Jenna Atkinson, Author at Kitchen Foliage

7 Cold Appetizer Skewer Recipe Ideas

September 21, 2023July 6, 2023 by Jenna Atkinson

You can make intricate and alluring appetizers for your next party using skewers or toothpicks including BLT egg sliders, strawberry caprese with lemon and basil, watermelon feta and mint, and more!

You can make your cold skewer appetizers ahead of time and place them in the fridge until you’re ready to plate them.

Drizzle any balsamic, sauces, or sprinkle garnishes right before you’re ready to serve your chilled appetizers.

BLT Egg Sliders

BLT egg sliders are adorable appetizers that look like miniature burgers.

BLT egg sliders are made by cooking hard boiled eggs and then cutting them in half to create the “buns”.

The bottom half of the “buns” need to have a little bit of the bottom of the egg cut off so it can sit flat on a serving plate.

Add a little salt, pepper, and your favorite sauce (ketchup, mustard, mayo, hot sauce, horseradish) to the bottom half of the egg.

Assemble the egg sliders by placing a strip of freshly cooked bacon, a slice of tomato to fit right inside the slider, and a piece of lettuce.

Top the slider with the other half of the egg to make the sliders complete.

Garnish the egg sliders by adding a little more pepper and sesame seeds.

Place a toothpick through the egg slider to make sure it stays together.

You can make these ahead of time, and place them in the fridge until you’re ready to serve them.

Cold Appetizer Skewer Recipe Ideas egg blt

Strawberry Caprese with Lemon and Basil

Strawberry caprese with lemon and basil is a cheesy and fruity cold finger food appetizer.

Cubed mozzarella is marinated with lemon juice, lemon zest, thin strips of fresh basil leaves, olive oil and salt.

Strawberry caprese is made by cutting strawberries in half.

To assemble the appetizer, place a strawberry, a slice of mozzarella cheese, and then repeat again together in a stack.

A toothpick is placed through the stack to create the strawberry caprese appetizer.

Fresh ground pepper is sprinkled on top of the appetizer to finish it off.

Cold Appetizer strawberry Skewer Recipe Ideas

Cantaloupe Caprese

Cantaloupe caprese is an easy appetizer that packs a ton of flavor!!

Cut cantaloupe into cubes or rounds, and stack a similar piece of mozzarella cheese on top.

Sprinkle with a few cut up strips of fresh basil leaves, and drizzle with a little balsamic reduction to finish off.

Cold Appetizer cantaloupe mozzarella Skewer Recipe Ideas

Watermelon Skewers

Watermelon skewers are simple to make, but have a ton of flavor!

The mint and watermelon mixed together with the tart feta cheese makes these watermelon skewers irresistible!

To make this simple watermelon appetizer, cut watermelon and feta into similar sized cubes or rectangles.

Stack them on top of one another, and then add a large mint leaf on top.

Place a toothpick through the stack, and garnish with a bit of pepper. Place them in the fridge until you’re ready to serve them.

You can drizzle balsamic vinegar on top right before you’re ready to serve them.

Cold Appetizer watermelon Skewer Recipe Ideas

Peach Caprese Skewer

Peach caprese appetizer uses slices of peaches to create a sandwich.

In between the layers of peaches is a slice of mozzarella.

On the top layer of peach, add a single leaf of basil and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

Place a toothpick through the sandwich so it can easily be eaten without it falling apart.

Cantaloupe and Prosciutto Bites

Cantaloupe and prosciutto bites are a juicy appetizer with a hint of pepper flavor.

You can make these tasty bites by cutting a piece of cantaloupe into a square ~1″.

Fold a piece of prosciutto and put it on top of the cantaloupe.

Add a few cut up strips of fresh basil leaves to the prosciutto.

Sprinkle a bit of pepper on top of the appetizer, and put a toothpick through it for easy serving.

Cold Appetizer cantaloupe prosciutto Skewer Recipe Ideas

Pepperoni Caprese Bites

Pepperoni caprese bites are an eye catching appetizer assembled on a toothpick, with a basil vinaigrette dressing.

To assemble the pepperoni appetizer, place a fresh piece of mozzarella, then a folded piece of pepperoni, a fresh basil leaf, and a cherry tomato on a toothpick.

Drizzle basil vinaigrette dressing on top and serve immediately.

7 Crunchy Cake Base Ideas

September 21, 2023June 14, 2023 by Jenna Atkinson

If you’re a looking for a crunchy cake base for your next baking adventure, you’ll want to pick a cake crust that is either baked first before adding any toppings onto it, or one that has a crunchy layer inside of it.

Cake crusts that are crunchy have either nuts, cookies, or feuilletine mixed into them.

Chocolate Feuilletine

Chocolate feuilletine cake base is a crunchy chocolate cake base you can use with in desserts like intricate entremet cakes.

Chocolate feuilletine is made by first making crispy feuilletine using a dough similar to crepe batter.

As soon as the feuilletine is cooled, it can be broken up into pieces.

To make the chocolate crunchy cake base, combine hazelnut crumbs, feuilletine pieces, and melted dark and milk chocolate in a bowl and mix together until it’s combined.

Pour the cake layer into a springform pan, or a pan with raised edges, and let it sit in the fridge or freezer to fully set the cake crust.

Oreo Cookie Crust

Oreo cookie crust is a sweet, crunchy, cookie crust for a cake crust.

Oreo cookie crust is made by crushing Oreo’s into small pieces using a rolling pin, or blending them in a food processor.

The small bits of Oreo’s are mixed together with melted butter to create the cookie crust.

The cookie crust is pressed into a springform pan, and then you can refrigerate the cake crust, or bake it in the oven to let it set.

Vanilla Wafer Crust

Vanilla wafer crust has a crunchy, vanilla flavoring cake base.

Vanilla wafers can be blended in a food processor until they are quite fine, and then combine with melted butter to create a vanilla cake base.

Press the crust into the bottom of a springform pan, or cake pan.

Vanilla wafer cake base is baked in the oven to let it set.

Praline Feuillentine Cake Base

Praline feuilletine is a crunchy cake base used in fancy bakery cakes.

Feuilletines are crispy wafers that give the cake base it’s crunchy texture.

Feuilletines are made by mixing together equal parts egg whites, flour, icing sugar, and butter and baking it in the oven until it’s golden brown.

The feuilletine is then broken up into small pieces that will be mixed into the cake base.

Praline paste is made by creating a caramel sauce, and then adding in roasted hazelnuts at the end of the caramel making process.

The caramel and hazelnuts are blended together until it creates a paste. The praline flavor gives the cake base a nutty and caramel flavor.

To make praline cake crust, mix together melted milk chocolate, praline paste, and feuilletine pieces.

Pour praline feuilletine into your cake base and let it set in the freezer for a couple of hours prior to using.

Chocolate Base

Chocolate cake base is a chocolatey, crunchy cookie base for a cake crust.

Chocolate cake base is made by crushing chocolate wafer cookies, and mixing them together with melted butter.

The chocolate cake crust is pressed into a springform pan, and then it’s baked in the oven to set the crust.

Walnut Crust

Walnut crust is a sweet and crunchy cookie base for a cake.

Walnuts are blended in a food processor until they are fine like a powder.

Shortbread cookies are crushed with a rolling pin, and then they are combined with the walnuts, sugar, and melted butter.

Walnut cake crust is pressed into the springform pan, and it’s ready to use.

You don’t need to bake or chill the crust.

Graham Cracker Crust

Graham cracker crust is a buttery, cookie flavored cake base.

Graham cracker crumbs are mixed together with sugar and melted butter to create the crunchy cake crust.

The graham cracker mixture is pressed into the springform pan or cake pan, and then it’s baked in the oven to set the crust.

Mother’s Day Macarons

September 21, 2023June 14, 2023 by Jenna Atkinson

Mother’s day is a time to celebrate with family and appreciate everything mom’s do.

You can make macarons to honor your mom for everything she’s done for you with a few extra decorations and piping techniques.

Painting Designs

Designs

You can create your own theme to your mother’s day macarons depending on what your mom loves!

For my mum she likes gardening and playing golf, therefore I painted a putting green and a few flowers that she grows in her garden.

Words

You can paint words onto your mother’s day macarons:

mom
mum
thank you
happy mother’s day
mother’s day
thank you mom

Paint

You can paint on macarons to create designs and words by using either powdered food coloring or gel food coloring with a couple of drops of almond extract.

You don’t want to use too much almond extract. If you pour too much, the color will be more like watercolor paint.

If you just use a little almond extract, the color will be strong and easily painted on the macaron. The color will not run.

You can use pink or red food coloring and make hearts onto your macarons as a symbol to recognize the love you have for your mom.

decorating ideas for mother's day macarons

Paint Brushes

You’ll need to use a food safe paint brush to make your painted decorations on macarons.

Flowers

Round Flower Petals

Dip a flat paint brush into food coloring.
Touch the flat brush to the macaron.
Push the brush in an upwards and to the right slightly, then bring it back down to the original starting point.
Repeat to make 5-6 flower petals.
Make dots in the center of the flower using a black edible marker.

Tulip

Dip a flat paint brush into food coloring.
Touch the flat brush to the macaron.
Push the brush in an upwards and to the right slightly, then bring it back down.
Put the brush in the original position, and then push the brush downwards and to the right. Bring the brush back up and line it up with the first brush strokes to create a tulip shape.

Leaves and Vines

To make leaves or vines on macarons, use a long fine tipped paint brush. This will let you create fine leaf shapes, or narrow vines underneath flowers painted on macarons.

Draw

Edible markers can be used to draw words, or make small details onto macarons like in the center of a flower.

You can get many different colors in edible markers to use to create beautiful decorations onto macarons.

Icing

To decorate mother’s day macarons, you can make royal icing for some fine detail work.

Royal icing will dry hard, and you can use piping tips to create small lines on your mother’s day macarons.

Royal icing can be hard to work with. If your icing is too runny, add a little bit more icing sugar to stiffen it up. Then you can write words with it, or make wavy lines for a beautiful look to your mother’s day macarons.

Caramel or Chocolate Drizzle

Caramel and chocolate can be drizzled on top of your mother’s day macarons, and you can even add a few sprinkles or nuts on top.

To add caramel or chocolate drizzle, place your macarons on a large plate.

Put caramel or melted chocolate into a piping bag, fitted with #2 piping tip.

The flow will come fast, you won’t even need to squish the bag for the flow to come out.

Make one line on 1 half of the macaron. Continue making 2 more lines that criss-cross a little to have an elastic band look to it.

You can add nuts or sprinkles to the drizzle to add a pop of color.

mother's day macarons with caramel and sprinkles

Piping Shapes

Macaron batter can be piped into a heart shape for your mother’s day macarons.

You can use a template to create heart macarons, or you can just free hand them.

Heart macarons can be colored pink, or you can have them as plain white batter as well.

If you’re wanting to color your macaron batter, use a little bit of pink gel food coloring to color your heart macarons.

Fill your piping bag with your macaron batter fitted with a 1/2” tip.

Begin by piping one of the round tops of the heart, drag the tip downwards in a diagonal. Continue piping upwards to end at the other round top of the heart.

Take a toothpick and gently guide the point of the bottom of the heart downwards to create a sharp point of your macarons.

Let them dry for 30 minutes, and then bake in the oven for the same time your recipe says.

Mother’s day heart macarons should be 1.5″-2″ once you’ve piped them.

5 Fish and Chip Sauce Ideas

September 21, 2023June 14, 2023 by Jenna Atkinson

Fish and chips are a favorite dish you can enjoy on a hot summer day at the beach.

Fish and chips are piping hot with a crispy battered outer layer, and soft inside.

You can dip your fish and chips into savory sauces like tartar sauce, HP sauce, curry sauce, malt vinegar, or ketchup.

Tartar Sauce

Tartar sauce is one of the most popular dipping sauces for fish and chips. Tartar sauce is a tangy, creamy sauce for dipping fish and chips into.

Tartar sauce has a subtle flavor of dill and lemon.

Tartar sauce is made by mixing together mayo, diced pickles, dill weed, fresh lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper.

Malt Vinegar

Malt vinegar is a dark colored vinegar made from malting barely.

Malt vinegar is an acidic sauce for fish and chips that cuts the grease, and adds a sweeter, toasted almond flavor to fish and chips.

It’s similar to adding squeezed lemon over fish and chips, but it’s not as harsh of a flavor.

Curry Sauce

Curry sauce is a thick, sweet, creamy sauce for fish and chips.

Curry sauce is made by sautéing chopped onions in a bit of oil in a frying pan over medium heat.

Minced ginger and garlic are added to the pan to infuse their flavors into the onions.

Curry powder, ground coriander, and flour are added to the frying pan to add some spice, and thicken the curry sauce.

Ketchup and chicken stock are added to the frying pan, and simmered until the curry sauce comes together.

Curry sauce is served on the side of fish and chips for dipping, along with malt vinegar and a wedge of lemon.

HP Sauce

HP sauce is a sweet and tangy BBQ sauce for fish and chips.

HP sauce is a tomato based sauce with a hint of molasses, and fruit juices and spices.

HP sauce is a thick, tangy sauce with notes of caramel.

Ketchup

Ketchup is a sweetened tomato sauce you can use for dipping fish and chips into.

Ketchup has a slightly acidic flavor from having cider vinegar added to it.

Ketchup also has several tablespoons of brown sugar in it to balance out the acidity of tomatoes, therefore it has a slightly sweetened finish to it.

Seafood Dinner Party Menu Ideas

September 21, 2023June 13, 2023 by Jenna Atkinson

When preparing to make a seafood dinner party, you’ll want to figure out exactly what you want on the menu.

You can prepare a variety of seafoods for your dinner party including crab cakes, prawns, calamari, lobster, oysters, octopus and more.

You can make seafood appetizers ahead of time for your guests while they’re waiting for the main course.

Crab Cakes

Crab cakes are easy to make right at home, even though they’re a bit delicate when frying them up.

Crab cakes are made by combining lumps of crab with mayo, herbs, and bread crumbs, and then forming it into a patty shape.

Crab cakes are fried to get a crispy outer layer on them on each side, and then they are serve warm with a creamy, savory dipping sauce.

Crab cakes go well with lemon basil aioli, tartar sauce or remoulade.

Prawns

Prawns can be prepared for a seafood dinner party by making tempura, serving them as a prawn cocktail, or frying them.

If you’re frying prawns, you can serve them with garlic butter, or shrimp cocktail sauce for a bit of bite.

Prawns should be served with a lemon wedge for a little fresh lemon juice squeezed onto them right before serving. You can garnish with a bit of parsley as well if desired.

Calamari

Deep fried calamari is a favorite for many! Calamari has a crispy outside, with warm squid on the inside.

You can serve calamari with a ton of different dipping sauces like tzatziki, or lemon garlic aioli, and a lemon wedge to squeeze a little lemon juice over calamari before enjoying.

Crab Legs

Crab legs are a specialty you can serve at your seafood dinner party.

Crab legs are heated, and then served melted butter for dipping crab into.

You can have the butter continue to be melted by using a butter warmer.

Lobster

Lobster tails are cut, and butterflied to expose the meat inside of their hard shell.

Lobsters can be boiled, or simply baked in the oven.

You can prepare savory stuffed lobster tails that your guests will love by combining crab, bread crumbs, herbs, lemon juice, onions, and then stuffing it inside the lobster tail, and baking it in the oven.

Salmon

Salmon is a mild fish you can serve with savory sauces like white wine, or simply squeeze some lemon on top.

You can serve salmon over rice or garlic mashed potatoes for your seafood dinner as an accompaniment.

Oysters

Oysters can be grilled, fried, roasted, or broiled in the oven for a specialty addition to your seafood dinner menu.

You can entice your guests by making garlic oysters, herb and butter oysters, or three cheese oysters for your dinner party.

Octopus

Octopus can be grilled or simmered on the stovetop, and then served with lemon herb olive oil, or romesco sauce.

Octopus has a mild flavor to it, therefore it’s best if you serve it with an accompanying dipping sauce.

Mussels

Mussels needs to be cleaned and debearded before cooking. Mussels have a tender and chewy texture to them.

You can prepare mussels for you guests by cooking mussels with white wine and garlic cream sauce, lemon garlic butter sauce, or tomato sauce.

Smoked Salmon

Smoked salmon can be served as an appetizer for your dinner party guests.

You can serve smoked salmon pieces with capers, chopped red onions, dill weed, cream cheese, and crackers as an appetizer, or as party of your seafood dinner party selection.

Crab Puff Pastry Bites

Crab puff pastry bites are filled with vegetables and lumps of crab for this seafood mini puff pastry appetizer.

Chopped onions and red pepper are cooked in a bit of olive oil and minced garlic in a frying pan on medium heat.

Vegetables are removed from the heat source, and mixed together with cream cheese, mayo, freshly grated parmesan cheese, and lumps of crab meat to make the base of the appetizer filling.

Chives, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and fresh lemon juice are added to the cream cheese filling.

Puff pastry squares are placed inside a muffin tin (2″ square) to make a well for holding the cream cheese filling.

Crab cream cheese filling is spooned onto the puff pastry squares and baked in the oven until the pastry turns golden brown.

6 Dipping Sauce Ideas for Crab Cakes

September 21, 2023June 12, 2023 by Jenna Atkinson

Warm crispy crab cakes are best served with a creamy dipping sauce on the side.

Crab cakes are usually served with a garlic or lemon dipping sauce since these flavors go well with seafood.

You can serve crab cakes with remoulade, tartar sauce, spicy mayo, lemon basil aioli and more!

Remoulade

Remoulade sauce is one of the most popular dipping sauces for crab cakes. It’s a creamy, Cajun flavored dipping sauce.

Remoulade sauce is made by combining mayo, mustard, sweet paprika, Cajun seasoning, horseradish, dill pickle juice, hot sauce, and minced garlic together.

Remoulade sauce needs a few hours to chill and let the spices infuse into the mayo before using it as a dipping sauce with crab cakes.

Lemon Basil Aioli

Lemon basil aioli is a creamy sauce with hint of basil and citrus flavors.

Lemon basil aioli is made by blending together mayo, fresh basil leaves, minced garlic, and fresh lemon juice.

Basil adds a peppery flavoring to the aioli, giving it a bit of spicy finish when paired with crab cakes.

Roasted Red Pepper Aioli

Roasted red pepper aioli is a creamy dipping sauce for crab cakes with a hint of spice, citrus and garlic.

Roasted red pepper aioli is made by combining roasted peppers, paprika, mayo, fresh lemon juice, and minced garlic in a food processor and blending together until smooth.

Lemon Garlic Aioli

Lemon garlic aioli is a creamy, citrusy lemon dipping sauce for crab cakes with a hint of garlic.

Lemon garlic aioli is made by mixing together fresh minced garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and mayo.

You can use a little leftover lemon to squeeze the juice onto your crab cakes right before serving.

lemon garlic aioli dipping sauce for crab cakes

Tartar Sauce

Tartar sauce is a tangy, creamy sauce for crab cakes with a hint of lemon.

Tartar sauce is made by mixing together mayo, diced pickles, dill weed, fresh lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper.

Spicy Mayo

Spicy mayo is a sriracha infused mayo dipping sauce for crab cakes.

Spicy mayo adds a bit of a bite to a crab cake appetizer.

The crispiness of the crab cakes, combined with the creamy spicy mayo, makes for a delicious savory dipping sauce for crab cakes.

5 Dipping Sauce Ideas for Octopus

September 21, 2023June 12, 2023 by Jenna Atkinson

Octopus is a delicacy that you can serve with a variety of nutty, or oil based dipping sauces.

You can serve octopus with a classic lemon herb olive oil, or romesco sauce.

Octopus goes well with spicy Korean sauce, or a simple sesame oil based sauce.

Romesco Sauce

Romesco sauce is a roasted red pepper sauce for dipping octopus into.

You can use already roasted red peppers to make romesco sauce.

Romesco sauce is made by adding the following to food processor and blending together to make a thick, nutty sauce for dipping octopus into:

roasted red peppers
fire roasted tomatoes
toasted and blanched almonds and hazelnuts
olive oil
parsley
smoked paprika
red pepper flakes
minced garlic
fresh lemon juice
red wine vinegar

Lemon Herb Olive Oil

Lemon herb olive oil is a citrusy, herb flavored olive oil for a dipping sauce for octopus.

Extra virgin olive oil is mixed together with fresh lemon juice, oregano, fresh parsley leaves, and minced garlic.

When you’re ready to serve your octopus, spoon lemon herb olive oil all over octopus, and then your guests can dip the octopus into the leftover sauce on the plate.

Serve with a side of lemon wedge.

lemon herb olive oil dipping sauce for octopus

Sweet Lime and Cashew

Sweet lime and cashew dipping sauce is a sweet, citrusy, and spicy dipping sauce for octopus.

Sugar is mixed with some water in a saucepan over low-medium heat until it begins to bubble.

Sugar syrup is simmered and then set to cool.

After the syrup has cooled, fresh lime juice, fish sauce, chopped cucumber, chopped cashews, fresh coriander leaves, and diced chili are added into the saucepan and mixed together.

Sesame Sauce

Sesame dipping sauce is a nutty, oil based dipping sauce for octopus.

Sesame dipping sauce is made by mixing together sesame oil, sesame seeds, and bit of salt.

Chogochujang (Sweet and Spicy Korean Dipping Sauce)

Chogochujan dipping sauce is a sweet and spicy sauce for dipping octopus into.

Chogochujan is made by mixing together Korean chili paste (Gochujang), vinegar, raw sugar, honey, minced garlic, and a few sesame seeds.

8 Dipping Sauce Ideas for Fried Calamari

September 21, 2023June 12, 2023 by Jenna Atkinson

Warm crispy deep fried calamari is best paired with a savory dipping sauce to add a creamy finish to this exquisite appetizer.

You can use make classic dipping sauces for calamari such as tzatziki, lemon garlic aioli, or marinara sauce.

You can also pair fried calamari with lime tartar sauce, sundried tomato aioli, spicy mayo and more!

Tzatziki Sauce

Tzatziki is one of the most popular dipping sauces for calamari.

Tzatziki sauce is a tangy, yogurt based sauce with a hint of dill and cucumber.

Tzatziki sauce has a thick base of Greek yogurt.

Greek yogurt is strained through a cheesecloth for about 2 hours to remove the liquid from the yogurt.

Olive oil, dill, grated cucumber, vinegar, salt, and minced garlic are added to the strained Greek yogurt to create a creamy, dill and cucumber flavored dipping sauce for fried calamari.

Smoked Paprika Aioli

Smoked paprika aioli is a creamy dipping sauce for fried calamari with a hint of garlic.

Smoked paprika aioli is made by combining mayo, minced garlic and smoked paprika.

Smoked paprika has a “smoked” flavor to it, which is a bit different than regular paprika that is a little bit of heat.

The smoked flavor of the paprika goes well with crispy deep fried calamari.

Lime Tartar Sauce

Lime tartar sauce is a savory creamy sauce for deep fried calamari with a hint of lime flavoring.

Lime tartar sauce is made by combining together mayo, diced pickles, dill weed, chives, diced onions, parsley, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and salt.

lime tartar sauce for deep fried calamari

Spicy Mayo

Spicy mayo is a sriracha infused mayo dipping sauce for calamari.

Spicy mayo adds a bit of a bite to your calamari appetizer.

The crispiness of the calamari, combined with the creamy spicy mayo, makes for a delicious savory dipping sauce for calamari.

Spicy mayo is a favorite sauce for calamari that also has a few deep fried sliced jalapenos mixed into the dish.

Sundried Tomato Aioli

Sundried tomato aioli has a hint of garlic and lemon .

Sundried tomato aioli is made by combining mayo, sundried tomatoes, minced garlic, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, and a little salt to a food processor and is blended together until smooth.

Sundried tomato aioli is more of a fancy dipping sauce that you see in local upscale restaurants.

Marinara Sauce

Marinara sauce is a tomato based sauce to dip into calamari.

Marinara sauce has a rich, tomato flavor to it, with hints of garlic and herbs.

Marinara is made by adding oregano, basil, minced garlic, salt, and olive oil to tomato sauce. The flavors come together by heating them on the stove for a couple of minutes.

Lemon Garlic Aioli

Lemon garlic aioli is a creamy, citrusy lemon dipping sauce for a calamari with a hint of garlic.

Lemon garlic aioli is made by mixing together fresh minced garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and mayo.

You can use a little leftover lemon to squeeze the juice onto your calamari right before serving.

Tosazu (Japanese dipping sauce)

If you’ve ever ordered deep fried squid at a Japanese restaurant, tosazu is typically the sauce served with the dish.

Tosazu is a vinegar based dipping sauce for fried calamari.

Tosazu is a combination of rice vinegar, sugar, salt, soy sauce, mirin (sweet rice wine), and bonito flakes (smoked tuna flakes).

7 Candy Thermometer Recipe Ideas

September 21, 2023June 2, 2023 by Jenna Atkinson

Candy thermometers can be used to make desserts such as rochers, macarons, marshmallows, fudge, caramels, and more!

Candy thermometers will sit on the edge of your saucepan, without having to touch it unlike a pen thermometer.

Almond Toffee Rochers

Almond toffee rochers are made by combining toffee, toasted almonds, and melted chocolate.

The toffee pieces are made by making caramel and heating it until it reaches 140 degrees C. Caramel is poured onto a prepared baking sheet fitted with a silicone mat, and then its let to solidify.

The caramel is broken up into small toffee pieces with a mallet, which will fill the chocolate caramel nut clusters with crunch.

Slivered almonds are toasted to create the almond aroma for the almond rocher dessert.

You can use dark or milk chocolate to make almond toffee rochers.

Rose Marshmallows

Rose marshmallows are floral flavored gooey dessert marshmallows.

In a saucepan over medium heat, corn syrup, granulated sugar and water are heated until 240 degrees F (firm ball on the candy thermometer).

Gelatin is whisked together with water, and then the corn syrup mixture is whisked into the gelatin and beat together for about 10 minutes.

Rose water extract is added to the marshmallow base, and then it’s poured into a prepared pan.

Dried rose petals are sprinkled on top of the marshmallows, and then let it sit overnight.

Fudge

Fudge is a soft, sweet dessert you can make with a candy thermometer.

You can make different flavors of fudge including vanilla, chocolate, cookies and cream, and more!

Vanilla fudge is made by adding double cream, milk, butter, caster sugar, and muscovado sugar into a saucepan over low heat to initially melt the butter.

Vanilla fudge is heated on medium heat until it reaches 116 degrees C and then it is removed from the heat source until it reaches 110 degrees C.

Vanilla extract is added and stirred into fudge to flavor the dessert.

Fudge is poured into a prepared baking pan, and set to cool to room temperature.

Macarons

Macarons are cookies that have a soft shell that melts in your mouth, and a filling that is typically buttercream icing, chocolate ganache, caramel sauce, or jam.

Macarons are made by heating together sugar and water until it reaches 118 degrees C.

Egg whites are whipped in a stand mixer until foamy, and then the syrup is streamed down the side of the stand mixer while it’s mixing on low speed.

Italian meringue is whipped until the bowl is only warm, and not burning hot anymore.

In another bowl, almond flour, icing sugar, and more egg whites are mixed together to create a paste.

Half of the Italian meringue is mixed into the almond paste until it’s fully combined.

The other half of the Italian meringue is mixed into the almond paste, creating macaron batter.

Macaron batter is piped onto a prepared baking sheet fitted with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Macarons are let to dry for 30 minutes, and then baked in the oven to create a soft cookie shell.

Macaron shells can then be filled your favorite macaron filling.

Peanut Brittle

Peanut brittle is a hard candy with roasted peanuts throughout.

Peanut brittle is prepared by combining water, sugar, and corn syrup into a saucepan over medium heat until it reaches 240 degrees F.

Peanuts are added to the candy, and then its heated again until it reaches 300 degrees F.

Peanut brittle is removed from the heat source, and then a mixture of baking soda, water, and vanilla extract is added to the candy and stirred together.

Peanut brittle is poured onto a heated prepared baking sheet, and set to cool and harden.

Homemade Caramels

Homemade caramels are soft and chewy caramels you can cut and portion out to small individual pieces.

Homemade caramels are made by heating together butter, sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup and brown sugar is a saucepan over medium heat until it reaches 235-245 degrees F.

As soon as it reaches temperature, it is removed from the heat source, and vanilla extract is stirred into the caramels.

Caramel is poured into a baking pan, and set to cool and solidify.

Chocolate Dipped Seafoam Candy

Chocolate dipped seafoam candy is a crunchy candy that melts in your mouth as soon as you bite into it.

Seafoam candy is made by mixing together brown sugar, white sugar, and corn syrup in a saucepan over medium heat.

Sugar is stirred constantly until it reaches 285 F.

Sifted baking soda is gently stirred into the seafoam candy, creating the bubbles.

Seafoam candy is poured into a prepared baking pan, and let to cool and solidify.

Seafoam candy is broken into pieces, and then dipped into melted chocolate and set to harden.

2 pm Wedding Reception Food Ideas

September 21, 2023June 2, 2023 by Jenna Atkinson

If you’re having your wedding reception in the middle of lunch and dinner, you can serve enticing food for your guests that they’ll love!

If your guests are going to be attending a 2 pm wedding reception, some of them might be quite hungry because they may be had a late breakfast, and are anticipating lunch.

You’ll want to serve food that will be filling, and have an appetizer feel to it, even if you plan on serving it as a meal. This way, you’ll cover all of your basis. Some people will only need a few bites of an appy, other’s will eat a full meal.

You can serve charcuterie, have a seafood bar, sushi bar, Greek food, or alluring appetizers like crostini’s for a 2 pm wedding reception.

Charcuterie Board

Charcuterie boards are made with a variety of meats, cheeses, condiments, and crackers.

Meats are rolled, or made into roses to create a textured look to the charcuterie board.

Soft and hard cheeses can be paired with meats, mustard, pickles, honey, or spreads (jelly’s, jam), layered on top of crostini’s, crackers, or slices of baguette.

You can include extra foods like grapes, arugula, hummus, dried fruits, and nuts for a complete charcuterie board.

Seafood Bar

Having a seafood bar at a wedding can either be a raw bar, or a seafood buffet table.

A raw bar is seafood that is cold such as oysters, mussels, scallops, and clams.

You can serve raw oysters with an accompanying cocktail for your weddings guests such as a Bloody Mary or a martini.

If you’re wanting a seafood buffet table, you can serve hot seafood sushi as calamari, prawns, crab, or fish and chip cups.

You can serve dips for your seafood bar such as butter for crab, shrimp cocktail sauce, tartar sauce for fish and chips, and spicy mayo for squid and octopus.

prawns
squid
octopus
scallops
shrimp
oysters
crab
fish & chip cups

Sushi Bar

Sushi is an easy to serve wedding reception food. Sushi is individually portioned, therefore guests can fill up their own plates with their favorite sushi rolls.

2 pm Wedding Reception Food ideas sushi rolls

You can serve deep fried vegetable or prawn tempura, sushi cones, sashimi, or nigiri sushi for a spread of choices.

You can include vegetable rolls such as avocado or cucumber rolls for your guests.

Another option would be to serve deep fried rolls such as a California roll.

For a wedding reception, you’ll also want to serve more elaborate rolls that topped with avocado or mango.

You can also pick a seafood sushi topping for your sushi such as tuna, smoked salmon, tobiko.

Sushi rolls can have a sauces drizzled on top of them for a beautiful finish to a sushi bar such as unagi sauce, spicy mayo, teriyaki sauce, or hot sauce.

Serve you sushi bar with some sake as a treat for your guests.

sushi rolls
sashimi
temaki – sushi cones
tempura
nigiri sushi

Satay

Satay is an appetizer food you can serve at an afternoon wedding reception.

Satay skewers are meat that has been barbequed, and then served with an accompanying creamy peanut sauce for dipping.

You can make small chicken skewers that are portioned for a wedding as an appetizer, so it’s not too big for your guests.

chicken
beef
lamb

2 pm Wedding Reception Food meat skewers

Greek Food

Greek food includes lighter foods that can be eaten as an appetizer, or as a meal, but isn’t too filling. Therefore Greek food works well for an afternoon, 2 pm wedding reception.

You can serve small pita wraps filled with vegetables, tzatziki sauce, chicken or beef.

If you’re wanting more of an appetizer style, you can serve small portioned Greek salad with pita bread, and few meat skewers for your guests to choose from.

pita wraps
Greek salad
pita bread with tzatziki sauce
meat skewers with tzatziki sauce

Crostini’s

Crostini appetizers are small pieces of toasted baguette with indulgent toppings.

You can serve crostini’s with a few different toppings so your guests can pick and choose their favorites to try.

Crostini’s can be topped with Havarti, prosciutto, fresh pesto, ricotta, avocado and more to create alluring appetizers for your wedding reception.

cheese and prosciutto with arugula and balsamic reduction
fresh pesto mixed with diced tomatoes, topped with grated parmesan cheese
ricotta, sliced pears or apples, walnuts, drizzled with honey
mashed avocado topped with grilled garlic shrimp
watermelon bruschetta topped with balsamic reduction
goat cheese, apricot preserves, sprinkled with pistachios and mint leaves
garlic and dill cream cheese, slices of cucumber and radishes, topped with smoked salmon

2 pm Wedding Reception crostini appetizers

2 pm afternoon Wedding Reception crostini's