Appetizers

Chicken, Millet and Spinach Appetizers

We all have a repertoire of appetizers that we make year after year. These recipes are family favourites that we look forward to making and sharing. Sometimes, it is nice to change things up a bit. This recipe for Chicken, Millet and Spinach Appetizers was developed because I was looking for a way to incorporate lean ground chicken into a lighter first course or appetizer. The final result was this recipe for Chicken, Millet and Spinach Appetizers – a delicious, attractive and lean recipe.

Millet was chosen as an ingredient in this recipe for several reasons – it binds well with the delicate texture of the ground chicken and it is also gluten-free and inexpensive. Millet is an ancient seed that one-third of the world uses in their diet because it is rich in iron, B vitamins and calcium. The chlorophyll from the spinach and parsley tints the ground chicken mixture to a unique green colour. This makes the appetizers a colourful addition to the holiday season due to their garden-fresh appearance. I encourage you to try this delicious appetizer – not only for the holidays but all year around.

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Mini Sized Smashed Potato Pizzas

By Denise Pare-Watson

This recipe for Mini Sized Smashed Potato Pizzas is Grey Cup Party food at its best! It is quick and easy to put together, but more importantly, delicious! They are little pizzas made in a handheld form. Make lots – your guests will be clamouring for more.

Mini Sized Smashed Potato Pizzas | urbnspice.com

Make lots! They will disappear very quickly!

I was involved in a food challenge a few years ago that wanted us to develop original recipes for the Little Potato Company. On my blog, you will find the results of my creativity including a family-sized version of Smashed Potato Pizza, as well as Sausage and Potato Stuffing, Bacon Cheese Potato Cups and Potato Crusted Quiche (all gluten-free recipes). I have re-invented the Smashed Potato Pizza and made it into small appetizer sized pizzas. These Mini Sized Smashed Potato Pizzas have the crispy edges that are so appealing and flavourful. Toppings are kept simple given the well-seasoned smashed potato base; sliced grape tomatoes, chiffonade of basil, sliced green onion, mozzarella and bocconcini cheese, and crispy bacon bits. Don’t forget to serve the Mini Sized Smashed Potato Pizzas with Dressed Up Sour Cream….

Pickle Pie, Please!

By Denise Pare-Watson

The Inspiration of Urb’n’Spice Series

What can I do when my adorable three-year-old grandson asks me to make him a Pickle Pie? His Momma was not sure where he came up with the idea for Pickle Pie. Apparently, he babbled about pickle pie for a whole day before she sent me this endearing video. To be honest, as a chef, I was very intrigued and as a grandmother, I would do anything for the little guy. I am always up for a challenge, so I set to work on figuring out how to fulfill his plea for pickle pie.

Presenting: The Pickle Pie Video Request

When I started my pickle pie quest, I wanted to develop a recipe with little children in mind. No fancy ingredients, just good tasting food that would appeal to all ages. Potato, cheese, pickles and pastry evolved into the key ingredients and when combined together, an irresistible flavourful potato filling was the end result. The flaky pastry just added to its overall appeal.

I made two versions of this recipe – one was miniature pies and the second version was small turnovers that are the perfect size for a little guy to hold. Look under the “What Else Can I Do With This Recipe?” section to see the variation – miniature Pickle Pie turnovers.

I had fun with this unique request and I am delighted with the results. My taste-testers (my other daughter and her little ones) gave me a thumbs-up and an “Omgawd – we all adored the pickle pies!” If you try making these pickle pies – tell me what you think. I enjoy hearing from all my readers….

Blenditarian Meat Turnovers in a Shortcrust Pastry

By Denise Pare-Watson

BLENDITARIAN CHALLENGE SERIES

Meat pies and turnovers are almost a religion in some parts of the world – the Australian Meat Pie is a very delicious example. My Blenditarian Meat Turnovers in Shortcrust Pastry is a meat-filled pastry, which is similar to the Australian Meat Pies. This recipe for meat turnover has been given a Blenditarian makeover with the addition of minced mushrooms and vegetables.

My favourite choice for the pastry is shortcrust dough because of its sturdy, crispy and buttery characteristics. When a pastry is eaten out of hand, a sturdier, lean pastry is most suitable. In this post, I will guide you through how to make a Blenditarian Meat Blend and a shortcrust pastry, which includes a gluten-free option. The tips and techniques provided will simplify the overall process to inspire the chef in you.

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Jump to Shortcrust Pastry Recipe

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Duck Fat Potatoes with Smoked Sea Salt

By Denise Pare-Watson

The Inspiration of Urb’n’Spice Series

If you want to make something truly delicious to serve as a small plate offering or on a casual family platter, try these Duck Fat Potatoes with Smoked Sea Salt. It is one of those foods that you will say, ‘this is the best thing that I ever had!’ Easy to make, easier to eat! Make more than you think you might need – they will be gone in a flash!

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Silky Strawberry Balsamic Soup with Yogurt Drizzle

By Denise Pare-Watson

One of my most popular culinary teaching classes has consistently been my “Soups, Simplified” course. The students always indicated in their feedback that they were blown away by how much they learned in this class. As well, they pledged that they would never, ever dispose of vegetable scraps or peelings again after completing the course. The class always included several treats for the students. For example, this Silky Strawberry Balsamic Soup with Yogurt Drizzle was a hit! It was served at the beginning of the program as an amuse-bouche prior to starting the class discussion. I thought I would share it this easy-to-make recipe with my readers since it is also very popular for Valentine’s Day, as well as luncheons or bridal and baby showers. This elegant gluten-free soup is served chilled and can be made in minutes with fresh or frozen strawberries.

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Easy to Make Game Day Savoury Potato Wedges

By Denise Pare-Watson

It is almost Super Bowl weekend! That means snacks – lots of snacks. It also means we will need a snack that can be easily and neatly munched on in front of the big screen without taking our eyes off the action. We have made these Game Day Savoury Potato Wedges for just about every occasion from birthdays to barbeques. Our favourite way to enjoy them is on a large wooden platter served family style with Dressed Up Sour Cream and of course, ketchup.

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Creamy Roasted Garlic Dressing

By Denise Pare-Watson

I traditionally have made garlic salad dressing for Caesar Salads. As much as I enjoy making Caesar Salad Dressing from scratch, I wanted a develop a versatile and easy-to-make dressing that could be used as a dressing, or a dip, or a spread or an aioli. This Creamy Roasted Garlic Dressing is made with mayonnaise as the base ingredient and with the addition of a few ingredients, you can create a flavourful and versatile dressing. It is convenient to have on hand in the refrigerator for a multitude of purposes, which are outlined below under the “What Else Can I Do With This Recipe?” section of this post.

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Roasted Garlic Dressing can be used for a multitude of dishes

The first essential step in making this dressing is roasting the garlic. I will share with you how to pan roast garlic cloves to make your own roasted garlic puree. This process is much simpler, less messy and yields far more roasted garlic puree than oven roasting whole heads of garlic. CHEF TIP: The garlic oil that remains from pan roasting garlic cloves is a very useful bonus item….

Caramelized Mushroom Tart

By Denise Pare-Watson

The Inspiration of UrbnSpice Series

I enjoy appetizers and small plates (what we like to call ‘tasties’) casual type of dining. Using puff pastry is a quick and easy way to make this Caramelized Mushroom Tart appetizer. One of my favourite variety of mushrooms is crimini mushrooms. Their dense, dry texture make them the perfect mushroom for caramelizing. What better way to celebrate Canada 150 than making this delicious tart with Canadian grown mushrooms.

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Caramelized Mushroom Tart ready to bake | urbnspice.com

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Australian Meat Pies

By Denise Pare-Watson

Urb’n’Spice Freezer Reserve Series

Have you ever had an Australian Meat Pie? If you haven’t, you are missing out on one of life’s great pleasures. We had an opportunity to enjoy several traditional Australian Meat Pies at a ‘footy’ (Aussie Rules Football) while travelling in Australia. Joining the jovial and boisterous (and slightly intoxicated) crowd on the buses to the game was an experience we will never forget.

Each and every footy fan (even the babies) donned vibrant scarves in the colours of their favourite teams. The atmosphere was friendly and the excitement was infectious as fans chanted and waved their scarves wildly.

We typically see in North America hot-dog and taco chip vendors walking up and down the stadium steps. In Australia, the meat pie vendors troll the stadium steps at the footy games selling their pies. Australians eat over 270 million pies every year. That is a lot of pies considering their population is 24.3 million.

What exactly is an Australian Meat Pie? Australian Meat Pies are made of well-seasoned meat packed into pastry shells. They are also commonly known as Aussie Meat Pies. These meat pies could be considered their national fast food.

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