Sun-dried Tomato Hummus

Remember my post about homemade hummus?

Well, I thought I'd be a little creative and take a stab at altering it based on that grid. And it came out well, if I do say so myself.

Blend the following in a food processor and you're done!:
1 can chickpeas, rinsed
1/4 cup tahini
1 large clove of garlic, diced
1/4 cup packed sun-dried tomatoes (I used the ones not in oil)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp dried italian seasoning (oregano, basil, etc)
1 tbsp lemon juice

I used this hummus as a spread for my lentil wrap (torilla, hummus, cooked lentils, sliced cherry tomatoes, arugula) and it complimented it perfectly.

Caprese skewers

I hope everyone's Thanksgiving dinner was fantastic!

I served the usual - turkey, corn, carrots, etc - but I also threw in a little Italian with parmasan-crusted green beans, my harvest lasagna and for an appetizer - caprese skewers.

Couldn't be easier, or tastier:
Grape tomatoes
Fresh basil leaves
Mozzarella balls

All impaled on a long toothpick. A caprese salad in one yummy bite.

The World's Easiest Tomato Tart

Another great pinterest find! I had to bring appetizers to two different parties last weekend (as well as 2-3 dozen cookies to each), so I wanted something simple, yet classy and tasty. This fit the bill perfectly. It's from babble and I doubled the amounts to make the two pictured.

1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted

2-3 large tomatoes, or a handful of cherry tomatoes, cored and sliced

2-3 branches fresh thyme

1 T. good quality olive oil

Pepper

a generous pinche of Sea Salt

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper or a Silpat. Place the puff pastry on the lined baking sheet and lightly score a 1/2″ border around the edge with a sharp knife. Use fork tines to prick the pastry inside the border all over. This will prevent the pastry from puffing up too much when baking.

2. Place the tomato slices in a single layer on the puff pastry (the original recipe said be careful not to overlap, but I think that would make it even more delicious). Strip the thyme branches and sprinkle over the tomatoes, then drizzle with olive oil, a few cranks of good pepper and sea salt.

3. Baked for 30-40 minutes or until pastry is crispy and deeply browned. Sprinkle on a dash more salt. Serve.

Homemade hummus

A few weeks ago, I came across this infographic of hummus recipes.

And whoda thunk - these recipes are actually pretty good! I tried the classic hummus and then the beet hummus, since I had some beets laying around. Both were very tasty, and so easy to make - just throw all 5 ingredients into a processor, blend, and serve! I accompanied the hummus with fresh wheat pita, couscous and tabbouleh for a Mediterranean feast.

Cinnamon pull-apart bread

(it was mostly gone when I took this picture, because who can resist?)

Cinnamon bread is my #1 favorite quick late-night snack. This presentation makes it "fancy" enough to serve to company. I basically followed the instructions here, but changed around the amounts. This is  my version:

Ingredients:
1 unsliced round loaf sourdough bread

1/2 cup margarine, softened (I just eyeballed it, actually and surely used a lot less)

2 Tbsp + 2 tsp sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Optional:
1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 Tbsp soy milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the bread lengthwise into 1/2" slices, without cutting through the bottom crust. Spread vanilla honey butter in between slices.  Rotate the bread 90 degrees and slice the bread again into 1/2" pieces, without cutting through the bottom crust. Spread more vanilla honey butter in between new cuts. This doesn't need to be perfect - just make sure there is lots of butter in between all the cuts. Combine sugar and cinnamon. Generously sprinkle in between all cuts.

Wrap in foil; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until bread is warm.  Unwrap cinnamon bread and place on serving platter.  Combine powdered sugar and milk - adding milk until you get the consistency desired.  Drizzle icing over bread and serve immediately.

Lasagna Bites (an interpretation)

I was inspired by this idea I found on Pinterest. I couldn't find vegan wonton wrappers, but I've been on a puff-pastry bender lately and decided that would be a suitable substitution. It was! They were missing the crunchy bite of the wontons or the yummy crispy lasagna noodles at the edge of the pan, and they didn't quite stay closed during baking, but YUM.

Fiery Potato Wedges

I had some potatoes on hand that I planned to make fries out of, but I was in the mood for something spicy. So I thought I'd throw some stuff together and see what happened. Turned out perfectly!

Ingredients
2-3 russet potatoes
Seasonings to taste
Cayenne pepper
Garlic powder
Lemon pepper
Black pepper
Hot sauce

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. 2. Cut potatoes in half length, halve each half, then halve again (so each potato makes 8 wedges). 3. Mix potatoes with seasonings in a large bowl. Spread on an oiled cookie sheet. 4. Bake for 35 minutes and serve. Be careful - it'll plump your lips for sure!

Pinto Bean Queso

A yummy alternative to salsa, and very filling. Use at your next picnic!

A recipe from VegNews.com

One thing the recipe neglects to mention is to blend the queso before serving. It never says to mash the beans or anything like that, so unless you like chunky queso, be sure to blend to tasty smoothness.

Cheezy Roasted Chickpeas

I found this recipe in the Vegan Lunchbox cookbook years ago. I made it once, but wasn't too impressed. A few weeks ago I found myself craving it, so I whipped up a batch and have been making it nearly daily ever since. I've tweaked the recipe just a bit to my liking. The chickpeas turn into chewy, yummy little treats.


Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 can, rinsed)


a splash of vegetable oil (up to 1 Tablespoon, but I use less. just eyeball it)


2+ teaspoons of nutritional yeast


a healthy shake of garlic powder


a less-healthy shake of salt




Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.

Toss all ingredients together in a glass baking dish or rimmed cookie sheet, spreading them out into one layer.

Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes if you remember.

A Taste of Summer - Syrupy Watermelon

Saw this recipe in the July issue of Good Housekeeping and had to try it. Insanely easy to make. And the Lime-honey syrup gives the melon a tart kick. Happy summer everyone!

Warm Spaghetti Squash Salad

I've never been excited about the idea of spaghetti squash, because, let's be real, if I want spaghetti, that's just not going to cut it. But when my husband sent me this recipe I though that with Passover coming up, we may as well try it. I made one huge change - omitting the olives completely, because olives are gross. Other than that, I followed the recipe closely. I think it would be nice with raw almonds instead of toasted, but it's pretty good with toasted almonds, too. And I tried eating it cold and that was a mistake. Much better warm. We ate it with a side of sauteed collard greens. It would be a nice way to start a light summer meal.

Ingredients: 

• 1 4-pound spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeds scraped

• 1cup(s) sliced almonds, 3 ounces

• 1/2 cup(s) thinly sliced scallions (white & light green parts)

• 1/2 teaspoon(s) finely grated lemon zest

• 3 tablespoon(s) fresh lemon juice

• 1/4 cup(s) plus 2 tablespoons canola oil (If making for Passover, use another light oil, such as cottonseed oil)

• 2 ounce(s) Greek feta, crumbled, 1/4 cup

• Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper

Directions:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spaghetti squash and cook until it is al dente, about 12 minutes; drain. Place the spaghetti squash halves cut side down on a rack and let cool for 15 minutes.

• 2. Meanwhile, spread the sliced almonds on a cookie sheet and them in the oven for about 7 minutes, until lightly golden (This step is optional). In a mini food processor, combine the chopped olives with the sliced scallions, lemon zest, lemon juice and canola oil and pulse until finely chopped.

• 3. Working over a medium bowl and using a fork, scrape the spaghetti squash into the bowl, separating the strands. Add the dressing along with the crumbled feta and toasted almonds and season with salt and white pepper. Toss the spaghetti squash salad and serve warm.

Pumpkin Dip

From guest contributor Paula...


Dip ginger snaps or Nilla Wafers in this creamy pumpkin dip for a memorable holiday treat.

• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups confectioners' (powdered) sugar
• 1 (15 oz) can solid pack pumpkin
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon frozen orange juice concentrate

In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Gradually mix in the pumpkin. Stir in the cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and orange juice until smooth and well blended. Chill until serving.


My guest loved it! My husband enjoys eating it in a small dish like pudding with whipped cream on top. Use your imagination and have fun.

Cranberry Cream Cheese Pinwheels

From guest contributor Paula...



When entertaining, try this simple and delicious snack. It's so easy, but your guests will think you spent hours working on it. They're great for an appetizer or just a snack. At Christmas, you can use spinach tortillas to make them look more festive.


You'll need:

• 4 soft flour tortillas
• 2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup Craisins
• 2 bunches diced green onions
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt

Instructions:

1. Mix cream cheese and garlic salt together until well blended. Spread evenly on tops of tortillas.
2. In a small bowl, stir together cranberries and onions. Sprinkle evenly over cream cheese spread. Lightly press cranberry/onion mix into cream cheese.
3. Roll up tortilla. Trim off ends. Cut each tortilla into 10 even pieces using a serrated knife, like you would slice bread. HINT: I chilled my rolled up tortillas before slicing. It made them easier to cut without crushing.

It takes about 15 minutes to make (minus the chilling time). Enjoy!

Bobbing for Apples - Apple salsa

Who needs tomatoes when you have apples?!



A different take on your traditional salsa, from Allrecipes.com. Sweeter than regular chunky salsa, obviously. Perfect for your fall party!

Pizza breadsticks

Because we haven't given our daughter cheese yet, including her in family pizza night has been a challenge. She's too small to really handle a slice and her cheeseless pizzas become bread with a side of mixed vegetables all too quickly. Guess which half of that equation gets ignored. So I made breadsticks with the veggie goodness baked inside and provided some sauce on the side for dipping.

Using my go-to dough recipe (also featured here), I added a bit of each veggie we used to top our pizza (on this day it was onion, spinach and green pepper) and mixed it right into a hunk of dough. Cooked that dough alongside our pizza and let it cool enough for little hands and little mouths.

Macho Nachos

Happy New Year!

As many of you are probably tired of the cold and snow already, close your eyes and imagine yourself on a warm beach in Mexico.

I'm celebrating January with none other than delish Mexican meals. Keep your eyes here on Tuesdays for a spicy treat!

Today's post: Macho Nachos from Cooking with All Things Trader Joe's.



Ingredients:
Tortilla chips of choice
1 can chili
2 cups Mexican blend cheese
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 cup salsa of choice
1/4 cup cilantro
Avocado & sour cream

1. Scatter chips in a cassarole dish. Top with chili and cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for ~10 minutes (when cheese is melted).
2. Top with tomatoes, salsa, cilantro, avocado, and guac.

Can't be easier!

"Squashed" - flatbread

I am going to celebrate Tuesdays this December not with cookies, chocolates, and candies, but with squash.

Opened up my recipe binder one day and found a page ripped out of a RealSimple.com magazine (seriously don't remember ever getting that one). Tis the season so I had to try it.
Butternut squash flat bread with cheddar and pine nuts:



The recipe called for store-bought pizza dough, but you know me - I made my own:
~2 cups flour
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp honey
~2 cups water (do a little at a time until you get the right consistency)

Mix all the ingredients together and knead. Roll out into the desired shape on a floured surface.

Once the dough is prepped, sprinkle some cornmeal on a pan (I used my pizza cooker) and lay out the dough. Prep the topping:
~1.5 cups chopped butternut squash (1/4" pieces)
1-2 thin slices of red onion, chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts
Olive oil, salt, pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Mix the squash, onion, pine nuts, and 2 tbsp oil in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread out on top of dough. Cover with cheese. In an oven, bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes (or with a pizza cooker, cook for about 15 minutes dual, then 10 minutes on upper) until golden brown.

Goes great with a side salad!

Texas Caviar

Today's recipe comes to us from guest contributor Dena...

This has become my favorite snack of the summer. I was introduced to it at a Memorial Day picnic and have made it for every picnic since.

Ingredients

• 1 can Black Eye Peas
• 1 can Black Beans
• 1 can Shoepeg (white) Corn
• 1 jar Pimentos
• 1 jar Jalapenos (chopped)
• 1 medium red onion (chopped)
• 1 cup chopped celery

I've started making a double batch, but only using one jar of jalapenos, as it can get quite hot.

Dressing

Recommended:

• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

Heat in sauce pan on stove until sugar is dissolved.

I've lightened the dressing recipe to suit my taste (and Weight Watchers points value).

I use:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup Splenda
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

Combine all ingredients after draining and rinsing (and chopping, where instructed). Combine dressing and pour over veggie mixture. Stir well. Let sit, refrigerated, over night. Drain liquid before serving.

I've become fond of serving it with Stacy's Simply Naked Pita Chips, but have had it with Scoops, Sun Chips, well just about everything. The way I see it, the chips are just a way to get the Texas Caviar into my mouth. I have also used it as a sandwich topping, and a garnish for grilled chicken. Makes a great vegetarian snack too, although you need to watch the label of the black eye peas. I accidentally bought "prepared" black eye peas, which are made with meat stock and are not vegetarian-friendly. Sorry, mom! I'll be more careful next time.

Rice Cakes

The first time I made this recipe, found in a Hot & Spicy cookbook, I didn't have most of the ingredients listed. But I liked how it sounded, so I decided to improvise. Which, in case you haven't noticed, is generally the way I like to cook. I've made this recipe several times now, and the only time I didn't like it was when I followed the recipe in the book! So I'm going to try to give you my recipe (though it changes every time I make it and I never write anything down).

You'll need:

• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 inch piece of fresh or candied ginger
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 Tbsp lemon or lime or key lime juice
• 1/2 cup (as measured when uncooked) long-grain rice
• Several handfuls of sesame seeds and cornstarch
• Several pinches of dried basil or Italian spice mix or oregano
• Several pinches of salt, sugar and paprika or chili powder
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• Or whatever sounds good to you, really....

After cooking the rice, use a food processor to process the garlic, ginger and turmeric.

Then add the sugar, salt, soy sauce, chili powder, paprika and juice.

Add three-fourths of the cooked rice and process until it is smooth and sticky. Transfer the rice from the processor into a bowl and mix in the remaining rice. Like this:

The next step is to divide the rice mixture into small portions and roll them in the sesame seeds, cornstarch, and the remaining spices. I use cornstarch because I'm not a huge fan of the seeds being all over the outside of the rice cakes. Plus, then I can mix in more spices and add additional flavor. I mix these roughly with my hands on a plate, then spread it out evenly.

Use a bowl of water to keep your hands damp, because otherwise the rice will stick to your hands. You'll have to re-wet your hands for each rice cake. So, you'll wet your hands, pick up a small amount of rice and roll it in your hands, then on the plate. Set the completed balls aside for frying:

After you've balled up all the rice, fry or deep-fry them in vegetable oil. I drop them in the skillet, flatten them slightly and then flip when they've browned a bit.

TA DA!

We've had these with soy sauce and ketchup before and both worked pretty well. It's a fun snack to eat, or a nice change from the typical plain rice side dish.

3 Versions of Bruschetta

Bruchetta with side salad

Bruschetta is an idea, like Tapas, or Sushi. But as many of these food ideas go, 'bruschetta' the idea can be represented by 'bruschetta' the most common application of the term. Just like when you say 'sushi,' most everyone thinks of those inaccurate-yet-delightful seaweed-wrapped rice-fish-maybe-some-scallions-or-avocado baubles you get at the sushi bar, and when someone says 'tapas' you... well... tapas...

Bruschetta means an appetizer that's on bread, usually toasted. Its simplest form is slices of Italian or French bread drizzled with olive oil, maybe with some minced garlic, then grilled or broiled. Its best form, though, and the one that most people I've informally surveyed think of as 'bruschetta' is a delicious tomato-basil concoction that, frankly, is much more delicious than it has any right to be. I'll give youse guys three versions, with varying degrees of complication, the last one fanciest and possibly most delicious. But probably I just think that because it takes me the most time to make.

For all of these recipes, the method is the same: Mix ingredients, let sit for at least an hour, at most overnight. Preheat broiler to 450-500 degrees (you'll be monitoring closely, so temp isn't that important). Take a loaf of Italian or French bread and slice it crosswise, to about an inch thickness. Put the slices of bread into the oven/under the broiler unadulterated, then toast until very lightly golden; flip each slice, top them with a spoonful or two of the bruschetta mix, and pop back in the oven for... oh, 4-8 minutes.

First (pictured):

• 5-8 Roma tomatoes, diced*
• 2-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large bunch basil**, shredded
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/8 to 1/4 cup extra virgin or virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and black pepper

Mix ingredients, let sit an hour or more in the fridge, then follow instructions above

Second:

• 5-8 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 2-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large bunch basil, shredded
• 1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
• 1/2 large onion, minced, and probably sauteed until almost translucent
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/8 to 1/4 cup extra virgin or virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• Sea salt and black pepper

Mix ingredients, let sit an hour or more in the fridge, then follow instructions above

Third:

• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 5-8 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 2-4 cloves garlic, minced; or 1 head garlic, roasted***
• 1 large bunch basil, shredded
• 1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
• 1 large shallot, minced and sauteed until almost translucent
• 1/2 Tbsp dijon mustard
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/8 to 1/4 cup extra virgin or virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• Sea salt and black pepper

This one is only slightly different. The shallot should be sauteed, then allowed to cool. First mix together tomato paste, dijon, balsamic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and sugar. Then stir in the rest of the ingredients, let sit in the fridge for at least an hour, then follow instructions above.

*With tomatoes, you can do one of two things to prep them. You can 1. wash them and be done. Or you can 2. boil some water, dip each tomato in the boiling water for, like, a minute, and then peel the skin off of them. If you're making a sauce, like marinara, taking the skins off is recommended, so that the final texture is smooth, y'know, saucy. With this kind of thing, it's either/or. Skins = rustic and easy, no skins = fustic and smooth. Player's choice.

**This is pretty convenient nowadays, because of all the companies producing those horribly over-priced 'living herbs' packages, with the basil or mint or cilantro sticking out of a wad of growth medium. Basically, one of those things is a bunch, although you can easily stretch it to two bunches.

***To roast a head of garlic: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Break off loose garlic-skin, then slice off the top third of the garlic head. Drizzle a little olive oil in a small pan, place the garlic head cut-side-down in the oil, then cover with foil and roast in preheated oven for thirty or forty minutes, until a knife easily pierces any clove. Then wait for the head to cool down and squeeze out all that delicious roasted goodness.

[Written by Matt, posted by May.. TEAMWORK!]