easy appetizers – The Salty Nerve https://thesaltynerve.com Let's get Salty in the Kitchen! Mon, 25 Jul 2022 01:38:08 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.4 https://thesaltynerve.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/cropped-Black-logo-no-words.png easy appetizers – The Salty Nerve https://thesaltynerve.com 32 32 Mango Strawberry Salsa https://thesaltynerve.com/mango-strawberry-salsa/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mango-strawberry-salsa Sat, 02 Jul 2022 01:48:36 +0000 https://thesaltynerve.com/?p=2420

Looking for the perfect summertime salsa? This Mango Strawberry Salsa is packed with lots of tasty tropical flavors that make it so refreshing to snack on. It’s SO easy to make and is ready in under 15 minutes! It pairs so well with some Cinnamon Churro Strips or your favorite tortilla chips.

When I first brought it up to my husband that it was a mango and strawberry salsa he was very hesitant, but once he tried it he got hooked! It’s basically my new favorite snack while watching our favorite shows. It just screams summer and you can’t go wrong with that!

It’s perfect as a topping on tacos for a refreshing twist compare to regular salsa. Use it as a dip at your next gathering and it will be the most talked about dish on the table.

mango strawberry salsa
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Mango Strawberry Salsa

Looking for the perfect summertime salsa? This Mango Strawberry Salsa is packed with lots of tasty tropical flavors that make it so refreshing to snack on. It's SO easy to make and is ready in under 15 minutes!
Course Appetizer
Keyword 15 min, 15 min or less, appetizer, chip dip, cilantro lime, crowd pleasing, easy, easy appetizers, fingerfood, mango, quick, salsa, snack, strawberry, Under 15 min
Prep Time 5 minutes
Chill Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 mango diced
  • 1 cup strawberries diced
  • 1 small jalapeno diced
  • ¼ cup red onion finely diced
  • ½ lime juiced
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped

Instructions

  • Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving for a more refreshing taste.
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Flame-Grilled Chicken Wings https://thesaltynerve.com/flame-grilled-chicken-wings/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=flame-grilled-chicken-wings Wed, 08 Jun 2022 15:48:41 +0000 https://thesaltynerve.com/?p=1776 This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This recipe for flame-grilled chicken wings will make you think ‘Where has this been all my life?’ as soon as you take that first juicy bite. You’ve been making chicken wings wrong this whole time!

It’s perfect for game days, any finger-food-friendly party, or just an easy meal on the grill while patio side on a perfect summer afternoon.

So easy to make (even for those who are not yet grill masters), and absolutely perfect for grilling season. So save this recipe and make it the next time you fire up the grill.

Let’s make these Flame-Grilled Chicken Wings!

Grab one of those large party packs of chicken wings that are about 4 lbs. Cut each wing into two parts for the flats and drumettes discarding the wing tips. You’ll need some olive oil, garlic powder, salt + pepper, and a grill (I use a Propane Grill).

SECRET TIP: Want to unlock the secrets to juicy wings on the grill? All you will need is a timer (5 minutes) for the juiciest, mouthwatering chicken wings you’ll ever need in your life.

In a small prep bowl, mix 1 tbsp garlic powder and 2 tsp EACH of salt + black cracked pepper for the seasoning. Drizzle 2 tbsp of olive oil and toss to coat the wings.

Next, grab a large mixing bowl and toss the wings with the seasoning until all the wings are fully coated. Cover with plastic food wrap and keep cool until the grill is ready.

Heat your grill up to 450F (usually it takes only 2 burners at around medium-high heat). Once heated up to 450F, coat the grates with any high temp cooking oil or non-stick spray made for grilling so the wings don’t get stuck to the grates before placing them on the grill.

When you place the wings on the grate, make sure they are all laying flat and as few gaps between the wings as possible.

HUDDLE UP THOSE WINGS!

Now, for the important step, set your timer to flip the wings every 5 minutes for roughly 20 minutes.

I use to always be so intimidated by the grill until recently. It was always so hit or miss for me and I hated that. My husband, on the other hand, can always conjure up some amazing grill master-worthy food each time he grills. So, I learned his secrets to these juicy finger-lickin’ charred wings of glory.

I promise these wings will impress even those chicken wing connoisseurs. Go ahead and show off your new cooking skills like a pro at the next backyard gathering and wear that new chicken wing grill master title with pride (don’t forget to pass along this recipe to success).

Now for the good part, the SAUCES! These are great by themselves, but even better tossed in a little sauce for maximum flavor explosions in your mouth.

My GO-TO sauce is by Braswell’s, which is made with locally grown ingredients. They have my favorite staple sauces like Hot Wing Sauce, Honey Habanero BBQ Sauce, and Carolina Tangy Mustard BBQ Sauce. These sauces are good on so many other recipes so it’s definitely worth the purchase!

Have a wing sauce that you love??? Leave it in the comments below!

Try some of these other great dishes.

flame grilled chicken wings closeup before sauce

Flame-Grilled Chicken Wings

This recipe for flame-grilled chicken wings will make you think 'Where has this been all my life?' as soon as you take that first juicy bite. You've been making chicken wings wrong this whole time!
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Chicken
Keyword: 20 min, 25 min or less, chicken wings, crowd pleasing, easy, easy appetizers, fingerfood, grilled, party food
Servings: 6 people

Equipment

  • Grill

Ingredients

  • 4 lbs chicken wings cut into flats + drumettes
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp black pepper freshly cracked

Instructions

  • Cut each wing into two parts for the flats and drumettes discarding the wing tips.
  • In a small prep bowl, mix 1 tbsp garlic powder and 2 tsp EACH of salt + black cracked pepper for the seasoning. Drizzle 2 tbsp of olive oil and toss to coat the wings.
  • Next, grab a large mixing bowl and toss the wings with the seasoning until all the wings are fully coated. Cover with plastic food wrap and keep cool until the grill is ready.
  • Heat your grill up to 450F (usually it takes only 2 burners at around medium-high heat). Once heated up to 450F, coat the grates with any high temp cooking oil or non-stick spray made for grilling so the wings don't get stuck to the grates before placing them on the grill.
  • When you place the wings on the grates of the heated grill, make sure they are all laying flat and huddle the wings together with as few gaps between the wings as possible.
  • Now, for the important step, set your timer to flip the wings every 5 minutes for roughly 20 minutes.
  • In a large bowl toss the wings in your favorite wing sauce. These are great by themselves, but even better tossed in a little sauce for that maximum flavor explosion in your mouth.
Tried this recipe? Take a pic!Tag Us @TheSaltyNerve + #thesaltygram!
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Kalamarakia (Greek Fried Squid) https://thesaltynerve.com/kalamarakia-greek-fried-squid/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=kalamarakia-greek-fried-squid Fri, 11 Feb 2022 18:04:10 +0000 https://thesaltynerve.com/?p=788 This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

The one appetizer that is on just about every Greek menu is Kalamarakia or Greek fried squid. It’s that perfectly fried fresh from the sea taste. It’s lightly fried to allow for the flavors of the squid to shine through. It’s the perfect pair with some freshly made marinara sauce or tzatziki sauce.

To start with you will need fresh squid that has been cleaned. Next, grab a shallow bowl to add the flour, salt and pepper.

That’s it! Seems pretty simple to make right?

All-purpose flour works great for this recipe, but you can substitute it with coconut or semolina flour. If you have another flour alternative that you have tried and loved, let me know in the comments below.

Cut the cleaned squid body into 1-inch thick rings, and leave the tentacles intact. Rinse the squid under cold water thoroughly.

This is a very important step. FULLY DRY the rinsed squid on a couple of pieces of paper towels. You don’t want any of the pieces to be wet still or the flour won’t stick properly when frying.

Take your shallow bowl of the flour mix and dredge the pieces one by one in the flour to fully coat them. Set aside while you heat the oil to 375F.

Fry the floured pieces a small handful at a time to avoid overcrowding the pan. It will take around 2-3 batches to do. I get a cooling rack pan that I put them on to drain the excess oil in the oven on the keep warm setting (around 170F).

Serve Kalamarakia warm with some classic marinara or tzatziki sauce. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over it all and top with chopped fresh parsley. Enjoy!

Kalamarakia (Greek Fried Squid)

Kalamarakia (Greek Fried Squid)

That lightly fried fresh from the sea taste that you can find on every Greek menu. It’s simple to make and only takes 15 min to make.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: 25 min, 25 min or less, calamari, easy, easy appetizers, fried seafood, fried squid, greek squid, marinara dip, quick
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 tsp sea salt + pepper each
  • ½ lemon
  • 1 tsp fresh parsley chopped
  • olive oil enough to cover ¼ inch bottom of pan
  • 1 lb squid cleaned, rinsed and dried
Tried this recipe? Take a pic!Tag Us @TheSaltyNerve + #thesaltygram!
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