Our One Year Anniversary Open House Party was a huge success not only because of the packed class and good vibes, but because of the delicious hors d’oeuvres! If it was up to me, we would have just had wine and cheese (lots of cheese) but that wouldn’t have supported all of the hard work we put in during class! Luckily, Town Barre babe, Cheryl, offered to help prepare the post-class snacks. Everything from her display to her dips were perfect! Almost immediately she was asked for recipes so we decided to share a few of them on the blog!
Next time you are entertaining – ditch the cheese and dress up the veggies – your guests will LOVE these recipes!
Dips:
Caramelized Onion Dip
Ingredients:
- 1 large red onion
- Olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- Pad of grass fed butter
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt 1%
- 1 8 oz. container of sour cream
Slice the onions thinly and sauté slowly using olive oil and a pad of butter, add salt and pepper. When the onions are soft, add in a tablespoon of sugar and continue cooking slowly, until the are carmelized. Put the onions in a food processor with 1/2 a container of sour cream and 1/2 cup of greek yogurt. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate – dip tastes the best after it sits for a day.
Roasted Carrot Dip
Ingredients:
- 6 carrots peeled and roughly chopped into half inch pieces
- 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon of raw honey
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
Preheat your oven to 425°. On a nonstick baking sheet arrange the carrots in a single layer. Mist carrots with cooking spray or drizzle with olive oil, (I used oil) and roast for 45 minutes turning halfway until tender. Cool for 10 minutes. In a food processor blend the carrots and the remaining ingredients until smooth.
Serve both with a beautiful display of sliced veggies!
Skewers:
Tortellini Skewers:
- Cooked tortellini (marinated in Caesar dressing overnight)
- Mozzarella ball
- Salami
- Drizzled with Balsamic
Caesar Salad Skewers:
- Lettuce
- Grape tomato
- Feta cheese
- Kalamata olive
- Crouton
- Drizzled with Caesar dressing
Snacks
Sesame Almond Brown Rice Balls
Ingredients:
- 2 cups / 14 oz / 400 g brown sushi rice (stubby, short grains)
- 3 cups / 710 ml water
- 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 1/4 cup / 1.5 oz / 45 g sesame seeds (white/black mix)
- 3 tablespoons toasted almond slices/slivers, chopped
- 1/4 cup / 4 tablespoons minced green onions
- Optional: things to tuck in the middle like avocado cubes (toss in lemon juice first), tofu, etc.
In a colander or fine-mesh strainer, rinse the rice briefly and drain. If you have time to soak the rice for an hour or two, do it. If not, just proceed. Bring the rice to a boil over medium-high heat in your thickest-bottomed pot. Dial the heat back so the water is just simmering actively – low/med. Cover with tight fitting lid, and try not to peek too often. Cook the rice until the water has been absorbed and the grains are cooked through, usually about an hour, less if you’ve soaked the rice. If the grains have cooked but there’s still water to be absorbed, dial the heat up to med/high until the pan dries out, being careful not to scorch the rice at the bottom. Remove the rice from heat and let rest, covered, for at least 15 minutes, preferably a bit longer. Fluff with a fork, then gradually add and incorporate the sesame seeds, almonds, and green onions. At this point, taste, and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt if needed. Let the rice cool quite a bit before shaping.
To form the rice balls, line a small cup with plastic wrap, sprinkle the plastic wrap with a dab of water, then fill the cup 2/3 full with rice mixture. No need to pack it down. You can tuck something (avocado, tofu, etc.) in the center at this point if you’d like. Gather the plastic wrap like you would a ponytail, and twist at the base of the rice. Make sure there is no air trapped, and use your opposite palm to shape into a ball. Carefully remove plastic wrap and set the rice ball in a parchment lined container or on a plate. Repeat with the remaining rice.
Makes about 2 dozen small rice balls.
A couple tips:
- If your fingers get sticky, dab with water. If you run out of steam making rice balls, just cook up a couple eggs into a thin omelette, cut into shreds, and toss with the rice (Also, makes for one of Cheryl’s favorite quick lunches).
- Because brown rice has ingredients that can go rancid still intact – bran/germ, if you can find organic rice labeled “new crop,” go with that kind.
- In case you want to make a larger pot of rice, use ~1 1/2 cups / 360 ml water for each cup of rice – perhaps a splash more.
Thank you Cheryl, for sharing these recipes and putting together the incredible spread for our open house! There was truly something for everyone on the table. Skip the cheese plate during your next happy hour/dinner party and try these recipes, we promise you won’t regret it!
Cheers, Michelle
Town Barre 