Easy Appetizers: Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto Recipes Hummus Dip and Mini Pizzas

 *Disclosure: I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.

With the holidays coming and people staring to have small gatherings new recipes have been on my mind. I wanted to take my normal recipes and add some new flavor profiles. When I had the opportunity to try Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto I knew exactly which recipes I would add it to.

I have always been a fan of Pesto. The flavor is unique and delicious. The Barilla brand is one of my favorites with the rich creamy savory flavor. When you open a jar of it the aroma is amazing. I also like the brand because they are a family company that has been making products since 1877.

Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto is a flavor-packed, versatile, and convenient pantry staple that is a must have for Italian food fans. Imported from Parma, Italy, it’s made with fragrant Italian basil and freshly grated Italian cheese. To preserve the natural color of basil and the fresh aroma of Italian Cheese, Barilla minimizes the handling of ingredients and rapidly prepares their recipe in as little as three hours from the start of ingredient preparation to the tightening of the lid. With Creamy Genovese Pesto, a little goes a long way; one 6.2-ounce jar of pesto mixes well with 16 ounces of pasta. 

I decided to make two different recipes to show the diversity of the Creamy Genovese Pesto. I started with a simple stir in recipe to make Creamy Genovese Pesto Hummus Dip. I love hummus and adding the pesto elevated the flavor into a creamy, cheesy, basil infused flavor that is so delicious. I will continue to make for not just gatherings but a go to snack.

Creamy Genovese Pesto Hummus Dip

-Use your favorite brand of classic plain hummus 10 oz.

-Stir into the hummus 2 oz. of Creamy Genovese Pesto

-Add more Pesto as needed for desired flavor

-Served with baby carrots and sliced sweet peppers

-Add pita chips or other vegetables as needed

Pesto Mini Pizza was also another easy appetizer I decided to make. I purchased ready to cook individual pizza doughs, fresh tomatoes and finely shredded mozzarella. 

Creamy Genovese Pesto Mini Pizza

-Follow the directions for temperature and cook time for the premade dough. 

-Add a spoonful of Creamy Genovese Pesto to the center of the pizza dough and spread evenly.

-Top with finely shredded mozzarella cheese

-Add sliced tomatoes on top of the cheese (you can add olives, onions or meat if preferred)

-Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown dough and melted cheese 

My son was excited to try the pizza. He loved the flavor of the Pesto Pizza. The aroma of pesto filled the house as it cooked and wow it smelled amazing! My son told me it tasted like pizza you would find in a fancy New York restaurant. A very sweet comment coming from my biggest critic. 

These two recipes are easy peasy to make and are delicious. Definitely a good option to make for an appetizer for dinner or even an after school snack. My son has requested the Pesto Pizza to be made again soon. As a Mom that is a win for me!

Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto is available to purchase at Target (SuperTarget), Publix, Stop & Shop (Super Stop & Shop), Meijer, ShopRite, Hy-Vee, Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, and more. To find a store near you, visit momsmeet.link/barillalocate.

Homemade Hummus with Cilantro and Avocado #hummus

I am currently obsessed with Hummus! It is so delicious and versatile to add to many dishes. I indulge in a hummus and pita chips snack a few times a week and love to find new ways to add flavor to my hummus creations.

I feel like I have mastered my Basic Hummus recipe to the texture and flavor I prefer. Some people like a silky smooth hummus while other prefer a bit of texture to theirs. Both ways are tasty but I make mine silky smooth. I achieve this easier with peeling the chickpeas and not including the skins in my recipe. It is a tedious task that takes time but worth it to me for the smooth texture.

Basic Hummus Recipe

1 can 15 oz. of organic chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1/2 cup of Tahini paste ( I use Sadaf All Natural brand 100% sesame paste)
1/4 fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 garlic clove 
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Dash of salt

Directions:
Drain and rinse beans, set aside 1/4 cup of water from can to add if needed to thin hummus. Add lemon juice and water to your blender first, then add rest of ingredients on top. Blend until smooth, adding reserve water as needed to desired thickness. I use a Blendtec one that has a "dip" setting that works perfect for this. Serve in a bowl adding a drizzle of olive oil and dash of paprika on top.

To make the Basic Hummus into Cilantro and Avocado Hummus you will add 1/3 cup of chopped fresh cilantro, 1 1/2 ripe avocados and 1 extra tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.

Hummus Mini Turkey Burgers with Foster Farms Buzzer Beaters #FFBuzzerBeaters #ad

*This is a sponsored post. All opinions expressed in this post are my own. #FFBuzzerBeaters #ad

March is College Basketball Tournament time and we love to find reasons to have more basketball fun. We like to shoot some hoops before a game, make some great food and cheer on our favorite college teams. I like to try new recipes but still include our favorite dunkable foods. I always buy the Foster Farms brand to support a California based company.

To celebrate College Basketball Foster Farms has a fun online game called Buzzer Beaters. My son and I have been in a fierce competition of who can make the most baskets in 30 seconds! So far we have won a promo code for Fanatics.com where we can get a discount on fan gear and some coupons for our favorite Foster Farm products. As a frugal Mom I love discount codes! My son always jokes that I can beat him in real basketball since I am taller and closer to the hoop. With Buzzer Beaters the odds are even and actually in his favor since he is an ace at online game play. He was elated that he was beating Mom and the winner! How many baskets can you make in the 30 seconds? Have you beat the home team?

Game time always calls for good food. I bought my sons favorite, Foster Farms Mini Corn Dogs since they are easy to make and easy to dunk into tasty dips. I also made a new recipe using Foster Farms Ground Turkey. I have really been into hummus and wanted to try to find a way to incorporate it other than a dip. I made Hummus Mini Turkey Burgers that I served in pita pockets.

Hummus Mini Turkey Burgers

1 pound Foster Farms Ground Turkey
2/3 cup of your favorite hummus ( recipe for my homemade Basic Hummus)
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fennel

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together until hummus and spices are fully incorporated into the ground turkey. Form into small balls, flatten into small burgers. Brush pan with olive oil and tops of burgers. Cook in oven at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes. (adjust cooking time with your pan and oven as needed)

Serve mini turkey burgers on pita bread cut into quarters from the whole pieces of pita bread. Add sliced avocado, yellow and red sweet peppers, top with yogurt based blue cheese dressing and a dash of pepper. Turn on your favorite College Basketball game and enjoy your snacking!

We always include a "dunkable" item in our College Basketball celebrations. This time I served mini corn dog and sweet pepper kabobs that can be dunked into a spicy black bean dip. Delicious!

Giveaway:

Enter in the Rafflecopter form below to win $69 in Foster Farms Coupons ($21 in Foster Farms Ground Turkey Coupons, $20 in Foster Farms Frozen Cooked Chicken Coupons and $28 in Foster Farms Corn Dog Coupons)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts March 26, 2018 and ends on April 3, 2018 at 12:01 am PST. Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize.