Single serving snacks for safer entertaining

Happy race week! 

If you’re not from Indiana, you may not realize this, but the Indianapolis 500 race is a HUGE deal. Hundreds of thousands of people flock to the little town of Speedway to be part of the festivities and watch the race.

But the race experience this year will be very different. No fans are allowed due to the global pandemic. 

Normally, the race is blacked out for central Indiana residents, but because of the current circumstances, the blackout was lifted, which means for just the fourth time in Indy 500 history, locals can watch the race live.

It’s very exciting for a lot of fans, and many are planning watch parties. However, I want to circle back and remind everyone that the reason you can watch the race is because of the global pandemic.

That being said, it isn’t practical to carry on with entertaining in the same way we always have. Sharing popular party foods like chips and dip will also result in sharing germs. It’s even risky for everyone to use the same serving spoon. So I created several recipes which focus on individual-sized portions and will allow guests to enjoy their snacks in a safer way.

Before I share the recipes, I want to make it clear that the best ways to avoid getting the coronavirus are to keep a safe distance from everyone, wear a mask, and wash your hands. I also feel the need to say the safest watch party is outside with a small group.

Buffalo chicken wonton bites

Ingredients

• 4 ounces Challenge cream cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup buffalo or hot sauce
• 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
• Wonton wrappers
• Green onions to garnish, if desired

Directions

1. Combine cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, Greek yogurt, buffalo sauce and blue cheese in saucepan over medium heat
2. Stir ingredients until cheese is melted, or about 7 to 10 minutes
3. Remove saucepan from heat and fold in chicken
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
5. Spray muffin tin (mini or regular) with nonstick spray
6. Place one wonton wrapper in each muffin tin cavity, pressing down gently 
7. Bake in oven for about 8 minutes, or until wonton wrappers start to brown
8. Remove from oven and spoon buffalo chicken dip into each wonton cup
9. Return to oven and bake another 5 to 8 minutes, or until wontons are golden brown
10. Top with sliced green onions and additional blue cheese if desired

Baked Asian Pork Meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• 2 tablespoons peeled and minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound ground pork
• Hoisin sauce
• 1 head butter lettuce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Line baking sheet that has raised edges with aluminum foil and set aside
3. Combine egg, almond flour, ginger, garlic, fish sauce, pepper, and salt in bowl
4. Add ground pork to bowl and use hands to mix ingredients together until just combined
5. Use hands to form 1-inch meatballs and place them onto baking sheet
6. Bake for 10 minutes; switch oven to broil and broil meatballs until browned, or about 3 minutes
7. Remove meatballs from oven and drizzle hoisin sauce on top
8. Separate lettuce leaves from head of butter lettuce and place 1 meatball into each lettuce leaf before serving

Hummus phyllo cups

Ingredients

• 1 box mini phyllo shells (found in freezer section at grocery store)
• 1/2 cup hummus
• 1/4 cup cucumber, finely diced 
• 1/4 cup tomatoes, finely diced
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 2 Tablespoons parsley, mined

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Place phyllo shells onto baking sheet and bake 5 minutes
3. Remove from oven and let cool several minutes
4. Fill shells with 1 teaspoon hummus
5. Divide cucumber, tomatoes, feta cheese, and parsley evenly between the shells