Crunchy and good for you. Photo and recipes courtesy Nabisco.

Unlike many products we enjoyed as a kid,* Triscuits still taste as good to us as ever. The brand has just launched its first new Triscuit cracker flavor in five years: the Mediterranean-inspired Dill, Sea Salt & Olive Oil Triscuit. The classic, wheaty Triscuit flavor is amply dressed with the taste of fresh dill (we wish there were a pinch less sea salt, but we rarely salt our foods).

Triscuits are 100% whole grain and a good source of fiber. A “dill-licious” snack out of the box, Triscuit Dill, Sea Salt & Olive Oil is also perfectly complemented by freshly grown cracker toppings like tomato and cucumber slices. The line is certified kosher by OU.

Here are two sophisticated snacks/hors d’oeuvre, plus more recipes and wine pairings (including a free app).

*Why don’t you still like foods you loved in earlier years? Your palate evolves, seeking more sophisticated flavors; and companies cut back on quality ingredients, so products don’t taste as good as they used to.

TRISCUITS WITH TANGY GREEK TOPPERS

Ingredients Per Serving

Preparation

1. Lay cucumber slices on Triscuits, followed by feta cheese and red pepper.

2. Garnish with olive slices and lemon zest. Serve with Sauvignon Blanc or other white wine.

 
TRISCUITS WITH SALMON-DILL TOPPERS

Ingredients Per Serving

 
Preparation

1. Spread crackers with cream cheese. Layer with salmon.

2. Top with remaining ingredients.

3. Serve with Pinot Noir or other light-to-medium-bodied red wine.

The latest Triscuit flavor. Photo courtesy Nabisco.

TRISCUIT HISTORY

Triscuit is a biscuit (cracker) form of shredded wheat. Shredded wheat cereal, made of boiled wheat, was invented by Henry Perky in 1890, as a palliative for his digestive problems. In 1892, he took his idea to a machinist friend, William H. Ford, in Watertown, New York. Together they developed the machine for making what Perky called “little whole wheat mattresses.” He established the Shredded Wheat Company of Niagara Falls, New York (acquired by the National Biscuit Company—now Nabisco—in 1928). A patent was granted in 1902. Commercial production began in 1903.

In 1935, Nabisco began spraying the crackers with oil and adding salt, creating today’s delicious Original flavor profile. From 1984 through 2008, additional variations were created and the crackers were made crispier. Today the line includes Original; Reduced Fat; Cracked Pepper & Olive Oil; Dill, Sea Salt & Olive Oil; Fire Roasted Tomato; Garden Herb; Hint of Salt; Parmesan Garlic; Quattro Formaggio; Roasted Garlic; and Rosemary & Olive Oil.

Find more of our favorite crackers.

We love Aunt Nellie’s beets: whole beets, sliced beets, pickled beets, Harvard beets. The company is the largest provider of jarred beets.

And now, the brand has introduced Baby Whole Pickled Beets, sized just right for one bite. They’re available nationwide and a great boon to anyone who likes to make hors d’oeuvre and small bites.

 
This recipe makes about 36 appetizers, 2 appetizers per serving.

Baby beets make quick and easy appetizers. Photos courtesy Aunt Nelllie’s.

BABY BEET & TORTELLINI APPETIZERS

Ingredients

 
*Thinly sliced strips of smoked ham or turkey may be substituted for prosciutto.

Buy lots—you’ll love them!

Preparation

1. DRAIN beets well; discard liquid.

2. COOK tortellini according to package directions. Drain; rinse with cold water and drain again.

3. CUT prosciutto into 1×3-inch strips. Wrap one strip prosciutto around tortellini; skewer with appetizer pick.

4. ASSEMBLE: Brush lightly with vinaigrette. Add one piece of bell pepper and one baby beet to skewer. Repeat until all beets are used. Arrange on serving platter. Sprinkle with herbs.

Entertain with tapas: Start with a good
cookbook. Photo courtesy Knopf.

Is there a tapas bar in your town? About 20 years ago, this style of eating from Spain—which consists of grazing on several smaller plates of food instead of an appetizer and a main course (like dim sum)—began to take hold in parts of the U.S.

You can serve a multicourse dinner of small tapas plates. It’s the opposite of our recent tip on buffets, but is just as much fun.

Spain is full of tapas bars, which feature a wide variety of hot and cold appetizers and snacks. From foods as basic as a bowl of mixed olives and a plate of cheese to fried baby squid, what was originally a menu of Spanish bar foods evolved into an entire meal.

Mixed seafood; ragouts of meat, sausages and beans; colorful salads; tortillas (Spanish omelettes) with ham and peppers; banderillas, or Spanish skewers; and empanadas, savory filled pastries, are just a few items found at a typical tapas bar.

But tapas aren’t limited to Spanish specialties. They can be Asian- or Greek-inspired, or gourmet dishes with foie gras and escargots. Goat cheese and arugula join Spanish Manchego cheese and olives. Pretty much any food you like can be served tapas style: a small portion on a small plate.

Tapas are an exciting eating experience for people who like a variety of foods, but don’t want the temptation of a buffet meal.

TAPAS COOKBOOKS
To get started, peruse a tapas cookbook:

 
TAPAS: THE NAME

The word “tapas” comes from the Spanish verb tapar, “to cover.” Why a “cover”?

According to the leading interpretation, a piece of bread would often be placed on top of a drink as a cover, to protect it from fruit flies. At some point the bread was covered with chorizo, ham or other food. Soon, drinkers would order a glass of sherry or wine specifically “with a cover.”

Roasted piquillo chiles stuffed with tuna,
crumbled Manchego cheese, capers, parsley
and a touch of lemon juice. Photo courtesy
DeLallo Foods.

Today’s tip is an easy way to expand your culinary horizons: Try a new ingredient each month (if you’re ambitious, each week). Work it into different recipes and decide if it deserves a place in your everyday or special-occasion repertoire.

We’ll start you off with a suggestion: piquillo peppers. They’ve been a favorite in Spain for centuries, for tapas, stews and other recipes. We picked up some piquillos from Roland and Delallo.

Delectable and easy to use straight from the jar (DeLallo) or can (Roland), their vibrant color and piquant, roasted flavor make piquillos a welcome ingredient to enliven winter cooking.

Use them instead of roasted red bell peppers—they’ll bring an extra depth of flavor. The wall of a piquillo is much thinner than a bell pepper, with a richer, sweeter flavor and a hint of spiciness. When purchased in cans or jars, they’ve typically been fire roasted, adding a touch of of smokiness.

The piquillo originated in Northern Spain and was named for its conical shape, which reminded people of a bird’s beak. Piquillo means “little beak” in Spanish.

Use piquillos on sandwiches and in salads; with drinks, cut and rolled onto a toothpick (you can add an olive, caperberry or cube of cheese to the toothpick); and by all means, stuffed. The shape makes piquillos ideal for stuffing; the Spanish stuff them with everything from seafood to vegetables. We’ve been filling them with everything from leftover rice and other grains to potatoes, goat cheese, feta and tabbouleh, to tuna, egg and potato salads. Delicious! They also add a sweet touch to chili.

TIPS FOR USING PIQUILLO CHILES

Roland Foods suggests:

 
RECIPES

DO YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENT CHILES?
Check out our Chile Glossary.

A guacamole BLT transformed into crostini hors d’oeuvre. Photo courtesy California Avocado Commission.

What’s better than a BLT?

Well, there’s a turkey BLT and our favorite, the chicken salad BLT.

And then there’s the guacamole BLT. Guacamole can be added to any of the above; or turn the concept into bite-size crostini—BLT appetizers. Microsprouts stand in for the lettuce; or you can substitute arugula, watercress or other flat lettuce.

This recipe was developed by Deborah Branby, chef/owner of The Cheese Board in Reno, Nevada, and provided to us by the California Avocado Commission.

We’re serving it on New Year’s Eve.

Ingredients

*Large avocados are recommended for this recipe. A large avocado averages about 8 ounces. If using smaller or larger size avocados, adjust the quantity accordingly.

BAGUETTE CROUTONS RECIPE

Ingredients
Yield: 24 slices

 
Preparation
1. Brush one side of the baguette slices with melted butter.
2. Bake at 375 degrees F until lightly toasted, about 15 minutes. Cool.
 
ROASTED CHERRY TOMATOES RECIPE

Ingredients

 
Preparation
1. Slice tomatoes in half and toss with olive oil.
2. Roast at 400 degrees F until lightly browned, about 15 – 20 minutes. Cool.

 
LEMON AÏOLI RECIPE

Ingredients
Yield: 1/2 cup

 
Preparation
1. Mix together mayonnaise and fresh lemon juice.

CROSTINI ASSEMBLY

1. Coarsely mash the avocado and mix it with the fresh lemon juice.
2. Top each crouton with 1 tablespoon of the mashed avocado mixture.
3. Top with 2 thin strips of bacon, micro sprouts, lemon aioli and roasted cherry tomatoes.
4. Drizzle with pesto. Serve immediately.

Whether for your own home or as a gift when you visit someone else’s, consider making an olive mix recipe.

Healthful and versatile, olive mixes stay in the fridge for months, ready to grab and serve with beer, red and white wine, and martinis and other cocktails.

You can also use the olives as part of an antipasto, add them to salads and omelets, and spoon them onto dishes of pasta, slices of pizza and whatever else inspires you.

To turn your mix into a gift, just create a label from a free template, or use pinking shears to cut a circle from a scrap of cloth and tie it with a ribbon or string over the top of a recycled plastic or glass container.

A mix of cured olives and almonds with lemon zest. Photo courtesy A.G. Ferrari.

OLIVE MIX RECIPE

Follow these simple steps to create a great olive mix:

 
HOW TO SERVE YOUR OLIVE MIX

A bowl of olives is fine by itself, but olives are also a popular part of an antipasto, served with:

As long as the grill is fired, here’s a tasty appetizer that goes great with drinks: Mediterranean Grilled Mozzarella Skewers with tomatoes, kalamata olives and caperberries.

The recipe was created by Chef James Campbell Caruso for EatWisconsinCheese.com. It makes six skewers.

Ingredients

Photo courtesy EatWisconsinCheese.com.

Preparation
1. In a large bowl, mix the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, pepper flakes and garlic. Add the remaining ingredients; toss well to coat. Refrigerate for 2 hours to marinate.
2. Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium.
3. For 8-inch skewers, thread 1 mozzarella ball, 1 grape, 1 olive, 1 tomato and 1 caperberry on each skewer; repeat so you have two of each item on each skewer. For 6-inch skewers, thread 1 of each item, in the same order.
4. Grill the skewers on all sides for 5 to 7 minutes or until the cheese is soft and the skewers are thoroughly heated. Serve the skewers as a tapa or side to grilled meat.

Find more cheese recipes in our Cheese Section.

Updated retro: goat cheese-stuffed celery
with pomegranate arils. Blueberries not
shown. Photo and recipe courtesy Pom
Wonderful.

An update of the 1950s classic, this stuffed celery recipe replaces the old school cream cheese and pimento-stuffed olives with goat cheese and capers.

For July 4th, the white goat cheese is accented with red pomegranate arils and blueberries.

For Christmas, switch out the blueberries and put extra green capers on top of the goat cheese.

Stuffed Celery Ingredients

Stuffed Celery Preparation

1. If using a whole fresh pomegranate, score and place in a bowl of water. Break open the pomegranate underwater to free the arils. The arils will sink to the bottom of the bowl and the membrane will float to the top.

2. Sieve the arils and place in a separate bowl. You only need half the arils (1/2 cup); refrigerate or freeze the rest. Or put them to work on the holiday menu: in a salad or cocktails, or as a tray garnish.

2. Clean six stalks of celery; cut into four pieces each and set aside.

3. Mix together goat cheese, green onion and optional capers, if desired.

4. Using a knife, fill each piece of celery with cheese mixture.

5. Divide the arils and blueberries evenly and press onto the cheese. Lightly press down the blueberries.

6. Serve chilled.

You can convert these plain bamboo skewers into delicious hors d’oeuvre and party food. We created the skewer in the photo below just by opening the pantry door and removing jars of artichoke hearts, olives and roasted red peppers.

Skewers typically can be found in different sizes: 4-inch skewers for single bites; 6-inch skewers for a multi-bite hors d’oeuvre or snack; and 10-inch skewers for main course “kebabs.”

Just peek into the fridge and you’ll find what you need to assemble healthy skewers. A combination of textures and colors always looks good:

You can turn this plain pile of skewers
into glamorous hors d’oeuvre and snacks.
Photo courtesy Charcoal Companion.

 
Also consider ingredients for kids: hot dog chunks, cherry tomatoes and sweet pickles, for example.

Some people offer skewers with a dip, for example, with plain chicken; or mustard with ham-and-cheese skewers.

If you’re grilling wood skewers, always soak them in water for 20 minutes before assembling and grilling, to avoid charring.

Skewers can be washed and re-used.

What are your favorite foods to “skewer?”

Our favorite solution to “what to do with
the skewers.” Photo by River Soma |
THE NIBBLE.

Food on a stick is such fun party fare, there’s a new cookbook devoted to it (called, appropriately, On A Stick).

But what happens to all the sticks when the food is consumed?

They typically lie like an unattractive pile of pick-up-sticks on the serving plate.

Here’s a better idea:

 
This tip gracefully solved an ongoing problem for us, so we especially love it!