We were at an away tennis match, where traditionally the home team provides a spread of food. 

These little bites of ooey-gooey-love got our attention in a hurry.  

I have no idea if we won or lost our match that day. However, there’s no question that leaving with the recipe for Antipasto Squares was a Win!

I have since made these yummy squares many times. Most recently I shared a batch at a neighborhood gathering.  They were a hit!

The smell of warm buttery croissants alone draws you in. 

Combine that with all your favorite Italian meats and cheeses and you’ve got flavor magic. 

The roasted red peppers give them that familiar antipasto flavor which all comes together as they bake. 

There’s no question, these Antipasto Squares are rich.  I found cutting them into 1 1/2″ squares gives you a nice two-bite sample that’s easy to handle and allows you to come back for more with no very little guilt ;)  

These are a fantastic party food served warm or perhaps even better at room temperature.  And if you happen to be throwing a Game Day Party these Antipasto Squares are a fan favorite!

Delizioso!

For my college kids cooking in an apartment…. Make these!! They’re so easy and everyone will love them!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Libby with Lemony Thyme

These Antipasto Squares combine all your favorite Italian meats, cheeses and roasted red peppers in buttery croissant dough! Winning!

Course Appetizer

Servings 30 squares

Author All Recipes

Ingredients

• 2 10 ounce cans refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 1/4 pound boiled ham thinly sliced
• 1/4 pound provolone cheese thinly sliced
• 1/4 pound Genoa salami thinly sliced
• 1/4 pound Swiss cheese thinly sliced
• 1/4 pound pepperoni sausage thinly sliced
• 1 12 ounce jar roasted red peppers drained, cut into thin strips
• 3 eggs
• 3 Tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp. pepper

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350° F.
• Unroll one package of crescent roll dough, and cover the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan. Layer the ham, provolone cheese, salami, Swiss cheese, pepperoni, and red peppers, on top of the dough.
• In a bowl, beat the eggs lightly, and stir in the Parmesan cheese and black pepper. Pour 3/4 of this mixture over the peppers.

  Unroll the second package of dough, and place over the top of the peppers. Brush with the remaining egg mixture. Cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove foil, and bake another 10 to 20 minutes, or until dough is fluffy and golden brown. Cut into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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So many beautiful colors and flavors in this Mediterranean Lunch Bowl.  Roasted red peppers, marinated artichoke hearts, luscious olives, orzo pasta, baby spinach, and grilled lemon & herb chicken.  Pulled together from ingredients already in our fridge and pantry. 

It was about a week ago when I made this fabulous 7-Layer Hot Italian Dip.  Several of those layers found their way into the Mediterranean Lunch Bowl.  Just a little hint that these two recipes play very nicely together.

As a bonus, this lunch bowl fits nicely into our healthy choices plan.  Because the ingredients bring big bold flavor there was no need for a heavy dressing.  Instead I simply used some of the juices from the olives, red pepper and artichoke hearts with a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice.  And serving this bowl….in a bowl, keeps portion control in check.  Go me.

I’ve mentioned recently that we have a new Sprouts Farmers Market, conveniently located along my route to work.  They have a gorgeous olive bar, loaded with all kinds of marinated love.  You can buy as little as one olive if you choose.  That makes a Mediterranean Lunch Bowl all the more wonderful.

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Mediterranean Lunch Bowl

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the lemon & herb chicken…

• 1 boneless skinless chicken breast 6-8 ounces
• 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 2 fresh oregano sprigs
• 1 Tbl. capers
• 1 lemon

For the bowls…

• 1/2 cup orzo pasta
• 3 cups fresh spinach
• roasted red pepper with juice
• marinated artichoke hearts with juice
• assorted olives with juice
• olive oil
• salt & pepper

Instructions

For the lemon & herb chicken…

• Press the rosemary, oregano, capers and 2-3 lemon slices onto the chicken breast. Grill in a grill-pan over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, then gently turn and grill an additional 5-7 minutes or until cooked through. Remove and allow to stand for 10 minutes.

For the bowl…

• Prepare the orzo according to the package instructions. Drain; season with olive oil, salt & pepper.
• Divide fresh spinach, sliced grilled chicken, orzo, roasted red pepper, artichoke hearts, and olives between two bowls.
• Combine reserved marinating liquids with olive oil and lemon juice to taste. Drizzle over bowl ingredients.

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We brought 7-Layer Hot Italian Dip along with a bottle of red and white Italian wines to a happy-hour party recently. We stepped outside the comfort zone on the wines, perhaps this is a chance to discover a new favorite.

And about this dip.  Oh my.  I knew when I first read this recipe from Eat at Home Cooks that we’d have a new favorite.  Boy was I right.  As it turns out, when we delivered 7-Layer Hot Italian Dip straight from the oven, we walked into a happy-hour party already in progress.  All in attendance who sampled this new recipe loved it.  I think you will as well.

Let’s break down these seven layers of Italian flavor love.

Layer #1 ~ Cream Cheese

Layer #2 ~ Basil Pesto

Layer #3 ~ Roasted Red Peppers

Layer #4 ~ Parmesan Cheese

Layer #5 ~ Artichoke Hearts

Layer #6 ~ Sun Dried Tomatoes

Layer #7 ~ Mozzarella Cheese

7-Layer Hot Italian Dip is that easy and ready to be served in less than 30-minutes.  Be sure to keep these key ingredients on hand for your next happy-hour or game day party.  We served this yummy appetizer with Cheddar-Parmesan Savory Biscotti.  The flavor combinations were wonderful together.

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7-Layer Hot Italian Dip

7-Layer Hot Italian Dip is that easy and ready to be served in less than 30-minutes.  Be sure to keep these key ingredients on hand for your next happy-hour or game day party. 

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1/3 cup basil pesto
• 1/3 cup roasted red peppers chopped
• 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 small jar marinated artichoke hearts drained & chopped
• 1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes chopped
• 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Layer ingredients in order listed in a 1-quart oven-safe casserole dish.
• Bake for 10-15 minutes until hot and bubbly.
• Serve hot with savory biscotti, pita chips or crackers.

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Feta & Vegetable Mini Frittatas.

If you’re looking for a light but flavorful brunch option, these Feta & Vegetable Mini Frittatas are a great choice.  We used eggs and egg whites to reduce the calories and such without sacrificing flavor.

We incorporated a variety of veggies that were waiting patiently for their time to shine.  The beauty of this recipe is you don’t need to run to the market, it’s a perfect chance to eat out of the fridge/pantry as we often like to do.

We had one last summer squash from the Farmers Market in the fridge that I grated (then squeezed between paper towels to remove excess moisture).  I added a small amount of matchstick carrots, which I microwaved for about 45 seconds to take the edge off.  An open jar of roasted red peppers sat in the fridge…pick me, pick me….so I diced up one of those.  Then we added a sliced scallion and a handful of spinach leaves.

As a bonus, an open tub of feta cheese and cream cheese added just enough flavor punch and creaminess to our frittatas.  Btw, no one will ever know if you use reduced fat versions of these cheeses.  Trust me.

I’d like to tell my healthy eating buddy at the office that I’m bringing in leftovers to share, but sigh…there are none left.  I had a plate of them leftover in the fridge and found they made a wonderful protein packed snack.  And these Feta & Vegetable Mini Frittatas weigh in at only 2 WW Pts+ each.  I feel another batch of these are in our future.

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Feta & Vegetable Mini Frittatas

Course Brunch

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 73.6kcal

Author Weight Watchers slightly adapted

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/4 cup water
• salt & pepper
• 1 small summer squash shredded
• 1/4 cup roasted red pepper diced
• 1 scallion thinly sliced
• handful of matchstick carrots
• handful of fresh spinach leaves
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese reduced fat
• 1/8 cup cream cheese reduced fat

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 9 holes of a muffin tin with cooking spray.
• In a medium bowl, beat eggs, egg whites, water, salt and pepper until well blended. Stir in remaining ingredients and mix well.
• Fill muffin holes about 2/3 full. Bake until just set, about 20 – 22 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. Loosen edges using a rubber spatula, then use spatula to slide under frittatas to remove.
• Serve with side of fresh fruit for a beautiful brunch. Each frittata = 2 WW Pts+.

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Presenting Romesco Sauce.  Think roasted red pepper pesto.  It’s nutty, with big bold flavors and is so versatile.  This sauce can be served on pasta, as a dip for fresh veggies, or as a spread on sandwiches.  But where we see Romesco really shine is when it’s paired with seafood.

Romesco Sauce originated along the coast of the Mediterranean sea in the Catalonia region of Spain.  As with many dishes that have evolved over hundreds of years, there are countless versions of this classic recipe.  Most however include almonds, garlic, red peppers, tomatoes, smoked paprika, crusty bread, red wine vinegar and olive oil.  And most of these ingredients are roasted or toasted before coming together as a sauce.  Now tell me….what’s not to love?!

Romesco Sauce is thick and dense with vibrant roasted flavors.  If Romesco is new to you I highly recommend giving it a try.  We baked a beautiful piece of halibut in the sauce and served it over pasta.  Flavor wow! Here is the recipe link for Halibut in Roasted Romesco Sauce with Pasta.

Recipe Note:  To fire roast a red pepper…..

Char it well on all sides over an open flame or under a broiler, turning frequently with tongs.  It will take up to 10 minutes to get well blackened.

Place pepper in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. This will create steam which will loosen the skins.  Once the pepper has cooled, cut it in half removing the seeds and charred skin.  Rinse to remove any remaining seeds or little bits of black charred skin.

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Romesco Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 small head of garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil divided
• 1 red bell pepper or 1 8-ounce jar of roasted red peppers drained
• 1 lb. of tomatoes skins and seeds removed or 1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes.
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 2 cups crusty bread cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 Tbl. sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbl. smoked paprika
• 1 Tbl. flat leaf parsley
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350° degrees.
• Slice top off the head of garlic and remove papery skins. Drizzle with 1 Tbl. olive oil. Wrap in foil and roast in oven for 30 minutes. Once done, squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of the head.
• Meanwhile, if not using canned, fire roast the red pepper (see instructions in recipe post) and par-boil the tomatoes to remove the skins and seeds. Set aside.
• Toast the slivered almonds in the oven for 7-10 minutes or until just beginning to brown. Set aside.
• Heat remaining olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, sauté the bread cubes lightly browning all all side.
• Add the roast garlic cloves, fire roasted red pepper, tomatoes, toasted almonds, toasted bread, vinegar, salt, smoked paprika, parsley and red pepper flakes to a blender or food processor. Puree until fairly smooth.
• To finish the sauce, add to a shallow rimmed baking pan and bake for 15 minutes. This will allow the sauce to thicken slightly and caramelize around the edges.
• Yields 1 1/2 cups of sauce. To store, allow to cool and refrigerate in an air tight container for up to 7 days.

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