5 Easy and Delicious Appetizers!

Hey Pinners! I'm so glad you stopped by for some new quick and easy recipes. You can check out my entire list of recipes here and learn more about our little family here and here. I post on this space 3-5 times/week, so if you want to follow along, we'd love to have you! Click here or here to follow. Thanks for stopping by!

Last week, we had our neighbors over for a little get-together. We've had two new sets of neighbors move in since the beginning of the year, so we thought it would be nice to have everyone over to meet them! We missed the couples who couldn't make it but had a great time with those who could!

Since this was a mid-week, last-minute get together, I wanted some quick and yummy appetizers that wouldn't take all day to prepare. Here's what I came up with:

Caprese Bites:
Ingredients:
Whole Milk Fresh Mozzarella (approximately 24 in one 8 oz. package)
Grape Tomatoes
Gia Rossa Balsamic Glaze
12 Fresh Basil Leaves, rinsed
Toothpicks

Directions:
Halve basil leaves and tomatoes. Slide one mozzarella ball, one basil leaf, and one tomato onto a toothpick. Once all skewers are assembled, drizzle with glaze.

Beer Dip: (my friend, Caitlyn, made this for a Master's party, and I about ate the whole thing- SO good!)

Ingredients:

2- 8oz. packages of cream cheese

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 package ranch seasoning mix

1/3 cup beer (any beer is fine)

Toothpicks

Directions:

Blend all ingredients in a mixer. Serve with pretzels.

Pastry Bites:

Ingredients:

1 package- Trader Joe's Feta Cheese and Caramelized Onions Pastry Bites

1 package- Trader Joe's Uncured Ham and Cheese Pastry Bites

Directions:

Place trays on cookie sheet and bake according to directions on packaging. These are SO yummy!

Bruschetta:

Ingredients:

Hannah Bruschetta (from Costco- super tasty!)

Pillsbury French Loaf Bread

Locatelli Parmesan

Basil

Directions:

Bake bread according to package. While bread is baking, rinse basil and cut chiffonade. Cut baked bread into thin slices. Spoon bruschetta onto bread. Broil for 3-5 minutes, or until bread is lightly browned and crispy (make sure it doesn't burn!). Top with basil and fresh-grated parmesan.

Fresh Veggies and Hummus:

Ingredients:

Trader Joe's Bell Peppers (yellow, red, and orange)

Trader Joe's Carrots

Trader Joe's Organic Hummus

Directions:

Rinse peppers and carrots. Slice peppers. Place hummus in serving dish and top with a garnish (I used basil). I also served Stacey's Parmesan Garlic Pita Chips with the hummus.

The ladies

The gents (minus two out-of-town hubbies)

Big boy baseball

Last Saturday, Matt and I went to the ballpark to cheer on our nephew, Noah, at his baseball game. He's been playing since he was 4 and is such a little stud on the field and at the plate! This was the first year where it felt like we were watching him play "real" baseball (where all of the kids actually stick to their position instead of all try to run to the ball every time it's hit ;) ).

He had a great game! But the best part was listening to him cheer for literally every player on his team when they were at bat, and then, at the end of the game when the coach gave out the game balls, Noah was the only one who was clapping for the two boys whose names were called. He is such. a. sweetie. I just love this boy. :)

Playing Second Base

:)

A hit right up the middle!

Maddox on the playground showing us his "tricks"

When Noah was playing third, I had the perfect angle from an open part of the fence right before the inning was over. ...Right as I go for the shot, he goes for his wedge... classic. :)

Jeremy coaches Noah's team- sweet daddy :)

Back at my sister's house, Maddox wanted a chance to show off his skills ;)

Watching his brother play from the tree :)

Maddox picked these for us...

...and then asked us to "sprinkle" them on him

Maddox was collecting the petals and counting them as he put them in his yellow "petal container"

Ark Ark is his nightly spot between the bars of the chair (to the left of Noah's head) so he is in plain sight of Maddox's seat.

Time to roast marshmallows!

Lemon Cookies

Anyone who knows us knows that Matt does not like chocolate. I know, I know- it sounds crazy, but he's been that way since he was a kid. While most 3-year-olds were asking for cookie cake or confetti cake with chocolate icing, my sweet hubby was requesting Spice Cake. Such a cutie. ;) See for yourselves:

I secretly hope our kids have his baby cheeks

Anyway, I made these for him recently and we both loved them! They were super moist and quite addicting. Hope you like them too!

Ingredients:
1 box Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
Powerdered Sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cake mix, eggs, and oil. Scoop dough into 1/2 tablespoon-sized balls. Roll in powdered sugar. Bake on ungreased baking sheet for 10 minutes. Wait 1-2 minutes and transfer to wax paper in you like your cookies to be gooey, or to a wire rack in you like for them to be a little crispy. (I'm a soft and gooey girl, myself). Makes 3 dozen.