Cooking With Kristin

It’s that time of year where gatherings happen in greater frequency. So, whether it’s for Christmas, New Year’s or just a plain old get-together, be prepared for whatever invitation comes your way with one of these delicious appetizers. When you arrive at a party with one of these dishes, you’ll be the night’s VIP in no time. These recipes are simple but tasty and bring the right pizazz to any gathering.

Every time I serve this appetizer, the crowd goes wild. It’s easy to make, but the results are an ooeygooey, unbelievably divine cheesy-carb creation. Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart

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Crunchy, salty AND healthy? Zucchini chips are a fabulous addition to any gathering. Impress friends and family with this tasty snack. Easy Baked Zucchini Chips

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/242066/easybaked-zucchini-chips/ 1 zucchini, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon garlic-flavored olive oil sea salt to taste Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place zucchini in a bowl, drizzle olive oil over zucchini and lightly toss to coat, season with salt. Spread zucchini onto a baking sheet. Bake in oven until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a49850/ n cheesy-garlic-pull-apart-bread-recipe/ A couple of years ago, I was at book club the first time I tried 1 large baguette bacon-wrapped dates. A friend set down a plate of them, and we 1 stick butter, melted were all instantly curious about what the heck it was? So, she 6 cloves garlic, minced told us to give it a try. I am not a date fan, but wanting to be 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley polite, I obliged. WOW! The blend of sweetness from the date, kosher salt creaminess of the goat cheese and the salty, crispy bacon was a freshly ground black pepper marvel in taste. The plate was empty in no time, and that was 1 cup shredded mozzarella the moment that made all of us in book club bacon-wrapped 1 cup shredded fontina dates believers!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a serrated knife, cross- Bacon-Wrapped Dates hatch baguette, making slices every inch in both directions and https://pinchofyum.com/bacon-wrapped-dates-with-goat-cheese making sure not to slice through the bottom of baguette. In a small bowl, stir together melted butter, garlic and parsley — season with salt and pepper. Brush baguette with melted butter mixture, making sure to get inside crosshatches. Stuff each crosshatch with mozzarella and fontina and wrap bread completely in 8 slices of bacon 16 dates 4 ounces goat cheese toothpicks foil. Bake until cheese is melted, and bread is warm and toasty Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice the dates lengthwise on for 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then serve. one side to create an opening. Remove that pit. Using a spoon,

COOKING WITH KRISTIN By Kristin Kveno

ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Department of Agriculture recently announced it will work with the makers of four dicamba herbicide products and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to implement state-specific use restrictions for Minnesota during the 2022 growing season.

The affected dicamba formulations are Engenia by BASF, FeXapan by Corteva, Tavium by Syngenta, and XtendiMax by Bayer. These are the only dicamba products labeled for use on dicamba-tolerant soybeans.

Because of a high number of alleged drift complaints in the 2021 growing season, the MDA plans to register the four products for use in Minnesota in 2022 with the following additional restrictions:

No application shall be made south of Interstate 94 after June 12, 2022. North of Interstate 94, use is prohibited after June 30, 2022.

No application shall be made if the air temperature of the field at the time of application is over 85 F or if the National Weather Service’s forecasted high temperature for the nearest available location for the day exceeds 85 F.

The state-specific restrictions would require EPA approval and would appear on the federal label for each product. The MDA will also require product makers provide approved education and training of applicators.

From 2018 to 2020, the MDA had placed an annual June 20 cutoff date on registered dicamba products based on research and pesticide misuse complaints. The EPA enacted a federal cutoff date of June 30 in 2021 and did not allow states to impose additional restrictions through a Special Local Need label.

Other federal requirements for the products that will appear on the 2022 labels include requiring an approved pH-buffering agent, also known as a volatility reducing agent, be tank mixed with dicamba products prior to all applications; and requiring a downwind buffer of 240 feet and 310 feet in areas where listed endangered species are located.

In addition to the cutoff date, Xtendimax and Tavium have crop growth stage cutoffs.

This article was submitted by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. v stuff a small amount of goat cheese into the cavity of each date. Press sides together to close. Cut bacon slices in half. Wrap each date with a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Arrange evenly on a baking sheet (with raised edges; otherwise, grease will get everywhere) and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the dates and use the toothpick to turn each one, so it’s lying on its side. Bake another 5-8 minutes, until browned to your liking and flip the dates to the other side and repeat. Remove from oven, place on a paper towel-lined plate and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

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Brussels sprouts as an appetizer? This recipe features pop-inyour-mouth Brussels sprouts coated in Parmesan and bread crumbs; who knew this veggie could be so much fun to eat!?! Parmesan Crusted Brussels Sprouts

https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a55370/ parmesan-crusted-brussels-sprouts-recipe/ 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved 1/2 cup flour 2 eggs, beaten 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan 2 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper Caesar dressing, for dipping (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or olive oil. Add flour to a medium shallow bowl and eggs to a separate medium shallow bowl. In a third shallow bowl, whisk together panko bread crumbs, Parmesan, olive oil, salt, garlic powder and cayenne pepper. Working in batches, toss Brussels sprouts in the flour until fully coated, then dunk in eggs. Dredge in panko mixture, then place on baking sheet. Bake until golden and crispy, about 25 minutes. Serve immediately with Caesar dressing.

It doesn’t matter if your gathering includes many folks or just your family; these appetizers will bring cheer to any party. And seriously, give those baconwrapped dates a try!

Kristin Kveno scours the internet, pours over old family recipes and searches everywhere in between to find interesting food ideas for feeding your crew. Do you have a recipe you want to share? You can reach Kristin at kkveno@thelandonline.com. v

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