Snack

Chinese Crab Rangoon’s

AE9DA459-EC22-4AD5-8B87-2D62E91655D9Another popular Chinese food item that I have been craving during Quarantine 2020 is Crab Rangoon’s so we decided to make them at home and I’m so glad we did! These are super easy to make and taste so much better then any Chinese restaurant we’ve tried them at. These make a great appetizer for homemade Chinese night and are the ultimate party appetizer!

Chinese Crab Rangoon’s

sofiyababinov
Better than Chinese restaurant Crab Rangoon's. Easy and simple recipe. The ultimate party appetizer! Great side for homemade Chinese night.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Stuffing the Rangoon’s with filling 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Chinese

Ingredients
  

  • 1 12 oz. Pack Nasoya Brand Won Ton Wraps found in refrigerator section in most grocery stores, near vegetables
  • Oil for frying Rangoon's
  • 3 TBS Water

For the Filling:

  • 1 8 oz. Cream Cheese softened
  • 1 8 oz. Pack Imitation Crab Meat Sticks finely chopped
  • 3-4 Scallions green part only, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 tsp Soy Sauce
  • 2 tsp Sugar

Optional for dipping Rangoon's:

  • Chili Sauce optional, to serve as a dipping sauce

Instructions
 

  • Mix together all the ingredients for the filling in a big bowl.
  • Set up a Rangoon making station. I lay out a piece of foil, a small container with water and cooking brush, the won ton wraps, and the bowl with filling. Lay out the wonton wrap and put a teaspoon of filling in the middle.
  • Wet the edges of the won ton wrapper all around with water, using a cooking brush.
  • Fold the won ton wrapper over diagonally to form a triangle shape and press to seal tightly so the filling doesn’t come out during the frying process.
  • Once all Crab Rangoon's are filled and sealed, fill a pot with 1-2 inches of cooking oil and heat on low-medium heat.
  • Throw in a few Rangoon's at a time and fry them until golden, about 2 minutes per side (flip them from one side to the other as you fry).
  • Transfer fried Rangoon's to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
  • Serve hot, optionally with a side of Chili sauce for dipping.

Notes

These reheat easily! Just stick them in the oven on 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes, flipping from one side to the other. These can definitely be made ahead of time and heated up in the oven right before serving!
Keyword appetizers, Chinese, crab, seafood

Easy Cheesy Chicken Quesadillas

4E59D2D5-04A8-46D9-AA38-D1E2D01C8CD2These super easy and fast Cheesy Chicken quesadillas have been a life saver for me during quarantine 2020. Everyone needs a fast, easy, budget friendly recipe for feeding their family on a time crunch. These literally take 5 to 10 minutes to prepare/cook and have on the table. My hubby came up with this recipe several years ago and I’m so excited to share it with you all!

Easy Cheesy Chicken Quesadillas

Easy Cheesy Chicken Quesadillas. This fast, easy, budget friendly recipe was definitely needed for when I need to feed my family on a time crunch. These literally take 5 to 10 minutes to prepare/cook and have on the table. My hubby came up with this recipe several years ago and I’m so excited to share it with you all!
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 1 Quesadilla

Ingredients
  

  • 1-2 TBS Canned Premium Chunk Chicken Breast
  • 2-3 TBS Cheddar Jack Cheese OR Mexican Blend Cheese shredded
  • 1 Raw Flour Tortilla
  • 3 TBS Salsa optional, on the side, to dip
  • 2 TBS Sour Cream optional, on the side, to dip

Instructions
 

  • Put raw tortilla in a pan and set it on low heat. Cook 1 side of the tortilla until it is just cooked through on that side but not yet golden. Flip it over to the other side to fill (step 2).
  • Add 1-2 TBS canned chicken breast to the tortilla, spreading it evenly with a fork.
  • Then add 2-3 TBS shredded Cheddar Jack or Mexican blend cheese on top of the chicken on the tortilla, spreading it evenly with a fork.
  • Fold the tortilla over to close, using a spatula. Cook for a few minutes and then flip to the other side and cook for an additional few minutes until the tortilla is slightly golden on both sides.
  • These taste best served immediately when the cheese is warm and melty inside. Serve with salsa and sour cream on the side for dipping, optionally.
Keyword appetizers, easy, Mexican, under 15 minutes

Homemade Lamb Deli Meat/Kielbasa

BACB1150-6BFD-4835-ABFB-833551D238CBThis homemade lamb deli meat is so savory and delicious! We like to make a big batch and keep it in the fridge for a quick appetizer, sandwich meat, charcuterie deli snack. This lamb deli meat is kind of like home made Spam so it stays fresh for a long time and can be eaten just like that (cut up in thin slices) or in many different ways (sandwiches, wraps, etc). This is a Bulgarian recipe. We first tried it at our friends house. We loved it and couldn’t get enough so we got the recipe and made it immediately! Recipe credit goes to our friend, Ivan. Recipe post and photo credit goes to my husband, Michael who made it and even took the pictures for me to share with you all! You can also use beef or Chicken but we love lamb for this recipe so that’s what we used (and that’s how our friend Ivan makes it too).

Homemade Lamb Deli Meat/Kielbasa

sofiyababinov
This homemade lamb deli meat is so savory and delicious! We like to make a big batch and keep it in the fridge for a quick appetizer, sandwich meat, charcuterie deli snack. This lamb deli meat is kind of like Spam so it stays fresh in the fridge for a long time and can be eaten just like that (cut up in thin slices) or in many different ways (sandwiches, wraps, etc).
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Resting time 2 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine European
Servings 20

Ingredients
  

  • 6.5 LB Lamb (or Beef) Meat with a good amount of fat
  • 1.5 Lamb (or Beef) Bone
  • 1 Jalapeño or Red Chili Pepper (Very finely chopped) very finely chopped
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • Salt/Pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Wash the lamb meat and bones, pat dry with paper towels. Cut up the meat into small, about 1/2 inch pieces.
  • Put lamb meat, lamb bones and 2 bay leaves into a large wok or pot on low heat. Cook on low, mixing every once in a while so the meat doesn’t burn, for 4 hours or until the meat is very tender and falling apart. There will be some water from the fat of the meat and that’s fine.
  • When the meat is tender and falling apart, discard the bones and bay leaves. Add the very finely chopped jalapeño or red chili pepper, salt and pepper to taste, and continue to cook an additional 30 minutes until most of the water boils down.
  • Put the lamb meat mixture into a glass tray and evenly spread it out. Let it cool down an hour or two, then cover and refrigerate.
  • Best served chilled, after it has been refrigerated overnight or at least a few hours.
  • To serve cut into thin slices like deli meat. Yum!
Keyword appetizers, easy, lamb, meat, side dish

The Best Home Made Salsa

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This authentic Mexican restaurant style Salsa is dangerously delicious! Try this super easy homemade Salsa and you will never go back to store bought Salsa again! Great appetizer for Mexican or taco night or a side sauce for Mexican dishes. It’s my favorite dish to bring to game nights or a cook out and the dish that is always requested.

The Best Homemade Salsa

sofiyababinov
This authentic Mexican restaurant style Salsa is dangerously delicious! Try this super easy homemade Salsa and you will never go back to store bought Salsa again! Great appetizer for Mexican or taco night or a side sauce for Mexican dishes. It's my favorite dish to bring to game nights or a cook out and the dish that is always requested.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 12 Cups Salsa

Ingredients
  

  • 1 28 oz. Can peeled tomatoes
  • 2 10 oz Cans Rotel Brand Tomatoes and Green Chilies Mild
  • 1 Bunch Cilantro finely chopped
  • 1 Garlic Clove minced
  • 1 Small Onion finely chopped
  • 1/2-1 Jalapeño Pepper
  • 1/2 Lime Juiced
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Sugar
  • 1/4 tsp Cumin

Instructions
 

  • Do all the prep work first. Open the cans of tomatoes and tomatoes with green chilies. Wash and finely chop the cilantro leaves. Deseed and finely chop the jalapeño pepper. Finely chop the onion. Finely mince garlic clove.
  • Put the can of tomatoes, can of Rotel tomatoes & chilies, cilantro, garlic, onion, and jalapeño pepper into a big bowl and puree with an immersion blender (a regular blender or food processor also works) Puree it a little bit if you prefer chunky salsa or more if you want a smooth consistency, depending on how you like your salsa.
  • Add lime juice, salt, sugar, and cumin. Mix and refrigerate for at least a few hours (to let the flavors blend) for best taste.
  • Serve chilled from the refrigerator with your favorite brand of tortilla chips. Our favorite is the Trader Joe's no salt tortilla chips.

Notes

Let Salsa chill in the refrigerator for a few hours for best taste. Serve chilled with your favorite brand of tortilla chips! 
Keyword appetizers, Mexican, under 15 minutes

Empanada (Fried Tortilla With Meat Filling)

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Some call these empanada’s, some call these chebureki, either way these fried tortillas with a meat filling inside are a great appetizer and snack. Could also be eaten for dinner. I made a batch of these for a Super Bowl party this year and they were a big hit! These are convenient to bring to a get together/party, because they can be cooked in advance and you just pop them in the oven to preheat them. I do have another recipe for tortillas with meat filling on the blog, but this is my go to, easier version recipe. These are best served hot, and reheat very well in the oven. I actually like them best preheated in the oven on 300 degrees for about 10 mins as they get extra crispy this way!

Empanada’s (Fried tortillas with meat filling) {Yields 18}

Ingredients:

  • 1 LB Ground Chicken or Turkey (I just use 2LB Ground Turkey now as we found it to be our favorite)
  • 1 LB Ground Beef
  • 1 Onion (pureed in food processor)
  • 1 pack of Raw, Uncooked, Tortilla’s (Can be bought in refrigerator section in Costco, Walmart, a few other grocery stores) Should be about 18 tortillas
  • Spices: 1 1/2 tsp Salt, 1/4 tsp Garlic Salt, 1/8 tsp Pepper, 1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash (Or any salt free seasoning of your choice)

unnamed-321123Directions:

1) Put ground chicken and ground beef in a big bowl. Puree 1 Onion in the food processor (or shred it using a shredder) and add to the bowl of ground meat. Add the spices and mix thoroughly.

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2) Set up an empanada making station. I set up a big sheet of foil on the counter with the tortillas, the bowl of meat filling, and a small cup with water and a brush (to stick the tortillas together).

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3) Lay each tortilla out and fill with meat mixture, one by one. I add about 2 TBS of meat filling to each tortilla. Brush the outline circle of the tortilla with water using the brush. Stick both sides of the tortilla together and seal tightly by pressing on ends with a fork. This also makes a nice rigid design. Set the done emanada’s aside. Set a pan with enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan, on Medium heat (I did 5.5) and let the oil heat up.

 

4) Once oil heats up and starts fizzing a bit, add 2 empanada’s at a time to the pan. Fry on each side until golden (about 3 Minutes per side). Have a tray lined with paper towels or napkins to put the fried empanada’s on so the extra oil would drain off.

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Serve hot. To reheat place in the oven for 10 minutes on 300 to 350 Degrees until hot and crispy!

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Mini Baked Appetizer Sandwiches

dscn4126These mini baked appetizer sandwiches are loaded with cheese, and ham. These are quick and easy to make and one of the yummiest appetizers ever! I got the recipe from my friend Irina, when we were over their house for dinner and she made these. I couldn’t get enough! Of course I had to get the recipe to share with you guys! I wanted to post this recipe right on time before the Holidays, as we all need great appetizer recipes for entertaining. Enjoy!

Mini Baked Appetizer Sandwiches (Yields enough for a big party) :

Ingredients:

  • 1 long French Baguette
  • 1 Tomato
  • 1 Block Mozzarella Cheese (Grated)
  • Green Onion
  • Ketchup
  • Mayonnaise
  • Virginia Baked Ham ( .50 LB, cut into one thick slice)

dscn4101 dscn4106Directions:

1) Do the prep work first. Cut the tomato into little dice. Cut the Ham into little cubes. Shred the block of Mozzarella cheese. Finely chop 4 green onions (mostly green part). Using a butter knife, smear a little bit of Mayonnaise onto each piece of baguette bread.

2) Put everything on the baguette slices in this order; Ham, tomatoes, green onions, then squirt 2 small drops of ketchup on the baguette slices and cover with cheese on top.

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3) Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden to your desire! Best when served hot.

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Bacon and Chive Cheese Ball

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Appetizer season is here, and this is definitely a great one! I got this recipe from my friend Boo Fields, this cheese ball is her creation and her idea the only things I did different was add real bacon bits and dry dill and adapt the exact amounts of every ingredient to come up with this awesome cheese ball dip.  Boo made this recipe for a Christmas party and I could not get enough of it, everyone loved it and it was the star of the party! I recreated this cheese ball dip last night for a movie night with our friends and brought it over their house, we really enjoyed it and it was a great snack for a movie night. I paired this cheese ball dip with flip sides pretzel crackers, let me tell you about this snack… It completes me. It is literally half side pretzel and half side cracker, baked into one and it sounds weird, even looks interesting, but it tastes AMAZING!!! This “pracker” as I call them, totally brings out the flavors of this cheese ball and goes so perfectly with it. I just recently discovered them and wanted to share them with the world, you must try them yourself, you just have to! After all crackers, pretzels, pita chips, potato chips and everything else is so yesterday. If you really want to impress your taste buds, this snack will do it! Okay, enough said, just take a look at these ingredients and you will understand. 😉

Bacon and Chive Cheese Ball {Serves 4-6}

Ingredients:

  • 1 package of Cream Cheese (8oz) *Softened about an hour*
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dried Dill
  • 1 heaping teaspoon McCormick Perfect Pinch (Spice) Bacon and Chive flavored *Pictured Below
  • 1 teaspoon Real Bacon Bits (+ 1 teaspoon to top/decorate the cheese ball)
  • 1-2 pressed Garlic Cloves, depending on your love of garlic (I like 1 clove)
  • Crackers or Snack or your choice. I used Town House Pretzel Crackers *Pictured Below*
  • Optional: Almonds or walnuts (I did NOT use any nuts)

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Directions:

1) Cut the cream cheese into about 1 inch squares (I cut 4 vertical lines from top to bottom, and 1 horizontal line, to make perfect cubes) and put it into a large bowl.

2) Add the dill, McCormick bacon and chive spice, bacon bits, and pressed garlic to the bowl with the cream cheese and press down with a fork, making the cream cheese soft then mix very well with a spoon.

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3) Put a piece of aluminum foil on the counter top. Using a spoon put the cream cheese mixture on the foil and using your hands, form the cream cheese mixture into a ball. You just kind of roll it with your hands, molding it until it becomes a perfect round cheese ball.

4) Carefully pick it up using your hands, and neatly place it into a little bowl that you want to serve it in. Then sprinkle 1 more teaspoon of the bacon bits all around on top of the cheese ball. This makes the cheese ball look extra pretty and gives it even more flavor.

5) Cover the cheese ball with foil and refrigerate until it is ready to serve, otherwise it will get too soft. *Optional: If you wish you can also cut almonds or walnuts into little tiny pieces and top the cheese ball with nuts instead or along with the bacon bits. I did not do that because I like to keep it simple and was not sure if the friends we were visiting had any nut allergies but my friend Boo used nuts to top her cheese ball at the Christmas party and it tasted great, if you are a nut lover definitely try it.*

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Pizza Bagels

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I LOVE SATURDAY MORNINGS! Now those of you that know us, I know what your thinking… “Shouldn’t I love every single morning since both my husband and I work from home?” Lol. Now I do LOVE Sundays, Those are actually my favorite days of the week because we spend all day doing something fun and get to go to Church and hear the word of God. But Sunday mornings are just too busy so there is not much time to make breakfast. So to answer your question, Yes we do have breakfast every single day. But there is something very special about Saturday’s, and each Saturday I try to make an extra special breakfast/brunch (Since we sleep in lol).  Breakfast is the hardest meal to plan for. You want something really fast, easy, and of course delicious! I got the idea for these Pizza Bagels, from the famous frozen food item “Bagel Bites”. My 2 year old Son loves those “Bagel Bites”,  just as much as kids love all the other junk food lol. So on this weeks trip to Costco, my son saw them and asked for some. I was just about to buy them when I decided 1) That pack is way to big for our family! 2) I was concerned with what their made out of and the fact that it had HFCS and other ingredients that I wasn’t very fond of. 3) I don’t really like how they taste and also I think they have way too many calories for just 4 of them (which is 1 Serving). So I had the idea of making my own, and now that it’s Saturday, I finally got around to making them Lol. My husband and son absolutely LOVED them!!! They gobbled them all down to the crumbs! They tasted  AMAZING!!! So much better then the “Bagel Bites” from the store. They were also very fast to make, under 30 Mins with the prep and cook time. And they cost about the same (if not less) then the frozen ones from the store. My husband said (and I quote) that it is now “His favorite breakfast!” so yeah, that says a lot about how good these are! My husband even put some Garlic Sauce that we had left over from Domino’s, on his bagel and that added a nice kick to it, well if you are a buttery garlic sauce fan. I like that I know exactly what I am serving to my family. These could also be a great appetizer for a dinner party or special event, however I would use mini Bagels if I were making it as an appetizer. Enjoy! 🙂

Pizza Bagels { Serves 3}

Ingredients:

  • 3 Plain Bagel Halves
  • 3 Tablespoons Pizza Sauce (I used Trader Joes Pizza Sauce)
  • 15 Small pieces of Pepperoni (5 for each Bagel)
  • 3 Pieces of thinly Sliced Ham
  • 4 Teaspoons Bacon Bits
  • About 3/4 Cup Mozzarella Cheese (Mozzarella tastes best)
  • *Optional* Mexican Blend Cheese, to sprinkle on top for extra color

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Directions:

1) Cut the thin slices of ham. I cut mine into thin horizontal strips and then down diagonally, making little thin cubes.

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2) Set a baking tray with Aluminum foil. Put the (Split in halves) Bagels on the tray. Put 1 Tablespoon of pizza sauce on each bagel half and spread it around evenly with a butter knife.

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3) Put 5 pepperoni pieces on each bagel, and cover the hole of the bagel. Then put a little bit of the ham, not all of it, on each bagel half.

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4) Put some cheese on the bagel. Then put the rest of the toppings evenly on top on the bagel. Right after the cheese, I did the rest of the ham first, then the bacon bits on the top.

5) Stick the bagels into the oven on 350 degrees. Bake them for 10 minutes. Then take them out and sprinkle a tiny bit more cheese on top, stick them back in the oven for about 3 more minutes or until the cheese is melted. This is the delicious final result:

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( And of course a close up! ;D )

Note: These are the toppings that I had on hand that particular morning. But you can get creative with it and use whatever toppings you like or have. I am sure these would taste good with a variety of different toppings, Or just cheese!

Guacamole (With baked Pita bread)

 

5E2D23CE-E5AF-4234-857B-D239424E27B6This Guacamole is a perfect appetizer or snack. Everyone loves it and it is so easy and fast to make! This recipe was inspired by my sister, Larisa, who one day brought it over our house as a snack when we were grilling by the pool. We ate every last bit of it while we were waiting for the burgers and hot dogs to be done, And even my son who was never a fan of avocados, really enjoyed it. By the way, I thought I should mention that this Guacamole is a perfect side/snack for a cook out! We usually pair it with baked Pita bread, although it would work with pita chips, tortilla chips, or just on top of bread too. But we enjoy eating it with fresh, hot out of the oven Pita bread! 🙂

Guacamole {Serves 4-6}

Ingredients:

  • 3-4 ripe Avocados (They have to be a little soft to the touch)
  • 1/2 a Lime, juiced
  • 1 Small Onion, Finely diced
  • 1 Large Tomato
  • 1 Small bunch of fresh Cilantro (About 4 Tablespoons)
  • 2-3 Garlic Cloves (More or less, depending on your love of garlic)
  • 1/8 teaspoon Ground Cayenne Pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1-2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 Bag of Pita bread (Optional but highly recommended!)

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Directions:

1) Cut the avacados in half and scoop them out, using a spoon, into a big bowl. DO NOT throw out the seeds from the middle of the avocados, You will need them at the end (to keep the guacamole fresh).

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2) Mash the avocados using a fork or potato masher, Until it gets to your desired consistency. Some people like it chunky, some like it smooth. I like mine smooth.

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3) Using a citrus press, juice half of a lime and add the juice to the avocados.

4) Cut the tomatoes into little dice. Finely chop the onion and cilantro. Add it into the bowl.

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5) Using a garlic press, add the garlic cloves. Then add 1 teaspoon of salt and the 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Mix well. Then add the 3 avocado seeds to the bowl. *The secret of the avocado seeds is that the seeds will keep the guacamole from turning brown and keep it beautifully green. Its a neat trick I learned from a friend.

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6) Add the 1-2 Tablespoon of Olive oil and mix very well. It can be served right away but for best results, refrigerate it for at least 1 hour.

*The Pita bread I just cut into 6 triangles and stick it in a small conventional oven on 300- 350, for about 5 minutes. They are the perfect companion for this tasty Guacamole! and the whole bag serves 4.*

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And there goes my hubby dipping the baked Pita bread into the yummy Guacamole! I’ve heard this is the BEST guac in the world. But don’t take it from me, try it yourself! 😉