May 16, 2008
Spinach, Swiss and Vidalia Quesadillas
Yesterday for lunch I wanted something Mexican and the more I thought about it the more quesadillas kept popping into my head. I had some Swiss cheese, I had picked up some Vidalia onions the day before and I needed to thin out my spinach window box (you can't get more local than your own front porch!) so I decided to put them together, along with some whole wheat tortillas and make a quick lunch.
What You'll Need per Person:
2 whole wheat tortillas
1/4 of a Vidalia onion, cut into strips (Note: Any kind of onion will work.)
1-2 cups of baby spinach leaves, julienned
Extra virgin olive oil
A pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
A pinch of cayenne pepper
1 ounce of Swiss cheese, shredded
Preheat oven to 450 F.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and sauté onion and spinach leaves in a little extra virgin olive oil with a pinch of sea salt, some freshly ground black pepper and some cayenne pepper until tender. Remove the sautéd veggies and set aside.
Wipe out the skillet and heat over high heat until hot. Spray with non stick spray and place a tortilla into the skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the side down is golden browned and then remove from the skillet and place the browned side down on a cutting board. Give the skillet another spritz of non stick spray and repeat the procedure with the other tortilla.
While the second tortillas is cooking place the sautéd veggies on top of the tortilla that is resting on the cutting board. Top veggies with cheese. When the second tortilla is browned add it browned side up on top of the other tortillas. Carefully place the tortillas on a baking pan so as not to loose any of the filling and bake for 3-4 minutes to let the cheese melt and blend with the other ingredients.
Remove from the oven. Let sit for 2 minutes and then cut into wedges. Serve with sour cream and/or salsa.
Notes: You can add other things to the filling. Mushrooms work well, so do bell peppers. If you want you can add beef, chicken and/or shrimp. The filling is completely up to you.
Posted by Dianne at 12:15 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
March 26, 2008
Double Onion Dip
For a while now I've been wanting to try and make some onion dip from scratch and the other night when we had some friends over for dinner I decided to test my theory. Most of us have had the onion dip that you make with onion soup mix and sour cream, but I thought about it for a while and wondered if you couldn't make a good dip without having to use the over processed soup mix and this is what resulted. It's creamy and has the illusion of being rich, all while packed with fresh onion and garlic. I actually ended up liking it better than the soup mix equivalent!
What You'll Need:
Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 a large red onion, chopped
1/2 a large sweet onion, chopped
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 teaspoon of dried rosemary
A generous addition of freshly ground black pepper
A pinch of sea salt
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 - 16 ounce container of light sour cream (Note: As always you can use fat free, light or regular sour cream, though fat free would make this sickeningly sweet as the onions themselves give the dip a natural sweetness.)
Sauté onion with thyme, rosemary, pepper and salt until onions are tender and slightly caramelized:
Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 2-4 minutes until garlic is done.
Remove onions from the stove and pour into sour cream. Stir to mix. Store dip in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving and stir before putting out to eat. Serve with vegetables and/or bagel or pita chips.
Notes: You could use any type of onion that you like. You could also switch up the herbs if thyme and rosemary aren't your thing.
Posted by Dianne at 7:13 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
March 5, 2008
Corn Fritters
I have to admit I had never tried corn fritters before Saturday on our "fry" day, but I was sold after one bite! This recipe is adapted from one from Paula Deen and I have to give Miss Paula props because she is most definitely the Queen of all things fried!
We ended up making some Ranch Dressing to dip them in and the combination was just wonderful together! If you've never had a corn fritter before they are similar to hush puppies, but they have corn kernels incorporated in the batter. The combination just goes so well together. I'll definitely be making these again in the future!
What You'll Need:
1 1/4 cups cornmeal
1 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1/4 cup organic cane sugar
1 cup milk
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 package of frozen corn
Preheat oil to 325 F.
In a large bowl stir together cornmeal, flour, sugar and salt until well mixed. In a separate bowl beat together milk and eggs. Next add the egg mixture to the cornmeal mixture and stir to incorporate. Stir butter and corn into the batter and mix well.
Drop batter by the spoonful into the preheated oil. Cook the fritters until golden, turning once or twice to make sure it browns on all sides. Drain the fritters on paper towels and serve alone or with Ranch Dressing.
Notes: Leann and I talked about it and we think it might be nice to add some chopped onion into the mix as well. I think buttermilk would be a good addition in place of regular milk as well.
Posted by Dianne at 6:47 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
March 4, 2008
Fried Dill Pickles
When I first heard of fried dill pickles a few years ago my first reaction was "Why???" I mean I love dill pickles in and of themselves, but fried? Then I actually tried one I was extremely surprised that they were pretty good. My sister loves them. When we told her we were doing a "fry" day she immediately asked both of us "You're making fried dill pickles right?" So we made some fried dill pickles, because what the pregnant lady wants, the pregnant lady gets! (Pregnant and dill pickles...Oh the stereotypes! ;o))
The batter for this version came completely out of my head. When I was thinking about making them I thought it would be nice to add dill into the batter to amp up the dill flavor. Leann and I both were very pleased with the result! We nibbled on quite a few as they came out of the fryer. Katherine liked them dipped in Ranch Dressing, but Leann and I both thought they were best on their own without any sauce. The things people do with dill pickles! ;o)
What You'll Need:
Sliced dill pickles (or what they call "hamburger chips"...I actually just sliced whole dill pickles myself.)
2 cups of unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of dried dill
A pinch of black pepper
1 egg
1 cup of buttermilk
Preheat oil to around 350 F.
If you are using "hamburger chip" dill pickles drain them and set aside. If you're slicing them yourself slice and set aside.
Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl and stir to mix. Add egg and buttermilk and stir until a thick batter forms. If you need to add a bit more milk don't worry about it, it all depends on ambient humidity and such. If you need to add a bit more flour add it a tablespoon at a time until it's thick enough. You want the batter to be slightly thicker than pancake batter. When you insert a pickle into it it should stand up without really falling over.
Dip pickles into the batter and then place them in the fryer in a single layer. Turn them as they cook to ensure that they brown evenly on each side. You want them to be golden brown. Remove from the oil when they are slightly browned (they'll continue to brown a bit after you remove them from the oil) and drain on a paper towel. Serve alone or with Ranch dressing.
Notes: No notes for this one...It is a stand alone kind of thing!
Also today (and I'll have it up soon) this week's Tuesday with Dorie recipe! You'll get two recipes for the price of one today! ;o)
Posted by Dianne at 7:39 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
March 3, 2008
Let's Talk Some Fair Food or Otherwise Known as Leann and Dianne Have a "Fry" Day! Plus the Recipe for Vegtable Tempura and Soy Yogurt Dipping Sauce!
I've had a fryer for several years now. My mom got me one of those new fangled covered Fry Daddys with the built in air filter and though I don't use it that often (in fact the last time I used it was two years ago after Alexis' birthday party when we had a fish fry) it's fun to pull it out and play with it from time to time. My friend Leann got a Rival fryer and we decided right then and there we needed to get together one Saturday and just fry the heck out of everything! That Saturday was this past weekend and we had a ball!
In my fryer we made chicken fingers, fried dill pickles, tempura, french fries and pineapple eggrolls. I decided to try frying in light olive oil, as I had always wanted to try this, and I was very pleased in the results. In Leann's fryer we made corn fritters, honey mustard chicken fingers and corn dogs. Then we even heated up some light olive oil on the stove top and made some funnel cakes too! We had fair food galore and we nibbled as we cooked, and whipped up some dips as we went, including a soy yogurt sauce for the tempura, some ranch dressing for the corn fritters and some honey mustard dipping sauce for the chicken fingers and the french fries. It's fun to create as you go!
Needless to say this isn't something you want to eat everyday, but it's fun to do this sort of thing every once in a while, especially when you've been really good all week! We had some natural brewed root beer, some homemade lemonade and some natural cream sodas, we chatted, laughed and munched along the way! It was a great day all in all and over the next few days I'll be sharing the recipes with you! (On Tuesday you'll get the Tuesdays with Dorie recipe AND a "fry" day recipe!) So sit back, relax and get ready to enjoy some good old fashioned fried up food! ;o)
Up today...Tempura and Soy Yogurt Sauce! (Oh and forgive the lack of quality of the picture below. We got busy eating and I didn't get a picture of the Tempura so I zoomed in the picture of the spread above.)
What You'll Need for the Tempura:
1 cup of unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup of panko bread crumbs
1 egg
1 - 1 1/2 cups of ice water
Veggies of your choice (We did mushrooms, sweet onions, zucchini and squash. I had planned to do sweet potato and asparagus, but the process of frying everything we wanted to try took longer than we thought it would initially so we nixed those two as we went along.)
Preheat oil while you are preparing the batter and your veggies. I fried these around 350 F.
Wash mushrooms and dry them. Slice onions into rounds like you would for onion rings. Slice zucchini and squash into rounds. Set aside.
In a medium sized bowl mix all ingredients together until batter forms. Dip veggies into the batter and place in the hot oil. Turn several times while frying. Remove when they are slightly golden.
Notes: The dipping sauce for tempura usually is rather salty so salt is not added to the batter. If you need to add more water do. It's all about humidity and such when you're dealing with flour. You want a slightly thick batter like you would make for pancakes that isn't overly runny. You can also use this method to make shrimp tempura.
What You'll Need for the Dipping Sauce:
1/2 cup of less sodium soy sauce
1/4-1/3 cup of Greek yogurt (Note: I used the fat free version.)
2-3 tablespoons of sesame oil
Whisk together ingredients and serve immediately with tempura.
Notes: The sesame oil gives the sauce a nice, nutty flavor, but if you don't care for sesame oil you could use olive oil instead.
Posted by Dianne at 6:14 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
December 12, 2007
Sausage Balls
Who says a home baked gift has to be sweet? Why not cheesey and savory instead? These sausage balls are just that gift! If you've got a vegetarian on your list this year, you can even make a vegetarian version that is simply wonderful. This is an easy, quick recipe and after all this time of year what's better than just that?
What You'll Need:
1 - 16 ounce package of regular sausage (Note: This would probably work with other types of sausage. You could use Italian or Sage or whatever, but I think they are best with just the your basic breakfast sausage.)
1 - 8 ounce bar of cheddar, shredded
1 - 4 ounce bar of Fontina, shredded
2 cups of baking mix (Note: I like Bob's Red Mill products. I've used Bob's Buttermilk Biscuit Mix in the past and had intended to use that for this go round, but the store I went to didn't carry the mix. I ended up using Bob's Red Mill Wheat Free Biscuit and Baking Mix instead.)
Preheat oven to 350 F. (And yes I'm still using my toaster oven! ;o) But I normally bake these in a conventional oven.)
In the bowl of your mixer mix together the sausage and the cheese until incorporated. Add in baking mix and mix until dough forms. (Note: Depending on the fat content of your sausage and cheese the mix may be crumbly, but that's ok. You're going to form balls with the mixture so it will come together in the end. Don't panic if it looks dry, especially if you decide to go the vegetarian route.)
Form roughly 1 tablespoon of the sausage mixture into a round ball and place on a baking sheet. Repeat that step until dough is gone. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until done through and slightly browned on top.
Notes: You could add in 1/3 cup of chives to the mix for an added taste sensation. You can also just use one type of cheese, or mix that up. It's all a matter of personal preference. This is another one of those recipes you can freeze for later too, so you can get a head start if want! ;o)
Posted by Dianne at 9:22 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
August 9, 2007
Whole Wheat Quesadillas
I'm a big fan of Mexican food, but if you eat it out, although it's highly scrumptious, it's also highly calorie and fat laden! It's one of those occasion things you like to splurge on, but there's no reason you can't slim it down at home and eat it more often! The result is yummy and is not so bad for you. Who can argue with that? ;o)
What amuses me about things such is quesadillas is that some people think it's a hard dish to make. When I've served them in the past I've had people comment about how they were amazed I had bothered, because they were so hard to make. That couldn't be farther from the truth! If you're nervous about making them just follow the step by step run down below. You can't go wrong!
What You'll Need Per Person:
2 whole wheat tortillas (Note: I usually use Tamixicos 100% Whole Wheat Tortillas. They have 300 mg calcium, 10 whole grains and 50 mg of Omega-3 fatty acids EPH/DHA. What's not to like?)
1/3 cup of chicken, shredded
1/4-1/3 cup of salsa
2 tablespoons of cheddar, Monterrey jack or Colby Cheese
Salsa and/or sour cream for dipping (Note: If you want to dip it in salsa you can leave it out of the quesadilla itself. I use medium salsa, but it's a matter of choice. Also light or fat free sour cream is what I usually use.)
Place a large skillet or griddle over medium to high heat to heat pan.
Step One:
Lay one of the tortillas on a large cutting board and layer with chicken.
Step Two:
Add the salsa and distribute evenly.
Step Three:
Sprinkle with cheese.
Step Four:
Place the remaining tortilla on top and press down slightly.
Step Five:
Spray your preheated pan with non-stick spray. The pan should be hot! Place the quesadilla in the pan careful not to let any of the filling spill out. Press the top down with a spatula to help things stick. Don't walk away! Stay with the pan and check every 20-30 seconds to see if the bottom has browned. It usually takes no longer than 2 minutes per side. As soon as it has browned remove the quesadilla from the pan and place on a cutting board. (The cutting board makes it easier to flip the quesadilla to cook the other side.)
Step Six:
Use the cutting board and a spatula (or your hand if you're really tough ;o)) to flip the quesadilla over to brown the other side. Press the top again with the spatula and keep checking until browned and remove to cutting board again.
Step Seven:
Cut into wedges. (I've found that a bread knife works really well in cutting them into slices.) Cut the quesadilla in half and then cut each half in three or four individual peices depending on how large you want them.
Step Eight:
Garnish and enjoy!
Notes: You could leave out the chicken and add in cooked mushrooms for a vegetarian option. You could also just go with cheese for a Cheese Quesadilla. You can use a mix or cheese or just one. It's completely up to you! For an appetizer portion this would make two servings. For a main course it would make one serving.
Posted by Dianne at 10:08 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
August 3, 2007
Potato Skins
Who hasn't had a Potato Skin now and then when out at a restaurant or grill? But most people don't realize they are super easy to make at home! It's most definitely not something you'd eat everyday, but it's nice to splurge every once in a while and these little babies go great with ribs!
What You'll Need:
Small russet potatoes
Extra virgin olive oil
Shredded cheese (Cheddar, Colby, Monterey Jack...What every you like or a mix of all three!)
Bacon, cooked and crumbled
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Cut potatoes in half and place on the baking sheet cut side up. Bake for 30-35 minutes until potatoes stick done. (Note: Depending on the size of your potato it may take more or less time for them to cook. After 20 minutes check them every 10 minutes or so until done.)
Remove potatoes from oven, brush with a little extra virgin olive to moisten oil and flip over so flat side is down. (Note: Be careful...The potatoes will be hot!) Let sit until potatoes cool.
Once potatoes are cooled preheat oven to 425 F.
Scoop flesh out of each potato leaving 1/8-1/4 of an inch of potato in the skin. Place scooped out potato into a bowl and set aside. (Note: The pulp can be used for Potato Cakes, Mashed Potatoes or even as a part of Potato Soup. I usually put them in the fridge or a freezer container and freeze them until I'm ready to use them in another recipe.)
Sprinkle each skin with the cheese(s) of your choice and sprinkle with crumbled bacon. Bake for 5-8 minutes or until cheese melts.
Serve with sour cream and/or scallions.
Posted by Dianne at 10:18 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
July 26, 2007
Dianne's Nachos
Sometimes it's fun to do Nacho's for dinner! This could be an appetizer or a main course, but either way it's delicious!
What You'll Need For the "Chili":
Extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon of chili powder
1 tablespoon of paprika
1 cup of salsa
1/4-1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (Note: More if you like it hot, less if you don't...If you really don't like heat then leave it out all together.)
1 - 5 ounce can of tomato sauce
1 - 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes, drained
1 - 15.5 ounce can of black beans, drained
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup of textured soy (TSP) or vegetable (TVP) protein
In a medium sized pot sauté onion in a little extra virgin olive oil until tender. Stir in chili powder and paprika and stir to mix. Add salsa and stir until incorporated. Next add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes stirring to mix. Add beans and stir in carefully as not to mashed them. Add salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for at least an hour. 20 minutes before serving ad the TSP or TVP and cook until tender.
Notes: You can also use ground beef or chicken in place of the meat substitute if you like. Red beans could be used along with or in place of the black beans.
What You'll Need for the Tortilla Chips:
Corn tortillas
Oil (I usually use Safflower oil)
Sea salt
Preheat oven to 500 F.
Cut each tortilla in half (I usually do four at at time), then cut each half into 3 equal pieces. Place on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat or parchment paper. Brush each chip with oil (for a batch of 48 chips you would use roughly 1-2 tablespoons of oil...You just want a thin layer of oil on top to help them crisp and the salt stick, not a heavy layer that will make the chip soggy) and then sprinkle with sea salt.
Bake for 5-8 minutes until chips are golden and crisp. Remove from oven and let cool. Use as you would any store bought tortilla chip.
Notes: You can also use red or blue corn tortillas. You can even just spray the chips with non-stick spray instead of brushing them with oil, but they will be a bit chewier and less crisp, though they will not change in flavor. To make desert chips sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar instead of salt.
To Put Nachos Together:
Place a layer of tortilla chips on a plate or a platter. On top of the chips spread a layer of chili. Then sprinkle the chili with cheese and let the cheese melt. Top with guacamole and/or sour cream if desired.
Notes: I usually also top the nachos with diced tomato and scallions, but I was low on tomatoes and scallions (today is grocery day) and used the last of them in my guacamole instead. You coul also add a layer of salsa and/or Cheesy Salsa Dip.
Posted by Dianne at 10:37 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
June 26, 2007
Dill Onion Spread
I originally got this idea from a cream cheese spread that Whole Foods mixes up with three types of onion, but I decided it needed some dill and one less onion! This spread is great on bagels and it makes a heavenly cucumber sandwich! Just spread some onto a slice of bread and top with cucumbers for a scrumptious sandwich treat!
What You'll Need:
2 - 8 ounce packages of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup of dill chopped
1/3 cup of chives chopped
2 scallions, chopped
A pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Place your cream cheese in the bowl of a mixer and beat until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until incorporated. Store mixture in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before use so it will spread easily.
Notes: You could add a little garlic if you like, but I wouldn't add too much as the chives and green onion already give it a little kick. Some red onion might also be nice, but again just a bit, don't go overboard.
Posted by Dianne at 7:20 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 21, 2007
Dianne's Spinach Artichoke Dip
I love spinach artichoke dip so it's no surprise that I came up with my own. This dip has evolved over time and the latest rendition has goat cheese (surprise, surprise! ;o)), but every time I serve it it gets raves and I've even had people who thought they didn't like spinach try it and like it. It's one of my most requested dishes. It goes great with cut veggies, chips or other dip type scoopy foods.
What You'll Need:
1 cup of light sour cream
1/2 cup of light mayo
1 - 8 ounce package of light cream cheese
1 cup of Parmesan cheese, grated
1 - 5 ounce package of goat cheese, crumbled
A pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 cloves of garlic, minced or 1 teaspoon of garlic salt with parsley (If you use the garlic salt, adjust sea salt accordingly)
1 jar of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 boxes of frozen spinach, thawed and drained (Note: I don't remember the exact ounce of the package here, but I used Cascadian Farms boxed frozen spinach if you want to compare it to other brands.)
In a medium sized pot melt cream cheese, Parmesan and goat cheese with sour cream and mayo until smooth. Stir in seasonings, artichokes and spinach until blended and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve immediately or let cool and store in the fridge until ready to use.
To serve from fridge remove from fridge and place in an oven preheat to 350 F for 20-25 minutes or until warmed through or place in a microwave safe container and microwave on high for 3-5 minutes or until heated through.
Notes: This was the first time I had made my dip with goat cheese and it definitely was a wonderful addition. It gave the dip a hidden depth that wasn't there before. You could leave out the goat cheese if you wanted, but I will be adding it from now on.
Posted by Dianne at 7:43 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 8, 2007
Hummus
Hummus is one of those multi-purpose dishes that can be used in many ways! It can be used as a dip, as an accompaniment to salad or even as a sandwich spread. It's hearty, healthy and good in so many ways. It's easy to make and nutritious. What's not to like?
What You'll Need:
2 cups of cooked chickpeas
A pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4-1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic (optional)
1 teaspoon of cumin (optional)
2 tablespoons of tahini (optional...I actually don't like tahini so I don't usually add it unless I'm making it for someone else)
Dump ingredients in the bowl of your food processor and process until smooth. Serve immediately with cut veggies, chips or even as a sandwich spread. The hummus can be chilled before serving (which I actually prefer). You can also store hummus in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Posted by Dianne at 7:42 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 12, 2007
Mini Frittatas
Frittatas are sort of like quiche without the crust. These little gems make perfect appetizers and they bake up in no time to boot!
What You'll Need:
Extra virgin olive oil
4-6 mushrooms, chopped
1/2 a small red onion, chopped
6 large green olive, chopped
6 eggs
Parmesan cheese
Sea salt
Black pepper
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Sauté mushrooms and onion in a little extra virgin olive oil until tender. Set aside.
Beat eggs until mixed and fluffy.
In a muffin pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray put equal amounts of onion, mushroom and olives into each cup. Cover each cup with egg and sprinkle with a couple of teaspoons of Parmesan cheese on each cup. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until egg is set and slightly browned.
Note: You can use any veggies you like. Asparagus would be very nice in these little frittatas or even some sun dried tomatoes. Black olives could be substituted for the green olives or you could even use capers if you like them. (I happen to despise capers! But to each their own. ;o)) You can also switch up the cheese and use cheddar or even Feta.
Posted by Dianne at 12:43 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 11, 2007
Deviled Eggs Part Two: Wasabi Deviled Eggs
I was surfing around the web today and saw a couple of different recipes For Wasabi Deviled eggs and thought I'd take my recipe for Deviled Eggs and add a little wasabi (1 tsp to 1 tablespoon depending on how spicy you like things) since I still had some Easter eggs in the fridge. They turned out great. If you like things with a little kick give it a try!
Posted by Dianne at 7:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 8, 2007
Deviled Eggs
What's Easter without Deviled Eggs? Everyone has their own twist, this is mine.
What You'll Need:
12 boiled eggs, cut in half and remove yolks into the bowl of your food processor
1/4 cup of mayo
1/4 cup of sour cream
1 heaping tablespoon of yellow mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons of vinegar
A pinch of sea salt
A pinch of black pepper
In the bowl of your food processor mix boiled egg yolks, mayo, sour cream, mustard, vinegar (I sometimes use white vinegar and sometimes apple cider vinegar...today I went with white), salt and black pepper and process until smooth. Place egg mixture into a large pastry bag with a large star tip affixed. Squeeze egg mixture into the boiled egg whites and chill until serving.
Notes: You can add finely chopped blue cheese into the egg mixture or even Parmesan cheese for two nice variations. You can also sprinkle the tops of each egg with paprika and/or chopped parsley if desired.
Happy Easter Everyone!
Posted by Dianne at 3:10 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
April 6, 2007
Hush Puppies With Creamy Dill Dip
Hush puppies can be used as an appetizer or a side dish, while this creamy little dill sauce is also wonderful as a dip for veggies, on a veggie sandwich or even on a cucumber onion salad! Whether you're having fish, or would just like a good hush puppy by itself, this recipe is the one for you!
What You'll Need For The Hush Puppies:
2 cups of yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup of unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of sea salt
2 eggs
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 1/2 to 2 cups of buttermilk (eye it as you go...depending on the humidity you may need more or less...you're looking for a sticky dough)
Safflower oil for frying (or your oil of choice)
Preheat oil to 350 F.
Mix ingredients and drop by the rounded tablespoon full into the hot oil turning to brown. (About 1-2 minutes depending on how brown you like them and the size you've made your hush puppy.) Remove from oil and drain. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve hot.
Note: You can add chopped bell pepper into the batter if you like, or a shot of hot sauce for a kick.
What You'll Need For The Dip:
1/2 cup of sour cream
1/2 cup of light mayo
1/2 cup of buttermilk
1/3 cup of freshly chopped dill
A pinch of sea salt
A pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
Mix ingredients thoroughly and serve immediately. Store left over dip in the fridge.
Note: You could easily use low-fat or even fat-free components to make this dip healthier. (I tend to use fat free sour cream and low-fat mayo...buttermilk is usually low-fat or fat free to begin with.) You could also add some chopped scallions or shallots for a nice kick.
Posted by Dianne at 9:48 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
March 18, 2007
Irish Cheese
Yesterday we also sampled some Irish cheeses. I've used the Kerrygold Irish butter for several years now on special occasions and it truly is one of the best butters I have ever tasted, but this is the first time I had seen their cheese selection. It turns out their cheese is just as good! (But I figured it would be!)
We had the Aged Cheddar, the Blarney Castle (which is similar to gouda) and the Dubliner which reminded me of Parmesan, only softer. These cheeses (and the butter too!) are available at my local Giant and I know the butter (but I'm not sure about the cheeses) is also sold at Whole Foods and Safeway.
That's enough of a break for now! Back to the midterms I go! ;o)
Posted by Dianne at 4:06 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 23, 2007
Baked Salmon Dip
I LOVE salmon! But I don't like it smoked and I don't like the stuff they put into a can. It's a waste of perfectly good salmon! Over the years most of the salmon dip recipes that I came across called for either smoked or canned salmon and that just wouldn't work. So I came up with this little recipe. I play with it from time to time, but it's delicious none the less!
What You'll Need:
1 - 8 ounce package of light cream cheese, softened
1/2 a red onion, chopped
4 scallions, chopped
1 teaspoon of dried dill (at least)
A pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 baked salmon filet, skin removed and flaked
In a bowl cream cream cheese until smooth and set aside.
Chop red onions and microwave for 1-2 minutes until tender, but the onions retain their color. (This helps take a little of the bite out of them.) Add chopped scallions to the bowl with red onions and microwave for 30 seconds to a minute. Stir cooked onions into the cream cheese mixture until mixed. Stir in seasonings and mix well. Last add flaked salmon and stir until just mixed so as not to completely tear apart the salmon pieces. Serve with crudités and/or bread and crackers.
Note: Baking salmon is easy. Just take a salmon steak, drizzle it with a little olive oil, sea salt, black pepper and dill (optional) and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 F or until done.
Posted by Dianne at 9:15 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
February 18, 2007
In Honor Of The Chinese New Year: Vegetable Egg Rolls
In honor of the Chinese New Year I thought it would be fun to make some egg rolls! I had never made them before, but I figured it wouldn't be too hard and I was right! They're fast, easy and delicious!
What You'll Need:
1 carrot, cut into matchstick pieces
1/8 of a head of cabagge, cut into strips
1 leek, cut into strips
A pinch of sea salt
A pinch of black pepper
2 teaspoons of rice wine vinegar
Egg roll wrappers
Oil for frying
Step One:
Heat oil to 350 F. (I used and usually use safflower oil when frying.)
Step Two:
While oil is heating, in a medium sized skillet saute veggies with salt, pepper and vinegar until just tender and remove from heat. The filing is now ready to fill the egg roll wrappers.
Step Three:
Lay an egg roll wrapper flat and place some filling in the middle.
Step Four:
Fold bottom corner to the middle and tuck under the filling.
Step Five:
Fold and tuck corners. It will resemble an envelope at this point.
Step Six:
Close and seal your "envelope" by rolling the egg rolls over. Dip your fingers in some water and run along the seam and gently press closed to seal.
Step Seven:
Fry egg rolls for 45 secnds to 1 minute until brown. Once removed from oil the egg rolls will continue to brown. Don't over do them!
Step Eight:
Remove from oil and drain on a paper towel. Serve immediately or you can reheat them later by placing them in a warm oven for 5 to 10 minutes.
Makes 6 egg rolls.
Posted by Dianne at 1:32 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
February 17, 2007
Cheesy Salsa Dip
Back in the day we used to make dips with Velveeta, but that stuff is really nasty when you look at what it's made of! So I adapted the recipe and found some ingredients that were less offensive! This dip is tasty and it has none of the stuff you can't pronounce in the ingredients!
What You'll Need:
1 - 8 ounce block of cream cheese
1 cup of Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
1 cup of Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 - 16 ounce jar of salsa
Dump ingredients into a large glass Pyrex bowl and microwave for 2-5 minutes until completely melted.
Serve with tortilla chips or crudités.
Isn't that easy??
Note: I do not use preshredded cheese. They put weird stabilizers in them and they don't melt properly.
Posted by Dianne at 12:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 10, 2007
Vegetarian "Sausage" Balls
For the past few years when I've eaten meat (but not fish for some reason) it always has increasingly made me sick to my stomach. So in January I decided to do a little experiment and see if I could go an entire month meat (including fish) free. My experiment worked quite well and I haven't looked back! I have readded fish in the month of February, but the other stuff is gone for good!
When I made this change I was a bit hesitant. I will readily admit I LOVE bacon and sausage, though I didn't eat it very often. But the thought of never having it again was a bit, well, daunting. I've found mock "chicken" and "mock" meat that I like, but up to this point I had not found a "sausage" and still have not found a "bacon" that worked. Today I tried out a sausage substitute and adapted the old sausage ball recipe I used to use and it worked out PERFECTLY! Trust me, you'll never know the meat sausage is not there!
What You'll Need:
1 - 8 ounce bar of cheddar or Colby cheese, shredded
2 cups of baking mix (I used Bob's Red Mill Buttermilk Biscuit Mix)
1 package of Gimme Lean Sausage Style
2 tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Preheat oven to 350 F.
In the bowl of your mixer dump all the ingredients and mix until crumbly. It looks crumbly, but it will readily stick together when mashed. Form into small balls using roughly 1 tablespoon of crumbles and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
Makes about 3 dozen.
Note: The vegetarian sausage does have the fat content that meat sausage does so you have to add a little fat into them to get them to bind together.
Posted by Dianne at 1:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack