October 30, 2009

Parmesan Crisps with Grains of Paradise {Powernap}

As I pointed out yesterday, the holidays are fast approaching. Along with having an ample supply of muffins and sweets on hand, it is also important to be ready to entertain. Cocktails parties are ubiquitous at this time of year, which is why I always have a stash of Parmesan Crisps at the ready. Easy to whip up at any time of day and tasty to a fault, they are perfect to serve anytime with a glass of wine, slice of salami and great conversation.

Every month my friends Cheryl, Ellise, Cathy and I get together do a fun Friday post with a common theme. Sometime we even do “offline” events too, like last month’s plateswap. Cheryl used a randomizer and assigned us each someone to send a fun plate to, a plate that we could use to serve our favorite foods to family and loved ones. Luckily, my friend Cathy, The Show Food Chef, sent me a gorgeous wooden platter (pictured above) that has already become one of my most favorite pieces. It is perfect for plating my parmesan crisps, which I’ll be doing a lot come party season. To help you prepare I’m serving up my recipe because it is a great one to have in your holiday entertaining repertoire. I have no problem making these during my daughter’s naptime. In fact, they are so easy that can be made in approximately 10 minutes prior to being served. I know my guests always enjoy these, and I am sure yours will, too.

Recipe

Parmesan Crisps with Grains of Paradise

Ingredients

1 c. coarsley grated Parmesan cheese (use the largest shredding option on your box grater)
1 t. freshly grated Grains of Paradise (you can substitute fresh pepper if needed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Take one large tablespoon of cheese and place it on the paper. Spread it out so that it is a circle roughly 2 ½inches in diameter. Repeat with remaining cheese. (Note: to make mini crisps make them 1″ in diameter.)
3. Sprinkle each disk with a pinch of Grains of Paradise.
4. Bake for 4-5 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Remove from oven. Allow to cool for 2 minutes. Remove with a spatula and serve.

Naptime Notes

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14 Responses to “Parmesan Crisps with Grains of Paradise {Powernap}”

  1. Orchard Cove Photography says:

    Pray tell what are grains of paradise and where can you find them? I've never heard of them!

  2. Orchard Cove Photography says:

    Pray tell what are grains of paradise and where can you find them? I've never heard of them!

  3. Fresh Local and Best says:

    I've never heard of grains of paradise either. I've made a similar Parmesan crisp with lemon zest. I do like the original recipe best.

  4. Fresh Local and Best says:

    I've never heard of grains of paradise either. I've made a similar Parmesan crisp with lemon zest. I do like the original recipe best.

  5. Kelsey B. says:

    Hi! Grains of Paradise are a delicious alternative to pepper and can be found in most gourmet shops. They are not expensive at all. I usually buy them as kernels in a container that has a grinder at the end – it looks and tastes a lot like pepper. I highly recommend it!

  6. Kelsey B. says:

    Hi! Grains of Paradise are a delicious alternative to pepper and can be found in most gourmet shops. They are not expensive at all. I usually buy them as kernels in a container that has a grinder at the end – it looks and tastes a lot like pepper. I highly recommend it!

  7. Unplanned Cooking says:

    That looks wonderful! I love cheese, no matter what form it comes in. I'll have to try these.

  8. Unplanned Cooking says:

    That looks wonderful! I love cheese, no matter what form it comes in. I'll have to try these.

  9. Adorissima says:

    you can get grains of paradise and see more information on it and its amazing health benefits at http://www.grainsofparadise.com

  10. Adorissima says:

    you can get grains of paradise and see more information on it and its amazing health benefits at http://www.grainsofparadise.com

  11. cathy/ShowFoodChef says:

    How did I miss this earlier? This recipe sounds fantastic and I can't wait to try it this weekend with some guests coming over. So happy the plate worked so well with it.

  12. cathy/ShowFoodChef says:

    How did I miss this earlier? This recipe sounds fantastic and I can't wait to try it this weekend with some guests coming over. So happy the plate worked so well with it.

  13. Carol says:

    How long will these last. I have a dinner party coming up and like to do as much prep as possible before the day. Will they be as good if made the day ahead of use?

    • KelseyTheNaptimeChef says:

      Hi Carol.

      If you place them in an airtight container they should be able to stay crisp for about 24 hours. I recommend layering them with parchment or wax paper since they are delicate! Enjoy!