small bites

I've been working on small bites, appetizers, tapas, hors d'oeuvre....whatever you want to call them...since the party this summer.....I've been thinking of doing a party of just small bites at some point. Trying to figure out if that would be easier or harder for me.... than the way I usually do a party. First up is mini pizzas .... this bad boy is mozzarella, grape tomato, basil in olive oil. Yum.

On the blue plate is mini pizza with smoked salmon, gruyere cheese, some lemons (sliced thin and boiled in a small pot of salt water until the water is gone... sooo good and adds lots of flavor) and a pinch of fresh chives.

First is the cheese straws...like a cheesy, buttery, peppery, yummy cracker. Next the cracker is made with gorgonzola cheese, walnuts, butter and flour and topped with a smear of cream cheese, some raisins and dries cherries soaked in brandy and a piece of walnut on top. Last but not least is the gougeres, little yummy popovers with parmesan cheese and chives...

Check out the color of this dip..... that is beet hummus ... 99% of people who have tried this keep trying it. Joe hates beets but he likes this and can't figure out why.... it does have a beet taste but there is so much going on that it doesn't matter. There is lemon zest and juice, tahini (sesame seed paste), and cumin seed and salt ground up together with garlic and olive oil and the cooked beets. The recipe came from simply recipes but I tweaked it by adding more lemon juice and some olive oil and less cumin. But the color is unbelievable!

I haven't made anything with this red cabbage yet....but the color is not bad here either. well that's it for now....I need to get back to the kitchen and make some more small bites.