It’s time to start thinking about sides to take to neighborhood BBQs and meals to pack for the beach. Recently, I found a great recipe for pinwheels for a carry-in dinner. It’s quick, easy, and tastes great.
For those of you who – like me – throw things together, you’ll need the following ingredients.
- Soft tortilla shells.
- Filling base of cream cheese, feta cheese and honey.
- Extra filling ingredients are (all chopped) dried cranberries, walnuts and fresh rosemary.
Mix your filling ingredients, spread them on the tortillas, chill for several hours, and cut into pinwheels. If you want a roadmap, here is a recipe with all of the same ingredients.
Since that was so easy, and all of your guests loved you for bringing them, try these variations.
- Bacon Cheddar Ranch Pinwheels: cream cheese, ranch salad dressing, shredded cheddar cheese, bacon and chives.
- Party Pinwheels: cream cheese, package of ranch dressing mix, green onions, red bell pepper, celery, black olives, shredded cheddar cheese.
- Fiesta Pinwheels: cream cheese, sour cream, picante sauce, taco seasoning, garlic, ripe olives, green chilies, cheddar cheese, green onions. Bring salsa for dipping.
Tips
Most recipes call for a typical block of cream cheese, softened. I prefer the whipped variety. I’m lazy that way.
Chop your ingredients in a size that will allow them to fit into the pinwheel, but not so small that your guests can’t see what they’re eating.
Some recipes call for mixing all filling ingredients together. Others call for spreading the cream cheese mixture on the shell, then sprinkling the other ingredients before rolling. Use the method that fits you best!
Spread the filling evenly. Leave the last ½ inch of the tortilla unfilled. Roll from the filled side to the unfilled side.
Make them a day ahead of time and refrigerate for several hours before slicing.
More
Oriental Coleslaw is easy, flavorful and crunchy. It’s a winner for most potlucks and camping trips. The ingredients are easy, too.
- Shred cabbage and carrots, or pick up a coleslaw mix.
- Green onions.
- Chicken-flavored ramen noodles, broken up.
- Slivered almonds (you can toast them).
- Sunflower nuts.
- Salad oil & vinegar, or your favorite oil & vinegar bottled dressing.
- Most recipes call for sugar. I don’t add it, and if you are using a bottled dressing, you certainly won’t need it.
- Black pepper.
Roasted Tomato Pasta with Mozzarella
This recipe takes a little more attention. You need to roast the tomatoes while you prepare the pasta. Then toss all ingredients.
- Rotini, or a pasta of your choice.
- Red and yellow cherry tomatoes.
- Fresh mozzarella balls or cubed fresh mozzarella.
- Oregano, garlic, salt, black pepper, basil, and/or spices of your choosing.
- Olive oil.
- White wine vinegar.
Broccoli-Grape Salad
Here is another easy recipe. Gather your ingredients and toss them together.
- Red and/or green seedless grapes, halved.
- Chopped red onions.
- Sugar (again, I rarely add sugar to anything that has something prepared, like mayonnaise).
- Broccoli florets.
- Chill the salad for an hour, or up to 24 hours, before serving.
In Closing
Here is a link for several quick recipes. Take a look, and add to them in a way only your imagination can!