Finally the MEC: Party Appetizers Round Up! Here it comes….

Alas… all good things must come to an end! Hosting June’s MEC event has been a pleasure and I am truly amazed at all the creativity coming my way from my amazing fellow bloggers and even non-bloggers! I thank Srivalli of Cooking for All Seasons for this wonderful opportunity to host MEC.

The recipes in the round up are perfect for the quick wow factor in minutes without compromising on taste. Here is the round up:

The ever creative super-cook Srivalli of Spicing Your Life sent in the cheesy goodness that are her Cheese Toast with Thyme, Red Chili Flakes and Roasted Onions.

 Not being part of the blogging world did not stop Rathna S Rao and Sireesha Yetchina (enterprising cooks!) from sending in their yummy ‘party-perfect’ spiced nuts!

Priya from the amazing blog Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes sent us an innovative microwave version of Tandoori Baby corn!

 Denny from Oh Taste and See sent an irresistible Easy Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Dip that is perfect for gatherings!

 Srivalli from Cooking For All Seasons sends in a sure to please dish Microwave Roasted Potatoes with Herbs.

Lata Raja from Flavours and Tastes Blogspot sent in a unique recipe for creative Microwave Potato Cups.

Its Dhokla Dhamaka time at Ranjani’s blog My Kitchen Trials… simple and oh so tasty!

Vatsala from the blog Show and Tell simplifies the ever-delicious Kandavi aka Suralichi Wadi… Don’t miss it!

Monika from Sin-A-Mon created the super easy and appetizing Bread Sticks in a Jiffy: Sweet and Savory to please all tastes!

Check out The Housewife’s take on the iconic Union Square Café’s Bar Nuts at The Diary of a Displaced Housewife.

There it is! I hope I included all the entries that came my way. In case I have missed out an entry do email me and I'll ensure that I include the entry in the round up too.

Thank you all for participating in this event and looking forward to more MEC events with many many more culinary innovations! 

MEC: Party Appetizers Update - Spicy ‘Party-Perfect’ Nuts

I love this recipe from Sireesha Yetchina & Rathna Rao that is perfect for any time of the year and will surely please the fussiest of palettes! Be sure to try this at home for your next party…

Spicy ‘Party-Perfect’ Nuts

What you need:

Cashew nuts: 2 cups

Butter- 2 Tablespoons

Soy sauce - 2 Tablespoons

Chilli Powder - 1/2 Tablespoon or to taste

Parsley Flakes-1/2 Tablespoon

Garam Masala - 1 /2 Tablespoon

Pepper-1/4th Tablespoon

Cumin Powder - 1/2 Tablespoon

Garlic Powder - 1/2 Tablespoon

Getting Down to Business:

Melt butter and soy together in a small bowl (Microwave them for about 1 min) and toss with nuts.

Spread the buttered nuts on a microwavable plate and microwave them for about 5 minutes on high setting, stirring every 2 minutes.

Add the spice powders to the nuts and mix well.

Microwave the buttered and spiced nuts for about 3 minutes or until golden brown and roasted.

Set aside to cool. Transfer to a serving dish and serve as munchie.

Don’t forget to warm them up for your party!

                                                      Photograph by Yetchina

MEC Party Appetizers: Union Square Café Bar Nuts… In The Microwave!

A while back, I was watching some complete foodie heaven on the telly and saw these nuts being featured. They seemed like the perfect nibble to whip up for a group of friends. So when I had to think up of a recipe for June’s MEC event, this was my sudden flash of brillance! I altered an existing recipe by Nigella Lawson (Love love love her!). I have to admit it took a couple of tries to get this straight but it was sooo good! While its okay at room temperature, its best served all warm and toasty to bring out the amazing mix of flavors. Enjoy!

(I’ve mostly retained the original recipe’s proportions because there was no need to change it.)

Microwave Version: Union Square Café Bar Nuts

What you need:

2 1/4 cups of mixed unroasted, unsalted nuts such as almonds, cashews, peanuts.. or whatever you fancy. (I used cashews and almonds)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Spice Mix:

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I used good ol’ Indian Chili powder for some mah-jor kick!)

2 ½ teaspoons dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons coarse sea salt

red pepper flakes to taste (optional)

Getting Down to Business:

Melt the butter and keep aside.

Combine the sugar, salt, rosemary, red pepper flakes, chili powder with 2 tablespoons of the melted butter and keep aside.

In a large microwave safe bowl ( I prefer glass) combine the nuts and 1 tablespoon* of the melted butter.

Microwave the nuts on high for about 4 to 6 minutes till they taste lightly roasted. Mix in the spice mix with the warm nuts ensuring they are thoroughly coated. Best served warm!

Notes:

Feel free to use regular cayenne powder to keep the heat quotient in check.

As far as possible try to use fresh rosemary for best results.

*If needed, please use more melted butter to ensure the nuts are evenly coated to help the roasting process.

MEC: Party Appetizers Update

Look what the lovely Srivalli from Spicing Your Life sent in for MEC: Party Appetizers.. a very yummy Cheese Toast with Thyme, Red Pepper Flakes and Roasted Onions! This is a dish that is sure to please your guests!

Looking forward to seeing all your concoctions in the microwave! Check out my post on MEC: Party Appetizers for more information.