Monday: A "Fancy" Snack

Sometimes, the simplest things can become fancy if you present it well. Snacks a great example. I wanted to have some hummus and bread, but was feeling inspired and pondering how I could make it a bit fancier than usual. I decided it was all in the presentation.

1/2 demi-baguette, sliced and toasted
3 kinds of dips and spreads: I used olive tapenade, spicy red pepper hummus, and edamame hummus
Small serving bowls and garnishes

I sliced the demi-baguette and toasted it. I always keep crusty bread in my freezer. This has a short shelf life of just a couple days at room temperature before it gets stale, but bread freezes really well. It's best if it's pre-sliced, and then you just toast the slices, but even if it is a loaf, you can defrost in the microwave for 20-30 seconds on medium heat, then slice it and toast it.

While the bread was toasting, I took out my spreads and dips and used a mini-spatula to put them in small glass bowls. The mini-spatula is a great kitchen tool that most overlook, but it makes a huge difference in getting things out of small containers.

I placed the toasted slices on a plate, and garnished with a few olives and a sweet mini bell pepper. Things like these are easy to throw on the side of a plate and add a nice "fresh" quality to the meal. The same goes for parsley & orange slices, which restaurants use a lot. But similarly, a slice of apple, celery, or anything you have in the fridge can likely be substituted.



See what a difference presentation can make?



Time: 5 minutes
Leftovers: I put more than enough in each of the bowls, ate what I wanted, and put the rest aside for a couple hours until we eat dinner - Marshall will have my snack as a side dish, and I'll just stick to the main course.