If you are anything like me then you are always on the look out for a quick appetizer. I love to cook and bake and I am always volunteering to bring something to parties and get togethers. Even though I LOVE to prepare food occasonially I regret offering to bring something. I like the idea of bringing a dish to share and I like to try new recipes but sometimes I just get so busy and I think to myself, why did I volunteer for this. And I promise myself that next time will be different. I will either not volunteer to bring something or I will buy something store bought like most people do. In the end I always do volunteer to bring something, and I can never bring myself to purchase store bought food. I just can not do it! The only thing that saves me is quick appetizers. They make everyone, even me, happy. I can still volunteer to bring food, I don’t have to stress myself out, and people enjoy them.

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Not too long ago, we made this roasted red pepper sauce and served it with pasta. I was shocked by how much I liked a sauce made from roasted red pepper rather than tomato. Who knew? Because of my new found appreciation for roasted red peppers we thought…what else can we make with them?!

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When we went to Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast a couple of years ago we ate potato croquettes at a local restaurant. Our bed and breakfast made us a reservation and arranged for someone at the restaurant to come pick us up. I think this is fairly common in Sorrento since no one rents a car. Anyway, the restaurant came and got us in their little Fiat. He took through these winding streets that got increasingly more and more narrow. “Street” is really not even the right word. I think that sidewalk is a better description. At one point the driver had to fold in his side view mirror to make it through the street. I had read good reviews about this restaurant on trip advisor but I was a little concerned when we got there. It was pretty empty. I know that people eat late in Italy so we had made a reservation around 8pm, which I consider pretty late. We usually eat with the geriatric crowd, closer to 5pm. Despite the fact that the restaurant was empty we had a pretty amazing meal. By the time we were done with our meal the restaurant was packed. I guess 8pm is still too early for Italians! One of the highlights of our meal was potato croquettes. After years of talking about these potato croquettes we finally decided to make them for ourselves. Why did we wait so long?

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Way back when…when we made this cheese ball I thought I couldn’t possibly taste a better cheese ball in my life. The combination of the two cheddars and the garlic reminded me so much of this one cheese spread I used to snack on at The General Store In Long Grove.  They would always have samples of soup, cheese with pretzels, and other nibbles. The cheese was so addicting! Anyways, the fact that this cheese ball was my favorite still holds sorta kinda true because technically today’s post is a cheese LOG. Thank goodness for technicalities…because these are both my favorites.

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