It’s been so fun this summer whipping up yummy recipes for our extended family and friends and I love doing them because I only make things with 4 INGREDIENTS! So easy!
It’s almost Labor Day weekend, so I thought I would share a great appetizer for end of the summer gatherings! I got the idea for this recipe when our close friend, Debbie Hogan, brought it to one of our Balboa Island gatherings. This recipe has mango chutney and there is barely anything better than that! (BTW, If you have never had mango chutney with vegetable samosas, you have to try them together at your local Indian restaurant. But you’ll have to ask for the mango chutney!) Here’s what you’ll need for this sweet and savory appetizer:
1 (8 oz) pkg. Cream Cheese
1 & 1/2 tsp. of Curry Powder
1/4 cup of Mango Chutney (Sharwood’s or Major Grey’s are unbelievably delicious!)
1/2 cup of Salted Cashews
Step 1. Combine room temperature cream cheese, curry powder and a level 1/4 teaspoon of garlic salt until mixed well, and put in fridge to harden.
Step 2. Once firm, shape and flatten the mixture on a plate so that it is just a little over an inch thick. You then spoon a thin layer of Mango Chutney on top. (You may want to chop up any chunks of mango.)
Step 3. Put cashews in a plastic bag and crush them with a mallet, rolling pin etc., until they are in tiny pieces. You then spoon them onto the chutney. Serve with small crackers.
Looking Back
Speaking of appetizers and mango, another end of the summer appetizer that is totally refreshing and of course delicious is our Mango Salsa! (This post even includes a quick tutorial on how to cut a mango:)
Candles For All Occasions
I don’t know about you, but I always wondered if I should put out Red, White and Blue decorations for Labor Day, so I googled it. Yes, put out your flags, and use your left over 4th of July plates and napkins! I made the red, white and blue floating candles below earlier this summer, and I’m bringing them out again this weekend! As you can see, you can make them for any occasion as in the picture below when we made them for a friend’s wedding or as in the final picture when we layered sand and tiny shells just because it was summer. Here’s what you’ll need:
Mason jars
Items for the inside: foil confetti, tiny flower petals, shells, etc
Floating candles (Michael’s or Amazon has these)
Water
Step 1. Simply fill a mason jar half way with whatever festive item you want. (Fresh items like sand/shells or tiny flower petals look best if they are made just before an occasion.)
Step 2. Fill water up to just below the bottom line where the lid screws on.
Step 3. Carefully drop floating candle in the water, light and enjoy!
