Hummus

We almost always have hummus of some kind in our fridge.  It's a quick, easy and healthy snack and very easy to make.  If you've got a food processor, tahini paste, and a can of chick peas (garbanzo beans) - you can easily make your own hummus (I know, I've said it before...and before...and before).  It's perfect for a dip or a spread on your favorite sandwich or french bread.

We love this with pita chips and carrots sticks.

2 cloves garlic
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drain and reserve liquid
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
3 TBS. olive oil
2 tablespoons light sour cream

Directions:
Mince garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Add remaining ingredients. Process until smooth, adding additional olive oil as needed to reach desired consistency.  Sprinkle with paprika and serve.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

I love hummus.  I also love making it at home because it is sooooo much cheaper than buying it at the store.  It's got a bold flavor, and can be eaten as snack (my favorite is with wheat crackers or carrot sticks), but is also filling enough to satisfy you for a meal on it's own.  The roasted red pepper darkens the orange color and adds a smoky depth to to it's flavor and aroma.  Dig in! 

2 cloves garlic
1 (15.5 ounce) can garbanzo beans, 1 TBS. of liquid reserved
1 large roasted red pepper (can use canned variety or fresh is always best!)
4 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini paste
1 teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil + more for garnish

In a blender, chop the garlic. Pour garbanzo beans and red pepper into blender, reserving about a tablespoon for garnish. Place lemon juice, tahini, chopped garlic and salt in blender. Blend until creamy and well mixed.

Transfer the mixture to a medium serving bowl. Sprinkle with pepper and pour olive oil over the top. Serve with carrot sticks and wheat crackers, or on pita chips.

Ham & Cheese Rollers and a surprise recipe at the end!

*Yesterday's Winner: Molly!  E-mail me your choice of tortilla and your mailing address at heidisrecipes {at} hotmail {dot} com. Congrats!*

This is one of my favorites.  It's so very easy, and so very delicious.  Perfect with the Tortillaland Tortilla, but you could easily use a different tortilla or wrap of your choice.  We took this to the beach at Yorktown for Labor Day weekend, and they were gone within minutes.  I've served them warm and I've served them cold, and I like them equally.  This would also be a great cut into little bites placed on a toothpick and serve as an appetizer for a party. 

Ingredients:

Tortillas (Please, try out the Tortillaland uncooked flour tortillas, they are unbeatable)

Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Thin deli-sliced ham

Directions:

Cook one side of the tortilla, flip and add cheddar and two slices of thin ham (or more if you like).  Cook tortilla until cheese is melted and ham is warm.  Remove and place on cutting board.  Roll up.  Slice in half.  Repeat.  Serve warm, or chill and serve cold.

This little midgie ate about 4 roll-ups all on her own - perfect for kids, just as perfect for adults.  Delicious.

And just to thank you for your patronage during my Tortillaland recipe week, here's a picture of the most simple and common thing we eat at my house.  QUESADILLAS!  If you don't know how to make those, well, I think you need a little more help than I can give you.  We have them several times a week and they are delicious on multi-grain or flour, served with guacamole and Burnt Mexican Salsa!

Have a great weekend!

Perfect Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Thank goodness the pumpkin shortage is over!!  (What pumpkin shortage, you ask?)

What better way to start off your morning/Autumn/anytime you're hungry than with a slice (or loaf) of freshly made pumpkin chocolate chip bread?  I say it's got vegetables in it, so you can even serve it with dinner!  Just kidding, but this is truly a sweet and quick bread to throw together for breakfast or snacking - and makes enough for 1 giant loaf and 3 mini ones so you can share with your neighbors (or maybe even start a neighborhood Boo!!).  Tis the season!

3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. salt
2 1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. applesauce
1/3 c. shortening or butter
4 eggs
2 c. canned pumpkin
2/3 c. water
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sift together dry ingredients and set aside. Cream sugar, applesauce and shortening/butter until well incorporated. Add eggs one at a time and then add mashed pumpkin. Alternate adding dry ingredients with water. Fold in chocolate chips.

Pour into greased bread pans and bake at 325 degrees for 55- 60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Veggie Dill Dip

This is a dip NOT to be missed, the flavors or each ingredient completely complement each other.  If you don't like vegetables, you will love them after you dip them in this.  Easy to throw together (and yes, you do need to let it sit out at room temperature for 6 hours).  A perfect party dip for veggie strips or potato chips.

*The Bon Appetite seasoning is a bit hard to find, so check out the picture so you know what you're looking for!  

1/2 c sour cream

1/2 c mayo

3 Tbls chopped green oinions

1 Tbls dill weed

1Tbls chopped parsley

1 tsp Bon Appetite seasoning (by McCormick)

Mix all ingredients and let sit at room temperature for 6 hours.  Chill in fridge and serve cold.

Swedish Meatballs by Guest Chef Daisha

A favorite among the old and young in our family. My kids absolutely devour these meatballs!

Meatballs:
1 pound ground sausage (low-fat version works great too)
1 pound ground hamburger
2 eggs
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 TBSP dried minced onion
1 tsp all-spice
A few dashes of salt and pepper

Gently mix all the ingredients with your hands in a bowl. Form 1 -1.5 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet. (I was able to fit 30 larger balls on one cookie sheet.) Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes until no longer pink in the middle.

The Sauce:
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup water
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
A few dashes pepper

Heat ingredients in a small sauce pan until combined and warm.
Serve the meatballs and sauce over a bed of noddles or mashed potatoes. The meatballs are also great served as an appetizer. Just make the balls small and serve them covered in the sauce.

Arugula Pesto

What to do with all the crazy arugula that is is growing wild in my garden?  Pesto, of course.  Easy to make, yummy as a dip or pasta sauce, and you can freeze it too!

2 c. baby arugula
1/2 c. basil
1/2 c. toasted pinenuts (toast in frying pan on medium heat flipping every 30 seconds until fragrant and browned)
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2/3 c. olive oil
2/3 c. shredded parmesan
1 tsp. salt

Combine arugula, basil, nuts and garlic in food processor.  Process for 1 minute.  Add oil, process until blended.  Add cheese and salt.  Process until smooth.  Serve fresh, or refrigerate up to a week, or freeze for later!

Cordon Bleu Melts

Print this recipe HERE

I'm not sure this picture does this little morsel any justice (I'm actually pretty sure my pictures probably hurt more than they help - one day I'll take food photography lessons).  Since I make this for nearly every party I host or go to, I cannot believe I haven't posted it here!  Easy and delicious, and everyone always asks for the recipe.

Best. Appetizer. EVER.

1 8oz. block of cream cheese (can use neufchatel, do not use fat-free), softened

1.5 c. swiss cheese (divided)

1 c. shredded ham

1 green onions, finely chopped

tortillas or wraps

Mix cream cheese, 3/4 c. swiss cheese, shredded ham, and green onions (you can use a blender, beater or food processor) until smooth.  Spread thin layer over entire tortilla or wrap (I had enough filling to use 4 jumbo tortillas).  Roll up, slice into 1 inch portions, and place on baking sheet.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake at 375 for 15-20 mnutes, or until cheese is bubbly. Serve warm.

Pumpkin Pie Bars

I don't even like pumpkin pie.  In fact, I despise it.  Long story, involving the first gift my husband ever gave me along with a card that had cats on it.  Anyway - this dessert is awesome and it didn't even remind me of that pumpkin pie gift.  It's delicious, and perfect for holiday parties.  Thanks to Kraft Food & Family and my cousin Tisha (see Tisha's Tips) for making it so I could try it.  I made it myself the next week - it was THAT good.

1-1/3 cups flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) cold butter or margarine
1 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats, uncooked
1/2 cup chopped PLANTERS Pecans
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened
3 eggs
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice

HEAT oven to 350°F. Line 13x9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides; grease foil. Mix flour, 1/4 granulated sugar and brown sugar in medium bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in oats and nuts.

RESERVE 1 cup oat mixture; press remaining onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 15 min. Beat cream cheese, remaining sugar, eggs, pumpkin and spice with mixer until well blended. Pour over crust; sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.

BAKE 25 min.; cool 10 min. Use foil to transfer dessert from pan to wire rack; cool completely.

Sweet & Savory Cornbread from Butterfly Garden Cafe

This is delicious cornbread - it's sweet, savory and goes with a salad, a meal, or just on it's own.  It keeps well in the fridge and freezer - just warm in microwave or reheat in oven at 300 for 20 minutes.

1 large onion, chopped

2 T butter

2 T milk

2 large eggs

2-8 ½ oz. boxes corn muffin mix, such as Jiffy

2-14 ¾ oz. cans cream-style corn

4 oz can diced green chilies, drained

chopped pimentos to taste

1 C sour cream

1 ½ C shredded sharp cheddar cheese, optional
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking pan.

2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until opaque. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, mix together milk, eggs, cornbread mix, creamed corn, chilies and pimentos. Pour the cornbread mixture into the greased pan.

4. Spoon the sautéed onions and sour cream onto th cornbread mixture and swirl throughout, as if you were making a marble cake. Top with cheese, if desired.

5. Bake 35-40 minutes. Let the cornbread cool for 10 minutes or more before cutting.

Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 6 months.

Hummus by Guest Chef Scott

This is a nice mild, no too garlicy hummus.


Ingredients

3 cups dry garbanzo beans, rinsed and soaked overnight.

3/4 cup tahini paste (sesame seed paste)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 - 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, to taste

1 tsp ground cumin

3 small cloves fresh garlic, minced or crushed.

Salt to taste

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

Rinse the presoaked garbanzo beans and place in a pot. Fill with enough water to cover the beans by at least one inch. Bring to a boil and turn heat down to med-low. Simmer 1 - 1 and 1/2 hours. Garbanzo beans will be very soft and delicious.

Drain the beans, save some of the water for later. Put the beans into a food processor, or blender. Blend until smooth, gradually adding the olive oil. Add some of the water while blending; the beans should be a little thicker than you want your hummus to be.

Add tahini, garlic, and lemon juice. Mix well.

Add cumin and salt. Mix Well.

Taste, it should be delicious.

Spread the hummus on a flat serving dish and drizzle olive oil on top.

Enjoy.

Theoretically this makes about 8 servings. But almost no one eats a full serving of hummus. It will make a full blender or food processors worth.

Baba Ghanoush

If you've never had this version of "eggplant hummus", please give it a try. It's delicious. Go all out and make it with a whole mediterranean meal.

1 large eggplant
1/4 cup tahini, plus more as needed
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, plus more as needed
1 pinch ground cumin
salt, to taste
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions
Preheat an oven to 375°F.
Preheat a frying pan on high heat, then prick the eggplant with a fork in several places and place in pan and let blacken on all sides, until skin is softened - about 10-15 minutes.

Transfer the eggplant to a baking sheet and bake until very soft, about 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, and peel off and discard the skin, then remove seeds.
Place the eggplant flesh in a bowl and mash with fork (or use blender if you like it more smooth).

Add the 1/4 cup tahini, the garlic, the 1/4 cup lemon juice and the cumin and mix well.
Season with salt, then taste and add more tahini and/or lemon juice, if needed.
Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl and spread with the back of a spoon to form a shallow well.
Drizzle the olive oil over the top and sprinkle with the parsley.

Serve with pita bread and fresh veggies to dip.

Easy Caramel Popcorn

In a saucepan combine:
1 cube butter
1/2-3/4 cup brown sugar
30 large marshmallows
Melt above ingredients together.

Pop 1-2 bags light butter microwave popcorn. Sift through and take out unpopped kernels. Pour caramel mixture on top and mix together.

Cute Quiche Biscuit Cups

3-4 slices bacon, crisply cooked and finely crumbled
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/4 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese
2 chopped green onions (2 medium), 3 fresh chopped mushrooms, and some leftover chopped roasted potatoes, optional
1 can refrigerated biscuits (10 biscuits)

Heat oven to 375F. Grease 10 muffin cups. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, milk and eggs on low speed until smooth. Stir in Swiss cheese and green onions (and mushrooms and potatoes, if you choose to add them); set aside.Separate dough into 10 biscuits. Place 1 biscuit in each greased muffin cup; firmly press in bottom and up sides, forming 1/4 inch rim. Place bacon in the bottom of the dough -lined muffin cups. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture over the bacon. I had some extra egg mix, so I filled the other 2 cups without the biscuit cup, and they were good too!

Bake for about 23 minutes or until filling is set and edges of biscuits are golden brown.

Cheddar Cheese Fondue

2 cans cheddar cheese soup
1 8oz. block of velveeta (or any other brand of block processed cheese), cut in cubes
1 Tbs. worcestshire sauce
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 TBS. dried snipped chives (optional)
2 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Mix all ingredients EXCEPT shredded cheddar in greased crock pot, heat on low for 2 hours. One hour before serving, add shredded cheddar, stir until incorporated, and keep on low until time to serve. Serve with cubed bread, roasted baby potatoes, blanched broccoli, cubed cooked chicken, or whatever other crudites you like!

Swiss Cheese Fondue

Made this for book club and it was a hit!

Ingredients:
1 garlic clove, halved or 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
2 cups white wine, chicken broth or unsweetened apple juice, divided
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
7 cups (28 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese (if you don't have enough Swiss, you can substitute some with Gouda, Mozzarella or Gruyere)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Cubed French bread

Rub garlic clove over the bottom and sides of a fondue pot; discard garlic and set fondue pot aside. In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, bring 1-3/4 cups wine and nutmeg to a simmer. Gradually add cheese, stirring after each addition until cheese is melted (cheese will separate from wine). Combine cornstarch and remaining wine until smooth; gradually stir into cheese mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and mixture is blended and smooth. Transfer to prepared fondue pot and keep warm. Serve with bread cubes. Yield: about 4 cups.

Lettuce Wraps

I made these for my valentine this year *sigh*....they were just as good as I had hoped. Goes great with this Beef & Broccoli, if you want to go all out with the Chinese theme.

Filling:
2 TBS. soy sauce
2 TBS. light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. rice vinegar
1 c. fried bean threads (Saifun) - you can find these in the Asian section of the grocery store (prepare these as directed and set aside - you add these when you're assembling the lettuce wrap, they're the white, crunchy topping)
3 TBS. vegetable oil
2 bnls, sknls chicken breasts
1 5 oz. can whole water chestnuts, chopped finely
2/3 c. canned straw mushrooms (also found these in Asian section of grocery store - they are the smaller mushrooms that have black tops), chopped finely
4 green onions, finely chopped from white part to middle of the green stem (where it stops being crisp)

Dipping Sauce:
1/2 c. warm water
1/4 c. white sugar
2 TBS. soy sauce
2 TBS. rice vinegar
2 TBS. catsup
1 TBS. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. sesame oil
To Spice it Up, you can optionally add:
2 tsp. (for mild spice) or more - Chinese hot mustard - about $2 in Asian section of grocery store
2 tsp. (for mild spice) or more - chili garlic sauce - also in Asian section of grocery store

1 head bibb or iceberg lettuce, (top cut off, split in half, washed and chilled)

Mix all ingredients for dipping sauce - adding the right amount of spice for your taste. Set aside in refrigerator before you start anything else.

For the filling, preheat a wok or large saute pan with 2 TBS. of vegetable oil on high heat (water flicked on the oil should pop). Add chicken breasts and cook 4-5 min. on each side, or until pink center is gone. Remove from pan to cool. Chop up the mushrooms and water chestnuts finely. Mix the soy sauce, brown sugar and rice vinegar in a bowl. Cut up the chicken into tiny minced pieces. Add an add't TBS. veg oil, add chicken, garlic, water chestnuts and mushrooms to pan. Add brown sugar, soy and rice vinegar mixture. Serve the chicken mixture into lettuce cups. Add your desired amount of dipping sauce.

We loved these! Let me know what you think!

Feta Artichoke Asiago Dip

14 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped
1 can spinach, drained well
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup shredded Asiago cheese
3/4 cup mayo
1 2 ounce jar chiles, drained and chopped
1 tsp. garlic powder

1. Mix all the ingredients together and place into a small casserole dish.
2. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes or until lightly brown.
3. Serve with tortilla chips or toasted baguettes.

Creamy Bean Soup & Taquito Dippers by Guest Chef Amy

Start to finish: 30 minutes 4 servings

1 can (16 oz) refried beans
1 can (14.5 oz) petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup chicken broth
½ cup (from 14 oz can) unsweetened coconut milk (not cream of coconut)
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles
1 package (1.25 oz) taco seasoning mix
6 sticks (0.75 oz each) sharp cheddar or chipotle cheddar cheese
1 pkg (10.5 oz) of 12 flour tortillas for tacos & fajitas
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 medium green onions, sliced

Heat oven to 450. Line cookie sheet with foil. In 2-quart saucepan, stir beans, tomatoes, broth, coconut milk, chiles and taco mix; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; simmer uncovered about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cut each cheese stick in half lengthwise to make 2 thin sticks. Place 1 cheese stick on one edge of each tortilla; roll tortilla tightly around cheese. Brush edges of tortillas with water to seal. Place taquitos, seam sides down, on cookies sheet. Brush each lightly with oil. Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until edges of tortillas are golden brown and cheese is melted. Pour soup into serving bowls; garnish with cilantro or onions. Serve with taquitos for dipping.
**Amy’s notes:
--You can find unsweetened coconut milk in the oriental section of the grocery.
--Instead of prepackaged sticks of cheese, I just bought an 8 oz block and cut into thin strips.
--I had Azteca brand tortillas and Kroger brand tortillas. The Azteca sealed well with water. The Kroger brand wouldn’t stick and I had to secure with a toothpick for heating.

Crab & Cream Cheese Wontons by Guest Chef Marli

8 oz. package of Cream Cheese softened
2-3 Green onions finely chopped (optional) If you don't like onions you can add onion powder.
6 oz. can crab meat drained
Package of 3x3 Wonton wraps

Thoroughly mix the crab, green onions and the cream cheese. Lay the wonton wrappers out and spoon 1 teaspoon or so of the crab mix onto the center of each. Wet the edges of the wonton wrapper with water and fold to enclose the crab and to form a triangle. Fold the corners from the base of the triangle together, and using a little water, pinch and stick them together. (I have also seen people use egg whites to stick the wonton edges together).

Heat the oil in a deep fryer or heat 2" oil in a heavy-bottom pot to 350F. Fry the wontons in batches, for 4-5 mins, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and keep warm.