Ask Erica: Cheese-free Appetizers Please!

Hey Erica!!

Loving your new blog, hope you are enjoying life in Chicago!!

Question for you: I know you remember my deep, deep disdain for all things cheese. Whenever we have people over to hang out for game night, or get invited to a party, I ALWAYS end up making an appetizer I won’t eat. Whether it’s a buffalo wing dip, a cheese and crackers platter, bacon tomato cups, they ALL have cheese. I’m sick of making things everyone else compliments while I eat my plate full of plain potato chips, dying for the main course.

Do you have any recipes or inspiration for CHEESE-LESS hot appetizers or hors d’oeuvres? Help!

Thanks 🙂

-Kristen (a.k.a. Pek)
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Hi Pek,

First of all, let me apologize to you and all my lactose intolerant (and cheese hater) fans out there. I have this crazy obsession with cheese and sometimes I forget that many of my readers simply can’t/won’t eat it. Looking back, I realize that the majority of my recipes are heavy on the cheese, eek!

Thanks for helping me realize that…

Now, normally I’d give you 3 cheese-free recipe ideas and call it a day, but since I kinda messed up and alienated you for the past couple of weeks, how about I double it to 6!

Here we go…

1) Pigs in a Blanket: One of my favorite appetizers in the world are hotdogs wrapped in flaky dough (informally called “Pigs in a Blanket”). This appetizer will surely make cheese lovers forget that it’s not there.

You can buy them frozen, or make them just as easy on your own. To make on your own, buy mini hotdogs (or cut up larger ones) and some crescent dough. Place the hotdog on a triangle of crescent dough (its already pre-cut) and just roll it up (roll from biggest to smallest side). Serve with honey mustard, ketchup or whatever you think would taste good for dipping!

Pigs in a Blanket
Photo Credit: Pillsbury.com

2) Asian Lettuce Cups: Not only is this appetizer cute, it’s super simple to make and always a crowd pleaser. To make these, simply cook up some ground chicken, onions, peppers, water chestnuts in your favorite asian flavored sauce. Fill up lettuce cups (just the inside leaves of a head of iceberg) with the chicken mixture and top with thinly sliced cucumbers, crumbled cashews and some rice noodles. YUM!

Asian Lettuce Cups
Photo Credit: Kitchendaily.com

3) Mini Chicken and Waffles: This appetizer is one that I recently posted on a previous post. Basically all you do is take little Eggo waffles and place a piece of bone-less fried chicken on top. I like to make my own honey mustard maple syrup (literally mix honey, mustard and syrup together) and drizzle it over the top. Totally cheese-free and totally delish.

Mini Chicken & Waffles
Photo Credit: mintlovesocialclub.com

4) Deviled Eggs: I know you said hot appetizers, but these are one of my favorite party snacks (so I had to throw it in)! I know they can be tedious to make, but follow my “The Easiest Way to Boil and Peel Eggs” post and it will make it much easier!

When I make deviled eggs, I always experiment with different flavors. Right now, my favorite is truffle. They are super simple to make too! Simply add a little truffle salt or oil to your regular recipe and that’s it! To make them extra special, you can place a tiny piece of chive on each one or even a little piece of shaved truffle (if you don’t mind spending a little bit more).

Deviled Eggs
Photo Credit: forkknifespoon.wordpress.com

5) Bacon-wrapped dates: This ooey goey , sticky appetizers is one of my favorites and only 3 ingredients: pitted dates, bacon and almonds. To make them, just make a tiny slit in the date and stuff the almond in. Wrap the whole thing in bacon and put under the broiler for 10 minutes until brown and crispy!

Bacon Wrapped Dates
Photo credit: allrecipes.com

6) Prosciutto wrapped melon: This is another simple appetizer that doesn’t take a ton of time or ingredients. For these I take a melon baller and get little circles from the fruit, wrap them in prosciutto di parma and then drizzle them with a balsamic reduction.

Prosciutto Wrapped Melon
Photo Credit: Thisaustinlife.com

Well Pek, I think I’m officially over cheese after realizing how many delicious things I can make without it! I hope this  post helps and you don’t go hungry at your next get-together!

Love always,
Erica

 

Ask Erica: How to Remember Great Restaurants

Hi Erica,

I love finding new favorite restaurants. I try getting cards from places I enjoy to eventually go back or if I want to recommend them, but if anyone asks me where to go for brunch/lunch/dinner, my mind goes blank.

How would you suggest I keep track of amazing places?

-Gabriel

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Hi Gabriel,

I can totally sympathize with you! Since I’m a huge foodie, people typically ask me where to go and it’s hard to keep track of all the great places I go. 

I think I may be able to help and have found two ways that work for me:

1) Every time I go to a great restaurant, I usually snap a photo of the menu (with the name of the restaurant on it) or take a picture outside of the sign with my phone. Then, I create photo folders on my cell to store the photos by city (or you could store by cuisine if you don’t get asked about multiple cities)!

For example, when someone asks me where to go in Boston and I go blank, I pull out my phone, find the Boston folder and start rambling off places. As a bonus, if I took a photo of the menu, I can even text it to whoever is asking me!  🙂

2) If taking photos aren’t your thing, that’s ok! Just keep a note in your phone and when you have a great meal, write down the name of the restaurant. I would do a different note for each city (or cuisine) so you don’t get confused. 

As another bonus, write down your favorite menu item next to each restaurant. In addition to providing a great restaurant recommendation, it’s always nice to tell someone about the menu highlights as well!

I hope these two tips help! Let me know how it works for you.

Love always,
Erica

Ask Erica: But…you said your BF was a Vegetarian?

Hi Erica,

It is confusing that you referred to your boyfriend as a “vegetarian” and devoted a whole post to vegetarian food, but then have a post from a few days before where he was “craving” chicken pot pie….?

I am all for showing you eat and enjoy a great deal of food, but if you’re going to write a food blog, be consistent about what you say.

-“N”
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Hi “N”,

First of all, I am so sorry you decided to remain anonymous. I always like to address my readers directly!

In fact…your question is actually great and I am happy to provide clarity.

Dan, my boyfriend, is a vegetarian about 95% of the time. His reasons for doing so are moral and he does the best he can to stay away from meat. That being said, he does enjoy the flavor of chicken and has a weakness for it every once in a while (especially fried chicken and chicken flavored foods…like pot pie).

It used to bother me a lot, because I felt like he was only a vegetarian when he wanted to be and it didn’t make sense to me. One day, I asked him about it and he said that he didn’t like the idea of eating meat morally and would only do so if he knew he would really, truly enjoy what he was eating (apparently that is how he justifies it),

Do I agree with it, not totally, but what can I do? At the end of the day, I wish he ate meat (because it would make my life easier), so if he wants a chicken pot pie, you bet I’m making him one!

It’s a little weird, but it’s who he is and I love him. As long as he doesn’t judge other people for eating meat (which he doesn’t), I can’t hold it against him. We all have our quirks, right?

I hope I cleared up any inconsistencies you saw! When I originally started this blog, I thought only friends and family would read it. Since it’s begun to catch on, it’s clear I need to explain my situations a little bit better! 🙂

Love always,
Erica

Ask Erica: Pot Luck Dinners

Hello Erica!

A friend passed me your blog and I have been following it for some days now. I love it!

I wanted to ask you for some advice: I keep organizing potluck dinners, but still can’t figure out a way to ask people to bring a dish and that it all “makes sense” at the end without sounding pushy.

How can I create a flexible, yet awesome menu for a potluck?

The previous times I have organized one, it just seemed to be all over the place (onion soup, empanadas and carrot cake for dinner)… just a mess! Thanks in advance!!

-Abraham
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Hi Abraham,

What a great question! 

I think that the best way to do a potluck dinner is to pick a theme ahead of time. Whether it’s “Italian”, “Mexican”, “Asian” (or whatever you choose), everyone will know the boundaries because the theme sort of sets them. 

I think a theme allows flexibility because it gives your guests a realm to work in, but doesn’t tell them exactly what to make.

Another tip would be to have a google doc for all party attendees so that they can write down what they are cooking (that way there is no duplicates and you can sort of ensure there is a wide variety of appetizers, entrees and desserts). 

For example, someone may see the document, notice no one has signed up for a dessert and then opt to make one (and you didn’t have to say anything)!

I hope this helps! Thanks for reading and writing in. Let me know how your next potluck dinner goes!

Love always,
Erica