Quick and yummy!

With the holidays approaching I thought I would share some quick and yummy appetizer recipes. Your guest will never guess that you didn't spend the day slaving away in the kitchen with these.

Bruschetta

1 loaf crusty French bread
1 clove of garlic cut in half
4 Roma tomatoes, seeded & diced
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
6 large basil leaves, chopped
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt (to taste)
Ground Black Pepper (to taste)
Grated Parmesan Cheese

Cut bread into 1/4 inch thick pieces (on the bias is best). Brush tops with olive oil. Bake at 400* until crisp and golden brown. When the bread comes out of the oven immediately rub the pieces with the clove of garlic. Allow to cool completely. Mix tomatoes, crushed garlic, basil, salt, pepper & 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Allow to sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. When the bread is cool top with the tomato mixture. Drizzle olive oil over the top and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. For a little extra kick you can add some balsamic vinegar to the tomato mixture.

Hummus Bi Tahini

1 can (16 ounces) chick peas, drained (reserve the liquid)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup tahini (stirred well)
2 tbs minced parsley
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Puree chick peas, 1/4 cup liquid, garlic, salt & lemon juice. Add tahini and blend till smooth. You may need to use additional liquid to help smooth the hummus out. Refrigerate overnight. Top with parsley and drizzle with olive oil before serving. Serve with pita bread and/or veggies.

Taco Rolls

3-8 ounce packages of cream cheese (at room temp)
1 package of taco seasoning
1 bunch of green onions, chopped
1 can chopped black olives
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 packages of thin sliced ham (the ones that are $.55)
1 to 2 packages of burrito sized tortillas

Mix the first 5 ingredients well. Spread the taco mixture onto a tortilla. Place 2 to 3 slices of ham on the tortilla. Roll the tortilla & ham. Allow to sit in the fridge until firm (you may want to wrap the rolls in plastic so they don't stick together). Slice the rolls into 1/2 to 1 inch pieces.