Cindy Kennedy's Posts Tagged 'appetizer' (9)

Camarones Brochette is a highly popular item on Mexican/Tex-Mex restaurant menus. Grilled shrimp infused with jalapeno and bacon flavors makes a mouth-watering appetizer that may compel you to turn it into a meal. The term "brochette," which means skewer, is actually French (as in "en brochette") and no one knows exactly how that became the description of choice. Go further south and you might find them called pinchos, although that…

Burritos get a downsizing while going upscale with a steak strip filling. Appetizer sizes are typically six inches in diameter, but these are even smaller at four inches. They're still extra hearty bites with their super-sized fillings. Really, the only way to get them this small is to use homemade flour tortillas. I've included a quick and easy recipe below that will produce 18 of these little two-bite…

Tex-Mex Deep Dish Appetizer Pie has been around for decades, yet it has no real history. Its roots, however, are tacos – the easy Tex-Mex kind, of course, with an added all-American boost from a puffy crescent roll crust.



With…

Molotes – little cigars or torpedoes – are a delight to make and eat in any form. As a popular Oaxacan street food, they often take a back seat to many of the more popular foods, including mole poblano. Some call theses masa concoctions quesadillas; others will say they're empanadas. But I don't think so. These should have their own shape, as mentioned above, and their own distinctive ingredients if desired. They can be sweet or…

I'm breaking out the Velveeta for queso cups, so if you're a cheese "aficionado," read no further. It's a classic recipe, but taken down to individual serving sizes in baked tortilla cups. When you've dipped out all the cheese, just eat the container! They're great little single-portion appetizers when you want to do something a little different, but still want to serve comfort food.…

The cheesy goodness of queso fundido is hard to beat. It's one of those dishes that you can adapt with whatever veggies and meats you have available. My favorite style includes mostly grilled ingredients. This reduces the oils involved, since it's easy to "overdo" cheese just a bit, which causes it to separate. Also, you'll have a wonderful balance of strong flavors to go with the cheese. I leave chorizo out of this recipe…

No Tex-Mex Tapas platter would be complete without grilled shrimp. In a medium size, they're another two-bite appetizer that pairs beautifully with sauces and favorite after-work beverages. This recipe calls for my "Fab Five" of Tex-Mex seasonings for a marinade. My dipping sauce utilizes guajillo peppers for their tangy taste and a little heat that builds with each bite. What a pairing! Baked flour tortilla chips add…

Crimini mushrooms, also known as "baby bellas," are just the right size for hearty tapas. Featuring a nice earthy color with equally robust flavors, they're more rustic than button mushrooms. These perfectly sized appetizers really are young portabellas (portobellos/portobellas) - or as most experts will state, portabellas are just overgrown criminis.



To top them off, I'm…

Just as Texans have adapted many of Mexico's popular dishes, it seems only natural to borrow from Spain as well. Tapas make after-work gatherings and pre-dinner drinks even more enjoyable. In fact, every get-together should kick off with this little bite-size ritual. In the next few blog postings, I'll provide a few favorites so you'll always have ideas for a "small plate" filled with "great flavor" ready for your…