Red Pepper Hummus

I have never made hummus before, but after giving it a try, I don't think I'll ever buy it prepared again! So easy! I used the leftover red pepper spread I had from this recipe. It was an excellent addition. I might have to make that again just so I can make this hummus again.

Red Pepper Hummus
2 c canned garbanzo beans, drained
1/3 c tahini
1/4 c lemon juice
1 t salt
2 cloves garlic, halved
1/3 c red pepper spread
1 T olive oil
1 pinch paprika

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Transfer mixture to a serving bowl.

Mine probably didn't end up as smooth as a store-bought hummus, because I don't have a full size food processor, but I think it was delicious anyway.

Individual Baked Brie

Baked brie was a staple in my house growing up. We had it at major holidays, for football game watches, random Wednesday night dinners.  I love it!  My sister sent me this recipe for individual baked brie and I had to try it. My mom always does her baked brie with brown sugar and nuts, but I decided to try it with the jelly this time. Delicious!  Next time I'll probably do some of each.

Individual Baked Brie
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed but still cold
1/2 wedge of brie, cold
1/3 c blackberry jam (or any kind you like!)
1 large egg, beaten
splash of milk

Preheat the oven to 375.

Cut the puff pastry into thirds along the creases. Cut each panel into four pieces. One sheet of puff pastry will yield 12 rectangles. Cut each rectangle in half. You’ll have 24 little rectangles that will create 12 little rectangle pockets.

Combine beaten egg and splash of milk. Brush 12 of the small rectangles with egg wash. Place a small sliver of brie (with rind) on top of the egg wash. Top with a scoop of blackberry jam. Take another square of puff pastry and press between your fingers to make the rectangle slightly bigger. Place puff pastry on top of the cheese and jam. Use a fork to press the edges together. The egg wash will act as a glue. Be sure to seal the edges by crimping with the fork.

Place prepared brie bites on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush with egg wash. Sprinkle with coarsely ground sea salt.  Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

These actually ended up pretty big. I think next time I'll cut the puff pastry one more time and end up with 24 instead, they'll be more bite size that way. Warn your guests before they dig in though, the filling gets really hot!!

Semi-Southwest Baked Potato Skins

We did not plan enough dinners for this week, so by Friday night I was scrounging around trying to figure out what to have. I decided that baked potato skins were the way to go! I love potatoes in just about any way you can make them, so this was really a no brainer. You could top these any way you like, but we went with Southwest/Tex Mex (I'm calling them semi-Southwest since we didn't use corn) toppings this time. Yum!

Semi-Southwest Baked Potato Skins
7 small baking potatoes
1 can black beans, drained
2 tomatoes, diced
1/4 c salsa
hot sauce to taste
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 c cilantro, chopped
1/3 c. sour cream

Preheat oven to 400. Pierce potatoes with fork and bake until tender, about an hour.

Let potatoes cool to handle. Cut each potato in half and scoop out the potato, leaving a layer over the skin (keep the cooked potato for another use). Fill each potato shell with black beans, salsa, hot sauce, tomatoes, and top with cheese. Bake at 400 for about 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with green onions, cilantro, and sour cream. Serve and enjoy!

While these were not as crispy as the potato skins you get a restaurant, they were awesome and a (somewhat) healthier version.

Caramelized Onion Dip

It was my turn to host book club again tonight. I don't know about your book club, but ours is spent talking a little about the book and a lot about celebrity gossip and movie adaptations, all while enjoying some good wine. The hostess is responsible for the food and everyone else brings the drinks - it's a pretty nice system we have worked out.

At this point, I've tested out most of my appetizer repertoire on my book club. So when I saw this recipe on my friend's blog, I decided this was the perfect opportunity to try it out. Wow, is this good!  I will definitely be making it again.  The cayenne adds a surprising hint of heat and really you can't go wrong with caramelized onions.

I reduced the amount of butter and oil from the original recipe and I don't think they were missed.

Caramelized Onion Dip
2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
3 T butter
2 T olive oil
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 c sour cream
1/2 c mayonnaise

Melt oil and butter in a pan over medium high heat. Add the onions and spices and cook for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20 more minutes until the onions caramelize and are brown. Set aside to cool.

With a mixer, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise until smooth. Add the onions and mix well.

Serve with chips, celery sticks, other dipping instruments.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

There is a ridiculous amount of spinach in my refrigerator right now. I decided to make this super healthy food as unhealthy as possible. Spinach and Artichoke Dip! There are two kinds of vegetables in there, I guess it's not that bad!  Actually, you could probably make this a lot healthier by using low or reduced fat versions of both the cream cheese and mayo. I did not do this. It was delicious and gone in about 5 minutes. We tried it with "hint of jalapeno" tortilla chips and it was a pretty awesome combination. Definitely recommended!

Spinach and Artichoke Dip
2 c baby spinach
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 T olive oil
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 c mayonnaise
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 c diced onion
1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained
1 T lemon juice
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a saute pan over medium heat, saute the garlic and spinach in olive oil until the spinach wilts, about 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan, and onions. Add artichokes. Pulse with immersion blender to chop up artichokes and mix ingredients.  Stir in the sauteed spinach, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Spread in an oven proof baking dish and bake for approximately 20 minutes until browned.

Serve with tortilla chips, crackers, pita chips, or just eat with a spoon!

P.S. I have not figured out how to photograph a casserole to make it look good.
P.P.S. I need a manicure!