Appetizers and Lighthouses

Here it is again - Tuesday night - which means New Food Night.  How many of you have spent your day wondering what tantalizing temptations we would be enjoying this evening?  Come on, be honest - you know you were.  We decided that tonight would be Appetizer Night!!!  Now, isn't your mouth watering already just contemplating what we might have had?  

First off, I decided I needed a new centerpiece. We are headed to Corpus in a few weeks and my mind is on the beach so why not do something beachy?  

If my friend Judy is reading this I hope she recognizes that plate in my centerpiece.  It was her mom's.  

Well, typically Gary and Annette do the cooking but tonight I even cooked.  I know that this probably surprises you.  I was on the phone with my brother Wayne and he wanted to know what I was doing. I said, "making some dinner." He promptly asked, "are you making dinner or is Gary?"  LOL  I was just as quick to tell him that I was actually cooking tonight.

I made Bacon Potato Bites.  Don't they look good?  Two of my favorite foods - bacon and potatoes. 

I boiled the potatoes till not quite done. I then drained them, added some salt, fresh rosemary, a little olive oil and pepper and wrapped them in bacon. And just a note for future reference. If using toothpicks to secure the bacon it is best not to use colored toothpicks. The color bakes into the bacon and the potatoes.  Did not affect the flavor though.  

I didn't stop there. I have been wanting to try Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Bread.

What is better than bread and cheese?  Round Italian loaf cut not quite all the way through. Cut some mozzarella cheese in thin slices and poke into the the loaf.  Melt a stick of butter, chop up a fourth cup of onion, add some minced garlic (about a tablespoon). Add the onion and garlic to the melted butter and pour over the loaf. Wrap in foil and bake.  

Now Gary also contributed to the meal.  He made Risotto balls.  

Nothing beats fried cheese. Now this is a variation of one of my best friends favorite dishes of Gary's - Fried Rice Balls.  He made risotto rice with chicken broth, Parmesan cheese and butter. After letting this cool he then wrapped some risotto around mozzarella cheese and then deep fried it.  Yum! Yum!

Next up is Annette.  She made Crustinni Rolls. How yummy does this look?

Crustinni bread, topped with pesto, fresh mozzarella, pepperoni, cherry tomato and basil - bake until the cheese starts to melt.  Do you see the theme of cheese here for the night?  

Put it all together and we are ready to dig in.  It was so good!  I wish you could have joined us. We had enough for a couple of more people to share - which was lucky as we sent some leftovers home with Chris. Yes, he may have moved out only a few days ago but he came back for food!