Celebrate the dog days of summer with a party! Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, my husband and I have opted to serve individual servings at gatherings, which guests can easily grab without sharing from the same bowl. From loaded sweet potato rounds to buffalo chicken egg rolls, here are some delicious bite-sized appetizers to indulge in.
MINI MEATBALL BUNS
Meatball subs are my go-to sandwich, but they can be a little messy, especially with marinara sauce or meatballs falling out. These mini meatball buns solve that problem since everything is enveloped in the dough. Try adding fresh basil to the marinara sauce for an extra burst of flavor!
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 12 frozen dinner rolls, thawed
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 12-oz. package frozen fully cooked Italian meatballs
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
- ½ cup grated pecorino Romano cheese
- 1½ cups marinara sauce, warmed, for serving
Instructions
Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
Cut each dinner roll in half. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of mozzarella cheese on each portion, then wrap around one meatball, enclosing it between the two halves. Pinch dough to seal.
Place on baking sheet, seam side down. Cover with cling wrap. Let rise 1½ to 2 hours until almost double in size.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a small bowl, combine butter, garlic, parsley, and pecorino Romano cheese. Brush buns with mixture. Bake buns 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with marinara sauce. Makes 12 rolls.
CRUNCHY TACO CUPS
These taco cups are all about the crunch. We baked the wontons in a mini muffin tray without any toppings first so the bottoms would get crispy. Adding tortilla chips also elevates the crunch factor. We used plant-based meat for the filling, but feel free to substitute it with lean beef or turkey.
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 24 wonton wrappers
- 8 oz. plant-based beef, browned and drained
- 1 packet taco seasoning mix
- ¾ cup water
- 1 15-oz. can corn, drained
- 1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes
- 1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
- Tortilla chips, crumbled
- 1½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Suggested toppings
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
- Salsa
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Spray mini muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Press one wonton wrapper into each cup and bake for 6 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix cooked beef, taco seasoning, water, black beans, corn, and diced tomatoes.
Take wonton wrappers out of oven. Add 2 tsp. taco filling to each wrapper. Top with crumbled tortilla chips and 1 tsp. of cheese.
Bake for 11-13 minutes until wonton edges are golden. Top with your choice of toppings. Makes 24 mini taco cups.
BUFFALO CHICKEN EGG ROLLS
I’m a bit sensitive to spice, but I never pass up buffalo chicken. It’s my favorite pizza topping, and I’ll always say yes to buffalo wings. These rolls combine tangy buffalo chicken with the perfect crunch.
As for the dipping sauce, I would typically use bottled ranch dressing, but I recently discovered using plain yogurt as the base makes a delicious and healthier alternative. The recipe below is my new go-to when I want ranch as a dip.
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 2 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup buffalo sauce
- 16 oz. shredded rotisserie chicken
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ⅓ cup shredded carrots
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced green onions
- 8 frozen egg roll wrappers, thawed
- Olive oil spray
“Ranch” dressing
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- ¾ tsp. garlic powder
- ¼ tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp. fresh chopped chives
- ½ tsp. dried dill
- ¼ tsp. salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and buffalo sauce until smooth. Add chicken, cheese, carrots, and green onions to the bowl and mix well.
Lay the egg roll wrapper on a clean surface with the points facing top and bottom, like a diamond. Spoon 3 tablespoons of mixture onto the bottom third of the wrapper. Dip a finger in a small bowl of water and run it along edges of wrapper. Lift the point closest to you and fold gently over the filling. Fold the left and right corners toward the center. Roll into a tight cylinder until the edges are sealed. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. Evenly spray all sides of egg rolls with oil.
Bake until egg rolls are browned and crisp, about 16 to 18 minutes, turning over halfway.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix all ingredients for ranch dressing.
Serve egg rolls with ranch. Makes 8 egg rolls.
LOADED SWEET POTATO ROUNDS
Think loaded baked potatoes, but no fork necessary. These sweet potato rounds are lightly seasoned, baked to perfection, and then garnished with your favorite toppings. We opted for cheese (which melts from the heat of the potato), sour cream, green onions, and vegan bacon bits for some crunch.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes
- 1½ Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- ¾ cup Mexican blend cheese
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- Bacon bits, optional
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Peel sweet potatoes and cut into ¼-inch slices so you end up with rounds. In a large bowl, add sweet potatoes, oil, and spices. Mix thoroughly to coat both sides of all slices. Place on baking sheet; do not overlap slices. Bake 10 minutes, then flip all rounds, and bake for another 10 minutes until soft.
When potatoes are done, remove from oven. Top each slice with shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Garnish with green onions and bacon bits if desired. Makes 8 servings.
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