I Love Crab Cakes! That’s the name of the Tom Douglas cookbook Joy and Toby gave me for Christmas back in 2006. It’s a great little book filled with 50 unique crab recipes from around the world. While I love reading … Continue reading
Category Archives: Appetizers
NW Summer Cocktail Party featuring simple & crisp
Look at those beauties! We received these gorgeous Simple & Crisp dried fruit slices in the mail last week with this lovely note: Please enjoy pairing our delectable fruit crisps with some of your favorite culinary cravings! Simple & Crisp’s … Continue reading
Yogurt Chicken Skewers
May is Guest Chef Month at A Passionate Plate! Today’s post and recipe are from our good, foodie friend, Margretta. She is a lovely hostess, great writer and fantastic cook. Margretta makes everyone who enters her home feel comfortable and … Continue reading
Josephinas
May is Guest Chef Month at A Passionate Plate! We’re giving friends, family, and our readers a chance to share their favorite recipes with us. I’m happy to kick things off with a recipe from my earliest mentor in the … Continue reading
Kale & Artichoke Strudel
While my vegetable garden is just barely getting started (peas, radishes and carrots up, but not much else) my neighbors, Snowe and Nancy, are already harvesting a bounty of greens. A few days ago we were the lucky recipients of … Continue reading
Mediterranean Grilled Artichokes
I really enjoy a challenge – especially when it involves food! My good friend, Colleen, recently hosted our girls’ group, The 9 Chicks, at her lovely home on the beautiful island of Hawaii. On the first night on the island, … Continue reading
Salmon Sashimi with Ginger and Hot Sesame Oil
Oh, Boy! Have I got a luscious treat for you today. Now, before I get into it, I want you to keep an open mind. I did, and I’m soooooo happy about it. I read just a little tidbit about … Continue reading
Buffalo Chicken Pizzette
It’s almost here: Super Bowl weekend! What’s not to love about a weekend filled with great commercials, spectacular halftime entertainment, football and snack-y food?! Alright, I’ll be honest. It’s really all about the food For some reason, I don’t feel … Continue reading
Chicken Nacho Bites
Super Bowl Sunday is just two days away… will you be watching? We’re having a little party, and I am psyched because: 1.) I love football 2.) I can eat all of those yummy snack foods people serve with beer, and 3.) … Continue reading
Mame Mia! Dip
This dip gets it’s creative name from the fun combination of multi-cultural ingredients (edamame and pesto). Get it? I guess this could be considered a “healthier” dip than most (i.e. it’s not a heavy, cream-based dip and the edamame is … Continue reading
Clams with Chorizo
If you’ve been reading A Passionate Plate for a while, you’ve probably noticed that my husband, Marvin, and I don’t always crave the same food. I tend to be a little more “whole wheat” while Marv tends to be a … Continue reading
Gluten Free, Dairy Free Spinach Dip
Do you have friends or co-workers with those challenging dietary restrictions… like gluten free, dairy free, raw foods only, vegan? Ever wonder what to take to a work party or social event that everyone can eat? Well, here it is… … Continue reading
Muhammara Dip
What do you do when you receive an e-mail with the subject line: “Phenomenal!”? In my case, I opened it, read it and promptly saved it to my “Recipes” folder. And, there it sat for a year. I did not … Continue reading
Fig & Blue Cheese Savories
At our Christmas Cookie Decorating Party last night, we all brought an hors d’oeuvre to share. As soon as I tasted these Fig & Blue Cheese Savories, I knew the recipe would be going on A Passionate Plate. What a perfect … Continue reading
Butternut Squash, Blue Cheese & Sage Crostini
These Butternut Squash, Blue Cheese & Sage Crostini were a big hit at our cookie decorating party. This simple-to-prepare vegetarian appetizer pairs sweet, nutty, roasted squash with a savory blend of ricotta & blue cheese. Lemon zest gives each bite … Continue reading
Mustard-Mascarpone Bruscetta
Print Ingredients ½ cup mascarpone ¼ cup fresh basil 3 Tbsp. Dijon-style mustard salt and pepper, to taste baguette Instructions Whisk mascarpone and basil together with mustard in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Spread onto ¼” thick … Continue reading
Curry Turkey Salad Sliders
Happy post-Thanksgiving eating, everyone. Yes, it’s time for leftovers and a trip to the gym. But first a HUGE congratulations to WSU for wining the Apple Cup yesterday. After 8 straight loses, the season ended on a positive note and … Continue reading
Crooked Witches Fingers
Another easy, tasty, scar-rrrry treat. Simple shape Cheddar Cornmeal Cracker dough into “fingers” and top with an almond. Increase baking time to about 30 minutes since the dough will be thicker. EnJOY!
Eyeball Poppers
This one couldn’t be easier! Simply stuff Peppadew Peppers with cream cheese (I used garden veggie flavor) and top with a sliced green olive stuffed with pimento. Done!
Shrimp Ceviche
This is my biggest hit of the summer! And, please ~ next year, when I start to complain around mid-June that summer has not arrived in Seattle, remind me that summer stays in Seattle well into September! It’s 80° in … Continue reading
Sriracha and Bacon Deviled Eggs
Mary made me this beautiful and delicious birthday cake for my special day, and I had hoped to return the favor. But, of course, my long-time friend is traveling, again. In addition to being a savvy business woman, terrific chef … Continue reading
Corn Dog Bites
A couple of my favorite kids came over for lunch yesterday. Natalie and Kiki were in town for their Irish Step Dance Camp (they recently danced at the Miss Washington pageant), and Justin was along for the ride (and lunch!). … Continue reading
Vietnamese Style Fresh Rolls (+Video)
Vietnamese Style Fresh Rolls are one of my favorite summer foods. Paper-thin wrappers hold tidy bundles of fresh vegetables, herbs, rice noodles, tofu and shrimp. Add a little nuoc cham and peanut sauce, and Vietnamese Style Fresh Rolls are the … Continue reading
Bloody Mary Shrimp Shooters
Start your party off right with a Bloody Mary Shrimp Shooter. It’s a shot glass layered with crunchy celery, avocado, lemon juice, spicy homemade cocktail sauce, and a big, juicy shrimp. We make our cocktail sauce with one of our … Continue reading
Melon, Prosciutto and Blue Cheese Skewers
This is a step up from the typical cantaloupe wrapped with prosciutto appetizer. We added a little ball of Point Reyes Original Blue cheese in the center, along with fresh basil leaves. Using a melon baller for the cantaloupe and … Continue reading
Cheddar Cornmeal Crackers
Cheddar Cornmeal Crackers Print Recipe type: Appetizer Author: A Passionate Plate Serves: 10-12 Ingredients 1½ cups flour ½ cup cornmeal 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp salt ½ tsp cayenne pepper ½ tsp baking soda ½ cup butter, cold, cut … Continue reading
Parmesan Thyme Crackers
Parmesan Thyme Crackers 5.0 from 2 reviews Print Recipe type: Appetizer Author: A Passionate Plate Serves: 12 Keep this dough in your freezer for a quick and special treat when a friend stops by for a glass of wine! Ingredients … Continue reading
Baked Ricotta Cups
I was feeling a little blue today. When I opened my eyes this morning (mind you, it’s JUNE), it was gray and rainy and 40-some degrees. Well, it is Seattle, after all, right? No! I mean – yes, it’s Seattle, … Continue reading
Ahi Carpaccio
We <3 Sushi! Sansei in Kihei, Maui, is our favorite place to eat it. The list of items we order has been fine-tuned over several visits: Dynamite Shrimp, Upcountry Vegetables, Ahi Carpaccio, Da 808 Roll, and Dragonfly Roll (and two … Continue reading
Cucumber Radish Canapés
Exciting news… I am harvesting from my tiny garden already! Lettuce, swiss chard and radishes. I planted the radishes to give myself some instant gratification, since radishes only take about 35 days to transform from seeds into spicy, crunchy little … Continue reading
Springtime Hummus with Artichoke and Lemon
My lovely friend, Cara, recently took a fabulous family vacation to Italy. Her kids are SO lucky! I’m lucky, too, because she brought back some of the most delicious Extra Virgin Olive Oil and she was kind enough to share … Continue reading
Asian Lettuce Cups
Asian Lettuce Cups are low-carb, healthy, delicious and virtually gluten-free. Serve these as a light lunch, a starter course, or a low-calorie dinner. Asian Lettuce Cups Print Recipe type: Starter or Main Dish Author: A Passionate Plate Serves: 4 Low … Continue reading
Juicy Pork Dumplings
JOY: The Juicy Pork Dumplings at Din Tai Fung are little bites of heaven. Wouldn’t it be cool if we could figure out how to make them ourselves? MARY: Seriously? I don’t know… wouldn’t it be easier to just go … Continue reading
Cheddar Pepper Biscotti
When I was planning for my good friend, Rob’s, Brewery Tour Birthday Party last weekend, I decided to make snack foods that would pair well with the beer we were drinking. All of the breweries we visited served BIG bowls … Continue reading
Salty, Sweet, Sticky Wings
Happy Super Bowl XLVI Weekend! To be honest, I really don’t care that much about the game, but I LOVE the commercials and the excuse to eat “snack-y” food while wearing my “snack-y” pants. It’s a pretty good reason to … Continue reading
Steph’s Baked Tofu
West Seattle is a great place to live… we’ve got views, water, parks, beaches, a casual neighborhood vibe, and several really amazing grocery stores, including PCC Natural Market. PCC is the kind of place where you want to shop in your yoga pants without … Continue reading
Chinese BBQ Spareribs
These Chinese BBQ Spareribs can be summed up in one little word: YUM… and I mean lick your fingers YUM. The five-spice powder is what gives these ribs their distinctive flavor. Look for Chinese five-spice in the Asian section of … Continue reading
Asiago and Artichoke Heart Dip
Ski weekend is officially underway. We haven’t put on our skis yet, but we have gone for a long walk around Lake Wenatchee, relaxed in the hot tub, and opened the first bottle of red wine. We’ve also eaten an … Continue reading
Yukon Gold Potato Latkes
What would a Hanukkah dinner be without latkes? Not right, that’s what. Just to clarify, I am not Jewish and I didn’t grow up eating latkes. My introduction to these crispy potato pancakes came when I worked at The Bush … Continue reading
Stuffed Baby Red Potatoes
Are you heading to a Christmas party this weekend? Need to bring an appetizer? Here is a recipe I’d like to reccomend – Stuffed Baby Red Potatoes, one of my favorite holiday hors d’oeuvres. Bring these to a party and watch … Continue reading
Chicken & Swiss Chard Potstickers
This recipe is adapted from a swiss chard potsticker recipe I found in Whole Living magazine. I added ground chicken to make it more palatable for Marvin, who tends to shy away from things that appear to have too much green in … Continue reading
