The Healthy Appetizer Hiding in Your Pantry

 

White bean dip is my new favorite food. Cheap, easy to whip up, endlessly adaptable and healthy! I keep a fairly large stash of cannellini beans on hand for tossing into chili, soups or salads. I prefer cannellinis for their mild, creamy, slightly nutty characteristics. Recently I’ve been blending them up with heart healthy olive oil, a little lemon juice, and fresh or dried herbs for a creamy dip that you can serve with just about anything!

Cannellini beans are loaded with nutrients your body needs. They help reduce cholesterol, prevent headaches and give you energy to spare.  They are low in fat, high in fiber and have twice as much iron as beef! That’s pretty impressive when you consider that you can generally get a can of cannellini beans for about a buck (and they’re even cheaper if you get them dried) and one cup of cannellinis packs 16 grams of protein! For reference, four ounces of beef contains 26 grams of protein and the recommended daily intake of protein for women is 46 grams.

My first taste of white bean dip came courtesy of my gorgeous friend, Jaimie, who served me her dip at a lunch she hosted. Fantastic! Now I like to make a big batch of it and keep it in the fridge for random salty snack cravings. It’s also a perfect snack to give my kindergartener when he gets home from school. He loves it, and he’s been quite the picky eater lately! A scoop of this dip with a handful of baby carrots will keep you going until dinnertime! It takes only a few minutes to put together, so it’s a great thing to make if you have guests drop in. You can serve it with anything; crudités, pita chips, pretzels, etc., etc., etc.

 

Basic White Bean Dip

2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2-3 cloves of garlic, grated with a Microplane or finely chopped

a handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped, or a teaspoon or so of your favorite dried herb (oregano is great here!)

the juice of 1/2 a lemon

3 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

paprika (smoked, if you have it) for garnish

Add beans, garlic, herbs, lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper to your food processor and blitz for 2-3 minutes until everything is fully incorporated and creamy. Add a little extra olive oil or lemon juice to lighten the texture if you like. (How easy was that!?)

Serve with pita chips or crudités and enjoy!

 

Make-Your-Own Pita Chips

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Slice your pita into wedges. (I like to cut the ‘layers’ apart first so I get twice as many chips from one pita!)

Lay them on a baking sheet, spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt and pepper. (You can play around with garlic or onion powder, dried herbs, or a little parmesan here too.)

Flip them over and repeat with the other side.

Bake for 3-4 minutes. Flip the chips over again and bake for another 3-4 minutes or until browned and crispy!

Enjoy!

 

Article first published as The Healthy Appetizer Hiding in Your Pantry on Blogcritics.

Party Dips! The Appetizers, not the Guests!

This is one of my favorite dips to make and bring to parties! It’s just disgustingly easy to make and is always a huge hit. It’s sweet and savory and even little kids will eat it! Oh! And I saw the best tip ever that could come in handy for this recipe, if you, like me, sometimes forget to prep ingredients! I just saw this on Butter Yum’s blog and it had me shouting, ‘Hallelujah!’ If you forget to set your cream cheese out to come up to room temperature you can just stick the naked brick into a zip top bag (I’d use a freezer one, it’s thicker.) and knead it with your hands for a few minutes. How brilliant is that???

Edited to add: These two dips are also great party food because you can easily make them ahead of time. Just press plastic wrap onto the surface so the onion dip doesn’t form a skin and the pesto doesn’t darken. Then, for the pesto, take it out about an hour ahead of time and let it come up to room temperature. For the onion dip, just pop it into the oven to warm it back up and before serving stir it up a little to incorporate any browning. Easy peasy!

Caramelized Onion Dip

6 onions, about fist sized

1 stick of butter (you’ll thank me later)

2 ROOM TEMPERATURE bricks of cream cheese

1 cup sour cream

salt and pepper

Slice your onions all up. (If you aren’t going to be using a food processor later, then chop them very finely.)

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add the onions. Stir it every so often. This takes about 30 minutes.

When the onions have caramelized to a beautiful golden brown turn them off and let them cool a bit.

In a food processor, pulse the softened cream cheese a few times to get the party started.

Add the caramelized onions and sour cream and pulse until it is all combined.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve warm with thick chips (like Ruffles) or crackers. Enjoy!

This next dip came about because I had a craving for my favorite quesadilla (thank you, Miranda! lol!) and Jay picked up the large container of basil for me. I needed to use it up before my trip to Utah and while I was getting ready for the birthday party I decided to whip together a quick pesto. When it was done I was looking around the kitchen and saw the extra softened cream cheese (I had overestimated how many I was going to need.) so I decided to add it to the pesto and just serve it at the party! It turned out GREAT!

Creamy Pesto Party Dip

1 batch of fresh pesto (recipe to follow)

2 bricks of cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup parmesan

1 clove garlic, grated with a microplane

In the food processor, pulse the softened cream cheese with the pesto.

Add the parmesan and the garlic.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve at room temperature with crackers. Enjoy!

This is a pretty standard recipe for basil pesto. I’ve been using it so long, I have no idea where I got it. I usually fudge it based on what I’ve got on hand. (A little more parmesan, a little less pine nuts, or whathaveyou.)

Basil Pesto

2 cups fresh basil, roughly chopped

1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

1/2 cup parmesan

2 garlic cloves, grated with a microplane

1/2 cup olive oil

salt and pepper

In a food processor, add the basil, pine nuts, parmesan and garlic.

Pulse several times to combine.

Turn the food processor on and drizzle in the olive oil until you get a loose paste.

Scrape down the sides, add salt and pepper to taste and pulse to combine.

Enjoy!

Yummy Mummy in the Tummy

It’s become a running joke between Jay and I about all the cemeteries here in New England. But I’m obsessed! I love spotting some of the tiny little family cemeteries just placed randomly around. And the bigger ones all seem to have some gorgeous ironwork. Some of the headstones are just amazing. So I thought I’d post one, just in time for Halloween.

I haven’t been posting much since the cross country journey and moving in with my in-laws. Bad blogger. I apologize. And I do realize it’s the day before Halloween, but you could pick up the stuff for these today and make these with your kids tomorrow!  All you need is a pack of hot dogs and a tube of crescent rolls.

Well, that and a baking sheet, pizza cutter and some mustard.

So, unroll the dough and spread it out. (Do those cans scare the crap out of you when they pop? Gets me EVERY time!)

Press all the seams together.

Use the pizza cutter to cut about 1/4” strips.

All cut up.

Start wrapping around a hot dog. Just press the end onto a bit of the wrapped strip to close it.

Keep wrapping. You don’t want it to look real even.

Use another strip to go the other direction.

Don’t forget to make a head wrapping.

Let your kids at ‘em!

Look at her go! Do you like the post-nap hair? I’m thinking ‘bed-head’ isn’t her look.

Hee hee hee, aren’t they cute? A few years ago I would have straightened up all the wrappings when the kids weren’t looking. But now I love seeing their handiwork and they are so proud when they get to eat their mummies!

Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown and delicious. About 15-20 minutes.

In the meantime, feed the kids some chocolate cake to keep them happy while they’re waiting. Yep. I’m that mom!

Use the mustard to dot some eyes on.

I happened to have some black confetti sprinkles from a Halloween mix, so I put those on top of the mustard. You know how much I love my food to look back at me!

Reese’s mummies!

I want my Mummy! 

 

Okay, I have something I want to share, but certain people can’t see it. So if you live in the same house I do, STOP READING.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I mean it. Don’t go any further. You’ll just ruin it for yourself anyway!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Okay, I think they’re gone now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, the other day I was passing the dollar spot at Target and saw a pack of rubber mice for $1. Somehow they just popped right into my cart. I wanted to put one in the tub of coffee beans my in laws use, but thought I’d run the prank past Jay first, just to make sure I didn’t get myself into trouble. We use whole beans that aren’t flavored, so we have our own stash of coffee beans. I put the mouse in our bag and asked Jay to brew us a pot of coffee. He found the mouse right away and wasn’t fooled at all. He was just confused and wanted to know if Peet’s was putting prizes in their coffee beans like Cracker Jacks. Nice.

He did think it was funny and thought we should put it in the in-laws coffee tub. So we did. And later when my father in law went to make some coffee pretty much the same thing happened. FAIL! Dang it! Stu, my father in law, thought it would be funny to put it in Marie’s, my mother in law, lunchbox. She wasn’t taken in either. Bummer.

This morning I came downstairs to find this. . . . .

It was in a darkened corner of the kitchen and I hadn’t had any coffee yet. So, yeah, it got me. My own mouse made me scream like a little girl. (By the way, I have an extreme, uncontrollable reaction to a live mouse. It’s embarrassing. Thought you’d like to know.)

So, it’s payback now. (even though I started it.)

      

This is some ham salad that my mother in law is fond of.

 

Removed a scoop and inserted mouse. (that I cleaned thoroughly first.)

Replaced the ham salad.

               

And put it in a prominent location in the fridge, so someone will see it and eat it soon. I like my pranks to be discovered fairly quickly, otherwise I tend to make stupid, obvious suggestions and the prank falls flat.

Stay tuned for the reaction, lol!

Appedinner? Dinnatizers?

I'm joining Cheri at It's So Very Cheri for a fun blog party. She is hosting Celebrate the Holidays and is looking for great fall decor and tasty treats. 

My kids love it when I make lots of little things for dinner. I guess it's like going to a buffet, plus the food is all their size. Serve it up with a big salad and it's a fun change from regular ole dinner. This round of appetizers is a little old school, but super yummy!

I'm always amazed how the same handful of ingredients can be transformed into such different dishes. It seems like everything I make in the winter months starts with diced onion and garlic sauteing in oil. When I made this round of appetizers I had all the ingredients prepped and each dish shared several components with another dish, yet they all taste unique.

Crab Cakes

1/2 an onion, finely chopped
3 stalks of celery, finely chopped
4- 6 tablespoons of butter
1 pound of crab meat, picked over
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon worchestershire sauce
splash of hot sauce
2 tablespoons parsely, minced

In a skillet over medium low heat melt 3 tablespoons of the butter.
Cook the onion and celery until tender.
Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in crab and bread crumbs.
In a small bowl, mix the mayo, Old Bay, worchestershire sauce, hot sauce, parsley and salt and pepper.
Stir mayo mixture into crab mixture and combine well.
Line a baking sheet with wax paper and form crab mixture into 3 inch round cakes.
Chill for at least an hour.
Melt a tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat.
Cook the crabcakes in batches, about 3 minutes per side.
Enjoy!


Zucchini Boats

8 zucchinis, halved lengthwise
1/2 pound sausage
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 an onion, chopped finely
2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
3 stalks of celery, chopped finely
1/4 cup mayo
1/2 cup panko
1/2 mozzarella, shredded
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons parsely, minced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a skillet over medium heat, brown the sausage.
Drain on a paper towel lined plate.
Meanwhile, using a small spoon, seed the zucchinis.
Place the zucchinis on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for 10 minutes, until they just start to get tender.
In another skillet, melt the butter.
Saute the onion, garlic, celery and zucchini, um, guts.
When tender, remove to a medium bowl.
Add the sausage, mayo, panko, mozzarella, tomatoes and parsley, and mix well.
When the zucchini are ready, spoon the mixture into the boats.
Bake for another 10 - 15 minutes.
Enjoy!

Stuffed Mushrooms

Adapted from Pioneer Woman

24 ounces white button mushrooms, washed and stems removed and finely chopped
1/2 pound hot breakfast sausage (or Italian sausage)
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
8 ounces cream cheese
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/3 cup chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown and crumble sausage. Set aside on a plate to cool.
Add onions and garlic to the same skillet with a little of the sausage drippings. 

Saute over medium low heat until tender.

Pour in chicken stock to deglaze pan, allow liquid to evaporate.
Add in chopped mushroom stems, stir to cook for 2 minutes. 

Add salt and pepper to taste. Set mixture aside on a plate to cool.
In a bowl, combine cream cheese, egg yolk and parmesan cheese.
Add cooled sausage and onion mixture. 

Stuff mixture into the cavity of each mushroom, creating a mound over the top.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. 

Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

I had quite a bit of the mushroom filling left over, so I warmed it up tossed it will some pasta and a little cream the next night for dinner. Yum!

Now head on over to Cheri's to see all the other Fall fun!

Partay!

We had a little get-together the other day, it was SO much fun! We had quite the spread, too. Our menu was. . .

Olive Penguins

Sunshine Dip with Assorted Veggies

Artichoke Tapenade with Assorted Crackers

Tomato and Onion Salad

Tossed Green Salad

Green Bean Casserole

Summer Lasagne (recipe courtesy of Marie at The English Kitchen)

Garlic Bread

Fondant Covered Cake Pops

Vanilla Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream

Brownies

Ranger Cookies (recipe coming soon on Songberries)

Ginger-Raspberry Lemonade

Here's my recipe for the tapenade! It is SO yummy and comes together in under 5 minutes!

Artichoke Tapenade

¼ of a red onion, coarsely chopped

1 clove of garlic, coarsely chopped

2 (14oz) jars of marinated artichokes

A hefty handful of olives (I like kalamatas, but you can use plain ole black olives in a pinch)

½ cup (or more) parmesan, grated

1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar

Freshly grated black pepper

In your food processor, buzz the onion and garlic together until finely chopped.

Toss in the artichokes, olives, cheese, vinegar and pepper and buzz until it’s all very finely chopped.


Scoop out into a pretty bowl and garnish with a few more olives. (I ran out because I was making penguins too!)

Serve with crackers and veggies. (Also is fantastic spread onto a sandwich!)

The kids and I have been having fun at Grandma’s house! We made a faerie out of bits and pieces from the yard and the little kids had a blast playing hide and seek with her!

Do you see her?

There she is!

A-ha! They found her!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

I'd love to show you some gorgeous, ruby red, Strawberry Rhubarb jam slathered over some beautiful, flaky, golden, delicious rolls. I'd really love to. But my camera passed away yesterday. It was sad. It was tragic. It was really, really frustrating! I had no idea how addicted to the poor little thing I was until it couldn't play anymore. Good thing I had a few pictures waiting for a rainy (or camera-less) day!

Jay loves me to make this for him to take to work. He's the most popular kid on the block when I do! It's one of my favorite recipes out of my 'guy food' bag of tricks. I've even converted (tentatively) a few people who didn't like bleu cheese!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
8 oz. (one brick) cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded
1/4 cup of bleu cheese
1/4 - 1/2 cup sour cream
1+ tablespoons Frank's Buffalo Chicken hot sauce

Preheat oven to 350. Set out a baking dish, I use an 8" square.
In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the onion and garlic and saute until tender.
Remove from heat.
In a food processor, blitz the chicken, onion and garlic.
Add the cream cheese, mozzarella and bleu cheese and mix thoroughly.
Add as much sour cream as you need to get to your preferred consistency.
Start adding the hot sauce. Add at least a tablespoon and give it a taste. The heat will be a little stronger after you bake it, so add more slowly until you get to your preferred heat level.
Pour it into your baking dish and bake for about 30 minutes, until it gets nice and bubbly.
Top with a little extra bleu cheese and serve with slices of sourdough and sticks of celery.
Enjoy!