Spicy (Smoked Mozzarella) Cheese-stuffed Meatballs

I wanted to incorporate something on the heavier and more filling side to my appetizer menu, and of course using Giada DeLaurentiis’s recipes. I came across Giada’s recipe for “Spicy Smoked Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs and decided  on making them right away. After all, these are not just any ordinary meatball. It has cheese in the middle! And, who doesn’t love cheessssseeeeeee?!

This photo was taken right whent the wonderful cheesy meatballs were taken out of the oven.

Frill toothpicks and little plates or napkins worked great for people to pick them up. They didn’t fall apart at all. *Don’t forget to leave a little bowl or container for used toothpicks somewhere close to prevent people from leaving them everywhere.

Okay, so I’m not gonna lie. I had to cut some corners on this one and change the recipe a little!

Stuffed Baby Peppers

I had fun making the stuffed baby bell peppers appetizers! I bought the bell peppers at Trader Joes for an affordable price. I can’r remember where else (in Seattle) people can find these special little sweet bell peppers. They look like this in the package and each package costs about $3.

Wash and slice the top of the baby bell peppers using a small paring knife. Then clean out all the seeds.

The recipe calls for pancetta, which is Italian bacon, but I just used regular bacon for my filling.

Orangecello – An Italian Summer Delight.

A party is not a party without cocktails!

I decided to incorporate Giada’s Orangecello recipe into my menu after watching her make it on her TV show at the Foodnetwork channel. The episode was “Cucina Capri.”  It looked very simple and really refreshing!

Photo of Giada in Capri. I would love to go there some day! (Among, many, many, many other places around the world!)

Orangecello

• 7 medium navel oranges, preferably organic
• 1 (750ml) bottle vodka
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups sugar

Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the oranges in long strips (reserve the oranges for another use). Using a small sharp knife, trim away the white pith from the orange peels; discard the pith. Put the orange peels in a 2-quart pitcher or large glass bowl. Pour the vodka over the peels and cover with plastic wrap. Steep the orange peels in the vodka for 4 days at room temperature.

In a medium saucepan, combine the water and sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool, about 20 minutes. Pour the syrup over the vodka mixture. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight. Strain the orangecello through a mesh strainer. Discard the peels. Transfer the orangecello to bottles. Seal the bottles and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 month.

Tomato Basil Tartlets

These little guys look like little pizzas or pizzettes, and I had a lot of fun making them with the help of my 4-yr old niece! I followed Giada’s recipe (for my project) but there are so many varieties of toppings to play around with for this recipe! It can fit into many types of themed parties! Think Greek – olives and feta OR Filipino – sardines and tomatoes???! (Sardines in pizza is actually very tasty and my mom’s favorite in Manila, Philippines).

Puff pastry can be used for many different types of appetizers and is great for finger foods as it is easy to pick up and hold. As my rule of thumb, I make sure that the pieces are 1-2 bites each for appetizers.

Tomato Basil Tartlets

• 1 (10 by 9-inch) sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1/3 cup olive tapenade
• 1 cup (2 1/2 ounces) shredded fontina cheese
• 8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 6 basil leaves, chopped
• Fleur de sel or other large flake sea salt

Special equipment: a 2 1/4-inch round cookie cutter

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the pastry on a lightly floured work surface. Using the tines of a fork, prick the pastry all over. Using a 2 1/4-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 16 rounds of pastry. Place the pastry rounds on the prepared baking sheet. Lay a piece of parchment paper on top of the pastry rounds. Place another baking sheet directly on top of the parchment paper to keep the pastry even while baking. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden. Remove the top baking sheet and the top piece of parchment paper.

Spread 1 teaspoon of tapenade on each pastry round. Place about 1 tablespoon of cheese on top. Arrange 2 pieces of tomato on the cheese. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes until the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the chopped basil on top.

Transfer the tartlets to a platter and garnish.

Pea Pesto Crostini

I was weary of how the texture of this spread will turn out. I thought that the moisture in the peas would penetrate into my crostini and make them —SOGGY! BUT, I trust Giada! So, I went ahead and followed the recipe…

Pea Pesto Crostini

• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas, defrosted
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
• 1/3 cup olive oil

Crostini

• 8 (1/2-inch thick) slices whole-grain baguette or ciabatta bread, preferably day-old
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 8 cherry tomatoes, halved or 1 small tomato, diced

For the pea pesto: Pulse together the peas, garlic, Parmesan, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a food processor. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil until well combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

For the crostini: Preheat a stovetop griddle or grill pan on medium-high heat. Brush both sides of the sliced bread with olive oil and grill until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the bread to a clean surface and spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of the prepared pesto on each slice.

Top with tomato halves and serve.

Roasted Eggplant and White Bean Crostini

I was a little hesitatant to make this recipe at first because not many of my friends (guests at my  party) were big fans of eggplant. But I read and re-read the recipe a few times and realized that it reminded me of Babaganoush (a delicious Mediterranean dip I have had the pleasure of enjoying in the past). I recall many of my friends at that time were hesitant to try Babaganoush, but once they did, they ended up loving it! In fact, it is one my favorites today! I love to pair it with rustic breads or those delicate Indian crackers (they serve in Indian restaurants, but I can’t remember what they are called at the moment). I’m not sure how this one will turn out… but I hope it turns out well and that the guests at my party find it tasty!

Roasted Eggplant and White Bean Crostini

• 1 (1 1/2-pound) eggplant or 3 Japanese eggplants, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• Olive oil, for drizzling, plus 1/3 cup
• Kosher salt, for seasoning, plus 1/2 teaspoon
• Freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning, plus 1/4 teaspoon
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 hothouse cucumber, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and place an oven rack in the middle.

Place the eggplant on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Set aside to cool.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the cooled eggplant, beans, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add 1/3 cup of olive oil until the mixture is creamy. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Place the hummus in a dipping bowl and serve with the cucumber slices. Alternatively, spoon the hummus over the cucumber slices and arrange on a serving platter.

Cheese-stuffed Dates with Proscuitto

These litte bites looked very elegant on the plate! Check out the photo from my Giada at Home cookbook. I’ve never had dates (no, not that kind of date. Lol.) before. The flavor combination of the (assumingly) sweet dates along with the 2 creamy cheeses and the saltiness of the proscuitto was tantalizing. I couldn’t wait to give this recipe a try!

Cheese-stuffed Dates with Proscuitto by Giada Delaurentiis

• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) goat cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 16 (12 ounces) Medjool dates, pitted
• 8 thin slices prosciutto, halved lengthwise

In a small bowl add the cheeses, chives and salt and pepper, to taste. Mix together until well combined.

Gently pull the dates apart and spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of the cheese mixture inside. Close the dates around the filling. Wrap a piece of prosciutto around each date and secure with a toothpick.

Arrange the stuffed dates on a platter and serve.

Smoked Salmon and Apple Carpaccio

I needed to add a seafood component to my appetizer menu! After flipping through the pages of my Giada at Home cookbook, I finally found the perfect addition! It was simple, classic, easy to make and an affordable recipe! Purrrrfect.

Smoked Salmon and Apple Carpaccio Recipe, by Giada DeLaurentiis.

Ingredients:

• 6 (1/4-inch thick) slices rosemary or olive bread, quartered
• 6 ounces Nova Scotia smoked salmon
• 1 small green apple, such as Granny Smith, halved and cut into very thin slices
• 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the bread on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly brown and crisp. Cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.

Arrange the smoked salmon in a single layer on a serving platter. Lay the apple slices on top. Sprinkle the capers over the salmon and apple slices. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with the toasted bread.

Project Step 1: Party Foods by Giada (and Cammy)

For my Digital Communications class, we are asked to create a personal portfolio blog for our final project. After much, much time spent brainstorming on what I would write/blog about, I decided my blog needed to be about FOOD! Afterall, everyone eats and I happen to love to cook.

So, here goes Project 1: Party Foods by Giada DeLaurentiis (and Cammy).