Snacks

Cuban Meat Pies

September 18, 2019

My entire childhood, I grew up eating pastries from this Cuban bakery in Glendale called Porto’s. Whenever there was a party or special occasion or holiday my mom would pick up their potato balls and cuban meat pies to serve as appetizers. I already recreated the potato balls on my site and so I thought it was time to tackle the Cuban Meat Pies. They’re small super flaky savory pastries filled with seasoned ground beef, and they’re my absolute favorite thing on their menu. I’ve teamed up with my friends over at GO BOLD WITH BUTTER to show you how to make an easy rough puff pastry at a home—a much simpler version of the classic dough recipe—that you can make and fill with all sorts of different things. They’re great as an appetizer or snack and can be made ahead of time and kept in the freezer!

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California Roll Guacamole

September 4, 2019

I’m always making and eating guacamole at my house, and to be honest it’s amazing as it is, untouched. We all know this already, and so it doesn’t really bear repeating. However, every now and then it’s always great to shake up a classic and reinvent it in a new and exciting way. This California Roll Guacamole is something to behold. It brings my favorite sushi roll together with one of my go-to appetizers and snacks. It has all of the usual suspects found in a California Roll (cucumber, imitation crab, a bit of mayo, soy sauce and wasabi) mixed into mashed avocado, and served with homemade crispy fried wonton chips. It’s a dream come true…that is, a dream you never knew you had but now you’ll always want. There’s nothing left but to try it for yourself.

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Sausage, Shrimp and Grits Biscuits

July 29, 2019

I’m a big fan of Shrimp and Grits and since I’m heading to New Orleans tomorrow for my monthly work trip with Joy, I figured now is the perfect time to share the recipe for these Sausage, Shrimp and Grits Biscuits. It’s one of my favorite dishes turned into a delicious little biscuit sandwich. They’re homemade biscuits made with quick cooking grits and topped with cheese and shrimp. They’re sandwiched together with a cooked breakfast sausage patty, which makes them the perfect dish for breakfast, brunch or as an appetizer at a party! You’re going to love them!

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Italian Street Corn 2 Ways

July 9, 2019

It seems like everywhere you turn these days there are a million variations on Mexican street corn. Just on this blog you can find it on top of corn dogs, on a flatbread and on twice baked potatoes. I think it’s safe to say that it’s one of my favorite flavor combinations. With that being said, however, I think it’s high time for this classic dish to get a makeover. Italian Street Corn 2 Ways is a great way to switch up that dish that we all can’t seem to get enough of. One version is a parmesan pesto variation, homemade with homemade pesto and seasoned with Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper flakes. The second is a cacio e pepe version that just so happens to be my personal favorite, but then again, I’ll always say yes to anything cacio e pepe. These are a great summer snack, appetizer or side dish!

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Quick Bacon Cheddar and Jalapeño Soft Pretzels

June 12, 2019

I’m such a sucker for snacks, you have no idea. I love them so much that I tend to go all out on the snacks themselves, and end up getting so full that I don’t have any room for dinner after that. It happens to me all the time, and because of this, I’m always on the lookout for new and exciting snack recipes. These Quick Bacon Cheddar and Jalapeño Soft Pretzels came about because I had to shoot these quick breadsticks for Genius Kitchen and after I made them, it hit me that that particular recipe would make unbelievable homemade soft pretzels. They’re so much easier to make than the traditional pretzels, with only 20 minutes rising time and no-boiling required. And although, the texture of course, isn’t the same as the classic soft pretzel, this recipe more than gets the job done. The best part is that they’re completely customizable and can get flavored many different ways.

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Spam Musubi

April 11, 2019

I fairly recently tried the magic that is Spam Musubi, which is mind boggling because I grew up loving (and hating) Spam all throughout my childhood. I live in Pasadena and right down the street from me is a small hole-in-the-wall place called Top Restaurant, that serves Thai and Indonesian food. It’s so good! Anyhow, I mention this because when we moved to Pasadena two years ago, we tried this place and I ordered Spam musubi for the first time and it was incredible. If you’re ever in Pasadena, which I highly recommend because it’s a great city in general, then you have to take a tript to Top Restaurant (on Colorado BLVD). It’s one of the best in the city. I highly recommend the Kalua pork and chicken katsu and the BBQ beef and of course the Spam musubi. They all come with white rice and Hawaiian macaroni salad which are just as tasty as the main dish. If you’re not in town, you’re still in luck because this Spam Musubi recipe is as good as the original. Plus, they’re very easy to make!

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