Appetizer Recipes
Grilled Apricot Shrimp with Harissa Aioli
These flavor-packed shrimp will impress all who try. They’re equally perfect as an entree or appetizer and can be enjoyed hot off the grill or at room temperature. From week to week I toil—probably longer than I should－over which recipes to share on this page. The decision becomes more difficult when a…
Grilled Chicken Kabobs
First, I must apologize to the readers who have subscribed to receive recipe posts via email. Yesterday, I inadvertently sent a draft of this post. Although I am sure to make an occasional ‘woops’ (my family would tease that I make them daily!), it is truly my goal not to send pointless emails. The…
Barbecued Bean Salad
A crowd-pleasing, family-friendly alternative to baked beans, this protein-rich salad can be prepared in advance and the flavor improves over time. As I walked to school with my younger son one morning last month, he mentioned that his 6th grade history class’s Colonial unit would be culminating with a special lunch. All students were…
Baked Cheddar Broccoli Rice Cups
Convenient shortcuts and great taste highlight this veggie-packed recipe that’s destined to become a family favorite! What started as a way to use the Minute rice my husband bought in place of long grain rice has become something of a sensation. When I shared this recipe shortly after I began The Fountain Avenue Kitchen,…
Buffalo Wing Hummus
Two fan favorite appetizers collide in this winning dip, which offers wholesome, snack-worthy appeal. Depending on one’s perspective, the lure of Super Bowl Sunday might be the good eats, funny commercials, big-name halftime show or, of course, the football! Whether you are in it for the action between the goal posts or the general game…
Loaded Dinner Nachos
You could say it was love after the first neatball! In all seriousness, I was truly skeptical when Laura Lapp first offered me a bite of the healthy meat alternative that she crafted in her kitchen. But it tasted great. By way of background, Laura began her experimentation process to address her two daughters’ decision…
Farmhouse Roasted Chestnuts
Lightly salted, these chestnuts are delicious served warm and straight from the shell. They’re perfect for Thanksgiving stuffing and soups too! Autumn is the time of year when the American Chestnut Trees in the northeast drop the nuts from their prickly burrs. As an interesting bit of trivia, there are typically three chestnuts per…
Vegetarian Meatballs (also known as neatballs!)
Since I started writing The Fountain Avenue Kitchen newspaper column and blog, I have had the privilege of meeting some truly fascinating people. I’m not referring to big name chefs or foodies either. I am talking about real people, just like you and me, who have some very interesting stories to tell. All of the…
Roasted Beets, Two Ways
There are so many ways to cook beets: steam, boil, roast, microwave. What is really the best way? After trying quite a few methods over the years, I have settled upon two that produce perfectly cooked beets. In my opinion, roasting brings out the robust flavor of beets, allowing for a certain creaminess while maintaing…
Roasted Tomatoes with Whipped Feta…and some kitchen experimenting
My sister is an artist. At a very young age, she stunned everyone with an amazingly accurate sketch of a horse. Eventually, she became a painting major at Rhode Island School of Design. I always joked that she got all the artistic abilities and I got none! As I grew older, I realized that my…
Prosciutto Wrapped Grilled String Cheese
Two simple ingredients are all you need for a fast, flavor-packed appetizer that is guaranteed to be the hit of the party! When visiting my in-laws recently, we got talking about cheese. Most every night before dinner, we enjoy cheese and crackers when we are with them. Given the flavor journey I have been working…
Roasted Parmesan Zucchini Bites
My favorite way to eat zucchini is a tie between zucchini bread and this recipe where the zucchini is broiled with a simple coating of fresh Parmesan. I’ve made these as rounds, sticks, and strips. They key is to cut them fairly thick and cook only until golden. This way, they won’t get mushy. Also,…
