Appetizers

Quick and Easy Escargot Appetizers

September 20, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 7 Comments

Whether you love them or hate them, there’s no denying that escargots are a classic appetizer. If you’re a fan of cheesy garlic slugs, then you’ll want to learn how to make these quick and easy escargot appetizers!

LOVE AT FIRST SNAIL

The first time I ever had escargots, I was four.

I didn’t understand that they were snails, but even if I had, I wouldn’t have cared a stitch. They were cheesy, garlicky, chewy and delicious. What wasn’t to love?

From that moment on escargots were my favourite appetizer, but they were hard to come by for a German-Canadian child. Because there was a paucity of snails in my youth, I elevated them up in my mind as something to be sought after.

There’s something elegant about being served escargots, don’t you think? After all, they’re a delicacy!

EASY ESCARGOT RECIPES (A VIDEO)

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Rustic Puff Pastry Tomato Tart with Pesto and Kale

August 23, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 1 Comment

This lemony rustic tomato tart with pesto and kale is bursting with flavour and oozing with fresh mozzarella cheese. Made with a puff pastry base, it’s easy to put together for a weekday meal, all you need is a salad!

rustic tomato tart puff pastry pesto kale

A SUMMERY PUFF PASTRY TOMATO TART

This is my first year growing tomatoes and getting a crop that doesn’t disappear overnight thanks to a pesky neighbourhood squirrel. This is also my first year having kale in my backyard. Slipping into the backyard to snip off kale leaves has been a joy, but I planted a lot, and I know my tomatoes are only getting started. Soon there’s going to be a canning party in my kitchen, but for now, I can keep up with the bounty. I can go outside and my full tomato harvest is enough for a small salad or for a rustic tomato tart. I went with the latter.

TOMATO TART RECIPE VIDEO

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Tequila Lime Chicken Quesadillas in Cast Iron

July 26, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 1 Comment

These tangy tequila lime chicken quesadillas make a fun appetizer or a complete meal served with rice & beans and a green salad. Learn how to make this cast iron skillet recipe that’s sure to become a fast favourite!

TEQUILA LIME CHICKEN QUESADILLAS: A FAMILY FAVOURITE

When I was a teenager, lime chicken quesadillas were a hot dinner item in my family. Mexican nights were always greeted with an air of excitement, but we usually stopped at tacos: flour tortillas (never hard shells), ground beef, taco mix, cheese, and the trappings. Everything changed when a family friend took things to the next level. There would be a big pot of rice seasoned with salsa; refried beans; pickled jalapeños and lime chicken quesadillas oozing with jalapeño Monterey Jack cheese. My brothers and I loved these quesadillas which is why they became the most requested meal.

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Kefir Ranch Dip (for all your dipping needs)

July 9, 2019 by Sylvia Rose Leave a Comment

Kefir ranch dip is a wonderful way to use up an abundance of kefir and is a tasty way to sneak in probiotics. Learn how to make this kefir ranch dip to serve with the veggie platter at your next party!

A RANCH DIP RECIPE FOR WHEN YOU’RE OUT OF BUTTERMILK

I love buttermilk as much as the next person, but I don’t make it at home and seldom buy it. But, I DO make my own kefir, and since I’m the only one who drinks it at home, I always have an overabundance of it. When I don’t feel like drinking it straight–which is most of the time–I store it in the fridge and before I know it, I have a tidy stockpile if I’m not vigilant about using it. I need to buy buttermilk at the store. Kefir? I’m swimming in it. Step aside, buttermilk.

KEFIR RANCH DIP AND CRUDITÉS RECIPE VIDEO

If this is your first time visiting the Kitchen, you’re about to find out why I call my kitchen vintage… If you like my style, please consider subscribing to the Vintage Kitchen Vixen YouTube channel!

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Shredded Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing

July 2, 2019 by Sylvia Rose Leave a Comment

Make fibre your friend with this heart healthy shredded salad! Brimming with a colourful assortment of vegetables, you’re basically guaranteed to get your vitamin intake for the day.

shredded salad with spinach, zucchini, beets, potato, carrots, alfalfa sprouts and parsley

A SHREDDED SALAD FOR BETTER DIGESTION

My mom makes the best salads. She’s a raw vegetable enthusiast and goes on bouts of eating a raw diet every so often because she loves how it makes her feel. Whenever I go to her place, there’s almost always some kind of salad on the table and I love it. When it comes to salad, I don’t feel guilty going for seconds, and my mom makes so much that going back for seconds is heartily encouraged.

A couple of years ago when she was on one of her raw vegan diet kicks, she brought a special mandolin to my place and made a salad that changed everything I knew about salad. Did you know that shredding vegetables makes them more digestible? I spent the next two months eating a shredded salad for lunch every day. I was addicted.

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Pissaladiere (A Classic Mediterraenean Tart)

June 25, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 2 Comments

This classic Mediterranean tart is best served with a chilled glass of rosé. Learn how to make this flaky and flavourful appetizer and impress your guests with its simple elegance!

I DIDN’T CATCH THAT…PISSALADIERE?

“A pea-salad-what?” I can hear myself saying. “A pissaladière,” my husband patiently repeats. I stare at him uncomprehendingly because I still don’t know what it is. That was nearly a decade ago. A pissaladière, if you didn’t know, is a summery tart that hails from Southern France. Nice, to be exact. I’m pleased to say that I can now pronounce it with ease, eat it with relish (not the condiment), and make it well enough that I can share this little-known appetizer with you. This is how you pronounce it, by the way.

PISSALADIÈRE RECIPE VIDEO

If this is your first time visiting the kitchen, you’re about to find out why I call my kitchen vintage… If you like my style, please consider subscribing to the Vintage Kitchen Vixen YouTube channel!