White Bean and Basil Hummus

     This is a recipe I pinned on Pinterest.  I'm a big fan of hummus- as a dip, on sandwiches, and even all by itself.  In the past, I have tried to make traditional hummus and the results were never quite as good as hummus made by professionals.  I was excited to try this twist on the classic recipe and was pleasantly surprised with the results. 

White Bean and Basil Hummus

 Ingredients
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 handful of fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp tahini
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon, juiced

Method
1. Combine all ingredients in the food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of black pepper.

Avocado Spread

    My sister called last week raving about a sandwich she got at a deli in North Carolina.  She said it had avocado spread, lettuce, tomato, bean sprouts-all on really good bread.  I've been thinking about it ever since!  So yesterday, I googled avocado spread, something I've never heard of, and low and behold there were a ton of recipes.  Turns out avocado spread is great on sandwiches and also as a dip.  I tried the first recipe I clicked on and had a chance to try it out tonight.  The recipe called for ranch dressing mix, which I think made the spread way too salty despite the fact that I cut the recommended amount way down.  But I think I'm onto something.  The real test will come when my sister gets home (on Sunday...can't wait!) so she can help me figure this recipe out.  I didn't have bean sprouts, but I used the spread on a sandwich thin topped with lettuce and tomato.  It was tasty and the salty taste was subdued a bit by the bread and veggies.  I'll keep you posted on my progress in perfecting this recipe.

Avocado Spread...take one
 An allrecipes.com recipe

Ingredients
1 avocado
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp dry ranch dressing mix
1/2 tbsp light mayonaise

Method
1. Cut the avocado in half and scoop the inside into a small bowl.
2. Squeeze in lemon juice then add the ranch mix and mayo.
3. Mash the avocado into the rest of the ingredients with a fork until it is spreadable. 

Erin's Buffalo Chicken Dip

     My sister texted me this morning for this recipe.  She asks me for it a few times a year because her husband, Dan, really likes it.  This is a recipe that my friend Erin from work shared with the staff in 2009-I only know that because I printed the email and it is in my recipe binder.  This is a perfect Sunday night football appetizer.  I'm posting it here so that my sister has easy access to it always.  Hopefully she'll send a picture.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients
3 chicken breasts, boiled and shredded
2 packages cream cheese
1 cup blue cheese dressing
3/4 cup Franks Red Hot Sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1. Boil chicken and allow it to cook before shredding.
2. Mix the chicken and hot sauce in a skillet over medium heat.  Stir in the cream cheese and blue cheese dressing.  Stir and continue cooking until everything is well blended.
3. Mix in half of the cheddar cheese and put the mixture into a serving platter.  Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and heat in the oven until it is warmed all the way through-about 15 minutes.

Vacation Series: Watermelon Salsa

     Arnauld was finally able to tear himself away from work in order to spend a few days with us in Maine, for vacation.  We planned to make dinner for the family.  Arnauld made his fish tacos and homemade guacamole, that he had made for me before.  I wanted to add something to the mix, so I made watermelon salsa.  I have never had watermelon salsa so I crossed my fingers and hoped it would be a hit.

Watermelon Salsa

Ingredients
3 cups watermelon, finely diced
1/2 cup red onion, diced
1 large jalepeno, minced
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
Juice from 1 lime
Salt to taste

Method
1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl.  Serve at room temperature or chilled.

The Taste Test
    When I chose watermelon salsa, I thought it sounded perfect for summer.  It was an interesting mix of flavors that tasted great.  I read that you can use watermelon salsa on top of grilled fish, chicken, or steak.  We had ours with tortilla chips.  Everyone seemed to enjoy this twist on salsa.

Book Club Appetizer

     Yesterday my book club group had our third meeting.  This time Ali hosted.  We read Sarah's Key.  Even though it was a bit predictable, it was a quick and enjoyable read.  It's always nice to have a chance to see the people you work with in a different setting and have time to talk, drink wine, and eat great snacks!
    I made a White Bean Bruschetta for the occasion.  When searching for a recipe I always go for things with few ingredients and that look simple.  This recipe fit the bill.

White Bean Bruschetta

Ingredients
1 can canellini beans
Juice from 1/2 lemon
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp water
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp paprika6 plum tomatoes
1 loaf French bread

Method
1. Combine beans, lemon juice, garlic, water, and spices in food processor.  Pulse on the chop setting for just a few seconds, enough to mix all of the ingredients together and chop the beans a bit.
2. Coarsely chop tomatoes and stir into bean mixture.
3. Cut the bread into thin slices and toast lightly.  Serve bean and tomato mixture over bread.

 
The Taste Test
     I made this the night before which allowed the tomatoes to become nice and juicy.  I also added a lot more tomato than the recipe called for, so there was a lot more tomatoes than beans.  You can probably play around with this ratio depending on what you felt like.  It was a very simple snack that tasted nice and fresh!

If we have to watch football, we might as well eat nachos!

     So many people are in a football craze these days, with the excitement of the Superbowl on everyone's mind.  Everyone except probably me.  Friday Arnauld came home from work pumped for all of the games this weekend.  The mere mention of ALL the games made me cringe.  But trying to put a positive spin on the situation, I decided to make nachos and invite the gang over.  I won't pretend that these are healthy because I didn't really even think about that last night as a created three trays of deliciousness.  The great thing about nachos is that they are hard to mess up and you can toss on anything that you love.  Here is what I used:

Nachos

Ingredients
Snyder Tortilla Chips
Mexican Shredded Cheese
Fresh Tomatoes, chopped
Pickled Jalapenos (from a jar)
Ground beef, prepared with a package of taco seasoning
Olives
Vegetarian Refried Beans
Avocado
Salsa
Sour Cream

Method
1. Before preparing the actual nachos, I made my variation of guacamole...which is very simple.  I started out by literally squeezing all of the avocado out of the skin.  I then use my hands to mush it all up.  I finish the guacamole off with some salt and pepper.  Sometimes if I'm feeling crazy I mix in a spoonful of salsa.  Someday I'll try making "real" guacamole.
2. Preheat the oven to 400.
3. Lay the tortilla chips in a single layer on a cookie sheet.  Add refried beans, tomato, beef, olives, and cheese.
4. Bake in over until cheese melts, about 10 minutes.
5. Serve with guacamole, salsa, and sour cream. 

I bought 2 bags of chips and made 3 trays of nachos.  I prepared one tray without beef for my vegetarian pals.

If you cook, they will come

   I've discovered that my cooking is a selfish act.  I cook so that my family can gather and be together.  I cook because I know that when I do, everyone will come over and for a moment relax from the craziness that ordinarily consumes their day.  Arnauld is probably tired of hearing me say, "Hey, want to make dinner for everyone tonight?"  Last night, New Years Eve, was no exception.  I went straight to the internet to find some new and not so complicated recipes to tackle.  Here is what I came up with:

Hot Artichoke Dip

Ingredients

• 1/2  cup  reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/3  cup  reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 1  tablespoon  fresh lemon juice
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 2  (14-ounce) cans artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained, divided
• 1  (15.5-ounce) can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 1  cup  (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh parsley, divided
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• Cooking spray

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a food processor; add 1 can of artichokes and beans. Process until smooth. Add remaining can of artichokes, 3/4 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 1 tablespoon parsley, and garlic. Pulse 20 times or until artichokes are coarsely chopped.
3. Spoon mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle top with remaining 1/4 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and remaining 1 tablespoon parsley. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Maple Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

• 1 3 1/2- to 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 yellow onion, cut into 1-inch wedges
• 2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme

Method

1. Heat oven to 400° F.
2. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry. Arrange the chicken, onion, and sweet potatoes in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Drizzle the oil over the chicken and vegetables and season with the salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Drizzle with the maple syrup and top with the sprigs of thyme.
3. Roast, stirring the vegetables once, until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Antipasto Style Penne

Ingredients

• 1  medium red bell pepper-I skipped this
• 1/2  cup  pitted kalamata olives, chopped
• 1/3  cup  refrigerated pesto
• 3  ounces  prosciutto, chopped-I also skipped this to make it a vegetarian option
• 1  (7-ounce) jar oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves, drained and chopped
• 1  (6-ounce) jar marinated quartered artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 8  ounces  uncooked penne pasta (about 2 cups)
• 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
• 1/4  cup  pine nuts, toasted

Method

1. Stir olives, pesto, tomatoes, and artichokes together in a large bowl.3. Cook the pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain. Add cooked pasta and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to vegetable mixture, and toss gently to combine. Spoon about 1 cup pasta mixture into each of 6 bowls, and sprinkle each serving with 2 teaspoons remaining cheese and 2 teaspoons pine nuts.

My mom made Magic Bars for dessert.

Magic Bars

Ingredients

1 stick melted margarine                            

1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

6 oz chocolate chips                                     

1 cup coconut

1 can sweetened condensed milk

Method

Melt butter in 13x9 pan, pack in graham crackers on bottom of dish, and layer chocolate chips and coconut. Drizzle with sweetened condensed milk. bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

     My sister and her family are leaving to go back to North Carolina later today.  My heart feels heavy knowing I'll have to say goodbye to them for a while.  It's amazing how much our family has grown with the addition of Jax and Ace.  They are so loved by everyone.  Sometimes I'm amazed by how much love I do have for them.  I feel so fortunate to have been able to be so close to them as they grow and learn.  I'm fascinated by how much they soak in from the world around them.  The other night I slept over my mom's house while Arnauld was in Long Island.  I slept in Jax's room.  When he woke up, he got so excited and said, "The sun is awake!  Time to get up."   They remind me to take time to cherish the little things in life, the things that make everything worthwhile.  It's these little moments that I will miss most-that and hanging out with my sister.  But thanks to modern technology, I know they are only a Skype call away...or a short plane ride!

 Happy 2011!

A Dinner Party

   Ali and Erik came over for dinner on Monday night, after the snowstorm.  The goal was a healthy meal coming off of Christmas weekend.  For an appetizer I made an artichoke spread from a recipe I found on bhg.com.   It was very simple and very tasty.  Even Arnauld liked it and he doesn't usually go for my vegetarian creations.

Artichoke Spread

 

Ingredients

• 1  15-ounce can  cannellini beans (white kidney beans), rinsed and drained
• 1  9-ounce package  frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and well drained-I couldn't find these frozen, so I used a canned.
• 1  clove  garlic, quartered
• 1  teaspoon  finely shredded lemon peel
• 1  tablespoon  lemon juice
• 1/8  teaspoon  salt
• 1/8  teaspoon  cayenne pepper
• 1    green onion, thinly sliced
•     Sliced green onion tops
•     Assorted vegetable dippers and/or crackers

Directions

In a large food processor, combine beans, artichoke hearts, garlic, lemon peel, lemon juice, salt, and cayenne pepper. Cover and process until nearly smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as necessary.
Transfer bean mixture to a serving bowl; stir in the thinly sliced green onion. Serve immediately or cover and chill for up to 2 days. If chilled, let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
To serve, garnish with sliced green onion tops. Serve with assorted vegetable dippers and/or crackers.

     I poured over past issues of some of my magazine before finally deciding on the dinner menu, chicken and sweet potatoes with shallots, from February's issue of Real Simple.  Unfortunately, it was so good I forgot to take pictures before it was all devoured.  Since it tasted so good, it will probably find it's way into my rotation of favorite recipes.

Chicken and Sweet Potatoes with Shallots

Serves 4

Hands-On Time: 30m

Total Time: 30m

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (each 6 ounces)
• 4 shallots, sliced into thin rings
• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh rosemary-I used dried

Directions

1. Place the sweet potatoes in a large pot. Add enough cold water to cover and bring to a boil.
2. Add 1 teaspoon salt, reduce heat, and simmer until tender, 14 to 16 minutes. Reserve ¼ cup of the cooking water, drain the sweet potatoes, and return them to the pot. Mash with the reserved cooking water.
3. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
4. Cook the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes per side. Transfer to plates.
5. Wipe out the skillet. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, rosemary, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, until the shallots are tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Serve the chicken with the potatoes and drizzle with the shallot mixture.

   For dessert I went with apples in the skillet.  I peeled and cut 4 apples, added 1/4 cup of brown sugar, some lemon juice, a pinch of salt and a few shakes of cinnamon.  I put them in the skillet until the were soft and served them with vanilla ice cream and cool whip.  Yum!

Happy Halloween!

      I've been looking forward to today for a few weeks now.  When Dee announced that Dan was going to be in Connecticut for the weekend and that she wanted to bring the kids trick-or-treating around my neighborhood, I knew that it would be a great time to get the whole family together.  I've been scouring my magazines, emails, and websites for fun fall dishes to give a try.  Not so easy...I saw so many things that I wanted to make but they all seemed so random.  I wanted a fall themed dinner, that would feed a lot of people (about 10-15), and would also appeal to everyone.  Below you will find the recipes that made the final cut.  My eyes can hardly stay open as I type this...it's been a long day of cooking.  It's a really satisfying feeling making food for the people you love and everyone having a good time together.

Carved by Mackenzie and Annie.

So my mom wanted to help with the cooking so her and my dad worked together to make pulled pork in their crock pot.  I requested that they use apple cider to fit with the fall theme of my dinner party.  The results were delicious although my dad did not stick to the recipe I sent him, which is fine considering I have never made pulled pork and he has.  He'll have to supply the recipe for this one if anyone is interested...although while I need to follow recipes my dad can just throw things in a pot, working with what he has and it usually comes out delicious.

    My brother loves guacamole, so for an appetizer, I went with a a Tombstone Taco Dip Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens.  I made some fresh tortilla chips by cutting Halloween shapes from tortillas.  I received a years worth of cookie cutters at my bridal shower earlier this year but was disappointed to find that there weren't many Halloween shapes in the mix.  That's why I added a Christmas tree to my guacamole grave yard.  I also used scissors to cut my own shapes.  Jaxson got a kick out of my star and pumpkin shaped "chippies".

Ingredients

• 1    16-ounce can refried beans with green chiles
• 1/4  cup  bottled salsa
• 2/3  cup  bottled ranch salad dressing
• 2  teaspoons  taco seasoning
• 1 1/2  cups  finely chopped cooked chicken
• 1    7-ounce pouch refrigerated guacamole I used fresh avocados that I mashed with a little salt and pepper.
• 1/2    of a 2 1/4-ounce can chopped pitted ripe olives, drained
•     shredded lettuce
•     10-inch tortillas

Directions

In a small bowl, combine refried beans and salsa. Spread refried bean mixture in a 2-quart rectangular dish. In a small bowl, combine ranch salad dressing and taco seasoning; stir in chicken.

Spoon on top of the beans in an even layer. Spoon guacamole in small mounds on top of the chicken mixture. Carefully spread to an even layer.

Cover and chill at least 30 minutes or up to 6 hours before serving. Just before serving, place tombstone characters into dip. Sprinkle the graves with chopped olives and shredded lettuce.

Serve with tortilla chips.

Tortilla Graveyard Characters: Using cookie cutters or a knife, cut 10-inch tortillas of any flavor into gravestones, cats, owls, bats, fence rails, and a tree. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 5 to 7 minutes or until firm and crisp. Cool on rack.

     It wouldn't be a complete day without a little baking.  Earlier in the week I googled ideas for what to serve with pulled pork and came up with corn bread.  I did a little online searching and finally settled on a recipe for Golden Sweet Cornbread from allrecipes.com.   This was super yummy.  As you can see from the first picture, one of the pans did not cook all the way through.  So that was an interesting surprise when I turned the pan over.  I just cut around this gooey mess and the results were delicious.  Never make boxed cornbread from a mix again....Mom!

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray or lightly grease a 9 inch round cake pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir in egg, milk and vegetable oil until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

     Going along with the fall theme, I also chose a pasta dish that had butternut squash in it.  I found a recipe for  Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Pasta.  For all my vegetarian friends, I think this would also be great minus the bacon.  My family consists of a lot of "manly" men who probably would have never given this dish a chance without the bacon. 

  

Ingredients

• 3/4  teaspoon  salt, divided
• 1/2  teaspoon  dried rosemary
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 3  cups  (1-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash
• Cooking spray
• 6  sweet hickory-smoked bacon slices (raw)
• 1  cup  thinly sliced shallots
• 8  ounces  uncooked mini penne (tube-shaped pasta)
• 1/4  cup  all-purpose flour
• 2  cups  2% reduced-fat milk
• 3/4  cup  (3 ounces) shredded sharp provolone cheese
• 1/3  cup  (1 1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°.
Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, rosemary, and pepper. Place squash on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with salt mixture. Bake at 425° for 45 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Increase oven temperature to 450°.

Cook the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 1/2 teaspoons drippings in pan; crumble bacon. Increase heat to medium-high. Add shallots to pan; sauté 8 minutes or until tender. Combine squash mixture, bacon, and shallots; set aside.

Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well.

Combine flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly with a whisk; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add provolone, stirring until cheese melts. Add pasta to cheese mixture, tossing well to combine. Spoon pasta mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray; top with squash mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown.

     Annie and my mom both made very pretty Halloween cupcakes that I forgot to snap a picture of.  With all of the cooking I was doing, there was a lot of time management things I needed to think about but I love making dessert.  So I went to one of my slow cooker cookbooks, Crock Pot: Classic Recipes, and found a recipe for Pumpkin Bread Pudding.  I have never had bread pudding before and it really didn't sound appealing to me but it went with my theme and I could just throw it in the pot for a few hours and hope that it would magically transform into something great. It was interesting and everyone seemed to like it.  Dan said it tasted good but felt like it had been regurgitated.

Ingredients

Bread Pudding

• 2 cups milk
• 2 tbsp butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup pureed pumpkin
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 16 slices cinnamon raisin bread torn into small pieces (8 cups total)

Sauce

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp bourbon (optional) Yeah...I didn't use this

1. Lightly coat crock pot with non-stick cooking spray.
2. To make pudding, place milk and butter in microwavable bowl.  Heat on high for 2.5-3 minutes or until very hot.
3. Combine eggs, pumpkin, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in large bowl.  Whisk until well blended.  Add hot milk; stir until well blended.  Add bread cubes; toss gently to coat completely.
4. Place mixture in crock pot and cover.  Cook on high for 2 hours or until a knife inserted comes out clean.  Turn off heat.  Uncover and let stand for 15 minutes.
5. To make sauce, stir butter, sugar, and cream in saucepan.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Remove from heat.  Stir in bourbon if desired.  Spoon bread pudding into individual bowls and top with sauce.

Moose and Otis in their Halloween costumes.  Moose is the bat and Otis is the pumpkin.  Needless to say, the hats didn't stay on long! The pups did come along trick-or-treating. 

Buzz wearing his "eyes" and carrying his woobie.  "To Infinity and Beyond!"

Ace the lobster taking a nap before trick-or-treating.

One very tired Halloween-er...who isn't ready to stop being Buzz quite yet.