Category Archives: Appetizers

HALLOWEEN-Y CROSTINI AND A HALLOWEEN COCKTAIL

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While waiting for trick-or-treaters tonight, my husband and I will be enjoying some Halloween treats of our own.

About a week ago, I made black maraschino cherries to use as a Halloween cocktail garnish. They’re easy — just add black food coloring to a jar of maraschino cherries, and let them sit in the refrigerator for about a week.  Depending on the size of the jar, use about 1/2-1 teaspoon of black food coloring.  Rinse and drain the cherries before using.

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McCormick black food coloring works great

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Steeping in the inky liquid

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Black cherries!

Because it’s almost always hot and muggy on Halloween here, a cold drink is welcome on Halloween. Aperol is an apertif made with bitter and sweet oranges and other “herbs and roots.”  An Aperol Spritz, with its neon orange color, garnished with black cherries, makes a very Halloween-y cocktail.

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APEROL SPRITZ
Author: 
Recipe type: Beverage
 
Ingredients
  • 1-1/2 ounces Prosecco
  • 1 ounce Aperol
  • Splash of club soda or seltzer
Instructions
  1. For each cocktail, fill cocktail glass with ice. Pour Prosecco into the glass, followed by Aperol and a splash of club soda. Garnish as desired.

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 Aperol spritzes in their Halloween costumes

Now you can’t just drink on Halloween — or can you?  Halloween-y Crostini is a colorful twist on tapenade, made with kalamata olives, carrots, and pickled banana peppers.

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HALLOWEEN-Y CROSTINI
Author: 
 
Ingredients
  • ½ cup pitted kalamata olives
  • 1 tablespoon capers
  • 2 tablespoons chopped jarred banana pepper rings
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced
  • 1 small carrot, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
  • Toast crackers or toasted baguette slices
Instructions
  1. Place olives in a food processor or mini-chopper, and process until finely chopped, but not pureed. Transfer to a small bowl. Place capers, banana peppers, garlic, and carrot in food processor, and process until finely chopped. Add to bowl with olives. Stir in olive oil and oregano, and mix well. Transfer to a small ramekin or serving container, and serve with toast crackers or baguette slices. Provide spreaders to spread mixture on crostini.

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 Halloween-y Crostini

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PEPPADEW PEPPERS STUFFED WITH HERBED GOAT CHEESE

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At the grocery store the other day, these orange peppadew peppers caught my eye:

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Is it just me, or are these kinda burnt orange?  They might not scream “hook ’em” to you, but to me, they look like perfect Longhorn party food.  Stuffed peppadew peppers are a familiar item on tapas menus, and they’re quick and easy to assemble.  I used a homemade boursin cheese made with goat cheese and cream cheese (which is also great with crackers), but there are loads of ideas for other stuffings out there.

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 Hook ’em!

Not a Longhorn fan?  Topped with a pepper stem, they make cute little pumpkins, too!

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 Peter, Peter, peppadew eater!

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PEPPADEW PEPPERS STUFFED WITH HERBED GOAT CHEESE
Author: 
Recipe type: Appetizer
 
Ingredients
  • 2 dozen pickled peppadew peppers, rinsed and patted dry
  • 4 ounces creamy goat cheese (Vermont Creamery makes a nice one)
  • 4 ounces whipped cream cheese
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley
  • 2 teaspoons dried chives
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon white pepper
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl, mix together goat cheese, whipped cream cheese, parsley, chives, garlic powder, salt, and white pepper. Pipe or spoon herbed cheese into peppers (pipe for a neater presentation). For pumpkins, top with a stem cut from a small fresh pepper. Best if prepared shortly before serving.