Easy Toothpick Appetizers

Gather up some veggies, cheese, pickles, cold cuts and berries and get creative! Pretty for a party or backyard BBQ.

Here we have a strip of prosciutto spread with cream cheese and rolled. Place a sliced radish hat on top and a basil leaf with a square of cheese on the bottom. 

ch

These were a snap to make and they're so cute! Take 2 slices of cucumber and make a cut halfway through to the center of each. Cut a thin strip out then fit one slice into the other. Put an olive on a toothpick and stick it in the middle of your cuc structure.

These two are pretty straight forward...meat and pickles, berries and cheese.

These little rosettes were fun to make! Take a half slice of salami and roll it up. Hold it together using half a grape tomato and a basil leaf on each side.

So many combinations to stick on a toothpick! Use your imagination, the possibilities are endless. They can be made about 1 hour ahead of time and will disappear in a flash!

Follow hotandcoldrunningmom on Pinterest. You can scan the pincode seen here with your phone if you're on a desktop. If you're on a phone just screenshot it, go to the Pinterest app, click camera. Then instead of taking a pic use the option to use one of your photos. Click on the screenshot you just took and go right to my Pinterest profile where you can follow me 🙂

Cinnamon Apple Crumb Muffins

These muffins are chock full of juicy apple chunks and fragrant cinnamon and best of all, they are made from pantry staples so you can probably make them right now!

Ingredients:

Crumb:

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 tbsps sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup butter, melted

2/3 cup flour

Muffins:

1 3/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup yogurt

2 tsps vanilla extract

1/4 cup milk

1 1/2 cups chopped apples

Icing Drizzle:

1/2 cup icing sugar

3 tbsps milk or cream

1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix the first 4 ingredients for the crumb together then add in the flour and set aside.

For the muffins, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together. In a separate bowl beat the butter, brown sugar and sugar together. Add the eggs, yogurt, vanilla and milk. Now add the dry ingredients to the wet mixing just until combined. Fold in the apples

Spoon batter into muffin cups and sprinkle the crumb mixture on top. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes then reduce heat to 350°F and continue baking for 15-18 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Once cooled mix the icing together. Put it in a little ziplock baggie, snip a corner off and squeeze over the muffins. Let the icing drizzle set 2 hours.

Make 15 medium sized muffins 

Follow hotandcoldrunningmom on Pinterest. You can scan the pincode seen here with your phone if you're on a desktop. If you're on a phone just screenshot it, go to the Pinterest app, click camera. Then instead of taking a pic use the option to use one of your photos. Click on the screenshot you just took and go right to my Pinterest profile where you can follow me 🙂

Honey Garlic Slow Cooker Chicken and Noodles

OMG!! You have got to try this! Sweet and savory saucy noodles with tender chicken made this recipe an immediate family favourite!

Ingredients:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 

3/4 cup soya sauce 

2-4 tbsps sriracha sauce

2 tbsps hoisin sauce 

1 1/2 - 2 tbsps minced garlic 

1/2 cup honey 

200 ml (7 oz) chicken broth 

2 tbsps cornstarch 

2 tbsps water 

400 g (14 oz) noodles (I used spaghetti)

Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker. Then combine the soya, sriracha, hoisin, garlic, honey and chicken broth and pour over the chicken. 

Whisk the cornstarch and water together and stir in.

Cover and cook on high 3 3/4 - 4 hours or 7 hours on low. Once it's cooked the chicken should fall apart easily using tongs or two forks like in pulled chicken.

Boil the noodles then drain and add to the slow cooker. 

Stir together until the noodles are completely coated with sauce.

Makes 6 servings 

Adapted from: TikTok boredoflunch

Follow hotandcoldrunningmom on Pinterest. You can scan the pincode seen here with your phone if you're on a desktop. If you're on a phone just screenshot it, go to the Pinterest app, click camera. Then instead of taking a pic use the option to use one of your photos. Click on the screenshot you just took and go right to my Pinterest profile where you can follow me 🙂

Ferrero Rocher Grad Caps

It's graduation season! Looking for a cute and easy grad treat or table decor? I got you!

You'll need:

Ferraro Rocher chocolates

Small star or bead stickers

Tassels - store bought or handmade (instructions to make below)

Black or white card stock

Glue gun

Cut out cardstock in 1 1/2 inch squares. Lay the ties of the tassel on top leaving enough length for the tassel to hang down. Peel and stick star to hold tassel in place. Now turn Ferraro Rocher upside down so the paper cup/cap is on top. Glue gun a drop of glue in the center of the cap and stick the "mortar board" on top.

Easy peasy! You Got This!

Tassel making 101: (Obviously ready made ones would be easier but these handmade ones took no time to make)

Take a piece of cardboard and wrap embroidery thread around it about 8 times, then slide off cardboard and tie in the middle leaving long ends. Fold it in half and tie up near the top. The cardboard should be twice as long as the length that you want the finished tassel to be. Cut and trim the bottom of the tassel.

I originally saw this grad cap idea on PartyPinching.com 

Follow hotandcoldrunningmom on Pinterest. You can scan the pincode seen here with your phone if you're on a desktop. If you're on a phone just screenshot it, go to the Pinterest app, click camera. Then instead of taking a pic use the option to use one of your photos. Click on the screenshot you just took and go right to my Pinterest profile where you can follow me 🙂

Italian Sausage Pizza Sub

Easy pizza sub for lunch or dinner. Delicious whether you fold it up and bite in or knife and fork it!

Ingredients:

1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed and chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 medium red pepper, thinly sliced 

1 tsp minced garlic

1/4 cup pizza sauce 

1 tsp dry oregano

Red pepper flakes to taste

1 cup shredded mozzarella

Fresh chopped parsley

2 -10" sub (or hoagie) buns

Heat oil in large skillet.  Sauté peppers and onion on medium heat 4-5 minutes. Then add garlic for 1 minute before removing everything to a plate. Add chopped sausage to the skillet and cook, breaking it up as it browns, for 5 minutes on medium high heat. Add the oregano and red pepper flakes.

Slice rolls in half lengthwise but not right through. Open them like a book arranging on a foil lined baking sheet. 

Spread pizza sauce on the cut sides then layer the veggies, sausage and cheese to top. You can add a sprinkle more oregano if you like.

Pop in a 450°F oven for 5-10 minutes then garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Serves 2

Follow hotandcoldrunningmom on Pinterest. You can scan the pincode seen here with your phone if you're on a desktop. If you're on a phone just screenshot it, go to the Pinterest app, click camera. Then instead of taking a pic use the option to use one of your photos. Click on the screenshot you just took and go right to my Pinterest profile where you can follow me 🙂

Mini Fruit Crisp for Two

Just enough for a quick dinner for two dessert. I used chopped apple and canned peaches here but berries work too! Use any combo you like!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups fruit

1 tbsp flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

pinch salt

1/4 cup oats

2 tbsps brown sugar

2 tbsps butter

pinch salt

Toss the first five ingredients together and dump into an oiled 6" baking dish.

Combine the last four ingredients and top the fruit with this mixture.

Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes.

Serves 2 with a nice scoop of ice cream!

Follow hotandcoldrunningmom on Pinterest. You can scan the pincode seen here with your phone if you're on a desktop. If you're on a phone just screenshot it, go to the Pinterest app, click camera. Then instead of taking a pic use the option to use one of your photos. Click on the screenshot you just took and go right to my Pinterest profile where you can follow me 🙂

Succulent Cheesy Salmon

Unfortunately the picture does not convey just how deliciously cheesy and moist this salmon is. But it'll definitely be on heavy rotation in our house!

Ingredients:

400 g (14 oz) salmon fillets

1/4 cup mayo (I used olive oil mayo)

1/4 cup parmesan

2 tbsps fresh chopped parsley

1 tsp worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

a few capers (optional)

Sit the salmon on an oiled, foil lined baking sheet (for easy clean-up). Combine the mayo, parm, parsley, worcestershire and lemon juice and spoon over each fillet. Sprinkle a few capers on top if desired. (They end up looking like chocolate chips which is weird!)

Bake at 425°F for 14-16 minutes.

You'll know they're done when they turn lightly golden and flake easily with a fork.

Serves 4

Follow hotandcoldrunningmom on Pinterest. You can scan the pincode seen here with your phone if you're on a desktop. If you're on a phone just screenshot it, go to the Pinterest app, click camera. Then instead of taking a pic use the option to use one of your photos. Click on the screenshot you just took and go right to my Pinterest profile where you can follow me 🙂