I tried each of these recipes for the first time this year and they have already become some of my favorite “go-to” appetizers. These are perfect for holiday entertaining since they are quick, easy enough for even the most challenged cook and very inexpensive. There’s actually been a couple of times my husband and I have eaten these for dinner!
I recently bought the book “Freakin’ Fabulous On A Budget” by Clinton Kelly (one of my newest favorite books.) It includes fabulous but inexpensive recipes, style tips, DIY crafts and more. This chickpeas recipe comes from his book. I have actually made this recipe several times in the past month. This is also a perfect recipe for vegans and chances are, you already have all the ingredients. You can usually find chickpeas on sale anywhere from 69 cents to 89 cents a can. You pop these like nuts but they are so much healthier. Clinton says, “These chickpeas: inexpensive, fancy, and probably the key to peace in the Middle East.”
SPICED CHICKPEAS –
Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 30 to 35 minutes Makes: Lots!
Ingredients:
- 2 19-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed, drained, and patted dry with a paper towel
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika (smoked if you’ve got it!)
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- dash of cayenne
- dash of cinnamon
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Toss chickpeas in olive oil. Combine all other ingredients in a bowl. Toss chickpeas with spices. Roast at 400 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Shake once to toss. Cool and serve. Gluten free and vegan.
This recipe for roasted cherry tomatoes is as simple to make as you can get. They can be served as an appetizer as is, (the tomatoes burst open a bit but you can easily pick them up and eat them with your fingers,) or serve them on toasted baguette slices with an extra drizzle of olive oil. I actually cook up a bit of pasta for my lunches and toss a handful of these on it for a quick and easy meal. They would also be great served alongside steak, chicken or fish. If you like tomatoes, you’ll love these!
ROASTED CHERRY TOMATOES –
Prep Time: minutes Cook Time: 10 to 15 minutes Serves: depends on how many you make
Ingredients:
cherry tomatoes
olive oil
sea or kosher salt and pepper
Directions:
Wash and dry tomatoes. Spread on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper over them and roast for 10 to 15 minutes in a 400 degree oven. Gluten free and vegan.
I had tried making Parmesan crisps several times in the past and for some reason, never had great luck. This time I lined my baking sheets with parchment paper and they came out perfect! Now we always have a wedge of parmesan cheese in the fridge and even my husband makes these when we’re hungry for a small snack. You can usually find a wedge of parmesan cheese on sale for $4.99 to $6.99. There’s only one ingredient and these cook up in 5 minutes or less. They are rich tasting so no need to add a dip!
PARMESAN CRISPS –
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Grate parmesan cheese into a bowl. Drop rounded tablespoons to make neat mounds on parchment paper. Bake until melted but not bubbling (3 to 5 minutes.) The first time you make these, you’ll want to keep a close eye on them. Ovens vary in temperature so just see how many minutes work best in your oven. Remove from oven and let cool. Remove with a metal spatula (I can usually peel them off with my fingers though.) Gluten free.
*You can sprinkle a bit of seasonings on these if you like before baking. We really like a bit of pepper on them.
And who says you can only make S’mores on a camping trip over a roaring fire? These bake up in the oven and make a fun addition to a buffet table.
OVEN S’MORES –
Ingredients:
- 8 regular size honey graham crackers, broken in half
- 2 milk chocolate bars, that can be broken into squares
- 8 marshmallows
- cinnamon
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. *The first time I made these I used the broiler but I like the baking method better-the crackers burned before all the chocolate melted in the broiler.) Place half of the graham crackers on cookie sheets. Place a square of chocolate on each graham cracker. Top each with a marshmallow and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes. Pull from the oven and top with remaining graham crackers. You can also leave off the top cracker and serve that way (saves a few calories, like that’s what you’re worried about when eating these!)