Honey Chorizo Baked Brie
This is a perfect appetizer for any party or dinner. It brings a little heat, a little sweetness, and a whole lot of flavor as your starter!
1 large wheel (they vary from 15-19.6 oz) or two smaller wheels of Brie
1 lb chorizo
1/2 a Vidalia or sweet onion, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
1/4 cup honey for baking and drizzle
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Cut a circle around the top of the wheel of brie. You can peel off the top uncooked, which is a little harder, or cook it and pull it off when the cheese is melted. Either way works.
3. Drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of honey. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
4. While cheese is cooking, chop onion and garlic. Heat pan to medium-high heat, add olive oil, and sauté onions and garlic until translucent.
5. Add chorizo, broken into smaller pieces, and cook thoroughly. Salt to taste. Turn off heat.
6. Remove Brie from the oven, and with the rind peeled off, top with chorizo mixture. Drizzle with honey. Serve with preferred crackers, baguette slices, potatoes, and/or apples. Enjoy all that cheese goodness immediately!
Tips
- You can also cut a checkered pattern in the rind and leave the top on! The edges will curl up while it cooks and leave great pockets to absorb all that honey chorizo goodness!
- This makes a great charcuterie board centerpiece. Try surrounding it with sliced apples, baguette, grapes, fresh herbs, cured meats, and crackers!
Greek Party Dip
A healthier party dip that’s packed with flavor and veggies!
Dip Base
1 8 oz box cream cheese, softened (If not soft, put in microwave for 30 seconds.)
1 cup Greek yogurt (If you don’t like yogurt, can substitute with sour cream.)
1 Tbsp dry ranch seasoning
1 Tbsp dry dill or fresh chopped dill
2 whole scallions, bottoms removed, peeled, and then chopped finely
1/2 cup seedless cucumber, grated
1 whole lemon, juiced
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Top of Dip
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 avocado, de-pitted, and chopped into bite size pieces
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup kalamata olives (If large, chop, otherwise use whole.)
1/2 cup cucumber, sliced thin in quarters
Optional Garnishes: 2 Tbsp fresh dill, 2 Tbsp olive oil, fresh cracked pepper for top
Instructions
1. Mix everything in the dip base until evenly combined.
2. Spread into an even layer in the bottom of a large bowl or serving dish.
3. Evenly sprinkle with all your toppings.
4. Garnish with fresh dill, fresh cracked pepper, or drizzle with olive oil.
5. Serve immediately with pita, veggies, or chips! Enjoy!
Tip
- To easily make pita chips, chop any pita bread into six pieces, spray with cooking spray, and cook for 8 minutes at 350° in your air fryer.
Sundried Tomato Basil Hummus
Make this appetizer ahead of time, and have no prep the day of. This unique twist on a traditional hummus will have your guests coming back for seconds!
For the Beans
1lb bag of dried chickpeas
2 Tbsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
6 cloves of garlic
2 bay leaves
Enough water to cover with an inch of headspace
For the Hummus
Juice of 2 lemons
3-5 garlic cloves, depending on taste
1/2 cup tahini
1 jar sundried tomatoes in oil (reserve some oil and two tomatoes for topping)
1 cup hot water (more or less depending on thickness preference)
1/4 cup fresh basil (can use 2 Tbsp of dried)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2-1 tsp ground sumac (optional)
Salt to taste
Optional Garnishes: Fresh basil, chopped sundried tomato, sundried tomato oil or olive oil, ground sumac
Instructions
1. Wash your beans. Remove any stones or dirt. In a pressure cooker, combine all the bean ingredients. Cook on high pressure for 55 minutes. Release pressure, and remove bay leaves. Strain and wash beans.
2. While still warm, combine beans with all the hummus ingredients. Remember to dump in the whole jar of sundried tomatoes, but save a little of its oil to top your hummus.
3. Blend everything until smooth. By doing this while still warm, it makes it extra creamy. Note: it will thicken up as it cools. Salt to taste preference.
4. Eat immediately, or set in the fridge to develop flavors and thicken.
5. Serve with pita, veggies, or use as a sandwich spread. Top with your saved tomatoes, chopped, and drizzle with oil.
Tip
- Hummus is better with fresh chickpeas instead of canned. If you want to soak your beans overnight and cook on the stovetop until they’re soft, that works too!
Alysha Yoder is the photographer, food stylist, blogger, and recipe developer behind A-Yo Kitchen. With a passion for all things food, many of her recipes are inspired by her worldly travels, her many cooking classes abroad, and all the veggies and fruits her home gardens produce. She has been a photographer for over 15+ years and previously worked in the corporate food sector for almost 10. She now is a small business owner running her studio, A-Yo Kitchen, out of York, PA, where she serves not only local clients but worldwide as well.
