Last weekend one of my friends and her boyfriend were going to come over for a last minute game night so I wanted to make some quick appetizers for the impromptu party without going to the grocery store! Here's what I made with items from the pantry...
On the menu:
Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
Dates Stuffed with Goat Cheese
Crostini with Garlic Goat Cheese and Roasted Bell Peppers
Veggies with Dip
Chocolate Dipped Strawberries and Cookies
For the asparagus:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2. Make sure to snap the ends of the asparagus off because they can be hard to chew.
3. Wrap each stalk of asparagus with a strip of prosciutto. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.
4. Bake for about 20 minutes.
I like to keep prosciutto in the fridge because it can be used in lots of different appetizers and keeps for a really long time. I happened to have asparagus in the fridge because its in season right now and always makes a great side dish when roasted in the oven with olive oil!
For the dates:
I like to keep both dates and goat cheese on hand because they have a pretty long shelf life and are so yummy together!
Here's how to make the yummy appetizer: Cut each Medjool date in half and take out the pit. Stuff each date with a small spoonful of goat cheese. Top with sliced almonds. You can toast the almonds on the stove top over medium heat for a few minutes if you'd like to as well, but straight out of the bag is just fine too!
For the crostini:
For this recipe I used a Rosemary Sea Salt Ciabatta, but any crusty bread will work. I love to keep the half baked baguettes for the grocery store in the freezer for any time we'd like freshly baked bread for dinner or appetizers.
This recipe is one adapted from Ina Garten's recipe for Roasted Pepper and Goat Cheese Sandwiches from her TV show Barefoot Contessa at Home.
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Slice bread into thin (about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick) strips and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, mix 1/2 cup of goat cheese with any herbs (about 2-3 minced teaspoons total) you have on hand. I didn't have any fresh herbs, so I used about 2 teaspoons of Tastefully Simple's Garlic Garlic and threw in a little salt and pepper as well.
4. Cut 1/4 to 1/2 cup of red onions into strips. Saute on medium high in a olive oil until slightly golden brown. I like to saute the onions for this because raw onions can sometimes be a bit harsh.
5. Slice roasted bell peppers from a jar into thin strips that will fit onto each bread slice.
6. Assemble the crostini. Spread a layer of the goat cheese mixture onto each bread slice.
Top with slices of red onion and roasted bell pepper and sprinkle a few capers on top.
For the veggies and dip:
Slice whatever veggies you have on hand and place on a plate! Use dill dip, ranch dressing or whatever you like for dipping. If you'd like to make your own dip, I love combining Tastefully Simple's Garlic Garlic and Onion Onion together with equal parts of cream cheese and sour cream. So good!
And finally for dessert:
Melt half a bag of chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals being careful not to overheat. If you do, which I did on my first try that evening, it turns into a clumpy, dry mess.
Dip washed and dried strawberries and shortbread cookies into the chocolate and let dry.
Place all your appetizers onto cute plates and you're ready for a party!!
Everything I used was from the pantry, so here's a complete list of all the ingredients for the menu:
Pantry Items:
-Aspagargus
-Prosciutto
-Olive Oil
-Medjool Dates
-Goat Cheese
-Sliced Almonds
-Bread (i.e. Baguette)
-Fresh Herbs or Spices for Goat Cheese
-Red Onions
-Roasted Bell Peppers
-Capers
-Veggies
-Dill Dip
-Chocolate Chips
-Strawberries
-Shortbread Cookies
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