APPETIZERSWhite Bean Dip
Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can white beans (my favorite are cannellini) rinsed & drained
3 T. extra-virgin olive oil (or more)
1 t. to 1 T. minced garlic (your choice)
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 - 3/4 t. kosher salt (to taste)
1/4 - 1/2 t. ground black pepper
Directions:
Put all ingredients in a food processor.
Blend well.
Taste and adjust oil and seasonings, as desired.
To serve:
Place dip in bowl and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
Spinach-Artichoke Dip
Preheat oven to 350
Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can artichoke hearts (drained and chopped)
1 (10 ounce) package frozen, chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed)
sun dried tomatoes in oil (amount of choice)
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (softened)
1 C. sour cream
1/4 C. mayonnaise (or more)
1 C. shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/2 C. shredded Parmesan cheese
3/4 t. kosher salt
1/4 t. black pepper
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together.
Pour into a 9-inch pie plate (or dish of choice).
Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
Uncover and continue to bake 10 more minutes, or until golden brown.
Hot Artichoke Dip
Preheat oven to 350
Ingredients:
1 (6 ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1 C. mayonnaise
3/4 C. Parmesan
kosher salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Combine all ingredients and place in a baking dish.
Bake until thoroughly heated and bubbly, about 15 minutes.
Baked Brie
Preheat oven to 400
Ingredients:
1 roll refrigerated crescent-style dough
1 (8 ounce) round Brie Cheese
apricot jam (any flavor works well)
1 egg yolk mixed with 1 t. water
Directions:
Remove 4 crescents and place on a small, lightly greased cookie sheet.
With fingers, smooth out perforations to form a solid square.
Unwrap Brie and place in center of rectangle.
Place some apricot jam on top of Brie round.
Bring up all corners of dough to totally encase cheese making sure all openings are sealed.
Brush with egg wash.
May prepare to this point and hold for several hours.
When ready to serve, bake for 30 minutes until golden.
Allow to sit for a few minutes before slicing into wedges.
Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus
Preheat oven to 450
Ingredients for asparagus:
30 medium asparagus stalks, trimmed
10 slices bacon
1/4 C. olive oil
kosher salt
pepper
Ingredients for optional dipping sauce:
1/2 C. mayonnaise
2 t. Asian chili sauce (Sriracha)
2 T. lime juice
kosher salt
pepper
Directions:
Make 10 bundles of 3 stalks of asparagus.
Carefully wrap a piece of bacon around each bundle.
Transfer bundles to a rimmed baking sheet.
Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast for 10 minutes.
Flip and roast for another 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, make sauce.
Whisk together mayonnaise, chili sauce, and lime juice.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Dip and enjoy!
*Obviously you can make any amount you like using 1 bacon strip for each 3-piece bundle!
Avocado Feta Salsa
Ingredients:
2 plum tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes), chopped
1 avocado, cut into chunks
1/4 C. finely chopped red onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T. olive oil
1 T. red or white wine vinegar
4 ounces feta cheese, coarsely crumbled
kosher salt (to taste)
black pepper (to taste)
pita, or tortilla chips
Directions:
In a medium bowl combine:
tomatoes, avocado, onion, garlic, oil, and vinegar.
Stir gently to mix.
Gently stir in feta cheese.
Tzatziki
Ingredients:
16 ounces Greek yogurt
1 English Cucumber, peeled and seeded
1/2 C. sour cream
1 T. white wine vinegar
2 T. lemon juice
1 1/2 t. minced garlic
1 T. minced fresh dill
1 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper
Directions:
Grate the cucumber and place it on a towel.
Fold up the towel around the cucumber.
Squeeze out as much liquid as you can from the cucumbers.
Place cucumbers in a bowl.
Mix in all other ingredients and blend well.
You can serve it immediately or refrigerate to allow flavors to blend.
Sweet Weenies!
Preheat oven to 350
Ingredients:
1 pound package bacon
1 package cocktail weenies (or hot dog pieces)
1 pound brown sugar (or more, or less....)
toothpicks
Directions:
Spray a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Cut package of bacon into quarters.
Wrap a piece of bacon around each weenie and secure with a toothpick.
Place weenies close together in pan, leaving a corner empty for ease of basting.
Smother weenies with brown sugar.
Place in oven for 10 minutes.
Baste.
Continue baking and basting every 10 minutes until bacon is completely cooked
(approximately 30-40 minutes) and brown sugar is melted and caramelized.
*Can broil for a few minutes to caramelize the bacon if desired.
Black Bean Cakes with Salsa
Ingredients for cakes:
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8.5 ounce) box corn muffin mix
1/2 C. prepared salsa (drained)
2 1/2 t. chili powder
2 T. olive oil
*optional: chopped jalapenos
Ingredients for topping:
1 C. prepared salsa
1/2 C. sour cream
1/2 t. chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
*you certainly don't need to mix in the sour cream.
It's equally delicious with just salsa!
Directions for cakes:
In large bowl mash beans with vegetable masher or fork.
Stir in muffin mix, drained salsa and chili powder (and jalapenos)
In 12-inch skillet, heat 1 T. oil over medium-high heat.
Roll bean mixture into desired size and put in skillet.
Flatten cakes with spatula.
Cook 3 minutes each side until browned.
Remove from skillet.
Repeat with remaining oil and bean mixture.
Directions for topping:
In bowl combine salsa, sour cream, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
Spoon topping over cakes.
Whipped Feta Dip
Ingredients:
8 ounces Feta Cheese
1/2 C. sour cream
1/2 C. mayonnaise
1 t. lemon juice
1 t. minced garlic
1/8 t. kosher salt
1/8 t. black pepper
Optional:
1/8 t. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 t. dill
Directions:
Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
Place dip in a bowl and serve with toasted pita and veggies.
Turkey and Swiss Sliders
Ingredients:
2 packages Sweet Hawaiian rolls
mayonnaise
mustard (any type you like)
24 slices turkey (use as much or as little as you like)
6 slices of swiss cheese (use as much or as little as you like)
pickle chips, optional (not optional for me!)
1 T. poppy seeds
1 T. onion powder
2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 C. butter, melted
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Lightly spray a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish with non-stick spray.
(FYI: 15 rolls fit perfectly in a 7 x 11-inch baking dish if you choose this size)
Cut rolls in half.
Place bottom half in baking dish.
Spread mayonnaise on bottom half.
Spread mustard on top half.
Place turkey and cheese on rolls.
Place pickle chips on top of turkey and cheese.
Place top of buns on top.
In a measuring cup, whisk poppy seeds, onion powder, garlic powder,
Worcestershire sauce and butter together.
Pour over buns.
Cover pan with aluminum foil and let sit for 10 minutes.
Bake (covered) in oven for 20 minutes.
Uncover and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted.
Serve warm (or cold!)
Onion Dip
Ingredients:
2 large onions
3 T. butter
3 T. canola oil
1 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 C. mayonnaise
1/2 C. sour cream
Directions:
Cut onions in half.
Slice each half into very thin strips.
Heat butter and oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
When butter is melted, add in onions, salt, and pepper.
Stir to combine.
Cook for 20-40 minutes until onions are golden brown.
Set onions aside to cool.
Put cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream in a large bowl.
Beat together with hand-held mixer until smooth.
Add in cooled onions and stir together.
Adjust seasonings if necessary.
Serve at room temperature
