it aside as well.


Slice the chicken breasts into strips. 4 or 5 strips per chicken breast is sufficient. You can deep fry these in a fryer, cooking them for 8 to 10 minutes at 365°F, or you can pan fry them over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes. It doesn't matter, as long as your chicken is cooked thoroughly.


Drain chicken on paper towels. Dip the chicken in the butter you set aside earlier. Immediately roll in the tortilla crumb mixture. Place on a serving platter. Repeat with remaining chicken strips. Serve immediately.


This recipe makes enough chicken to feed 4 people. It doesn't keep well, so don't make extra.

Snacks & Appetizers: Curried Chicken Bites

If you're looking for something quick and easy to prepare for a party, look no further than these delicious appetizers. They'll impress even the pickiest crowd and don't take too long to make. A little butter and some ingredients you may already have in the cupboard and you can make them in just 15 minutes.


If you have leftover chicken in the fridge, you can just use that for this recipe. If you don't, cook up a couple chicken breasts and let them cool.


A little tip: buy the phyllo. While it is possible to make it yourself, it's way more trouble than it's worth. You can buy a package at your local grocery store for less than $5. It's typically in the frozen dessert section. Buy it and let it thaw at room temperature for a couple hours. It just makes your life easier.


Ingredients


2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
¼ cup walnuts, chopped
¼ cup red peppers, chopped
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
4 tbsp apricot preserves
2 tsp curry powder
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 package phyllo dough
½ cup butter, melted


Preparation


Heat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl combine chicken, walnuts, red peppers, onion powder, garlic powder, apricot preserves, curry powder, and mayonnaise. Mix well with a spoon and set aside.


Unroll phyllo gently so you don't break it. Brush 2 or 3 sheets with butter and stack on top of each other, smoothing them so they form one slightly thicker sheet. Cut into squares. In a standard phyllo sheet, you can get 16 appropriately-sized squares for this recipe. You'll need more than 16 squares to use all the filling, so prepared a second set of phyllo squares.


Place a tablespoon of the chicken mixture in the center of each square. Fold in all four corners of the square over the chicken mixture. Press in place to seal. Place the pastries on a lined baking sheet and brush the tops with a little butter.


Bake pastries until golden brown on top, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool for 3 minutes before serving.


You can store these in the fridge to be served the next day. Just reheat in the oven at 350°F for about 5 minutes.

Snacks & Appetizers: Potato Sandwiches

Potatoes are delicious, especially mashed potatoes. They generally get eaten up, but after a large family meal, we always seem to have leftover mashed potatoes. This is a great way to use them up. If you don't have leftover mashed potatoes, you can whip them up specifically for this recipe.


Ingredients


3 cups mashed potatoes
1 egg
½ cup breadcrumbs
2 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
4 tsp rosemary
1 tbsp parmesan cheese
cheddar cheese, grated
bacon slices, cooked


Preparation


These delicious snacks are incredibly easy to make. Combine mashed potatoes, egg, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, rosemary, and parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Mix well. Heat a pan to medium heat.


While the pan is heating, decide how large you'll make your sandwiches. If you make them bite-sized, for appetizers, you'll obviously get more out of the recipe. Larger sandwiches will result in fewer. Once you've decided on size, tear the bacon into pieces that will fit.


Add a little butter to the pan and allow to melt. Take a little potato and form it into the size you've chosen. You can make your sandwiches square or round, or another shape if you prefer. You'll want the potato to be about ¼-inch thick. Place potato in the pan. Add a little grated cheese, some bacon, and a little more cheese. Take a little more potato and form it into the top of the sandwich. Place it on top of the cheese.


Allow to cook until the bottom is golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Flip gently and cook on the other side, again to golden brown. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels. Repeat this process for the rest of the potato mixture.


Serve warm, possibly drizzled with ranch dip or a creamy garlic spread.

Snacks & Appetizers: Battered Chicken Nuggets

Actual chicken nuggets are made with ground chicken that has been shaped either by hand or in a mold. If you just cut chicken into chunks, those are more appropriately called chicken chunks. In this recipe, we're making chicken nuggets.


These are easier to make than you think. You'll need a deep fryer or a pot of oil on the stove. A deep fryer is my preference. Either way, you'll need to monitor the temperature of the oil. If your deep fryer has temperature control, you won't need an external thermometer. If it doesn't, or if you're using a pot of oil, you'll need a deep fry thermometer.


You can also make turkey nuggets with this same recipe. Just substitute ground turkey for the ground chicken.


Ingredients


1 pound ground chicken
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pepper
1 egg
2 cups all purpose flour, divided
1 cup water


Preparation


Place the ground chicken in a bowl and add chili powder, sea salt, pepper, and egg. Mix well. With your hands (or a mold, if you have one) shape the chicken mixture into nuggets. Don't make them too large or they'll take too long to cook. You can make them round or square or any other shape you like. The shape isn't at all important, so you can have fun with this step.


Place your chicken nuggets on a cutting board and place in the freezer. Allow nuggets to freeze for 2 to 3 hours, until frozen throughout.


Heat oil to 360°F. Place 1 cup of flour in a shallow dish. Place the other cup of flour in a bowl and add the water. Mix well to create a batter. Remove the chicken from the freezer. Roll each nugget in the flour, then dip in the batter, and roll in the flour once again.


Place nuggets gently into heated oil, being careful not to splash or otherwise burn yourself. Fry for 7 to 10 minutes, depending on how large you made your nuggets. Remove from oil and drain well. Allow nuggets to cool for 2 minutes before serving.


These nuggets are excellent with a variety of dips and sauces. Try honey mustard, barbeque, plum, cheese, or any sauce you like.

Snacks & Appetizers: Hot Dog Pull Apart Loaf

If you want a fun, unique, and tasty way to serve hot dogs as an appetizer, try this hot dog pull apart loaf. It's easy to prepare and will please kids and adults alike. To serve, set out on a platter and just let everyone pull off pieces as they please. You can serve it with an assortment of dips, including cheese, honey mustard, ketchup, or barbeque sauce. It's really up to you.


The loaf in the picture is made with turkey hot dogs, but you can use any hot dog you desire. Try beef, chicken, or even vegetarian hot dogs. There are a lot of options out there, so pick a hot dog you really enjoy. You can even change the bread dough you use. Try whole wheat, sourdough, rye, or anything you please. The preparation is the same, but the flavor will be drastically altered. Have some fun with this recipe.


Ingredients


1 recipe for Basic White Bread
12 hot dogs
1 tbsp butter, melted
coarse sea salt (optional)
condiments or dips as desired


Preparation


Prepare your bread dough as directed until after the first rise. At this point, you'll be using the dough to create your pull apart appetizer. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape into smooth-topped balls and cover with a damp towel. Set aside.


Remove hot dogs from the package and set out on a clean tea towel. Dry off each hot dog so that the dough will not slide directly off the hot dogs when you wrap them. Set aside hot dogs.


Uncover dough and take 1 piece and pat it down into a rectangle that is as long as a single hot dog and wide enough to wrap around the hot dog. Take 1 hot dog and place it on the rectangle. Wrap dough around hot dog. Pinch the seam closed, but do not pinch the ends closed. Set aside, seam side down. Repeat wrapping process with each hot dog until you have 12 hot dogs wrapped in dough.


Heat oven to 350°F. Spray a large, shallow casserole dish with baking spray to prevent sticking. Set aside.


Take the first hot dog you wrapped and place it in front of you, still seam side down. Using a sharp knife, cut the hot dog into 4 equal-sized smaller hot dogs. Place the sliced hot dogs upright in the prepared casserole dish. Continue to cut hot dogs and place the pieces in the casserole dish until you have a casserole dish full of small hot dogs. You'll likely have to slide them around a little to get them all to fit. That's okay. They can be a little squished.


Brush entire loaf with melted butter. Sprinkle with coarse salt, if desired. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until loaf is golden brown. Immediately remove from casserole dish and place upright on a serving tray. Add small dishes full or whatever dips you like.


Serve immediately.

Snacks & Appetizers: Homemade Chicken Fingers

Making chicken fingers at home sounds difficult, but it's really not. The secret is the seasoning in the batter, the freshness of the bread crumbs, and a little patience. You will not be disappointed in the results. They'll be so good, and look so impressive, some people won't believe you made them yourself!


A note on bread crumbs. You can buy them in boxes at the store, yes, and that will work fine for this recipe. But I highly recommend that you use fresh bread crumbs. You can sometimes find these in the bakery section of your local grocery store. If you can't, you can also buy some bread, break it into bits, let it dry out overnight, and turn it into bread crumbs. If you bake bread, you can do this with bread you've baked as well.


Ingredients


4 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
2 cups bread crumbs
oil for frying


For the Batter
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups water
⅔ tbsp sea salt
½ tbsp thyme
½ tbsp basil
⅓ tbsp oregano
1 tbsp celery salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp dried mustard
4 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp giner
3 tbsp white pepper


Preparation


Start by slicing the chicken breasts into strips. Depending on the size of the breast, you can get 4 or 6 strips out of each breast. Place the strips on a plate lined with a paper towel. Pat them dry and set aside. Place the bread crumbs in a shallow dish and set off to one side.


Mix your batter by placing everything in a large bowl and whisking together. You need a fairly thick batter than will stick to the chicken, so you may have to add a little more flour depending on the humidity. You may even have to add a little extra water. It's not an exact science, but equal water and flour portions usually works well enough.


Place the oil on the stove (or use a deep fryer) and set it to medium heat. Don't fry on the stove higher than this or you could start a fire. You don't need more heat anyway. The chicken pieces aren't that large. They'll cook easily enough.


Set up your frying station so that your chicken will go from the plate, to the batter, to the bread crumbs, to a clean plate, to the oil, and then onto a wire rack with a towel under it for draining. This will make the frying process easier.


Take each piece of chicken and roll it in the batter. Make sure it is fully covered. Now roll it in the bread crumbs, coating the batter in crumbs. At this point, you can place the chicken on the clean plate and prepare several other strips. Don't crowd them on the plate. They shouldn't even be touching each other.


Now you will fry the chicken fingers. Don't put too many in the fryer or pot at once. They definitely shouldn't be crowded. I fry 6 at a time. Place them gently into the oil and fry for 3 minutes. Turn the chicken fingers with tongs and fry for a further 3 minutes. Remove from oil and place on wire rack to drain.


You can serve these with a variety of dips. Try honey dill, honey mustard, BBQ, or the ever-popular ketchup. They'll definitely be a crowd pleaser.

Snacks & Appetizers: Snack Turnovers

If you're looking for something that you can make with the leftovers in your fridge, and you want something that will freeze well, try these Snack Turnovers. You can use any protein you like, though I've used turkey sausage. You can also add other herbs, if you desire, or change the filling entirely. The important thing is to get creative and have fun.


You can use refrigerated bread dough, if you like, but I prefer to make my own dough.


Ingredients


For the Dough
1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
½ tsp sugar
½ cup warm water
3 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
2 tbsp olive oil
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1½ cups all purpose flour


For the Filling
1 cup turkey sausage, crumbled
½ cup bread crumbs
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
2 tsp dried parsley
½ tsp dried thyme


For the Glaze
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp water
1 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
1 tsp dried thyme


Preparation


Start by making the dough. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well until a loose dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 to 10 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl and cover. Set aside in a warm location and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.


While you're waiting for the dough to rise, cook sausage in a skillet over medium heat until browned. Drain off any excess fat and allow to cool. When the sausage is cooled, place in a medium bowl and add all other filling ingredients. Mix well until you have a consistent filling mix.


Punch down the dough. Roll it out on a lightly floured surface to no more than ¼-inch thickness. Thinner is okay, even desirable, but definitely don't go thicker. Using a sharp knife or cookie cutter, cut dough into circles. Reroll the dough scraps and repeat until you cannot get any more circles. Discard leftover dough.


Spoon a little filling into the center of each circle. How much will depend on how large your circles are. I typically use a 3-inch circle, which handles about 1½ tsp of filling, though I usually use only 1 tsp. Just don't overfill your turnovers.


Brush the edges of your circles with water. Fold dough over to form packets, totally encasing the filling. Don't allow any filling to escape. Use the tines of a fork to press down on the edges of each packet, helping to further seal the edges. Place turnovers on prepared baking sheets and cover loosely. Allow to rise for about 30 minutes.


Heat oven to 350°F. Combine all glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Uncover turnovers and brush them with the glaze. bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until turnovers are golden brown.


This recipe makes about 16 turnovers, depending on how large you make them.

Snacks & Appetizers: Garlic Bread

Who doesn't like garlic bread? Well, people who don't like garlic, I suppose. For everyone else, garlic bread is delicious and pairs well with pasta and other dishes. It's also a great snack for parties or simply for when the kids get home from school.


You can use any bread to make this. You might try rye bread, buttermilk bread, Vienna bread, or even Challah bread. I like mine made with sour bread or sourdough. This particular recipe uses just white bread, but don't be afraid to use whatever you have on hand.


Ingredients


1 recipe for Basic White Bread
½ butter, melted
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp parmesan cheese
1 tbsp parsley
grated cheese (optional)


Preparation


Make the bread according to the recipe direction. But don't put it in a bread pan for its second rise. Instead, shape your dough into a long loaf similar to a baguette but a bit fatter. A loaf that's about 14 inches long should be sufficient. Let rise and bake as directed.


Allow the loaf to cool completely before proceeding. Once it is cool, heat the oven to 400°F. Slice the loaf open longwise, separating the top of the loaf from the bottom. Try to keep your cut nice and even. I like to use an electric knife for this step.


Open the loaf and place it on a prepared baking sheet. Combine the butter, garlic powder, parsley, and parmesan cheese in a small bowl. Pour this butter mixture over both halves of the loaf. Use a pastry brush to make sure the butter coats the bread evenly. Allow mixture to sit for 2 minutes so the butter makes its way down into the bread.


Sprinkle with grated cheese, if desired. If not, skip this step. You can use as much or as little cheese as you like. If you do use cheese, sprinkle a little more parsley on top of the cheese. Though this isn't necessary, it makes the bread look nicer.


Bake in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the edges of the loaf are browned. Let cool for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve warm.

Snacks & Appetizers: Mini Hot Dogs

Do you have kids? Or friends? Or family about to descend on your house? Then this recipe is for you. If you need a quick and tasty snack for a large group, try Mini Hot Dogs. They're easy to eat and don't make a mess, and you can even stick each one with a toothpick if you want an easy way to pop them into your mouth.


You can use any hot dog you like. Beef or pork, chicken or turkey, tofu or veggie. Any old hot dog will work in this recipe, so pick whatever you enjoy the most. The ones in the picture are made with a chicken wiener.


Ingredients


1 recipe for Basic White Bread
12 hot dogs, any type
1 egg
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp coarse sea salt (optional)
mustard or other condiments of your choice


Preparation


Make your white bread dough, but stop after the first rise. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions. Take your hot dogs out of the package and dry them off with a paper towel. You don't want them too wet, so don't skip this step. Flatten a portion of dough until it is longer than it is wide. It should be as long as the hot dogs, but not longer. It should also be about three times as wide as the hot dogs.


Place a hot dog on the dough and wrap the dough around the hot dog. You want the hot dog fully encased, except for the ends. The ends you want to leave free. Pinch the dough to seal, then roll the wrapped hot dog on a firm surface a few times. This will help even out the dough and make prettier Mini Hot Dogs.


Now you will slice the hot dog into 4 or 6 portions. If you want something truly bite sized, go with 6 portions, slicing through the dough and hot dog in one motion with a sharp knife. Don't use a serrated knife. Serrated knives will tear the dough instead of cut it. One fluid motion with a sharp  knife will do the trick.


The hot dogs in the picture are actually cut into 4 portions. This is a good size if there are plates available. If you're not putting out places, 6 portions will work better. Regardless of size, they're delicious. Repeat the entire process of wrapping and slicing the hot dogs until you have used all your dough and hot dogs.


Heat the oven to 350°F. Place the portions on a prepared baking sheet. Combine egg with water and beat lightly to make an egg wash. Brush this egg wash over the dough of each little bit sized hot dog. Sprinkle coarse salt over hot dogs, if desired. Bake for 20 minutes, until the dough is lightly browned.


Serve these Mini Hot Dogs with mustard or any other dipping sauces.

Snacks & Appetizers: Barbequed Chicken Snacks

Whether it's game day our you just want a barbeque snack, these are perfectly delicious and fairly simple to make. This recipe can also be used on chicken wings if you like. Simple skip the slicing of the chicken breast and use the chicken wings instead.


If you really like the sauce, make an extra large batch of it and seal it in a jar. It will keep for up to 2 months if you've boiled it and keep it in the refrigerator.


Ingredients


4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp butter
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp dried chives
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp chili sauce
1 tsp dried parsley


Preparation


Cut each chicken breast into 4 or 6 pieces, depending on the size of the chicken breast and your own preferences. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, searing the outside. They don't have to be fully cooked. You'll be finishing them in the oven. Remove the chicken from the pan and place in a shallow roasting pan. Preheat the broiler on your oven. Don't wipe or rinse the skillet.


Add green onions and chives to the skillet and sauté for 3 minutes. Add flour and Dijon mustard. Stir continuously for about 2 minutes. Do not allow mixture to scorch. Add the chicken broth slowly, still stirring. Finally, add lemon juice and chili sauce. Cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Don't stop stirring or the mixture could clump.


Remove the sauce from the heat. Brush sauce over the chicken. Turn chicken and repeat. Place the chicken in the oven, under the preheated broiler, for 5 minutes. Turn chicken and brush with more sauce. Return to oven for 5 more minutes. Transfer chicken to serving dish and pour a little sauce on top. Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot.


This recipe serves 4.

Snacks & Appetizers: Tortilla Pockets

Ah, that moment when suddenly 15 teenagers are heading to your house. They're all coming, they're all hungry, and you haven't exactly been to the grocery store because you didn't know they were coming on a Wednesday night. Oh, make that 17 teenagers. What fun.


You need something to feed them, and you need it now. Time to glance in the pantry. Do you have leftover soft tortilla? Probably, especially if you mad fajitas recently. How about an egg? Definitely. And cheese? Peppers? Pizza sauce? Some meat, spinach, or anything else? Of course you do. We all do. That's really all you need to create Tortilla Pockets.


Ingredients


soft round tortillas (sometimes called wraps)
1 egg, slightly beaten
assortment of pizza-type toppings


Preparation


You'll have to move fast. Those teenagers are already in the living room. Grab the tortillas and use a pizza cutter to cut them exactly in half, so you have 2 half circles for each tortilla. That's already a good start.


Now you need to form pockets you can stuff. Roll the tortilla into a cone shape, making sure the bottom of the cone comes together. It won't be perfect, but it doesn't need to be since you'll be squishing the bottom of the cone anyway. Notice where the cone overlaps itself. Open up the overlap and brush a little egg between the flaps. Press closed gently, being careful to keep the cone open. You haven't stuffed it yet, so you don't want the entire thing sealed. While you're at it, pinch the bottom of the cone closed. Pinch hard, but don't break through the tortilla. Now you have a pocket that won't leak at the bottom.


Fill this pocket with a variety of ingredients. Think of it like a pizza, but stuffed and made from tortillas. Add some cheese, maybe some sauce, and whatever else you like. Pepperoni, peppers, spinach, even leftover hot dogs that have been quickly pan fried are delicious in these. You can substitute the sauce for mayonnaise, garlic herb spread, or ranch dressing if you like. Anything goes, so get creative.


To seal the pocket, brush a little egg on the open edge and pinch together. Again, pinch hard. Really hard, but don't go through the tortilla or you'll have a leaky pocket. Once sealed, you have to fry it up. You can deep fry these if you like, cooking until they are golden brown, or you can pan fry them. I'm not a big fan of deep frying because of the messy cleanup, so I prefer to pan fry. Heat a little oil in a pan over medium heat, add your pockets, and fry 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.


Remove from pan, drain on a rack for 1 minute, and serve immediately. Consider serving a dipping sauce like marinara or ranch to compliment the Tortilla Pockets.


This recipe makes as many pockets as you have ingredients for. If you've got a houseful of teenagers, just keep making them. They'll eat them.