Chocolate Honey Almond Tartlets

Last Year's Post: Spinach, Blueberry & Goat Cheese Salad
Two Years Ago:   Smoky Peanut Mole with Pork Tenderloin

Finger foods are great for parties, which is why I made these little tartlets for a recent get-together with friends.  I knew that anything chocolate would be a hit, and liked the idea that they're easy to eat and would accommodate people that want "just a bite".

So, my expectation going in was that the tartlets would taste like chocolate on a graham cracker crust, right?  What surprised me was that you can also taste the almonds and honey, adding to the complexity of flavor even in these tiny little one-bite treats.  One of the guests, admittedly a chocolate fiend, snatched one the moment the tray was brought out and immediately named them "chocolate angel wings".  (She did regular fly-bys for the rest of the night.)

That might be a bit of hyperbole but they are really, really good.  The graham cracker crust is crisp with that light touch of almond, which the chocolate is somewhat soft and has a rich hint of honey.  You just peel off the paper and pop the tartlet your mouth whole.  Very fun!

You'll need a mini-cupcake pan and liners to make the tartlets.  The original recipe stated it makes 16 tartlets but I found it makes quite a few more - depending on how much crust and filling you put in each liner, it should make at least 20 tartlets.  After zapping the crust ingredients in a food processor, you fill each liner and tamp them down with your fingers or a shot glass.  (The Lawyer as a hand model once again.)

After baking the crusts and making the chocolate filling, you fill each liner.  I found drizzling in the chocolate with a small spoon worked best.

Note that after filling the tartlets they need to be refrigerated at least 2 hours to harden, so plan ahead.  Although the adults went crazy for them, they'd be perfect for kids too.

printable recipe

Chocolate Honey Almond Tartlets

Makes 20-22 tartlets

5 graham crackers (2 ¾ ounces)

1 tablespoon slivered almonds

2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter, cut into ½ -inch pieces, room temperature

1/3 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons honey

1 cup (5 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips, such as Ghirardelli

Special equipment:  mini-muffin tin and liners

Preheat the oven to 350 d.  Line a mini-muffin tin with mini-cupcake liners. 

Place the graham crackers and almonds in a food processor and process to fine crumbs, 15 to 20 seconds.  Add the butter and pulse until incorporated.  Add one heaping teaspoon of the crumb mixture to each muffin cup, pressing it into the bottom with your fingers or a shot glass.  Bake for 8 minutes, or until the crusts are firm, rotating the tin halfway through.

In a small saucepan over low heat, whisk the cream and honey together until the honey has dissolved.  Raise the heat to medium and bring the mixture to just below a boil.  Place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl and pour the hot cream over the chocolate, whisking until smooth.  Pour chocolate into each prepared muffin cup until just below the rim of the liner.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Sausage Rolls with Mustard Cheese Dipping Sauce

Last Year's Post: Hibachi Shrimp (or Chicken or Beef or Lobster)
Two Years Ago:  Spinach Salad with Spicy Orange Dressing

Sausage rolls are a popular snack food in England, the original home of pub food.  They're all meaty/savory on the inside and crispy on the outside.  Served with a warm mustard cheese sauce, they just scream for a good craft beer.  You could make it a meal by adding some cut-up raw vegetables and soft pretzels (like we did) to dip in the sauce along with the sausage rolls - sort of like the beer version of fondue.  Or, serve these at your next party and watch them disappear - your beer-loving friends will go crazy.  Definitely double the recipe for a party.

The best part is that they're incredibly easy to make.  Make sure you buy pre-cooked sausages so you don't have to worry about whether they're cooked through or not, plus they're less greasy. Italian sausages are particularly good because they have a nice amount of spice that balances the cheese sauce, but use any flavor that appeals to you. I would think sun-dried tomato, garlic, or spinach varieties would also be good. Cut the puff pastry strips the same width as your sausage pieces so you can see the sausages when they're rolled up.  If the pastry looks a little too wide after you're done rolling, just trim it with a knife or kitchen scissors.  And finally, the cayenne pepper gives the cheese sauce a nice little kick but if you don't like spice just leave it out and the sauce will still be great.

Besides being easy to make, the other advantage for a party is that you can make them in advance and keep them refrigerated and covered with plastic wrap on their baking sheet.  All you have to do when the party starts is just bake them and make the cheese sauce (or make that in advance too, and simply reheat).

Dip, pop in mouth, sip beer, repeat.

printable recipe

Sausage Rolls with Mustard Cheese Dipping Sauce

Makes 16 appetizer rolls

Note:  raw vegetables and soft pretzels are also an excellent addition to serve with the cheese sauce.

For the sausage rolls:

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

All-purpose flour

4 pre-cooked chicken or turkey sausages (such as Aidells), Italian style or your favorite flavor

1 egg, beaten

Salt and pepper

For the cheese mustard dipping sauce:

¼ cup amber or dark beer

¼ cup Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional

3 ½ ounces Cheddar cheese, grated (1 ½ cups)

Roll the puff pastry out on a floured surface to a rectangle of about 12” x 14”.  Place the shorter side closest to you, then trim the edges so they’re straight and cut the pastry in half crosswise into two equal pieces. Cut each piece into six long strips for a total of twelve strips and season with a little salt and pepper.  Brush the bottom edge of each strip with a little beaten egg and reserve the remaining egg for later.

Cut each sausage into three equal pieces.  Place a sausage piece on the top of a strip (away from the beaten egg) and roll up to enclose (the pastry should overlap somewhat).  Place seam side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Repeat with the remaining sausages and pastry strips.  Put the sausage rolls in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to harden.

Preheat the oven to 400d.

After 20 minutes remove the sausage rolls from the refrigerator and score the tops twice with a sharp knife.  Brush each roll all over with the rest of the beaten egg (taking care not to get the egg on the edges or on the sausage or this may prevent puffing in the oven).  Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until golden-brown and puffed.  Remove and let cool for 5 minutes or so before serving.

While the sausage rolls are baking, combine all sauce ingredients except the cheese in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Gradually whisk in the cheese, continuing to cook until smooth and all the cheese is melted – about 5 minutes.

Serve the warm sausage rolls with warm cheese sauce on the side.

Smashed Potatoes

Last Year's Post:  Shrimp, Grapefruit and Avocado Salad
Two Years Ago:   Tiny Pizzas (Finger Food)

Looking for a new and different appetizer for your next party?  Or maybe you're tired of the same old baked potatoes, mashed potatoes and french fries as a side dish.  The recipe will fit the bill either way.  Tiny potatoes are cooked twice - first boiled to make them tender, then smashed and roasted with olive oil.  The result is an irresistible treat that's crispy on the outside and moist and tender on the inside.  Serve it with your favorite dip and watch people dive in.

The technique is really easy and fun.  First you boil the potatoes, then take them out and put them on some towels.  You use another towel as cover to gently flatten them.  The first time I made this recipe I was pretty doubtful about the "gently flatten" part - I figured they'd turn into mush.  But they don't - they just kind of split and flatten.  The lawyer was so interested after watching me do a few, that he had to try it himself.

At this point you let the potatoes cool completely - you can even cover and refrigerate them so all you have to do later is roast them with olive oil until they're brown and crispy.  You could easily add some garlic or herbs while they roast to vary the taste.

They're excellent served up with flavored sour cream, cheese sauce,  chipotle sauce, chile sauce - whatever you like.  If you're having a party, I'd make a big batch and serve them with several sauces so people can try them all.

printable recipe

Smashed Potatoes

Serves 4-6 as a side dish or appetizer

12 to 15 baby red or yellow potatoes (1 ½ - 2 “ in diameter)

2 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt, divided

½ cup olive oil

Put the potatoes in a large saucepan (preferably in one layer) and cover with at least an inch of water.  Add 2 teaspoons of kosher salt to the water.  Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are completely tender and can easily be pierced with a skewer, 30-35 minutes.

While the potatoes are cooking, set up a double layer of clean dishtowels on the countertop.  When the potatoes are done, remove them individually from the water (don’t dump) and let them sit on the towels for a minute or two.

Fold another dishtowel into quarters, and using it as a cover, gently press down on one potato to flatten it to about ½” thick.  Repeat with the remaining potatoes.  Don’t worry some break apart a little; you can still use them.

Cover a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; put a sheet of parchment on top of the foil.  Transfer the flattened potatoes carefully to the baking sheet and let them cool completely at room temperature.

Note:  the potatoes may be covered loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerated at this point to be roasted later.

Heat the oven to 450d.  Sprinkle the potatoes with the remaining ¾ teaspoon salt and pour the olive oil over them.  Lift the potatoes gently with a spatula to make sure some of the oil goes underneath and that they’re well coated.  Roast until crisp and deep browned on the edges, turning once halfway through, about 30-40 minutes. 

Serve hot.

Brie & Pomegranate Toasts

Last Year's Post: Cheese Fondue
Two Years Ago:  Cuban Paella

As you know if you follow this blog, I recently discovered an easy way to remove pomegranate seeds (also called arils) from the fruit by cutting the pomegranate open and whacking it (cut side down) with a wooden spoon while holding it over a bowl.  I was so happy about it that I immediately wanted to use pomegranate seeds in everything.  I decided to create an appetizer that's a little special and festive enough for the holiday season but also very simple - just baguette, brie cheese, pomegranate seeds, and a balsamic vinegar reduction.

It's so easy I can't really even call it a recipe - you just simmer down a good quality balsamic vinegar, toast some baguette slices, and melt some Brie on top of the toasts.  Drizzle with a little balsamic reduction and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and you're done!  It would make a beautiful appetizer for a holiday get-together or cocktail party.  Add a little green color to your serving platter by using parsley or even a few tiny spruce tips to make it look really special.

As you can see. my small baguette made 12 toasts.  It's easy to make more but I would suggest using two small baguettes rather than one large one for ease of holding and eating the toasts.  If you can only find a large baguette, you might want to cut each toast in half.

If you missed the link to a YouTube video showing how to remove the pomegranate seeds the first time I posted it, you can find it here.  The guy does like to hear himself talk, but it's worth it to watch the technique.

If you have leftover balsamic reduction, don't throw it away, it's like liquid gold - use it drizzled over tomatoes, roast chicken, shards of parmesan cheese, or salads.  Just keep it covered in the refrigerator - if it thickens too much, gently re-warm on the stove or in the microwave.  It's delicious!

printable recipe

Brie & Pomegranate Toasts

Makes 12 toasts

Note:  the amount of Brie needed will vary with the size of your baguette.

1 cup good-quality balsamic vinegar

1 small baguette

¾ lb Brie cheese

Seeds of ½ pomegranate

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Additional parsley for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400d.

Bring the balsamic vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for approximately 10 minutes until reduced by one third, watching closely and stirring frequently so the vinegar doesn't burn.  Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, place the Brie cheese in the freezer for 10 minutes to make slicing easier.  Slice the baguette into thin slices on the diagonal and place on a baking sheet.  Bake for 3-4 minutes until lightly toasted, remove from the oven.

Remove the Brie from the freezer; remove the rind and cut cheese into thin slices.  Place the cheese slices on the toasts and put back in the oven for a minute or two until the Brie starts to melt.  Remove the toasts from the oven, drizzle with balsamic reduction, sprinkle with chopped parsley and pomegranate seeds, and place on a platter with additional parsley for garnish.

Serve warm.

Tiny Pizzas (Lilliputian Food Part 1)

I've had this strange fascination with tiny food (as in miniature versions of normal food) ever since I read an article about creating a counterpart to sliders by using little teeny weenies and making your own teeny buns for miniature hot dogs.  Although I don't like those little weiners (I think they're called Lil Smokies) I liked the idea.  After further research I learned that I could make tiny tacos, reubens, pizzas, and other Lilliputian foods that are perfect finger food for parties.  Someday I want to throw a party where all the food is miniaturized - I think that would be hilarious.

Do you have a New Years or football party in your near future?  I've never understood why so many people serve chili or regular pizza slices for football parties -messy, drippy food precariously transported from plate to mouth by a person whose eyes are glued to a TV screen.  I think the whole tradition must have been started by a carpet cleaning company.  In contrast, tiny food is securely transported with two fingers and whap! Into the mouth in its entirety.  Perfect, not to mention cute as the dickens. 

I thought I would start my erratic and occasional series on Lilliputian Food with tiny pizzas because everybody likes pizza and they're incredibly easy to make.

Although this recipe calls for using a store-bought crust, you could certainly use a refrigerated crust or make your own.  Just be sure to partially bake it first.  If you decide to use a store-bought crust, buy the thinnest one you can find so the tiny pizzas look right proportionally and the crust gets crisp.  I use sun-dried tomato pesto in place of pizza sauce because I like the additional boost of flavor but either one will work fine. The reason to chop the cheeses if they're in long shreds is because they're hard to drape on the tiny pizzas and make a mess.  Smaller pieces are much easier to handle.

You'll need a 2-inch round cookie cutter, which is easy to find at any kitchen gadget store or Bed, Bath and Beyond.  I bought a set of various sizes a while back and they come in handy.

Watch the pizzas closely because they bake fast - a minute or two will make a big difference once the cheese starts to melt because they're small and temperature is high.


* * click here for a printable recipe * *


Tiny Pizzas
Makes about 32 mini pizzas

2 large store-bought pre-baked thin crust pizza shells
Small jar of pizza sauce or sun-dried tomato pesto
Small package shredded pizza cheese blend – chopped in small pieces
Grated or shredded parmesan cheese – chopped into small pieces if needed
Pepperoni - optional
Pitted black or green olives – sliced in half lengthwise
Fresh basil – smallest whole leaves


Preheat the oven to 450d.

Cut rounds from pizza crust using a 2-inch round cutter, avoiding the thick crust edge. 

Top the pizza rounds with sauce and cover with pizza cheese blend. Top with pepperoni and an olive half.  As you can see, I made some with pepperoni and some without.  Choices, choices.

Place on a baking sheet and bake in the middle of the oven until the cheese is melted and just starting to brown, approximately 8 minutes. (Watch closely so the cheese doesn’t get too dark.)

Remove from the oven and sprinkle lightly with parmesan. Place a very small basil leaf on each and plate for serving.