There are plenty of reasons to make appetizers and party food this time of year. Whether you are gathering around the T.V. with friends to watch football or hosting a holiday party at your home, hand-held snacks are the name of the game. I’m sure some of your go-to appetizers are delicious, but be prepared to knock some off of your list (and table) to make room for this Rosemary Asiago Pull-Apart Bread.
This cheesy, buttery pull-apart bread is out-of-this-world delicious but there are few things to keep in mind before taste testing.
Make sure you are working with crusty bread. Fluffy, airy bread is difficult to cut for pull-apart purposes, so make sure you buy a dense loaf for slicing. Once you’ve picked out your perfect loaf, try this trick for cutting the bread.
Place the bread on your kitchen counter between two cutting boards (it helps if they are the same thickness). Place a damp paper towel under each cutting board to keep them from slipping while you slice the bread. Then cut 1 inch slices diagonally across the bread, from end to end. Your knife will stop once it hits the cutting board, ensuring that you aren’t cutting all the way through, leaving the bottom in tact. Cut 1 inch slices diagonally in the opposite direction to form diamonds in the bread. These cuts are what make the bread easy to pull apart.
With a generous portion of shredded cheese and butter added, wrap the pull-apart bread in aluminum foil and bake for about 20 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and the bread is golden brown and crisp on the top.
When you’re at the grocery store, be sure to grab some extra napkins and maybe (definitely) a second loaf of bread – your first attempt won’t last long. Thank your go-to appetizer recipes for their service and welcome this party-perfect pull-apart bread into your savory snack circuit.
Using a bread knife, slice top of bread into 1/2-inch diamond cuts. (See tip below.) Set aside.
In a food chopper, blend butter, rosemary, garlic and salt. With a small spatula, spread butter inside each of the slices of bread.
Fill bread cuts with shredded cheese.
Spread remaining butter over top of bread. Wrap in aluminum foil
Bake until cheese is melted, about 20 minutes.
Recipe Notes
To slice bread without cutting all the way through, place the bread on the counter between two cutting boards of the same thickness, about 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick. Place a damp paper towel under the cutting boards to keep them from slipping. Cut 1 inch slices diagonally across bread from end to end. Your knife will stop at the cutting board to ensure that you do not cut completely through the bread, leaving the bottom intact. Cut 1 inch slices diagonally in the opposite direction to form diamonds.
Summertime is party time. Whether you’re hosting a Labour Day barbecue for extended family or are inviting all the kids’ friends over to celebrate an endless summer, we all have a full calendar this time of year. When planning for summer soirees, make sure you put homemade deviled eggs on the menu. Deviled eggs are always a crowd pleaser. Whether you are making your grandmother’s no-frills recipe or adding mix-ins like bacon, jalapeños, or smoked salmon, this egg-cellent app will fly off the table.
Pimento cheese is good on (or in) just about everything – and deviled eggs are no exception. In the United States, it’s not surprising to see this delicious spread mixed into egg yolks for a cheesy twist on the standard deviled egg. Top them with crispy, crumbled bacon and a little fresh dill for a next-level appetizer.
If you already have plenty of avocados in your kitchen for avocado toast and smoothies, try adding them to your deviled eggs. Top each avocado deviled egg – or Green Devil as they are sometimes called – with salsa and a sprig of cilantro. Serve them on Cinco de Mayo, gameday, or at summer potlucks.
Dill Pickle Deviled Eggs
If you’re a pickle lover then this recipe is for you. Have you ever added sweet relish to your deviled eggs? Try adding tangy dill pickles instead and see which version you like more. We topped these dill pickle deviled eggs with even more pickles (we found that baby dills work best for garnishing purposes), for a tangy treat that belongs on the buffet table year round.
“If it’s not broken, don’t fix it” holds true for this classic deviled egg recipe. You’ll find this creamy, protein-packed appetizer on Easter Sunday tables, at backyard barbecues, and family reunions alike. Use your Hamilton Beach® food processor and egg cooker to perfect this go-to appetizer.
If you’re craving apple pie but don’t have the time to make one from scratch, put away the pie dish and satisfy your craving with these easy-to-make bites. They are done in about 20 minutes and are a tasty after-school snack, party dessert, or tailgate treat.
Using the SmartChop® Food Chopper or a food processor fitted with the chopping/mixing blade, coarsely chop apples (we used granny smith, but use whatever looks best at the grocery store or the cream of your apple-picking crop). With the SmartChop® attachment, the apples pass through holes as they’re chopped and fall into the bowl preventing them from over-processing and turning to mush. Use these perfectly chopped apples in the filling for your bites.
In a bowl, combine apples, cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Then unroll store-bought crescent roll dough (see – super easy) and separate into triangles.
Spread a thin layer of caramel sauce on each triangle then spoon about 2 teaspoons of the the apple mixture on top. Roll (starting from the winder end of the triangle) into a crescent shape and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Get the kids involved and let them roll while you prep the next piece of dough.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 375 degrees, until they are golden brown.
We drizzled extra caramel sauce on top before taking a bite, but you could top them with confectioner’s sugar or even a scoop of cinnamon ice cream.
Whenever you’re in need of a quick dessert (or dare we say breakfast) recipe this fall, keep these easy apple pie bites in mind and bring the orchard to your table in under 30 mins.
Heat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Using a food chopper or food processor fitted with chopping/mixing blade, coarsely chop apples.
In a large bowl, combine chopped apples, cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Unroll dough onto a cutting board and separate into triangles. Spread a thin layer of caramel sauce on each triangle.
Spoon about 2 teaspoons apple mixture evenly on each triangle. Starting from the wider end, roll into a crescent shape. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until brown and crisp. Cool 5 minutes. Drizzle with additional caramel sauce before serving.
I think we can all agree that if it’s covered in Buffalo sauce, it’s likely (definitely) delicious. Whether you’re noshing on Buffalo Chicken Dip, Buffalo pasta salad, Buffalo macaroni and cheese, or classic Buffalo chicken wings, you’re savouring every single minute.
The Test Kitchen discussed what would and would not “Buffalo” well and settled on attempting to “Buffalo” fried cauliflower.
As previously mentioned, Buffalo sauce is the nectar of the Gods/undisputedly tasty and guess what? That holds true when fried cauliflower is covered in the tangy, bright orange sauce. Surprise, surprise.
This deep-fried snack is a creative vegetarian option to serve at your tailgate, party, or in front of the T.V. during the big game. Our tasting panel couldn’t have been more pleased with the result and would gladly eat these instead of or along side classic Buffalo wings on gameday. We all agreed on one thing though – get them while they’re hot. Right out of the deep fryer is the best way to enjoy these vegetarian delights so go ahead and fry up the entire head of cauliflower – you’ll be shocked at how quickly they’re gone. And according to any Buffalonian, it’s ONLY acceptable to serve these bites with bleu cheese dressing (don’t even mention ranch). They’ll be quick to tell you that anything else is completely unacceptable.
In a large resealable plastic bag, combine cornstarch, flour, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, salt and white pepper. Add water to bag. Seal bag and shake until smooth.
Add half of the cauliflower florets to bag. Seal bag and shake until florets are well coated.
With basket lowered, carefully drop florets into the preheated oil. Fry florets until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from fryer, drain on paper towels.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter with hot pepper sauce, remaining garlic powder and celery seed. Stir until blended.
Add fried cauliflower to sauce and stir to coat. Remove from sauce and serve while warm with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing.
