appetizer – Audrey's 74 A blog by Giulia Doyle Tue, 31 Jan 2017 21:28:05 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.1.16 Smoked Trout Snails /2015/01/19/smoked-trout-snails/ Mon, 19 Jan 2015 20:50:30 +0000 http://www.audrey74.com/?p=3491 Smoked Trout Snails Giulia DoyleI’m in a January lunch box rut – everything seems boring, overly predictable or just not enticing. I’m sure it has to do with the bitter cold we’ve been dealing with and the only marginally brighter evenings. However, these little guys came to the rescue. These Smoked Trout Snails are fun for kids and adults alike. They pack a good dose of protein – no cutlery needed and they fit just as well into a lunch box as they do onto a party platter. Swap the trout for any smoked fish variety you like and add spinach instead of arugula if you don’t like the peppery flavor.

Print
Smoked Trout Snails

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 6-9 snails per tortilla, depending on size

Ingredients

  • large flour tortilla
  • 1 tablespoon of cream cheese
  • ¼ cup of torn smoked trout
  • handful of arugula

Instructions

  1. Warm tortilla on a gas flame or in microwave for a minute to make it more pliable.
  2. Spread with cream cheese.
  3. Layer with smoked trout and arugula.
  4. Roll carefully, making sure to tuck in all the fish and arugula.
  5. With a very sharp knife, cut ½ - 1” snails.
/2015/01/19/smoked-trout-snails/

]]> Baked Brie and Merry Christmas /2014/12/24/baked-brie-and-merry-christmas/ Wed, 24 Dec 2014 13:31:35 +0000 http://www.audrey74.com/?p=3376 Baked Brie Giulia Doyle We are ready for some time off before going back to the office in the New Year. The kids are off school, my mom is visiting from Switzerland, my father in-law has been with us for the past week and we are enjoying our time together as a family. We’ve been battling some sniffles and fever, but I think we’ll all be on the mend for Christmas day!

If you are still  looking for things to nibble on the next couple of days, you might want to consider this baked brie. It’s fast, easy and perfectly creamy and cheesy. The perfect cold day appetizer. Top it with your favourite cranberry sauce, or just top crackers with the warm and melty cheese. Happy Holidays indeed!

Print
Baked Brie

Ingredients

  • 1 brie
  • Toasted walnuts (optional)
  • Cranberry sauce (optional)
  • Honey
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Set oven to broil. While oven is heating up, toast walnuts in a dry frying pan for a few minutes. Set aside.
  2. Unpack room-temperature brie and place on a piece of parchment paper on a rimmed cookie sheet. Place cheese in oven for a few minutes until cheese softens but doesn't collapse. This depends on the size cheese you use and can happen very quickly. Remove from oven and carefully transfer brie to a platter with a large spatula. Sprinkle with pepper and serve immediately.
  3. Serve with crackers or baguette and serve nuts, honey and cranberry sauce along with it.
/2014/12/24/baked-brie-and-merry-christmas/

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  Thanks for stopping by my little space and making it a wonderful place for me to share pieces of my life – be it the sweet or the savoury.

]]> Cheesy Puff Pastry Twists /2014/01/24/cheesy-puff-pastry-twists/ Fri, 24 Jan 2014 11:20:12 +0000 http://www.audrey74.com/?p=2526 Cheesy Puff Pastry TwistsWe have these twisty, cheesy bread sticks at our grocery store. They are yummy and addictive, buttery and crumbly. The kids love them and I love them. Looking at the package I note that they are imported from Switzerland – go figure! But they are expensive and buying bread sticks that travel the Atlantic to get to me does seem excessive.

While I can’t replicate them exactly, I can make a puff pastry version. If there’s one thing I love it’s puff pastry. Not only is it a buttery indulgence, but it’s also readily available at the grocery store. I made these cheesy puff pastry twists for Classic Play and thought I’d share them with you as well. I made them with the kids – easy, fun and oh so yummy! Have them as a snack, serve them at a cocktail party along with these or with some tomato soup. Enjoy!

Print
Cheesy Puff Pastry Twists

Ingredients

  • 1 box of frozen puff pastry dough, thawed. Ours comes in two sheets, already rolled out and with parchment around it. You need two sheets that are the same size.
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
  • 1/2 tablespoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili pepper
  • 1 teaspoon of roasted garlic powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Gently unroll one puff pastry sheet onto baking sheet.
  3. Whisk egg and brush the egg wash on the rectangle of puff pastry dough (only on one side) and reserve the leftover egg wash.
  4. Mix together the Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, basil, chili and garlic and sprinkle mixture over the egg washed rectangle. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  5. Carefully brush the egg wash on the other rectangle of puff pastry dough.
  6. Place the other half of the pastry (egg side down) on top of the cheese mixture and press the two halves together using your hands or roll lightly with the rolling pin. Gently press edges to seal.
  7. Using a pizza cutter, cut the pastry into 1/2 inch strips.
  8. Working one at a time, gently twist each strip and lay on the baking sheet making sure to press down the ends so that they don't curl when baking. When all of the strips have been twisted and placed on the baking sheet, lightly brush each twist with the remaining egg wash.
  9. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the twists are golden brown.
  10. Remove from the oven and serve warm or cooled.
/2014/01/24/cheesy-puff-pastry-twists/

]]>