a little of each

A family's cookbook

Baja Dip December 27, 2012

Filed under: Appetizers — alittlemoreofeach @ 12:10 pm
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You can use store-bought hummus or easily, and much more inexpensively, make your own with the Garlic Hummus recipe.  I’ve also used a peach-tomato salsa in this layered dip, and it was wonderful.

From “The Dinner Doctor.”

Ingredients

  • 1 cup hummus
  • 1 cup ripe avocado, cubed
  • 1 Tbl fresh lime juice
  • ½ cup chunky tomato salsa
  • ½ sour cream
  • 2 Tbl fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

Using a rubber spatula, spread the hummus over the bottom of a 1-quart glass or ceramic bowl. Layer the avocado cubes on top and sprinkle the lime juice all over. Top with layers of the salsa, then sour cream and the cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips.

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Garlic Hummus

Filed under: Appetizers — alittlemoreofeach @ 12:10 pm
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Great Northern Beans also work well if you don’t want to use the chickpeas.

From “The Dinner Doctor.”

Ingredients

  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas
  • 1 – 2 Tbl olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

Place the garlic in a food processor and pulse quickly 7 or 8 times until pureed.

Add the chickpeas, 1 Tbl of the olive oil. Process until pureed, about 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper and more olive oil if the puree is too dry.

Using a rubber spatula, transfer the hummus to a serving bowl. Serve with crackers, pita chips, and veggies.

Variations:

Add 1 cup roasted red peppers, cut into strips, with the garlic and 1 tsp curry powder with the chickpeas.

Add ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, snipped into small pieces, with the garlic and 1 Tbl lemon juice with the chickpeas.

Add 2 Tbl lemon juice and 1 Tbl dill with the chickpeas.

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White Bean Dip with Pita Slices

Filed under: Appetizers — alittlemoreofeach @ 12:09 pm
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This recipe is good to keep in the fridge for snacking with fresh carrots, cucumbers, or green pepper. It has great flavor!

From “Everyday Italian.”

Ingredients

  • 4 pita bread, split horizontally in half
  • 2 Tbl olive oil
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 ½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
  • 1 (15 oz) can cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
  • ¼ cup (loosely packed) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 2 Tbl fresh lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic

Instructions

For the Pita

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut each pita half into 8 wedges. Arrange the pita wedges evenly over a large baking sheet. Brush the pita wedges with 2 Tbl of olive oil, then sprinkle with the oregano and 1 tsp each of salt and pepper. Bake for 8 minutes, then turn the wedges over

and bake until they are crisp and golden, about 8 minutes longer.

For the Dip

Meanwhile, in the bowl of a food processor, combine the beans, parsley, lemon juice, garlic and the remaining ½ tsp of salt and pepper. Pulse on and off until the mixture is coarsely chopped.

With the machine running, gradually mix in the 1/3 cup of olive oil until the mixture is creamy. Season the puree with more salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer the puree to a small bowl and serve the pita toasts warm or at room temperature alongside.

The pita wedges and bean puree can be made 1 day ahead. Store the pita wedges airtight at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate the bean puree.

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Cindy’s Guacamole

Filed under: Appetizers — alittlemoreofeach @ 12:08 pm
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Ingredients

  • 2 large ripe avocados
  • small can green chile peppers, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 3 Tbl lime juice
  • 1 tomato, chopped and seeded
  • 5 Tbl minced onion
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Mash avocado in a bowl, leaving it slightly chunky. Mix in remaining ingredients. Cover and set aside in refrigerator for an hour. Serve with tortilla chips.

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Cindy’s Salsa

Filed under: Appetizers — alittlemoreofeach @ 12:04 pm
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Cindy’s Salsa

by Stephanie

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Ingredients

  • 6 ripe tomatoes
  • ½ cup red onion, diced
  • 1 large clove garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro (or to taste)
  • juice of one lime
  • 1 small fresh jalapeno chile
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tomatilla, seeded and diced, optional

Instructions

Remove the seeds from the tomatoes and dice. Place in a bowl and add the diced onion, garlic, cilantro, optional tomatilla and lime juice. Stir well to mix.

Add as much finely diced jalapeno chile, salt and pepper to taste. (Test the jalapeno for “hotness” first. You may only need a teaspoon, or the whole pepper, depending on your level of pain tolerance.)

Let salsa sit for about 30 minutes for flavors to marinate.

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Pineapple Salsa

Filed under: Appetizers — alittlemoreofeach @ 12:03 pm
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Pineapple Salsa

by Robin

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Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups fresh pineapple, chopped
  • 1 Tbl cilantro, chopped
  • 1 Tbl fresh lime juice
  • 1 Tbl sugar
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 jalapeno, minced

Instructions

Stir all the ingredients together, cover and chill until ready to serve. This will keep in the refrigerator for up to two days. Serve with cinnamon-sugar tortilla chips.

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No-Onion Salsa

Filed under: Appetizers — alittlemoreofeach @ 11:45 am
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img_3636This salsa also doubles as a great meal when it is topped with shrimp and called “gazpacho.”

Ingredients

  • 1 (20 oz) can whole, peeled tomatoes, chop by hand
  • 2 fresh tomatoes, diced
  • 2 avocados, diced
  • juice and pulp from 1 large lemon
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 each: red, green and yellow jalapeno peppers, stems and seeds removed, diced
  • chopped green chile, canned or fresh roasted
  • ¼ cup cilantro
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Mix all ingredients in a bowl including the juice from the canned tomatoes. Refrigerate for one hour and serve with tortilla chips.

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Raspberry Walnut Tart December 26, 2012

Filed under: Desserts — alittlemoreofeach @ 11:04 pm
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Ingredients (serves 8)

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup or 12 Tbsp) butter
  • 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
  • 10 ounces frozen or fresh raspberries (do not defrost if frozen)
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Make the crust. Place the crust ingredients—flour, powdered sugar, and butter—in a blender or food processor. Process until a dough forms, about 30 seconds to a minute. Lightly grease the inside of a 9 to 10 inch wide, 1 inch high, tart pan with a little butter. Place the dough in the tart pan. Use your fingers to spread the dough and press it evenly all over the inside of the tart pan. (You can use a rolling pin to roll over the top of the tart pan to remove any excess dough and create an even top edge.) Place in the freezer and freeze for one hour or longer.

Pre-bake in a 350°F oven for 25 minutes. (It helps if before baking you line the crust with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights, such as dry beans; this will keep the tart crust from slumping.) Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.

Heat the oven again to 350F. Place the chopped walnuts in the crust in the tart pan and spread evenly over the bottom. Place the fresh or frozen raspberries on top of the walnuts and spread in an even layer.

Beat together the remaining filling ingredients—eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla—until smooth. Pour the egg mixture over the raspberries and walnuts in the crust.

Bake in the oven on the middle rack for 40 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned all over and the filling has set. When you remove the tart from the oven the center should still wiggle just a little. Take a sharp knife around the edge of the tart to separate it a little bit from the pan. This will make it easier to remove pieces once the tart has cooled. Let cool to room temperature to serve.

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Cucumber and Melon Salad December 24, 2012

Filed under: Sides,Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 10:31 am
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Mint leaves.

Mint leaves. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients (serves 8)

  • 1 medium English cucumber(s), thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 cup(s) fresh radish(es), thinly sliced
  • 1/4 medium honeydew melon, cut into thin slices
  • 1/2 cup(s) mint leaves, fresh, cut into thin ribbons
  • 1/4 cup(s) fresh lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp sugar

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl; chill for at least 2 hours.

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Edamame Salad

Filed under: Sides,Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 10:21 am
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Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 1 bag (16 oz.) frozen shelled edamame, thawed
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon or less olive oil
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions

Combine all ingredients then drizzle with olive oil and season with salt & pepper. Can be served chilled or room temperature.

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