Antipasto in Crispy Bite Size Salami Cups

When I saw this idea for an appetizer on 

the Columbus® Facebook page, I knew I

wanted to try it out.  Of course I tweaked it just a little.

A San Francisco tradition established in 1917

Columbus® products have been a favorite in my 

family for years and years. I particularly have fond

memories around holiday time when our dad would buy and 

bring home big sticks of salami from San Francisco on the train--

for gifts and snacking. 

(His job was in San Francisco and he commuted each weekday

 to and from our home on the SF Peninsula for dozens of years.

It was always treat to meet him at the train station at 5:25pm as he

stepped down from the train, neatly

dressed in suit and tie ~ briefcase in hand . . . 

 especially on the days when he had those big

paper-wrapped sticks of salami tucked under his arm! )

To make the 'cups' the pre-sliced Genoa Salame

works best because the diameter is larger than regular 

salame so it is easier to work with 

(the slices tend to shrink when baked.)

To bake, pre-heat oven to 375ºF. Tuck one slice

of salami into a small mold and press in.

I used these little Brioche molds but mini-muffin pans

work very well too. I found that sandwiching the

salami slice between two molds helps them hold their

shape while baking.

 If you have 2 identical muffin pans, put the

salami in the cups of one and carefully stack and press the 

second pan into the first, which will help keep the 

salami in place while baking.

Alternately, you can make small 'balls' out of aluminum foil and

place/press each of them down upon the salami slices in each mold ~

then bake. Personally I feel that is really wasteful, 

and would just skip this recipe and serve antipasto 

on a platter or plates instead.

Bake for 10 minutes or so. The salami will begin to

hold the shape of the mold as it begins to crisp in the

oven. It's best not to over-bake or the salami cups 

may shatter when it's time to fill them. 

(Hint: Place the molds or muffin pans on

a parchment or silicone lined rimmed baking sheet to catch

any drippings.)

When baked, remove from oven, allow to cool a moment,

it's helpful to turn molds or muffin pan upside down

to finish cooling. Before they are completely cool 

remove the 'top' mold or muffin pan.

You can make the "cups" a few hours up to one day

ahead, storing in air tight container.

Next, choose the fillings for the cups, 

just gather your favorites from

items found on the antipasto platter.

I chose:

 Black olives (brined), pitted and sliced in half

Pepperoncini, sliced

Roasted red pepper, sliced into small pieces

Marinated artichoke hearts, cut into small pieces

And some cheese goes really well in these cups.

I used the tiny, fresh 'perline' mozzarella ("pearls"),

but you can just cut other mozzarella into small

cubes. Or use another favorite cheese.

The cups themselves are rather salty and I think the

mozzarella is a good smooth contrast to the saltiness of

the other ingredients.

There are plenty of other options for fillings,

here are just a few:

Garbanzo beans (from the can, or home-cooked)

Sun dried tomato slivers

Pimento stuffed olives / other olives

Tiny cocktail onions

Small chunks of tuna or slivers of anchovy

Feta or Gorgonzola cheese crumbles

Scallions (thinly sliced)

Grape or Cherry tomatoes (sliced)

Fresh red or green bell pepper (slivered)

Marinated mushrooms (drained, and sliced if large)

Golden or brown raisins, (a few in each cup adds a nice contrast of flavors)

Bits of fresh parsley or basil leaves

Capers

Sliced tiny pickles

Slivers of red onion

Thin slices of carrot

Truly, whatever strikes your fancy.

~*~*~*~*~

How do you spell it?

Salami or Salame?

You be the judge ~ 

it seems there are varying thoughts here in the U.S.

One explanation from Wikipedia. (click)

photo credit: wikipedia

Antique Hungarian Salami Poster

Use your favorite brand of Salami in the recipe ~ I prefer the Genoa

type simply because of it's larger size; uncooked the kind I used

is about 3 1/4-inches in diameter, after being put in the mold

(plus shrinkage during baking) the cups are about 2 1/2-inch in

diameter measured from the widest points at the top of

the salami "cups".

If you make these, I hope you like them.

Thank you for stopping by, your comments make my day!

~Mari :)

(Full disclosure:  No recognition or reimbursement of any kind 

has been received from Columbus® products for featuring

their products in this post. I just happen to like their products.)

Fig-Prosciutto Crostini with Brie, Walnuts & Rosemary

Some of the popular flavors of Fall, all combined into an

easy, tasty appetizer or snack The combination of

sweet and salty is practically irresistible!

If you have fresh figs, you could slice them in place

of the fig jam ~  substitute thin apple slices, or pears

for the sweet base if you like. 

The recipe is really versatile ~ you can substitute any

favorite jam or preserves, a different cheese and

other toasted nuts (or leave them out entirely.)

It's one of those easy recipes that you can put together

on a moments notice for unexpected guests.

I added the prosciutto, toasted walnuts and the 

rosemary needles as a garnish  (after broiling the bread --spread

with the jam and topped with a piece of Brie) ~

but if you want to assemble ahead with no last minute work, 

you could simply layer the toppings on the bread slices and 

bake in a hot oven until the jam is bubbling and the cheese is melted. 

The prosciutto becomes a little crisp, 

and the rosemary takes on a delicate, toasty crunch.

Cut the bread about 1/2-inch thick, then add the toppings. The texture is
best if you do not toast it first ~ just add the toppings and broil until the
jam is heated and the cheese is melted.

No need for an actual recipe, this one is

particularly easy to remember.

Other suggestions you might like:
Apricot, Raspberry, Peach jam, or a smear of honey; 
 other toasted pine nuts~ 
pecans, sliced (or chopped) almonds, or macadamia nuts.
Goat cheese, cream cheese, Gorgonzola or Blue, etc. ~

There are all kinds of possibilities . . .

Instead of serving as an appetizer or
snack,  substitute them for the cheese course after a special dinner.

Mix it up and try this idea with your own favorite toppings ~ 

I believe you'll enjoy.   

Thank you for stopping by

today, friends!

xo~Mari   :)

Smoky Cheddar Spritz Crackers

As we were growing up our mother would make Spritz Butter Cookies  almost every year during the holidays, and also cheese 'straws' throughout the year.  Maybe your mom or grandmother did as well?

My sister and I followed the same tradition as we started our own families, we would decorate the cookies in all sorts of pretty ways  and sometimes with colored cookie dough ~  They are a perpetual favorite and always look so festive on the cookie tray.



Sadly, my cookie press finally went kaput after many years of use, so when I saw good reviews about this set made by OXO I was compelled to replace my old Mirro metal version.  Plus, I fell for the pumpkin disk in the Autumn set. :)
OXO's great reputation and all of the unique disk motifs,  its' ease of use and care sold me. 

The press comes with 12 decorative disks; all of the traditional ones I remember -
snowflake, heart, wreath, tree, buttercup, daisy, etc. as well as some, new to me (all really cute!) :
shell, sunflower, fleur de lis, bear (little teddy bear!), leaf, butterfly
See more about the press and other disks below.


~*~*~*~*~



Of course you can use any cookie press or disk to make these delicious cheese straw crackers, follow your favorite recipe or choose the one I favor (it's over on my recipe blog, link below.)
This is my favorite recipe for a savory cracker using the cookie press.

Like most all Spritz-type cookies the recipe is really simple,  just a bit more involved than a shortbread dough.  
But for the cheese crackers I jazz mine up a little by adding 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard powder and 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric (it adds a very subtle warm flavor and nice color.)
Sometimes I mix it up by using Smoked Paprika (as I did this time) instead of plain sweet paprika.  If you like them spicier, increase the amount of cayenne pepper, or hot paprika.



Tip for crispy crackers:
I like these crackers to be crisp, but not brown, so after baking and cooling all of the batches,  I place them in a single layer on the baking sheets and place in a 175ºF oven for a several minutes until they dry out a little, they will crisp even further after cooling. Keep an eye on them while they're in the oven so they don't turn dark. 
Alternately you can place in your oven set to 'warm',  or the lowest temperature available and do the same.  
Either way you choose, do watch them as ovens vary.
When the crackers are crisp, I turn off the oven and leave the oven door open just a bit until the crackers are completely cool, then store in airtight containers for up to a week or so.
These are really good served on the cheese/fruit tray or along with soup or a salad. They make a nice gift from the kitchen, too.
If you give them a try, I hope you enjoy!
A printable version of the recipe and tips can be found on my recipe blog by clicking this link.





~*~*~*~*~
Additional Disks for the OXO Cookie Press
Also available separately are two sets of additional seasonal disks, (six disks in each set):  
OXO Good Grips Cookie Press ~ Autumn or Springtime ~ Disk Sets
The Autumn set includes:  Spider, Web, Owl, Turkey, Leaf and Pumpkin
The Springtime set includes: Cherry Blossom, Rose, Love, Double Heart, Shamrock, Bouquet

(You can click the link above to learn more)

Thanks for coming by today, friends.
Bon Appetit!
~m.


Note:  The folks at OXO don't know who I am, (no compensation from them.) I'm just sharing a product I like... I hope you like it, too.  :o)

The Novel Bakers ~ Gathering in the Garden, Finale

Once again I'm pulling something from the archives in order to participate
in the Novel Bakers party, celebrating
"Gathering in the Garden"
 by Shelley Snow and Elizabeth Husband.

This was a romantic dinner for two from a couple of years ago . . .

The two dishes I  chose to make from the book
are not really suitable for a romantic occasion,
as you'll see . . .

~ but they seemed appealing to me. 

 

Please browse through the garden/table pictures if 
you'd like and I'll meet you down at the

bottom of the post with the FOOD!  :D

"City of London" roses, easy to grow with lots of small blooms.

Thanks for taking the tour!


Alrighty then ~

I drew from 3 different chapters
in the book for the finale.

The first dish is from Chapter Two entitled "The Indoor-Outdoor Picnic"~ (All of the food in this particular chapter can be made ahead.)

I made the Foggy San Francisco Roll-Ups, but varied the ingredients just a bit.

I used extra large spinach wraps,
spread with herbed creamed cheese, thinly sliced
deli-turkey, roasted red peppers, chopped fresh
spinach and finely grated cheese, rolled the tortilla up,
wrapped in cling film and refrigerated until firm,
then sliced and sprinkled with chopped chives.


Easy peasy.

~*~*~*~*~



This next one is especially not romantic ~ I don't
believe there is any way to eat corn on the cob in
a demure manner. 

But ~

since corn is in season right now I chose

the recipe from Chapter Five ~

(Covered Dish Country Supper) 

  "Roasted Corn on the Cob with
Cayenne Lime Butter".

The corn is roasted in it's own husk ~
the husk is peeled back, silk removed and then
the cobs are soaked in water to cover for at least
an hour.  Remove the corn cobs from water and brush the kernels
with melted butter seasoned with lime juice and zest , cayenne
pepper and salt.

Smooth the husks back up over the cob to envelop the
corn kernels.  Tie with twine and grill, turning often
for about 20 minutes.





When done remove twine and husks.

I slightly overcooked these ~ gah!






I pulled the husks back, trimmed and tied them
and voila ~ a handy holder, (at least at one end of
the cob.)






Serve with additional seasoned butter if desired.
I made butter curls and simply sprinkled with a little 
cayenne pepper and grated lime zest.


I recommend the cayenne-lime butter even
if you steam the corn ~ it's an interesting
change from the usual.

And for a dessert that probably would go nicely
with the romantic setting ~ I chose from 
Chapter Twelve; "Top of the Hill Birthday". 

The suggestion is to take it easy and buy a
cake and decorate it with flowers ~ I like that idea!

 

Except I didn't see a suitable cake at the bakery, but
a couple of other items caught my attention ~







The bakery calls them 'Victorian Cups'

A two-flavor chocolate shell filled with a
very light chocolate mousse and decorated
with glazed fresh fruit and a rolled chocolate straw.

*sigh*



And then this little cutie caught my eye ~





A dark chocolate teacup filled with
mocha mousse, garnished with whipped
cream and three expresso beans.

All fun ~ but very, very rich!

~ A sweet, and easy ending to a cute book.


~*~*~*~*~

And this week, the Hydrangeas are just about finished 
blooming and I wanted to share.








Please check out the other Novel Bakers,
I'm sure you'll love what they have in store
for you!


a quiet life blog


Home is Where the Boat is


Rattlebridge Farm

I'm also joining Foodie Friday at

Rattlebridge Farm ~ click the link to

see what's cooking.

Thank you for coming by today!



~*~*~*~*~


Tabletop Sources:

Blue Bistro Table and Chairs : Stonewall Kitchen

Vintage Quilt: My MIL *heart*

Chargers: Neiman Marcus/Horchow

Flatware: Comptoir de Famille, France

Dinner & Salad Plates: American Atelier; Baroque
Napkins: April Cornell

Soup Bowls, Blue Vase, Candle holder ~ all vintage