Yummy Appetizers...

Tuesday night was a fun evening spent with good friends. Our hostess opted for an "appetizer and dessert" menu, which I thought was genius! I had just seen this recipe on FaceBook, so I decided to make them to take along.

The first picture is my first attempt...which means anyone can make these. They were a huge hit, by the way!

The original idea came from EnjoyEasyMeals.com in a video presentation that you can view HERE. I didn't want to have to run the video every time I needed to see the quantities, so I wrote out the recipe as I watched it, and I'm sharing it with you below.

Apple Roses

preheat oven to 375º

Ingredients:
2 red delicious apples
fresh lemon
apricot preserves
cinnamon
puff pastry

Core and thinly slice apples (widthwise), leaving on the skin. Place into a bowl containing water and 1/2 squeezed lemon (no seeds, please). Microwave for 3 minutes. Mix 3 T apricot preserves and 1 T water to thin preserves.

Roll out one sheet of puff pastry onto flour. Roll or stretch out the pastry. Cut into 6 strips. Place apple slices on the top half of the strip, slightly overlapping and extending just past the top edge. Spread lower half of the pastry with the apricot/water mixture. Sprinkle cinnamon on the assembly. Fold pastry up, lengthwise, but leave the top of the apple slices peeking out. Starting at one end, roll the pastry and slices up until you get to the other end. I put a little preserve mixture on the end to seal the edge.

Place into a non-stick muffin pan. Bake in the oven for 40 - 45 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Let them cool down before serving. You wouldn't want to burn your nose!
Enjoy!

If you make these, please remember to go to the original post and leave a comment.

The other dish I took along was a recipe that was shared with me forty years ago by a girlfriend where I worked. I'm sad to say she passed about twenty years ago. This has been a summer standby all these years, and it's a real family favorite.

I shared it with Wisconsin Public Radio listeners when Larry Mieller put together a cookbook in 1988; and then shared it again with my friends and customers in my Stitches' Needleworker's Cookbook which I produced in 1990. I think it's only fair that I share it with my girl and guy friends here, too.

Mexican Confetti
Best if made with the freshest of fresh ingredients, and allowed to marinate a few hours before serving.

Chop and dice the following ingredients, and mix together in a large bowl:
1 can jumbo pitted ripe olives, drained
2 large bunches green onions
3 large green peppers
1 lb. fresh mushrooms (I use baby Portobellas)
6-7 tomatoes

Add:
1 jar of your favorite chunky salsa (desired strength: mild to spicy)
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
3 Tablespoons wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped 

Cover and refrigerate. The longer it stands, the more the flavors mix - and the better it tastes.
Serve with your favorite tortilla chips. I like the blue ones! (Just adds more color to the dish.)

* After you make it the first time, add to or amend the recipe to your own taste. You might like to add avocado, a little lime juice or even a little hot pepper. (I'm partial to the avocado and lime juice, myself)

I hope you enjoy these goodies as much as my family, friends and I do.

Today, I'm gonna meet up with my girlfriend, Carol of Serendipity blog. We're gonna play in her studio for a little while and then we're going out for lunch. We have so much to catch up on before she heads north for the summer! It's always fun to spend the day with a friend. See you tomorrow!