Kale Chips 01/24/2011
Ah, kale. You are so delicious. Why wouldn't I sprinkle oil and salt on you and put you in the oven? Seriously, I've been wanting to try these for awhile and I was amazed at just how easy it was. I made them for my birthday party the other night and they were a great complement to the White Bean Dip and pita chips I set out. (Though they are kind of messy--I picked up a lot of little green kale-ness off the floor the next day.) This one comes from the Smitten Kitchen. Delish! 1 bunch Lacinato Kale 1-2 tbsp Olive Oil Salt and pepper, to taste Preheat oven to 300*. Rinse kale and pat dry. Remove thickest stems and chop into chip-size pieces. Spread on a cookie sheet (or two) and sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, or until crisp. Add Comment White Bean Dip 01/24/2011
Good gracious it’s been awhile since I’ve posted. It’s not like I haven’t been cooking, maybe it’s just that I’ve been cooking the old standards for awhile. I do that a lot—buy the staples that’ll make a few easy dinners and appetizers so that I always know I’ll have something on hand. One of those things is the Lemon Curry Hummus I always make, filled with protein and easy to take to parties. But I’ve been making it so long that I decided it was time to swap it out for something new and exciting. A friend told me about this easy white bean dip from Giada de Laurentiis. She’s the queen of easy and delicious and I always feel fancy cooking her food. That being said, I took this on our annual hut trip in December along with some pita chips (sturdier than crackers when you’re getting stuffed in a backpack with 30 pounds of other goodies). True to form, it was easy and delicious. 1 15 oz can Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed (these are also called White Kidney Beans, I’ve learned) 2 cloves Garlic 2 tbsp Lemon Juice 1/3 cup Olive Oil 1/4 -1/2 cup Fresh Parsley Salt and pepper to taste Put all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth. (You can also use an immersion blender, but I found that it tends to chop up the parsley a little too finely and you end up with a green white bean dip, which confuses people.) Put in a fancy bowl and serve with pita chips, homemade or otherwise. Seven Layer Dip 11/28/2009
An old classic, but with a fresher twist. Try making your taco seasoning mix with easy ingredients you’ve probably got around the house. Whip up your own guac, too. Recipes below. 1 16 oz. can Refried Beans (make sure they’re veg!) 1 package Taco Seasoning Mix* 8 oz. Sour Cream (or Greek Yogurt) 8 oz. Guacamole** 1 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded 1 cup Salsa 1 4 oz. can Diced Green Chiles 2 large Green Onions, sliced 1 small can Sliced Black Olives 1 cup fresh Cilantro, chopped Combine beans and seasoning mix in a small bowl. Spread on the bottom of square baking dish. Top with sour cream/yogurt, then guacamole, cheese, salsa, green chiles, green onions, and black olives. *Taco Seasoning Mix 6 tsp Chili Powder 5 tsp Paprika 4 1/2 tsp Cumin 3 tsp Onion Powder 2 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder 1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper Mix all ingredients until well blended. You only need about 7 tsp of this mix to equal a package, so pack up the rest in a tightly sealed container and save for later! **Fresh Guacamole 1 ripe Avocado 1 tsp Lemon or Lime Juice Dash Garlic Salt 4 Cherry Tomatoes, diced 3 tbsp Red Onion, diced 3 tbsp fresh Cilantro, minced Smash everything together. Add additional salt to taste. Jalapeno Black Bean Dip 09/15/2009
I love anything with beans and cheese...this one came from my friend AK who served it at her housewarming party awhile ago. You could even use my Salsa Verde or Brent's maple-syrup infused salsa to add to the beans. 1 16 oz. can Black Beans 1 tbsp Jalapenos, chopped (usually 1 small jalapeno) 1/4 cup White Onion, chopped 1/4 cup Sour Cream 1/2 tsp. Salt 2 tbsp Salsa, any kind 2 cups Cheddar/Jack Cheese, grated Preheat oven to 350*. Mash beans in baking dish. Add remaining ingredients, reserving 1/2 cup of the cheddar/jack cheese. Mix well, and bake for 20-30 minutes. Top with remaining cheese, and bake until cheese on top melts. Garnish with cilantro and serve with tortilla chips. If you have an abundance of zucchini in your garden (like we do) and are tired of sauteeing or grilling them, try this fabulous recipe. My friend Lex gave me the idea for the tzatziki, so I made this one up on the fly. I grated the zucchini by peeling off short strips with a veggie peeler. Patties 2-1/2 cups Zucchini, coarsely grated/peeled 1 tsp Salt, divided 1 Egg 1 Egg yolk 1/2 cup Flour, and more as needed 1/2 cup Feta, crumbled 1/2 cup Green Onions, chopped 1 tbsp fresh Basil, chopped 1 tbsp fresh Dill, chopped 1/3 cup Olive Oil, and more as needed 1/3 cup Corn Oil, and more as needed Toss zucchini strips and ½ tsp salt together. Let stand five minutes, then transfer to sieve/strainer. Press out excess liquid, and put zucchini in a dry bowl. Mix in egg, yolk, ½ cup flour, feta, and ½ tsp. salt. Mix in green onions, basil, and dill. If batter is very wet, add small amounts of flour at a time until batter is thick enough to drop into oil by spoonfuls. Heat olive and corn oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Drop rounded spoonfuls of batter into oil, and fry patties until golden brown, about five minutes per side. Add more oil if necessary. Transfer finished patties to paper towel and keep warm in a low oven. Tzatziki Sauce 4 oz. plain Greek Yogurt (I used Fage’s “Total”) 2 tbsp. Cucumber, grated 1 tbsp. Lemon Juice 1-1/2 tbsp. fresh Dill, chopped Dash Garlic Powder (or real garlic, though the powder incorporates better) Combine all ingredients and mix well. Serve chilled with warm patties. Cilantro Cream Dip 07/30/2009
My friend Therese has an amazing garden--they have cilantro, basil, spinach and salad greens coming out of their ears! She let me steal a bunch of everything the other day, since we don't have much of these things in our garden. I casually mentioned how obsessed I am with cilantro, and she promptly sent me this recipe, which she says is delish. Looks super easy too. 1 8 oz. package Cream Cheese, softened 1 tbsp Sour Cream 1 7 oz. can Tomatillo Salsa 1 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper 1 tsp. Celery Salt 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin 2 tsp. Garlic Powder 1 bunch fresh Cilantro, chopped 1 tbsp. fresh Lime Juice Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Place in a serving bowl and serve with your favorite corn chips. Monterey Jack Crackers 07/01/2009
Easy and delicious! A great party appetizer. You can really use any kind of cheese, as long as it’s melty like jack. Salsa Verde 06/29/2009
We had a Mexico-themed party at the Boulder Reservoir the other day, so I had to try out this new recipe. I've never made salsa before and it was a hit (though my salsa connoisseur friend Mike said it needed more heat--feel free to adjust accordingly). Lemon Curry Hummus 06/26/2009
People have had bad experiences with hummus–there are a lot of different ways to make it, and not all of them end up tasty. Try this one and you’ll have a whole different view. Brent's Salsa 06/26/2009
I was with the fam last week and got to enjoy some of my brother’s famous salsa. He’s long been perfecting this recipe, and the combination of sweet, spicy, salty and tangy gives it a fantastic fresh flavor. And it’s got a whole BUNCH of cilantro in it, which you know makes me happy. | good eats
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