Take A Bite Out of Boca

A South Florida Foodie's Guide to Culinary Adventures In & Out of the Kitchen

Six-Layer Vegetarian Taco Dip with Stonyfield Organic Greek Yogurt

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Disclosure: Thank you to Stonyfield and Simply Organic for sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.

All the best parts of a taco combined together in one tasty dip! This Six-Layer Vegetarian Taco Dip features two special ingredients from Stonyfield and Simply Organic.

Six Layer Vegetarian Taco Dip #StonyfieldBlogger #OrganicMoments

There’s a new yogurt in town, and it’s thicker, creamier and more luscious than ever. Stonyfield has introduced its newest product, Double Cream plain yogurt. Double Cream contains a higher fat content than any of the brand’s other whole milk yogurts, making it an ideal substitute for oil, mayo, buttermilk, butter or sour cream in cooking and baking. Stonyfield products are totally free from toxic persistent pesticides or GMO’s, making them good for you and the environment. Double Cream is also USDA organic, pasture-raised, kosher certified and gluten-free. So how are we using Stonyfield’s Double Cream plain yogurt today? Ohhh, just you wait…

Six Layer Vegetarian Taco Dip #StonyfieldBlogger #OrganicMoments

Sour cream is a pretty traditional ingredient when making tacos, and most taco dips include it as well. But not this one! We’re using the Double Cream! That smooth, creamy consistency of the yogurt really makes this dip stand out from others. But there’s one more secret to what makes this Six-Layer Vegetarian Taco Dip better than any other taco dip, and that’s Simply Organic‘s Ground Cumin! Cumin is found in a lot of Mexican cooking so I added a sprinkling for a pop of that well-known taco flavor.

Six Layer Vegetarian Taco Dip #StonyfieldBlogger #OrganicMoments

This is one of the easiest recipes ever. I took a couple short cuts, purchasing pre-made pico de gallo and guacamole, but you could certainly choose to make your own from scratch. It’s six layers of deliciousness — Stonyfield Double Cream, guacamole, black beans seasoned with Simply Organic Ground Cumin, pico de gallo, lettuce and a blend of Mexican-style cheeses. Go ahead, I know you’re already opening a bag of tortilla chips ready to get your dip on. You’ll go back for bite after bite of this delicious combination of ingredients. Make sure to dig deep and get a little of each layer. I’d recommended a sturdy chip so it doesn’t break in the dip! 😉

Six Layer Vegetarian Taco Dip #StonyfieldBlogger #OrganicMoments

Switch things up for your next taco night, and serve Six-Layer Vegetarian Taco Dip instead!

Six Layer Vegetarian Taco Dip #StonyfieldBlogger #OrganicMoments

Six-Layer Vegetarian Taco Dip
 
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All the best parts of a taco combined together in one tasty dip! This Six-Layer Vegetarian Taco Dip features two special ingredients from Stonyfield and Simply Organic.
Author:
Recipe type: Appetizer
Ingredients
  • 1 cup cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
  • ~1 tsp Simply Organic Ground Cumin
  • 1¼ cup Stonyfield Organic Double Cream Plain Yogurt
  • (1) 16 oz. container of guacamole
  • (1) 12 oz. container pico de gallo/salsa
  • About one handful of shredded lettuce
  • 1-1/2 cups Mexican-blend cheese
Instructions
  1. Toss the rinsed and drained black beans with cumin and set aside. Adjust seasoning to your taste.
  2. In a glass 8x8 container, layer each of the following ingredients in order: double cream yogurt, guacamole, black beans, pico de gallo, lettuce, cheese
  3. Keep refrigerated until serving.

 

Blackened Fish Sliders with Lemon-Yogurt Sauce

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Flavorful spices and a simple lemon-yogurt mixture put these sliders over the edge. When you want to impress your party guests, Blackened Fish Sliders with Lemon-Yogurt Sauce will do the trick!

So, about a month ago, one of my best friends told me we were going to help throw a New Year’s Eve party. Immediately the wheels started turning — bubbly bar, photo booth props, decorations, and of course food! Don’t tell me there’s a party to plan and not expect me to go hog-wild with the menu planning. I knew I’d do a cheese plate, because honestly, what’s a party without a cheese plate? But I wanted to do something out of the box, something I’ve never done before.

A week prior to this, 5 pounds of Australis Barramundi showed up on my doorstep, thanks to me winning an Instagram contest hosted by the brand. With all that fish in my freezer just waiting to be cooked, I knew I had to do something with it for our New Year’s Eve extravaganza. Thankfully, ColeyCooks came to the rescue. Nicole, a friend of mine from back home in South Jersey, develops recipes for this sustainable seafood company specializing in the environmentally-friendly Barramundi. I browsed the website looking through all of Nicole’s recipes and came across her recipe for sliders — the perfect finger food for a party! I made a couple changes, but the inspiration and heart of the dish comes from Nicole and all of the people at Australis, The Better Fish — so, THANK YOU for helping to make our New Year’s Eve spread delicious and approachable.

The fish can be coated in whatever blackening season you prefer — and actually, you can use whatever white, flakey fish you’d like. Barramundi is basically sea bass, but if you can’t find this particular fish, I’m sure halibut or cod would work just as well. The sauce is where the real flavor comes from. Tart and citrusy from the lemon, tangy from the yogurt, with a little hint of salt from the capers, it makes a killer topping for the fish, and can be used for plenty of other things too. Case in point, we dipped shrimp in it — sometimes you need a break from the cocktail sauce.

These Blackened Fish Sliders with Lemon-Yogurt Sauce are ideal for a party appetizer, but would make an excellent lunch or dinner too. Since they got such rave reviews from all of our NYE party guests, I’ll be keeping this recipe around for future gatherings. They’re good served hot or cold, so even if they sit out for a while at your party, no one will be disappointed.

Blackened Fish Sliders with Lemon-Yogurt Sauce

For Nicole’s recipe, visit The Better Fish. The only changes I made were to the sauce — plain Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise, and instead of dill pickles, I opted to just add a little bit of fresh dill.

Roasted Eggplant and Piquillo Pepper Toasts #SundaySupper

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Enjoy these Roasted Eggplant and Piquillo Pepper Toasts as an appetizer, snack, or make it a meal and pair alongside a nice salad. However you choose to eat it, you’ll want to keep going back for more!

Roasted Eggplant and Piquillo Pepper Toasts #SundaySupper

My first foray into the world of tapas (the term for a variety of appetizers in Spanish cuisine) was during a work trip to Las Vegas. For those of you who don’t know, when I first moved to Florida I worked as a customer service rep for a small, family-owned promotional product business here in Boca (you guys know my super-freaking-awesome business clothes — that’s where they come from). In the short time that I worked with them, I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to travel to a few trade shows all over the country. Much to my delight, I had a boss who appreciated good food and wine just as much as I do, and he didn’t hesitate to show me all the best places to eat during our trips.

I fell in love with Vegas — not for the glitz, glamour, and gambling — but for the fact that it introduced me to Chef Jose Andres and his incredible Spanish tapas style of cooking. My experience at his restaurant, Jaleo, was unlike any dining experience I had ever had at that point in my life. My blog was just starting out and media dinners and events weren’t entirely on my radar yet. It was about 4 years ago, but I remember that meal as if it were yesterday. The atmosphere was boisterous, the smell in the air was mesmerizing, and the food was bright, bold, and cheerful. With so many textures and flavors, I could have sat at that table all weekend, completely satisfied.

We ate plenty — toasted bread topped with manchego cheese and tomatoes, gazpacho, salmon tartare, octopus, patatas bravas (I actually found Jose Andres signature recipe for this and recreated it here), and sautéed mushrooms… But one dish that still stands out was a piquillo pepper stuffed with goat cheese. I just checked on Jaleo’s website to see what the dish was called — Piquillo Rellenos con Setas, stuffed piquillo peppers with caña de cabra goat cheese and seasonal mushrooms. Reading that makes me hungry!

Roasted Eggplant and Piquillo Pepper Toasts #SundaySupper

When I found out #SundaySupper was doing a tapas theme for this week’s post hosted by Caroline’s Cooking, I knew I had to make something that includes piquillo peppers and goat cheese. Flipping through a recent issue of Food and Wine Magazine, I came across a recipe for Marinated Piquillo Pepper and Whipped Eggplant Toasts by Jose Garces. After a few tweaks to make it my own, my Roasted Eggplant and Piquillo Pepper Toasts were born!

I’m super excited to share this recipe for Roasted Eggplant and Piquillo Pepper Toasts with you guys today, not only because it is seriously one of the best appetizers I have ever made, but because today’s Sunday Supper is extra special. Right now I am in Orlando for the Food Wine Conference, and tonight, a group of us will be getting together for a LIVE SUNDAY SUPPER! We’ll still be holding our scheduled Twitter Chat at 7pm EST for anyone who wants to join in on the fun, but instead of all of us being on our couches at home Tweeting to one another, we’ll be together at Tapa Toro (HUGE shout out to them for hosting all of us this evening). Of course, we’ll be Tweeting too!

Tapa Toro combines contemporary Spanish cuisine with a vibrant, energetic atmosphere – bringing a fresh dining experience to the I-Drive 360 area in Orlando, FL. Their unique paella pit, vibrant tapas menu, and extensive selection of imported wines will guide you through a culinary journey of Spanish flavors and culture in the heart of Central Florida. Show them some love and follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

I won’t make you wait any longer for these Roasted Eggplant and Piquillo Pepper Toasts. Here you go — plus even more great recipes for tapas-inspired dishes from my Sunday Supper friends!

Roasted Eggplant and Piquillo Pepper Toasts #SundaySupper

5.0 from 1 reviews
Roasted Eggplant and Piquillo Pepper Toasts
 
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Enjoy these Roasted Eggplant and Piquillo Pepper Toasts as an appetizer, snack, or make it a meal and pair alongside a nice salad.
Author:
Recipe type: Appetizer
Ingredients
  • 1 medium eggplant, sliced into 1-inch thick rounds
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 3-4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ⅓ cup champagne vinegar
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary
  • 1 tbsp minced fresh parsley
  • 1 tbsp minced fresh oregano
  • (1) 12 oz. jar grilled piquillo peppers, drained
  • 4 oz. goat cheese
  • 2 oz. pecorino romano cheese
  • Your choice of bread, toasted (I used a 7-grain sprouted bread)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Arrange the eggplant slices directly on a non-stick baking sheet.
  3. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
  4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until eggplant is fork-tender.
  5. While the eggplant is roasting, heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
  6. Add the sliced garlic and cook until it starts to sizzle and brown.
  7. Remove from heat and add the champagne vinegar, honey, rosemary, parsley, and oregano.
  8. Whisk until well-combined. Season with salt and pepper.
  9. Add the piquillo peppers to the pan, making sure to cover them with the vinaigrette.
  10. In a food processor, combine the roasted eggplant, goat cheese, and pecorino and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
  11. Smear a spoonful of the eggplant spread over your toasted bread and top with the marinated peppers. Serve immediately.
Notes
Adapted from Jose Garces' Marinated Piquillo Pepper and Whipped Eggplant Toasts in the May 2016 issue of Food & Wine Magazine

Para Empezar, Las Tapas (Appetizers/tapas) –

Postres (Desserts) –

Bebidas (Drinks) –

Plus Alcachofas al Ajillo – Garlicky Artichokes – and Spanish Tapas Recipes from Sunday Supper Movement

Sunday Supper MovementJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.
Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Sun-dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Stacks #StackItUp

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Disclosure: This post has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. As always, all opinions are 100% my own. #StackItUp #CollectiveBias

Sun-dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Stacks #StackItUp

Do you get as excited as I do about grab-and-go party appetizers? No fork and knife required — you don’t even need a plate either. Just pick one up, marvel at its deliciousness, pop it into your mouth, and take it all in. Yep, just give me a table full of fun appetizers and I’m good to go. Of course I do enjoy a nice sit down dinner, but when you’re mixing and mingling with friends, it’s so much easier to just pick something up off the table — or off of a tray if you’re at a fancier shindig with passed hors d’oervers. Finger foods should be fun and tasty. You don’t need to go crazy with ingredients, and you don’t even need to make everything from scratch. In fact, these Sun-dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Stacks are 100% made from store-bought ingredients, making them super quick and easy to make for those times when you find yourself in a bind and in need of something last minute.

Sun-dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Stacks #StackItUpSun-dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Stacks #StackItUp

The vessel for these yum-tastic snacks? RITZ Original Fresh Stacks. You’ll find RITZ Original Fresh Stacks right in the cracker aisle at Walmart. You won’t need to look hard — the bright red packaging practically makes them jump off the shelf and into your basket. And if you like your RITZ with a little extra flavor, RITZ Fresh Stacks Ultimate Butter will be available starting March 28th (while supplies last.)

Sun-dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Stacks #StackItUp

So let’s get stacking, shall we? Lay your RITZ Original Fresh Stacks in an even layer on your serving tray. Now spread a thin layer of softened goat cheese on the cracker, followed by a smear of your favorite kind of sun-dried tomato spread or sauce. Now you’ll add a little swipe of sun-dried tomato pesto (you could make this from scratch if you’re feeling ambitious…or just buy it), and top with about a teaspoon of chopped sun-dried tomatoes and crushed pistachios. Who knew something so delicious could take less than five minutes to assemble?!

Sun-dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Stacks #StackItUp

Sun-dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Stacks
 
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Sun-dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Stacks are a mouthful of YUM. They're the perfect appetizer at dinner parties, or snack when you're craving something easy to make and delicious to eat.
Author:
Recipe type: Appetizer
Ingredients
  • RITZ Original Fresh Stacks
  • Goat Cheese
  • Sun-dried tomato spread
  • Sun-dried tomato pesto
  • Sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
  • Crushed pistachios
Instructions
  1. Layer the ingredients one by one on your RITZ Original Fresh Stacks, starting with a smear of goat cheese.
  2. Top with your desired amount of sun-dried tomato spread, followed by the pesto, chopped sun-dried tomatoes and crushed pistachios.
  3. (Please note that 5 crackers equals one serving of RITZ Original Fresh Stacks.)
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 5 Crackers

Layered Mexican Pie

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Layer upon layer of your favorite Mexican dip components all in one delicious Layered Mexican Pie!

Layered Mexican Pie

We’re closing in on Labor Day Weekend and I’m sure you’ve been perusing Pinterest looking for the perfect party appetizers to make for your celebrations. Look no further — this Layered Mexican Pie is going to be your new best friend! It’s super easy to make with ingredients you probably already have at home. Dips are always a popular dish to make for any holiday party, but you don’t necessarily need tortilla chips to indulge in this Layered Mexican Pie. Just grab a fork and dig in!

This is a riff on my aunt’s dish — a staple at just about every family BBQ. I changed a few things, but the basic idea is the same — a super addictive, delicious party dish that will have your guests huddled around the bowl, shoveling bite after bite in their pie-holes. Mexican Pie…Pie-holes…See what I did there? 😉

Layered Mexican Pie

I realized you could go sans chips when Bub decided to spoon out a serving for herself and starting eating it as if it were a salad or side dish. We were all dipping away and she goes, I don’t even need the chips for this! While I do love the salty crunch of a tortilla chip loaded with this Layered Mexican Pie, it’s definitely an option to forgo the chips if you’re looking for a little less of a caloric snack.

Everyone will love you for bringing this to your Labor Day parties next weekend. In fact, everyone will love you for bringing this to any and every party for the rest of your life. Just make it. Trust me.

Layered Mexican Pie

Layered Mexican Pie
 
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Layer upon layer of your favorite Mexican dip components all in one delicious Layered Mexican Pie!
Author:
Recipe type: Appetizer
Ingredients
  • 1 8 oz. block reduced fat cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup non fat plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 8 oz. container of your favorite salsa, drained
  • 1 8 oz. bag shredded lettuce
  • 1 small avocado, diced
  • 6-8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 2 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese
  • 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
Instructions
  1. Whip together the cream cheese and yogurt in a food processor until smooth and creamy.
  2. Assemble as follows:
  3. Cream cheese & yogurt mixture
  4. Salsa
  5. Shredded lettuce
  6. Avocado
  7. Cherry tomatoes
  8. Cheese
  9. Cilantro
  10. *Adjust measurements according to how much you want to make.

 

Cheesy Baked Arancini #SundaySupper

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Cheesy Baked Arancini is healthy and delicious. It’s finger food at its finest — perfect for your game day spread.

cheesy baked arancini #sundaysupper

It’s almost time for the big game. As exciting as it is, everyone knows that no football party is complete without an array of delicious finger foods, snacks, desserts and drinks to keep your mouth busy while you’re watching huge men run around throwing balls at each other. (Cue the football-lovers glare…) I know, I know, it’s fun to get all hyped up about the game — maybe I’d be more into it if my favorite team were playing. If you’re like me and the rest of my #SundaySupper friends, we are a little more zealous about the food. And the wine. Especially if it’s our favorite wines from Gallo Family Vineyards. 

cheesy baked arancini #sundaysupper

Yep, you guessed it. #SundaySupper is teaming up yet again with Gallo to bring you our favorite “Supper Bowl” appetizers! We’re sharing our tastiest finger food and appetizer recipes that every football fan will enjoy. And for everyone who’s dragged along to the football parties but really knows nothing about the game and is just going because well, what else is there to do, you’ve come to the right place. You can totally impress everyone at the party by making one of our recipes to bring — they won’t care if you don’t know the difference between a touchdown and a fumble.

cheesy baked arancini #sundaysupper

I like food that I can pick up with two fingers, pop in my mouth, and then go back for more without ever having to get a plate or a fork. At football parties, this is totally the norm. At nice fancy restaurants? Not so much. Nice-fancy-restaurant food is hardly ever seen at football parties — where messy food is always the star. Pizza, nachos, chili, chips and dips galore, chicken wings with sauce oozing all over the place — this is the kind of food you see at a football party. 

cheesy baked arancini #sundaysupper

But if I were to host a party to watch next week’s big game, I’d want to serve my guests only the best. One of my favorite nice-fancy-restaurant dishes is risotto, especially paired with a crisp white wine (like my favorite Gallo Family Riesling!). How do I “football-i-fy” risotto? By making arancini! Arancini is basically a ball of rice and lots of cheese, fried until golden brown on the outside and creamy on the inside. Not only did I make something fancy for this football celebration, but I made it a bit healthier too by baking the rice balls instead of frying them.

cheesy baked arancini #sundaysupper

 I used Gallo Family Riesling when cooking the rice. You know how it goes — a little bit for the pot, a little bit in my wine glass… 🙂 A combination of parmesan, mozzarella and fontina cheeses went into these little balls of deliciousness and with a panko-crusted coating, they came out perfectly crisp. I served my Cheesy Baked Arancini with a simple marinara sauce, but you could certainly choose to whip up something else. Truthfully, I didn’t even feel the need to dip them in anything! Warm, cheesy, crispy, crunchy rice balls… It’s fancy finger food at its finest! Sounds like game day food to me!

 

GFV 2015 Logo

Are you having your own party for the big game next weekend? Gallo Family has some great hosting tips, and if you’re having trouble figuring out just how to pair food and wine, they’ve got you covered! Follow Gallo Family Vineyards on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Not sure where to find Gallo Family wine? Check out the store locator. 

cheesy baked arancini #sundaysupper 

5.0 from 2 reviews
Cheesy Baked Arancini
 
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Cheesy Baked Arancini is healthy and delicious. It's finger food at its finest — perfect for your game day spread.
Author:
Recipe type: Appetizer
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • ½ cup brown rice
  • 1 cup water
  • ¼ cup Gallo Family Vineyards Riesling
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella
  • ¼ cup white whole wheat flour
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375º.
  2. Place rice in a food processor and pulse on and off until it is broken up into smaller pieces.
  3. Fill a large sauce pot with water and wine and bring to a simmer. Add the rice and cook on medium heat, covered, until all of the liquid as been absorbed.
  4. Once the rice is cooked, mix in the parmesan and mozzarella cheese and season with salt and pepper. Keep in the freezer to cool for about 5 minutes.
  5. Remove the mixture from the freezer and form the rice into 12 equal-sized balls. Immediately place the rice balls back in the freezer for another 2 or 3 minutes.
  6. While the rice balls are in the freezer, set up your breading station with 3 shallow bowls.
  7. Fill one with flour, one with egg whites and one with panko bread crumbs.
  8. Coat the balls, one at a time, starting with the flour. The dip them in the egg whites and coat evenly, then roll the ball in panko.
  9. Place each finished ball onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  10. Bake for about 10 minutes. Use a spatula to turn each ball onto its other side and continue baking another 5-6 minutes or until they are crisp.
  11. If they have not reached your desired level or brownness, place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes. But make sure to watch carefully so they do not burn!
  12. Serve warm.
Notes
Inspired by Rocco DiSpirito's Unfried Rice Balls: http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20668216,00.html

 

Wouldn’t it be awesome if all of the #SundaySupper members could get together and share our Supper Bowl recipes with one another on game day? Eh, at least we have the recipes… And here they are!

 
Sunday Supper MovementJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Disclaimer: Compensation was provided by Gallo Family Vineyards via Sunday Supper, LLC. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Gallo Family Vineyards.

Sunday Supper Movement