Tag: small bites

Creamy Chive Bacon Bites

On By greg@kandflivingIn Photo Gallery, Recipes, Uncategorized2 Comments

We’re approaching the first big picnic weekend of the year and that means a lot of requests for side dishes, desserts and appetizers.  For a little something unique, easy to pick up and eat and not too tough to make, try these bacon bites.  Salty crispy bacon surrounds soft bread rolled with chive cream cheese provide the perfect balanced bite with a cold beer or chilled rose on a sunny afternoon!

CREAMY CHIVE BACON BITES

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Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Remove bread from bag and cut off all crusts using a serrated knife.  I like to use this specific brand of bread because it’s thin-cut, but still sturdy enough to hold up to this recipe.  Plain white bread tends to turn to mush so don’t skimp here.
  • Allow cream cheese to soften or microwave for 20 seconds to make spreadable.  You can certainly make your own by adding 2 Tbs. fresh-chopped chives to 8 ounces plain cream cheese.  I just bought the stuff flavored at the store to keep it easy this time.
  • Spread a thin layer of cream cheese on a slice of bread and roll tightly.  You can push down slightly and roll with your palm to make sure it’s tight.  Continue until you’ve used all of the bread.
  • Cut bread rolls in half.
  • Using kitchen shears, cut bacon slices into thirds.
  • Wrap a third of a bacon slice around each bread roll and secure with a toothpick.
  • Place all finished rolls onto a cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes turning once through the cooking process.  The bacon should be rendered, brown and crispy.  Be careful not to overcrowd the pan or they won’t crisp nicely.
  • Remove from oven and serve immediately.  These also hold up well in an insulated baking dish to take somewhere.

Your family and friends will love these tasty bites!  The bread soaks up some of the bacon grease and browns on each end to give you a little crouton texture along with the creamy middle.  With the toothpicks already inserted they’re a great grab-and-go snack for Memorial Day picnics or any other entertaining you’d like to do.  Dig in!

Hanky Panks

On By greg@kandflivingIn Photo Gallery, Recipes, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Much like its “frisky” name, these spicy cheesy sausage toasts will light a little fire in you! I often get requests for appetizer recipes that are easy for someone to take a bite and go.  These hanky banks are hearty, delicious and sturdy enough to grab one and mingle with your drink vs. standing around a chip and dip bowl or carrying a plate around.  Prepare these in a large batch and freeze to keep them handy for parties or a quick appetizer with drinks or for unexpected company.  Kids and adults both will love them!

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HANKY PANKS

Ingredients

  • 2 Lbs. Lean Ground Beef
  • 1 Lb. Mild Pork Sausage
  • 1 Lb. Spicy Pork Sausage
  • 1 Tsp. Garlic Salt
  • 1 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 Tsp. Dried Oregano
  • 32 Ounces Velveeta, Cut Into Chunks
  • 2 Loaves Light Party Rye

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Instructions

  • In a heavy pot, brown ground beef and sausage along with garlic salt, oregano and pepper flakes.  Drain meat throughly.
  • Place meat back in pot and add chunked Velveeta.  Stir over low heat until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth.  It will be thick, but should be able to stir.
  • Remove from heat and spoon roughly 1 1/2 Tbs. of mixture onto each slice of party rye.  Place each finished rye bread on cookie sheets until all bread and mixture is used.  Put cookie sheets into freezer for 20 minutes until they are frozen or at least solid enough to stack in gallon freezer bags.
  • Bag in servings of one dozen and freeze until ready to use.
  • When ready to serve, place frozen hanky banks on a cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees until they are bubbly and slightly browned.  Serve immediately.

It never fails to please a hungry crowd when you bake up a few dozen of these spicy snacks.  They’re perfect for football season and holidays or basically anytime you have no awareness of calorie count!  If you have an aversion to spicy food, feel free to use all mild sausage and/or eliminate the red pepper flakes.  If you want to make these in smaller batches you can also halve this recipe.  However, if you’re going through the process, I highly recommend making the full amount – your family and friends will love them!!