Chocolate Cheesecake Pumpkins

These were a delicious dessert, and easy to prepare!

I began with a silicone mold....

....and I brushed chocolate inside each to make "cups"

I filled each cup with prepared cheesecake....

...and then topped with graham cracker crumbs:

These were flipped over....

...and decorated with a broken pretzel stick and a squiggle of green chocolate:

Thanks for stopping by, Patti

Baked Cheese

Here's an easy snack a friend introduced me to:

Cut some Swiss cheese into squares and place on a cookie sheet.

Sprinkle generously with Everything But The Bagel seasoning

Bake at 425 for about 12-14 minutes

Munch away!

Thanks for stopping by, Patti

Gazpacho Shooters - the perfect amuse bouche!

Gazpacho is easy to make, easpecially in the summer when all of the veggies and herbs are fresh

Gazpacho is a Spanish soup, served cold, because it was created in Andalusia which is a very hot region in Spain.  It is a refreshing soup to cool you down during intense summer heat.

There are a variety of ways to make this but this is a simple recipe, omitting olive oil.  I wanted to make 4 small "shooters" as an amuse bouche before dinner.

These are the veggies I had on hand:  2 tomatoes, 4 slices of an Eng cucumber, green pepper, red onion, a mini carrot and a 1/2 celery stalk.

I bended all the veggies in a mini food processor If it's too thick you can drizzle in a bit of olive oil. 

 

Then I added herbs, spices and seasonings for flavor:

I strained it through a sieve:

(all the "meaty" mixture was set aside to add to homemade tomato sauce)

This made the perfect amount for 4 "shooters:

Just enough to wet the palate before dinner!

Find the MacKenzie-Childs Courtly Check Shot Glass here

Thanks for stopping by, Patti

Graphics by Susan Branch

MacKenzie-Childs affilate link 

Tomato-Peach Salad

Here's an easy delicious fruit salad recipe - perfect for breakfast or lunch or as a side dish.

Tomato-Peach Salad

Mix together:

1 Roma tomato, diced

1 ripe peach, diced

2 T chopped pecans

2 T chopped red onion

Add dressing:

1T Balsamic vinegar

1/2 T olive oil

1/2 t honey

Garnish with basil ribbons

Serves 2

Find the MacKenzie-Childs Courtly Check Ceramic Fluted Bowl here!

Thanks for stopping by, Patti

Recipe Card:

Easy Bruschetta...

Here's a quick and easy "pick me up" snack for an afternoon break:

I whipped up a little batch of salsa with what i had available.  This one has tomatoes, green pepper, radish and a dash of salt, pepper and balsamic!

I gathered some large crostini, Boursin cheese, Sweet Fire Mango Jack cheese (any cheddar or mozzarella will do) and the salsa.

Be creative with how you make this - every time i make it is different, it always is whatever is in the fridge or garden!

Because the crostini is large, you need some "glue", so when you bite into it it doesn't fall apart.  The Boursin holds everything together!

Spread a layer of Boursin on the crostini and top with salsa and then some shredded cheese (this holds everything in place)

Put in under the broiler until shredded cheese melts and garnish with fresh basil ribbons:

This is so easy to make for a crowd, too.  Mix up the salsa the day before so that flavors meld together, buy crostini at the grocery market, grate cheese ahead of time and assemble before guests arrive - - Broil at the last minute!

Be creative, add red onion, minced garlic, chopped zucchini or cucumber, celery and so on!  Here are other ways I have made bruschetta: here and here and here.

Enjoy it with a glass of wine!

These were made a few days later with homemade peach salsa:

Find the appetizer plates here:

These MacKenzie-Childs Emerald Check Appetizer Plates  are on sale!

MacKenzie-Childs Courtly Check Appetizer Plates

Thanks for stopping by, Patti

Word graphics by Susan Branch

Affiliate link to Mackenzie-Childs