Every so often, I am challenged to do something that is completely outside my comfort zone. Last minute prepping is one of those things. I’m a planner. A few weeks ago, I was introduced to Matt & Steve’s, a Canadian brand who seems to have perfected the art of pickling. You may be wondering why I’m talking about pickled beans on my beauty site (haha!), but honestly I couldn’t pass this up when I learned more about their products, especially Extreme Bean ….so a challenge was born! About 80% of Canadians who entertain in their home look for fast and effortless ways to create appetizers for their guests. I can totally see why, since many of us who entertain also have to make sure the house doesn’t look like a tornado hit it and that the kids are also dressed before guests start to arrive. If there is a way to save time, sign me up! I was sent a few “entertaining essentials” …aka a few bottles of Matt & Steve’s Extreme Bean, their B’n Olive and the Caesar Rimmer. The task seemed simple? Use these ingredients to prep some of your appetizers 1 hour before your guests arrive. Although I was a bit intimidated at first, a quick look at Matt Larochelle & Steve McVicker’s easy recipes online and my anxiety diminished. I thought to myself….I can do this! With guests on their way over, I quickly added the final touches on a few appetizers. Take a look at some of the results below. Warning….I am not a cook.
Extreme Bean Devilled Eggs (Prep Time 5-7 min)
These devilled eggs were an absolute hit at the party. They don’t look as pretty in the picture but wow, were they ever delicious! The addition of bacon and the pickled bean added a flavour dimension that everyone was raving about at the party.
Ingredients
The Extreme Bean – Garlic & Dill
Hard boiled eggs
Bacon bits
Mayonnaise
Red onion
Olive Oil
Instructions
1. Boil eggs until hard, shell, slice in half, remove yolk and set aside
2. Cook bacon and finely chop; Add to mixing bowl along with mashed up yolk
3. Add mayonnaise, finely chopped red onion and chopped Extreme Bean to a mixing bowl
4. Season with Sea Salt and Olive oil and mix together
5. Scoop out; mix into sliced egg halves and garnish with Extreme Bean
B’n Olive Bocconcini Skewers (Prep Time 3-5 min)
Another hit! These skewers took minutes to make and went fast. They were a great mix of savoury and spice. I used a plain balsamic glaze and the Hot & Spicy B’n Olives for my version.
*Wondering about those veggie dip cups in the background? Those are also great for entertaining but unfortunately they require much more prep time.
Ingredients
Grape tomatoes
Bocconcini Balls
B’n Olives
Fig-infused Balsamic Vinegar or Balsamic Glaze
Instructions
1. On a skewer, add 1 grape tomato, 1 Bocconcini ball and 1 B’nOlive and place in a serving dish
2. Repeat step 1 until you run out of ingredients
3. Drizzle Balsamic vinegar over the skewers
There are some really great recipes on the Matt & Steve’s website. It was really surprising to see how 1 simple ingredient could be incorporated into so many creative sides, salads and appetizers. The Extreme Bean can easily transform your dishes and take them to the next level! For complete recipes, click on the hyperlink above. For photos, see below.
Stay Connected!