Brilliant Bites, page 1
Brilliant Bites
75 Amazing Small Bites
for Any Occasion
Maegan Brown
The BakerMama
Contents
Take a Bite! A Message from Maegan
Love at First Bite
Bite Essentials
PARTY BITES
Charcuterie Board Cracker Bites
Cacio e Pepe Bites
Steak Frites Bites
Sushi Taco Bites
Enchilada Egg Rolls
Blooming Onion Bites
Meatball Lasagna Cups
Chopped Kale Caesar Salad Cups
Chicken Fajita Bites
Pad Thai Cups
Ramen Bites
Taco Salad Cups
Mini Manicotti Bites
Elote Bites
Wedge Salad Bites
Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
HOLIDAY BITES
Birthday Cake Cookie Bites with Party Hats
Love Bug Bites
King Cake Bites
Pot o’ Gold Rainbow & Shamrock Pretzel Bites
Bunny Cookie Bites
Muffins with Mom Mini Muffins Many Ways
Donuts with Dad Maple Bacon Donut Bites
Patriotic Pie Bites
Jack-o’-Lantern Mac ’n’ Cheese Bites
Mummy Meatballs
Monster Cookie Balls
Pumpkin Pie Bites
Thanksgiving Cracker Bites
Candy Cane & Snowman Caprese Bites
Santa Hat & Rudolph Pancake Bites
Bow-Tie Antipasto Bites
Midnight Kiss Cookie Bites
BREAKFAST BITES
Pancake Taco Bites
Eggs Benedict Bites
Cinnamon Sugar Cruffin Bites
Breakfast Burrito Roll-Up Bites
Dutch Baby Bites
Strawberry Toaster Pastry Bites
Apple Fritter Bites
Smoked Salmon Bagel Bites
Blueberry Streusel Muffin-Top Bites
Avocado Toast Bites
Chocolate Hazelnut Babka Bites
SNACK BITES
Bacon Mac ’n’ Cheese Jalapeño Bites
BLT Grilled Cheese Bites
Deep-Dish Pizza Bites
Popcorn Bites
Bean & Cheese Burrito Bites
After-School Snack Balls
Loaded Baked Potato Chips
Frito Chili Pie Bites
Fro-Yo Bites
Monte Cristo Cracker Bites
Buffalo Chicken Celery Bites
PB&J-Stuffed Dates
DESSERT BITES
Banana Split Bites
Baklava Bites
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cannoli Bites
Crêpe Bites
Cookies ’n’ Cream Ice Cream Bites
Apple Pie Bites
Brookie Bites
Banana Pudding Bites
Chocolate Cheesecake Strawberry Bites
Salted Caramel Molten Chocolate Cake Bites
Coconut Key Lime Pie Bites
Strawberry Shortcake Bites
Peanut Butter Pie Bites
SAVVY SIPS
Espresso S’more-tini
The Fashionable Fig
The Sage Bee
Dirty Dill Martini
Frozen Strawberry Lemonade Daquiri Swirl
Mango Mai Tai
Orange Cream Mimosa
Piña Colada Popsicle Shots
Verde Maria
Pumpkin Paloma
Merry Margarita
Eggnog Bites
Index
Bites of Appreciation
About the Author
Take a Bite!
A MESSAGE FROM MAEGAN
Hi, friends! I’m back again! As I like to say, “Third time's a charmer,” and that’s exactly what Brilliant Bites is. It’s been created to charm you with the most brilliantly delicious bites you’ll ever eat. I’ve hopefully been inspiring you already with building Beautiful Boards and serving Spectacular Spreads, and now I’ve poured my creativity into Brilliant Bites. I promise that you will want to make the bites in this cookbook for years to come. Everything’s better when it’s bite-size, right?! And I hope these recipes WOW you from the moment you see them to the moment you take that first bite.
My family is obsessed with bite-size foods! They’re easy to make, perfectly portioned, simply satisfying, and a savvy way to serve. I’m always thinking of ways to miniaturize our favorite foods because it’s such an easy and fun way to eat. The bites I’ve gathered here are a mix of classic comfort foods and clever concoctions that you’ll want to make again and again.
As you’ll soon discover, when you serve these bites, everyone will be impressed by them—both by their brilliance and amazing deliciousness. These recipes are fun to serve because everyone will ooh and aah over them and beg for more. For me, there’s no greater compliment as a host than to see and hear the enjoyment from everyone as they eat the food I’ve served them.
They can all be eaten with your fingers or a decorative food pick and are perfect for feeding a crowd or on-the-go enjoyment. I tried to keep these recipes as simple as possible with minimal, easy-to-find ingredients and little effort required. There’s just something so satisfying about finger foods—plus there are fewer dishes to clean up. Win-win!
My dream for Brilliant Bites is for you to have fun with these recipes every chance you get to make something delicious and memorable for your loved ones.
Enjoy the little things . . . I mean bites!
Love at First Bite
What exactly is a bite? Bites (a.k.a. appetizers, finger foods, munchies, tasties, and snackies) are perfectly portioned for party grazing and on-the-go snacking. Every recipe in this book is meant to be enjoyed in one or two bites and eaten with your fingers or a decorative food pick. No utensils or plates are necessary, only a napkin to catch any pesky crumbs. Almost any food can be made bite-size as you’ll find out. From breakfast foods, such as eggs Benedict (here), and desserts, such as banana splits (here), to even cocktails, such as piña coladas (here)—the options are endless. These bites may be small, but they’re big in satisfaction, and such an easy and impressive way to entertain!
Preparation
All the bites in this cookbook are quick and easy to prepare and don’t require any special kitchen tools or unique ingredients because I want anyone and everyone to be able to make and enjoy them! I like to use prepared ingredients, like premade piecrusts and jarred pasta sauce, when bringing most of these bites together, but feel free to use homemade.
Many of these recipes can be prepped ahead of time and then garnished just before serving. Or they can be fully prepared and kept warm in the oven until ready to serve. I keep them warm in an oven-safe pan at 200°F (95°C; gas mark ¼).
My goal when serving my family or hosting a crowd is to have everything as prepared as possible, so when we’re ready to eat, I can easily garnish the bites, if necessary, or set them out to start enjoying them. I encourage you to prepare these bites ahead of time so that you can serve them with ease when your crowd is hungry and eagerly awaiting what you’ve made for them.
All the bites in this cookbook are fun to make, so I also encourage you to get your family, kids, and friends involved for an even more memorable experience. These bites are sure to be remembered either way, but if you have the joy of making them together, they will be even more special. Trust me, you’ll want to make them again and again!
Serving
The great thing about bites is that you can serve a selection of them together as the main event or as appetizers before a meal. Artfully arranging them on a platter or board is a perfect way to serve them. They’re meant to be set out on the table so everyone can leisurely graze. I like to have themed cocktail napkins and/or appetizer plates alongside the bites. Like I said, they’re meant to be eaten with your fingers or a decorative food pick. Maybe Mom was wrong? It is okay to eat with your hands!
If a bite is best enjoyed warm, I’ll put some out for everyone to start enjoying and keep the rest warm in a 200°F (95°C; gas mark ¼) oven and replenish the platter as necessary. The same goes for bites to be enjoyed cold or frozen. I’ll set some out to start with and leave the rest in the refrigerator or freezer with easy access to replenish the platter as necessary.
Mix & Match
The beauty of the bites in this book is that many of them complement each other so you can serve several at once to make a small or big spread for any occasion. For example, the Charcuterie Board Cracker Bites (here) and the Bow-Tie Antipasto Bites (here) are great starters to any cocktail party, along with The Sage Bee (here) to sip on. Or you could serve the Mini Manicotti Bites (here), Chicken Parmesan Meatballs (here) and Chopped Kale Caesar Salad Cups (here) as a very impressive meal with the Chocolate Chip Cookie Cannoli Bites (here) for dessert. If you’re hosting a brunch, any sweet and savory combination of the Breakfast Bites (here) would satisfy the morning munchies. My hope is that you get creative with how you serve these bites for everyone to enjoy and remember!
Transporting
These bites are so great to take to a party or potluck! They’re easy to place on a platter and take anywhere. If they need to be refrigerated until serving, you can arrange them on a platter, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and keep in the refrigerator until ready to transport. If they need to be served warm, I would recommend arranging them in an oven-safe serving dish, covering with foil, and keeping them warm in a 200°F (95°C; gas mark ¼) oven until you’re ready
Leftovers
What leftovers?! Ha ha! I bet you won’t have to worry about leftovers with any of these bites, but if you do, they can certainly be stored to enjoy the next day or even frozen for a later time. It depends on each bite as to how long it will keep and how it’s best stored for later enjoyment, so please reference each recipe for quick tips on storing them and how they are best served.
Quantities
Nobody is going to want just one, especially with the bites in this book! They’ll be begging for more. The number of bites to make depends on the size of the bite, the occasion, and what else you will be serving. If the bites are meant to be an appetizer or light snack, I usually plan for two or three per person. If the bites are being served as the main event, I plan for two to four per person, depending on the size of the bite and how many other bites are being served. For desserts, I always plan for two per person. You’ll quickly learn that everyone will love these bites, and you’ll want to make as many as possible.
Bite Essentials
Here are some common kitchen tools and serving supplies you will find mentioned throughout the recipes in this book. It doesn’t take much to get started making these tasty bites, and I bet you already own most of these items. And if you don’t, you can easily order them online or find them locally. When shopping for food picks, cocktail napkins, and appetizer plates, have fun leaning into the theme of the event; there are lots of incredible options available.
Kitchen Tools
2 large baking sheets
24-cup mini muffin pan
12-cup standard muffin pan
Cookie scoops (1 and 2 tablespoon)
Round biscuit or cookie cutters (1 inch, or 2.5 cm; 1½ to 2 inches, or 4 to 5 cm; 2½ inches, or 6 cm; 3 inches, or 7.5 cm)
Cocktail shaker
Muddler (optional)
Toothpicks
Kitchen-only scissors
Kitchen-only ruler
Airtight storage containers
Pastry bags and decorating tips (optional)
Serving Supplies
Platters and boards
Small bowls (for sauces and dips)
Cocktail glasses
Serving utensils
Honey dipper
Decorative food picks and/or skewers
Cocktail napkins
Appetizer plates
Party Bites
Let’s get the party started right with these brilliant bites that are stylish and scrumptious. From bite-size Charcuterie Board Crackers that are just as fabulous to eat as they are to look at and Mini Manicotti that will have everyone oohing and aahing over their adorable deliciousness to Chopped Kale Caesar Salad in baked Parmesan cups for a witty way to serve salad as a starter, all these appetizing bites are guaranteed to be party perfect!
◁ Charcuterie Board Cracker Bites
We all know I love serving charcuterie boards! Charcuterie is the queen of any party, and you can test out that theory with these bites that are easy to grab and graze on. Comprised of my go-to meat and cheese must-haves, all in a bite or two, these will surely satisfy those charcuterie board cravings.
MAKES
24
BITES
24 large round and rectangle entertaining crackers
¼ cup (60 g) fig jam spread
1 round (8 ounces, or 227 g) double-cream Brie, sliced into 24 small wedges
1 block (7 ounces, or 198 g) aged white Cheddar, crumbled into small chunks
12 thin slices soppressata, cut in half and rolled up tightly
6 thick slices hard salami, cut into quarters
6 dried apricots, cut into quarters
24 Marcona almonds
24 whole glazed pecans
12 cornichons
6 pitted kalamata olives, cut in half
24 small sprigs fresh rosemary, for garnishing
Honey with dipper, for drizzling
1. Spread each cracker with ½ teaspoon of the fig jam.
2. Arrange a Brie wedge and some crumbled Cheddar on each cracker.
3. Place a soppressata roll-up and a quarter of hard salami on each cracker.
4. Fill in each cracker with an apricot quarter, Marcona almond, glazed pecan, and a cornichon or olive half.
5. Garnish each cracker bite with a little sprig of rosemary.
6. Serve with honey for drizzling.
Note
These bites can be prepped up to 2 hours in advance. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.
◁ Cacio e Pepe Bites
The party people have spoken, and they want pasta bites! Is there anything more perfect than the combination of the three Ps: pasta, Pecorino, and pepper? The simplicity of these bites is what makes them so special and delicious.
MAKES
24
BITES
8 ounces (225 g) bucatini or any long pasta, broken into quarters
Nonstick cooking spray, for greasing
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup (125 g) whole-milk ricotta
1 cup (100 g) finely shredded Pecorino
4 teaspoons ground black pepper, divided
¼ cup (25 g) grated Pecorino or Parmesan
1. In a large pot, cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup (240 ml) of the pasta cooking water, then drain the cooked pasta and return it to the pot over medium heat.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C; gas mark 4). Spray a 24-cup mini muffin pan with cooking spray.
3. Add the butter to the pasta and stir until melted. Add the ricotta and the shredded Pecorino and stir until melted. Add ½ cup (120 ml) of the reserved pasta water and stir until the sauce is creamy and thickly coating the pasta. If the sauce is not creamy enough, add additional pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the desired consistency. Stir in 2 teaspoons of the pepper.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the grated Pecorino and the remaining 2 teaspoons pepper.
5. Add ¼ teaspoon of the grated cheese mixture to each prepared muffin cup. Shake the pan a bit to spread it out within each cup. Completely fill each muffin cup with the pasta mixture. Sprinkle the top of each pasta cup with ¼ teaspoon of the remaining grated cheese mixture.
6. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the pasta starts to crisp on top and around the edges. Let the bites set in the pan for 5 minutes before removing and serving.
Note
These bites can be prepped a day in advance through step 5 to the point of baking them. Tightly cover with plastic wrap to seal in the moisture and refrigerate, then proceed with step 6.
◁ Steak Frites Bites
Talk about the perfect bite! Steak and fries are a classic combo, so why wait for the main course to enjoy them? Tender, juicy strips of flank steak are wrapped around crispy seasoned fries and served with steak sauce for dipping—everything you want in a bite-size starter.
MAKES
24
BITES
Frites
1 bag (2 pounds, or 907 g) frozen french fries
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Steak
1 pound (454 g) flank steak
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more as needed
Steak sauce, for serving
Supplies
24 decorative food picks
1. To make the frites: Preheat the oven according to the package directions of the frozen french fries.
