At Home: Thai Larb Lettuce Cups

Larb (pronounced "lawb") means salad, and is one of our all-time favorite Thai dishes.  It is a very common dish served throughout Thailand as well as Laos.  It can be made with beef, pork, or chicken.  We made a version of Thai Larb Lettuce Cups to share with you on What Micky Eats...At Home.  These cups are so fresh and healthy, and whip up in about 20 minutes or less.  Larb is often extremely spicy, but the lime juice and herbs make for an exotic and splendid combination.  Plus, putting the larb in lettuce cups make it an easy appetizer to gobble up.

At Home: Bacon & Beer Bean Dip

People will bring all manner of dips to a party. There will be that unpleasant-looking but tasty spinach and faux-crab dip served in the  a bread bowl; there will be guacamole; there will be a tub of sour-cream-and-onion dip and a bag of potato chips; there will be a version of queso or taco dip.  All of these are perfectly tasty—the only real problem is that they were not original enough for Keith, who recently needed to bring a homemade dip to a work function.  So, he made his 'manly' version of a refried-bean dip called Bacon & Beer Bean Dip and shares it here on What Micky Eats...At Home.

At Home: Spinach Pie Wreath

My in-laws host a Christmas Eve party every year.  I usually help make appetizers for people to nibble on while they are mingling with each other.  Last year, while searching for inspiration, I stumbled upon this cute picture on Pinterest and had to recreate it.  I thought the green colors of the spinach looked like a wreath and I added the marinara sauce for that holiday red.  Check out my version of Spinach Pie Wreath next on What Micky Eats...At Home.   The wreath yields 18 - 24 pieces, depending on how big your circle is. 

At Home: Creamy Chipotle Shrimp Tostadas

Bravo’s Top Chef Masters. PBS’ Mexico–One Plate at a Time. James Beard award-winning restaurants. Chef Rick Bayless knows flavor and he recently partnered with Negra Modelo to feature some of his own recipes for their Beer Meets Food campaign.  As an appetizer to pair with the beer, I made his Creamy Chipotle Shrimp Tostadas and wanted to share with you...At Home.  This little bite is loaded with smoky flavor from the adobo sauce and so easy to whip together.  The small servings are great for parties!

At Home: Roasted Tomatillo Guacamole

Bravo’s Top Chef Masters. PBS’ Mexico–One Plate at a Time. James Beard award-winning restaurants. Chef Rick Bayless knows flavor and he partnered with Negra Modelo to feature some of his own recipes for their Beer Meets Food campaign.  I recently made his Roasted Tomatillo Guacamole and wanted to share with you...At Home.  This classic Mexican party dip is a crowd pleaser and has a nice twist with the tomatillos plus some chicharrón for added crunch.

At Home: Kapnos Kolokithokeftedes

For my next Restaurant Recreations...At Home, try these zucchini fritters, or kolokithokeftedes, as a great appetizer for your Greek-inspired meal.  These fritters are a popular item from Kapnos and Zaytinya, and was recently made at a cooking class by Chef George Pagonis.  He was gracious enough to share the recipe with me, as I remarked these are one of my favorite vegetarian dishes.

At Home: Caprese Tart

Keith picked up a ton of large ripe tomatoes from the farmer's market.  They were big and juicy, and I had some left over pie crust and thought I could make a savory treat out of it all.  For my next experiment for What Micky Eats...At Home, I make an easy and pretty Caprese Tart.  Try this simple dish as an appetizer at your next party.  It will surely be a crowd pleaser.

At Home: Bison Sliders with Bacon & Onion Straws

Keith decided to make Bison Sliders with Bacon & Onion Straws to represent the city for our Super Bowl menu.  Bison meat is much leaner than regular beef, so he indulged with bacon and cheese.  Check out the other Super Bowl Snacks that we made and find the recipe on What Micky Eats...At Home.

At Home: Cheesy Baked Jalapeño Popper Dip

Keith picked up a handful of fresh jalapeños from Eastern Market this past weekend and had too many to know what to do with.  They were deep green in color and pretty large in size.  I researched what I could make with them.  This creative Cheesy Baked Jalapeño Popper Dip recipe has the great spicy taste of jalapeño poppers without all the extra work. This dish features four different kinds of cheese and will definitely be the biggest hit at your next party!  Check it out below as another item that What Micky Eats...At Home.

At Home: Pierogis

Keith grew up with classic Polish dishes made by his grandparents, Walter and Olga. They only made them mostly during the holidays or for special occasions. They never really wrote anything down, so these recipes were recited from memory and are very loose interpretations with "a little bit of this....a dash of that...." to make it all taste good! This next installment of What Micky Eats...At Home features Walter's Pierogis.

At Home: Boqueria Pan Con Tomate

Next on Restaurant Recreations...At Home, I make the versatile Spanish classic Pan Con Tomate using Boqueria's recipe.  This delicious and simple snack can be eaten all day, from breakfast into the wee hours and is a cinch to prepare, requiring only ripe, meaty tomatoes, a fresh baguette, and good-quality olive oil.  Chef Marc Vidal likes to serve his with marinated olives, such as Amanida cocktail olives, for garnish.  I decided to dress it up further with slices of cured meats like chorizo and jamón Serrano, and Spanish cheeses such as Manchego.

At Home: Sugo Eggplant Caponata

Next on Restaurant Recreations...At Home, I tackle one of Cava’s most popular Mediterranean small plates called eggplant caponata. Punched up with chopped olives, capers, and a scattering of mint it was a huge hit at the restaurant.  No longer available on Cava's menu, Chef Dimitri Moshovitis now features it in his newest restaurant, Sugo Cicchetti in Potomac, MD. As with many Italian preparations, prime produce and good olive oil are the keys to the dish. Eggplant and mint are more abundant at farmers markets as the weather warms, and the rest of the ingredients can be found in grocery stores.

At Home: Mini Crab Cakes

For Baltimore we decided to make Mini Crab Cakes since Maryland is famous for it's crab cakes.  And the mini version just made it more fun for game day.  Check out the other Super Bowl Snacks that we made and find the recipe on What Micky Eats...At Home.

At Home: Hot Spinach & Artichoke Dip

For San Francisco, we decided to use sourdough bread as the accompaniment to a Hot Spinach & Artichoke Dip.  I found a guilt-free recipe that is supposedly lighter that other versions.  Check out the other Super Bowl Snacks that we made and find the recipe on What Micky Eats...At Home.

At Home: Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

I love hummus, a Middle Eastern and Arabic spread or dip made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic.  It is so easy to customize too by adding any of your favorite ingredients.  Next on What Micky Eats...At Home, I make Roasted Red Pepper Hummus.  Try this super easy dip that makes a great and healthy snack served with flatbread such as pita, crackers, pretzels, or crudité.

At Home: Jaleo Asparagus with Spanish Cured Ham

It's a new year and I have a new series to feature called Restaurant Recreations...At Home.  “Simple ingredients treated with respect,” is Chef Jose Andres' recipe for a perfect dish. This philosophy is seen in his Spanish tapas restaurant, Jaleo.  The simple preparation of Asparagus with Spanish Cured Ham is perfect for parties.  Be sure to use the freshest asparagus you can find and this easy tapa will surely impress your friends and family.

At Home: Parmesan Tuiles with Heirloom Tomato Salad

Chopped red, green and orange tomatoes are tossed with olive oil and herbs, then served on homemade cheese crackers called Parmesan tuiles. The result: a supremely colorful, incredibly easy hors d'oeuvre. I recently made these at a Christmas Eve party and they were devoured quickly!  Try these Parmesan Tuiles with Heirloom Tomato Salad as seen on What Micky Eats...At Home.

At Home: Goat Cheese-Stuffed Mushrooms

Try this easy appetizer of Goat Cheese-Stuffed Mushrooms from What Micky Eats...At Home. They are great for your next holiday party as they can be made ahead of time and left at room temperature. Goat's-milk cheeses are typically lower in cholesterol, calories and fat—and higher in calcium—than cow's-milk ones. Here, creamy chèvre is stuffed into antioxidant-rich mushrooms and topped with crispy herbed bread crumbs.

At Home: Mini Spanakopita Cups

With the holiday season comes many parties that involve wine, hors d'oeuvres, and good company.  If you are hosting, it can be overwhelming to buy and prepare all the food in order to make your party festive, while still entertaining and mingling with guests.  Next on What Micky Eats...At Home, I share a simple finger food appetizer that can be whipped up easily for your next get together. Check out these Mini Spanakopita Cups for a fun Greek bite to add to your party menu.

At Home: Seafood Pancake

This next installment of What Micky Eats...At Home features one of my mother's traditional recipes.  My mother, Sunny, brought these recipes with her from Korea in 1977.  They are some family favorites that she has made over the years.  Here, I share the Hae Mul Pa Jun (Seafood Pancake).  I often ate a vegetable version of the pancake when I was a young child. It is a nice savory twist on the traditional pancake.