My husband knows how much I miss my friends in Socal. I also miss the warm weather year-round. I’ve been sick with a cold, fever and cough twice in a month in a half after moving to Norcal. I blame the cold. I was in dire need of comfort food this weekend.
What is toasty and fun to eat on a cold evening? Hot appetizers!
There is one good point about living near San Francisco. Before I had to travel about 1 hour 20 minutes to Monterey Park from Santa Monica.
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| Photo Credit: Renee Marchol SF Chinatown Cable Car |
This weekend, my husband drove me to his favorite Chinatown bake shop, Eastern Bakery to share baked BBQ pork buns, coconut filled cocktail buns and lotus seed mooncakes.
His mom and dad would take him on family trips to SF museums, then they’d dine at Four Seas Chinese Restaurant. Hubby Nik is from Sacramento.
Why do I mention this?
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| Photo Credit: Renee Marchol Puff Pastry Appetizers with Asparagus tips |
Imagine dim sum and these Chinese bakery items as appetizers.
Since he gave me my childhood comfort foods on Saturday, I felt my husband deserved some of his culture’s comfort food on Sunday.
Therefore I made this Puff Pastry Appetizer for him for Sunday before dinner.
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| Photo Credit: Renee Marchol Gluten free Pumpkin Ghiradelli Chocolate Chip Pancakes |
I call it his Western dim sum. For Western sweets, I made him gluten free, pumpkin, Ghiradelli chocolate chip pancakes! That’ll be in another post.
Hint: It is also a good way to clean out your fridge!
Renee’s Puff Pastry Appetizers
4 frozen puff pastry cups
2 chicken apple sausages diced
3 TB low fat Mexican shredded cheese
1 TB pesto
4 fresh basil leaves
2 TB sun dried tomatoes diced
2 oz cubed farmers cheese
1/4 tsp unsalted butter and a sprinkle of sea salt
5 fresh asparagus tips
2 TB vegetable oil
butter spray
1. Mix the vegetable oil, Mexican cheese, pesto and sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl. Tear the basil leaves and combine. Set aside.
2. Spray your oven-safe pan with butter spray.
3. Bake the puff pastry at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes.
4. Use a knife to hollow out the cups.
5. Layer the cups with meat first, herbs and cheese second.
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| Photo Credit: Renee Marchol Puff Pastry Appetizers with Basil and Sausage |
6. Fill and bake for 10 minutes until cheese melts.
7. Decorate with sauteed asparagus tips.* The asparagus doesn’t bake well in the oven so saute them in a skillet with salt and butter for 5 minutes.
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