Blue Avocado Bites - Weekend Recipe

This recipe was deep in my recipe files.  I originally found it in a magazine, I tore out the page and saved the recipe, but not the name or date of the magazine.  (Sorry about that.)  Currently avocados are available and cheap, so I thought this would be great to share this month. I served this to the hubby on Valentine’s Day as an appetizer to the special dinner he made. It was perfect with our rich cream-sauced steak, but added only good fats.

Blue Avocado Bites

1 ripe avocado

2 ounces (1/2 cup crumbled) blue cheese

2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

2 Tbls olive oil

2 Tbls balsamic vinegar

½ tsp basil

¼ tsp oregano

¼ to ½ tsp ground pepper

¼ to ½ tsp salt

You want a ripe avocado, one that gives slightly when gently squeezed, not real hard, not real soft.

Mince the fresh garlic.  Cut the avocado in half, remove pit.  Rub half the freshly minced garlic onto the exposed surface of the avocado, reserving the other half for later.  Cut the avocado halves in half lengthwise and remove the skin.  Place the avocado quarters on a serving plate and sprinkle remaining garlic down the center of each quarter.  Cut the quarters into serving sized pieces.  Crumble the blue cheese around and between the avocado pieces.  Crumble the herbs with your fingers and sprinkle over the cheese and avocado.  Drizzle all with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Dust with salt and pepper.  Serves 2.

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018 or Recipe2019 

You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD in the () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2020 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Feb 2020 - Footbal Tailgate Favorites (AppFeb)

March 2020 - Kabobs (KabobMar)

April 2020 - Brunch (BrunchApr)

May 2020 - Non-Traditional Pizza (PizzaMay)

June 2020 - StirFry Dishes (StirJun)

July 2020 - Salads with no lettuce (SaladJul)

August 2020 - Pickled things (PickleAug)

September 2020 - Quiche (QuicheSep)

October 2020 - Squash Soups (SquashOct)

November 2020 - Pumpkin (again) (PumpNov)

December 2020 - Turkey Recipes (TurkDec)

Windy City Antipasto Salad - recipe theme

Another recipe in the monthly theme of appetizers this recipe, that I think was first shared by Kraft, gives you two for one.  A salad and an antipasto appetizer. It is wonderful served as a main dish or spread the ingredients over a bed of lettuce on a platter drizzled with dressing and served as an appetizer.  We recommend using Backyard Patch Italian Dressing / Marinade, but any Italian dressing will work for this recipe.

Windy City Antipasto Salad


6 ounces (2 cups) uncooked dry radiatori pasta (pasta nuggets)

radiatori pasta

1 cup broccoli florets

1 cup pitted black olives

1 cup cubed red pepper

½ cup prepared BYP Italian Dressing / Marinade

2 6-ounce jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained

8 ounces of cheddar or asiago cut in ½-inch cubes

8 ounces hard deli salami ½ inch cubes

3 slices red onion, cut in cubes
1 Tablespoon dried basil or 2 Tablespoons torn fresh



Cook the pasta according to package directions.  Rinse with cold water; drain.  In large salad bowl combine all salad ingredients; mix lightly.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours to blend flavors before serving.  Make 8 1 ½ cup servings as a main dish (or 12 to 18 smaller appetizer-sized servings.)

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018, or Recipe2019 

You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD in the () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2020 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Feb 2020 - Footbal Tailgate Favorites (AppFeb)

March 2020 - Kabobs (KabobMar)

April 2020 - Brunch (BrunchApr)

May 2020 - Non-Traditional Pizza (PizzaMay)

June 2020 - StirFry Dishes (StirJun)

July 2020 - Salads with no lettuce (SaladJul)

August 2020 - Pickled things (PickleAug)

September 2020 - Quiche (QuicheSep)

October 2020 - Squash Soups (SquashOct)

November 2020 - Pumpkin (again) (PumpNov)

December 2020 - Turkey Recipes (TurkDec)

Arancini Balls - Valentine weekend recipe

I got this recipe by adapting something I read in an insert to Food Network Magazine.  They called it Happy Valentine's Day.  For this Sweetie Holiday, my sweetie is making me Steak au Poivre (I've posted about this before.)  It is a bit complicated so instead I recommend you surprise your special someone with an appetizer that is gooey and special and not your typical fried cheese item.  Serve it with a marinara and impress them so much you can make anything you want for the main dish!

I got this recipe by adapting something I read in an insert to Food Network Magazine.  They called it  Arancini Appetizer Balls (No. 41). For those who aren’t familiar with these balls of gooey goodness, arancini balls are made from rice rolled with egg, cheese, herbs and breadcrumbs and then deep-fried until they are crispy and golden. Yes for the rookies out there, they taste as delicious as they sound. The Food Network version seemed to be missing herbs, so I experimented with what would go well in this.  Since the Parmesan is a popular ingredient in Italian food, I added oregano, then basil and rosemary to give them a savory and robust flavor.  Here is my version of

Quick Arancini Balls

1 cup Arborio rice

1 2/3 cups chicken broth

1/3 cup white wine

1/3 cup chopped onion (if you want to use dry, use 2 Tbls dried soaked in 2 Tbls water)

2 eggs

3/4 cup grated Parmesan

3/4 cup grated provolone

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

1/2 tsp dried rosemary

Panko or other seasoned breadcrumbs

Microwave Arborio rice, chicken broth, white wine and chopped onion in an 8-inch microwave-safe dish, stirring halfway through, until tender, 18 minutes; cool. Mix in eggs, grated Parmesan and provolone and herbs. Roll into 1 1/4-inch balls; dredge in breadcrumbs. Chill. Deep-fry in 350 degrees F vegetable oil until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve with marinara sauce. Makes 12 to 18 balls.

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018, or Recipe2019 

You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD in the () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2020 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Feb 2020 - Footbal Tailgate Favorites (AppFeb)

March 2020 - Kabobs (KabobMar)

April 2020 - Brunch (BrunchApr)

May 2020 - Non-Traditional Pizza (PizzaMay)

June 2020 - StirFry Dishes (StirJun)

July 2020 - Salads with no lettuce (SaladJul)

August 2020 - Pickled things (PickleAug)

September 2020 - Quiche (QuicheSep)

October 2020 - Squash Soups (SquashOct)

November 2020 - Pumpkin (again) (PumpNov)

December 2020 - Turkey Recipes (TurkDec)