Avocado Frog Dip and Potato Mice

   My kids like to look at cookbooks almost as much as I do.  Well, maybe not quite as much, but they do enjoy flipping through and marking recipes that they want us to make together.   A week ago, my 7-year old daughter marked quite a few recipes in this Mom and Me Cookbook and she asked  if we could get the ingredients and make them for dinner.  

The first thing she wanted to make was this Avocado Frog Dip.  It is a basic guacamole dip and my girls had lots of fun making it with me.   It was quite easy.  We took turns cutting and scooping out the avocado, mashing it and stirring in a few other ingredients.  Then my girls wanted to get a pretty tray and arrange all the veggie dippers and make the face.

 I thought it turned out great.  My kids aren't huge fans of avocado, but they ate this with the veggie dippers because "It's good for me" and "I know it's healthy".   They said it, not me! They actually both ended up liking it more than they originally thought they would and we had fun putting it together.  We made the dip while the potatoes were baking in the microwave.

 Here is the recipe for Avocado Frog Dip
* We used plain Greek Yogurt instead of sour cream

   To complete our meal, we made these Potato Mice.  We baked them in the microwave, so that the prep time wouldn't be quite as long.  Our potatoes were pretty small, so we didn't use as much butter or milk as the recipe called for.  We just used a little bit of each, and mashed it together until the texture was perfect.   These were tasty as well and the girls were very proud of the dinner they helped me make. 

 Here is the recipe for Potato Mice
* We used mozzarella cheese to top our mice
* We baked our potatoes in the microwave (minus the oil brushed on the skins of course!)


 

Black-eyed Pea Hummus

I have a thing for making different kinds of hummus at home. I've come to realize that you can make any kind of hummus you want. I saw a recipe for Black-eyed Pea Hummus and it sounded really great. Over the past few summers, I have been able to try fresh pink-eyed peas and purple-eyed peas and have acquired a new love for any color of eyed peas. They are delicious fresh and cooked and I knew this hummus would be delicious.

I found a few containers of fresh black-eyed peas and cooked them to make this hummus. I just served it with fresh cut up veggies and it was delightful. When I tried it I thought that it might be my new favorite hummus. Try it and see what you think.

Here is the recipe for Black-eyed Pea Hummus

Cooking School- 7 Layer Dip

This is the perfect thing to make with children in the kitchen. It is fun for the kids to help open cans, chop things, spread the layers and sprinkle everything on top.

My girls and I decided to make this dip for a family dinner with a Mexican theme. Mostly because I can remember making it as a child with my family when we would get together with my cousins. I remember everyone taking part in preparing the different layers and then putting it together.

I haven't made this dip since I've been married, although I have tried other versions, like this Meditteranean one and a lighter one for a cooking group I was in. My advice is to taste test the different layers as you go along to make sure they have the right flavor and let someone help you put it together. We had a lot of fun.

If you are lucky enough to have any leftovers, try them with scrambled eggs, in some sort of burrito or as part of a salad.
There are so many version of 7 Layer Dip out there, but this our adapted version of the one I remember making with my family as a child

7 Layer Dip
1 can bean dip or refried beans (seasoned with garlic powder to taste)
8 oz container sour cream (I used greek yogurt since I had it on hand)
1 pkg taco seasoning
3 ripe avocados
1 lemon
shredded lettuce
shredded cheese (We used a monterey jack/cheddar blend & the girls shredded it)
chopped tomato
sliced black olives (I accidentally bought chopped black olives this time)

1. On a large platter or in a deep dish, spread the bean dip/refried beans in a even layer.
2. Combine the taco seasoning and sour cream in a bowl; spread on top of bean layer.
3. Mash the avocados with a few Tbls of freshly squeezed lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Spread the avocados over the taco sour cream mixture.
4. Sprinkle shredded lettuce on top of avocado, followed by the shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, and sliced black olives.
5. Chill until ready to serve.
6. Serve with tortilla chips.

Split Pea Hummus

I only have a faint memory about split peas from my childhood. And it isn't a really great one. I guess for that reason, I have never had the interest to make anything that contains split peas. I have never given them a second thought.

That all changed a few weeks ago when I was looking through the most recent issue of Southern Living Magazine and saw a recipe for Split Pea Hummus. It comes from an article about a woman who shares Greek and Southern heritage and the way that she came up with a menu that celebrated both of those things. The fact that the split peas are cooked and pureed made me think about my most favorite dip EVER which is made with red lentils and that's when I realized that maybe lentils and split peas have something in common. (Go ahead and laugh at me, it's ok!)

So, back to the split pea hummus. I decided to make it for a family dinner we had last weekend and the main reason was so that I could test this recipe with some true Southerners.

This dip/hummus is really easy to make and really delicious. I served it with mini sweet peppers, baby carrots, sliced cucumbers and pita chips. It was really good. I was surprised, in a very good way. Many of my Southern family members really enjoyed this dip.

Now I just need a delicious way to use the rest of my split peas. Any suggestions?


Here is the recipe for Split Pea Hummus from Southern Living

Good Luck Dip

This is actually New Year's Good Luck Dip. I saw it on Ezra Pound Cake a day or two before New Year's and loved this twist on collard greens and beans.

I wasn't going to share it here since it has been a few weeks since New Years Day, but it was so delicious and I figured we could all use some good luck, probably more than just on the first day of the year. You can't really go wrong with dip and this one has some healthy stuff in it.

This dip starts out with a little bit of bacon. You cook a sweet onion, red bell pepper and then add the collard greens, and cook them down until they are nice and wilted. You might be thinking that collard greens can't fit into a dip. But they can. Make sure you finely chop the collard greens. To lighten this dip up a little, I used nonfat cream cheese and nonfat Greek yogurt. I was actually kinda surprised by how yummy this dip was. I also added some black-eyed peas since we had this dip the same day as the Southern Egg Rolls.

I used whole wheat pita chips as my main dipper, but I think it would taste great with veggie sticks too. Since it was sort of a New Year's party for our family, I splurged and bought some Frito dips, so they could use those to dip into this dip.

This was a great recipe and we loved how it turned out.

Recipe for Good Luck Dip
* I used non-fat cream cheese
* I used nonfat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream
* I added some cooked black-eyed peas

Family-Style Risotto Dinner for 4

I was so excited when I saw this menu in a recent issue of Bon Appetit. It was in the little section of the magazine where they always include a family friendly menu and fun ways to use the leftovers.
I love risotto and this version seemed really fun with all the vegetables, topped with the fried egg.
I included the recipes because I changed each of them a little bit. I used whole wheat pitas to make the pitas chips, I reduced the amount of oil in the salad dressing and made a few changes to the risotto that made it a bit healthier, mostly by reducing the amount of butter and oil.

Risotto is so delicious and can be made with just a tablespoon of oil or butter- it still turns out creamy. I really wanted to use the leftover risotto and make the risotto cakes recipe that they included, but we ate it as leftovers instead because it was so good!
Any of these dishes would make a great addition to an Easter meal.
The edamame dip was so good! I added some garlic to it, just to up the flavor and wow- that is really a great dip. If you like edamame, I am sure you will love it. The basil is such a great flavor enhancer. It would be great as a spread for a sandwich too.
I was a little bit worried about this salad made with fennel, mainly because I have never had fresh fennel. I knew that it had a anise/licorice type flavor and that is one of my least favorite things. I decided to go ahead with it and give it a try and I am so glad I did.
The celery and the fennel were really yummy. Nice and crunchy. With a little lemon juice and olive oil and the pumpkin seeds- it was amazing. It really surprised me.

The risotto was perfect. I liked the kid-friendly vegetables and it was really fun to top it off with a fried egg. Of course, I had to cooked my yolks all the way, because we don't do runny here. But you can top it off however you want.

This was such a fun menu! It turned out perfectly and was so delicious.

Edamame Dip with Pita Chips adapted from
Bon Appétit | March 2010 by Tamra Davis

Yield: Makes 4 servings 3 whole wheat pita breads, split horizontally, each round cut into 1 1/2-inch wedges 1 12-ounce bag frozen shelled edamame (2 1/3 cups), unthawed 1/4 cup olive oil 2 garlic cloves 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 3 tablespoons minced fresh basil plus sprigs for garnish Preheat oven to 350°F. Scatter pita pieces on large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt. Bake until crisp, 15 minutes; cool. Cook edamame in large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, 5 minutes. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup cooking liquid. Place edamame, oil, garlic, and 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid in processor. Blend until smooth, drizzling in 1/4 cup cooking liquid and lemon juice. Season dip with salt and pepper. Blend in more cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if too thick. Add minced basil; pulse until basil is just mixed in (do not puree). Transfer dip to bowl. Garnish dip with basil sprigs; serve with pita chips.

Fennel and Celery Salad with Pumpkin Seeds adapted from
Bon Appétit | March 2010
by Tamra Davis

Yield: Makes 4 servings 3 celery stalks, cut crosswise into paper-thin slices 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, halved vertically, sliced paper-thin 1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves 1/4 cup toasted salted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese shavings (about 1 1/2 ounces) Combine celery, fennel, parsley, and pumpkin seeds in large bowl. Whisk oil and lemon juice in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper; toss with vegetables. Toss in most of cheese; top with remaining cheese.

Primavera Risotto Nests with Fried Egg adapted from
Bon Appétit | March 2010 by Tamra Davis

Yield: Makes 4 servings plus leftovers 1 tablespoon butter 2 cups chopped button mushrooms (about 5 ounces) 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 3/4 cup chopped onion 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 cups arborio rice 6 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth 3/4 cup 1/3-inch cubes carrots (about 2 carrots) 2 cups diced trimmed asparagus (about 9 ounces) 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving 1/2 cup shelled fresh peas or thawed frozen peas 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley 4 large eggs Melt 1 tablespoon butter in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper. set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until beginning to soften, 5 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute. Add rice and stir until translucent at edges, 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup broth. Stir until liquid is absorbed, 1 minute. Add 1 cup broth. Simmer until broth is absorbed, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes. Add carrots, asparagus, and 1 cup broth. Simmer until liquid is absorbed, stirring often, 5 to 6 minutes. Continue to add remaining broth, 1 cup at a time, until rice is just tender and mixture is creamy, stirring often and letting almost all liquid be absorbed after each addition, about 25 minutes total. Stir 1/2 cup cheese, peas, parsley, and mushrooms into risotto. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook eggs, without turning, until whites are cooked through and yolks are cooked to desired doneness. Mound 1 cup risotto on each of 4 plates. Using back of spoon, make hollow in top of each mound. Top each with egg.

Risotto Dinner for 4

Original Recipe for Edamame Dip with Pita Chips

Original Recipe for Fennel and Celery Salad with Pumpkin Seeds

Original Recipe for Primavera Risotto Nests with Fried Eggs

CEiMB- Five Layer Mexican Dip

This week's CEiMB recipe is Five Layer Mexican Dip. It was chosen by Heather who blogs over at Mama Cooks. You can find the recipe on her blog or by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page.
The Five Layers in this dip are: 1- a delicious black bean dip, made in the food processor with garlic, cumin, and other things 2- corn/cilantro mixture combined w/ some of the leftover onion/garlic from layer 1, 3-mashed avocado with lime juice, 4-chopped tomato, jalepeno, and scallions, 5- shredded cheese.

I went back and forth about making this recipe, mainly because I have 2 tomato haters and 1 avocado hater in my family and didn't know how it would go over.
I decided to make it for a family dinner that we were going to because then there would be more mouths to fill and hopefully more people that would like this dip.
I didn't love it. Sorry. I am not going to lie to you. I wanted to really like it, but it was just ok.
I liked the black bean layer and I would have rather eaten that with the chips.
The corn/cilantro layer just didn't fit. I don't love frozen corn-not a big fan. Don't get me wrong, I love fresh corn on the cob, but not so much the frozen kernels.
I just didn't appreciate all the layers together.

That's not to say that there weren't those family members who loved the dip. There were some. They liked it so much that they were gifted the leftovers :)

Go check out the CEiMB Blogroll to see what everyone else thought about this one!

Recipe for Five Layer Mexican Dip

Meditteranean Layer Dip

Growing up we frequently enjoyed 7 Layer Dip at family get-togethers and parties.
There are many different variations on this recipe, but ours was usually as follows- refried beans on the bottom, a packet of taco seasoning or taco spice blend mixed with sour cream next, then guacamole, chopped tomatoes, sliced olives, shredded cheese, and sliced green onions.
Serve it with tortilla chips and it makes a fantastic appetizer and/or snack.

I saw a recipe for the same type of layer dip in a magazine over the holidays, but the flavors and ingredients were Meditteranean instead.
I didn't follow the recipe, but I did see the idea, so it's not like I just imagined this up completely on my own.

I put this together and served it with pre-made whole wheat pita chips. I usually like to make my own pita chips, but because of time, I bought pre-made this time.

I started off with hummus as the bottom layer, then a thin layer of plain fat-free greek yogurt, sliced fresh spinach, chopped roasted red peppers, chopped tomatoes, chopped cucumber, sliced black olives, chopped green onions, chopped fresh parsley and then, crumbled feta over the whole thing. I finished it off by squeezing fresh lemon juice over the whole thing and boy, did we have a winner of a dip!
We actually ate this for lunch and everyone in my family loved it.
I love all of these ingredients and flavors anyway, but combining them in this way was really great.
I had to remove the tomatoes from the section my hubby ate, but he liked it once I took those off.

I scooped all the leftovers into a plastic container and ate them as lunch for a couple of days.

This would be a great appetizer for a party or a great lunch/snack, so throw it together and see what you think!


I didn't really measure the amounts when I was throwing this together. I just layered the ingredients and topped each layer with the next, by the amount that looked good.

Meditteranean Layer Dip inspired by a magazine, put into play by Me
hummus
plain fat-free greek yogurt
sliced fresh spinach
chopped roasted red peppers
chopped cucumbers
chopped tomatoes
black olives
chopped green onions
feta
chopped parsley
fresh lemon juice

On a platter or plate, spread a thick layer of hummus.
Top this with thin layer of greek yogurt, spreading almost to the edge, but leaving a 1/4-1/2 inch of the hummus uncovered.
Next add a few handfuls of sliced fresh spinach.
Top the spinach with the chopped peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, green onions, and parsley.
Sprinkle the desired amount of feta cheese over top and squeeze the juice from 1/2 or 1 lemon over the entire dip.
Serve with pita chips.
Refrigerate leftovers, if any.

Muhammara Dip (Red Pepper and Walnut Dip)

Here is the fabulous dip I was talking about the other day. This dip is soooo good!

If it went head to head with The Best Dip Ever-Garlicky Red Lentil Dal, it would be a very close battle.

I have been looking for ways to use the Pomegranate Molasses I made a couple of months ago and this dip was calling my name. It was really simple. I just mixed it up in the food processor and then we ate it. Unfortunately, I didn't have any pita chips, so we just used tortilla chips to dip. Not that it really mattered too much- the dip was so good, you probably could've used anything and this dip would have made it taste great.
I was thinking of all the great ways I could use the leftovers, like as a spread in a pita or something, but you guessed it, there weren't any leftovers!


Muhammara (Red Pepper and Walnut Dip) 2006, Ellie Krieger
Ingredients
3/4 cup pomegranate juice or 4 teaspoons of pomegranate molasses
1/2 cup walnuts
3 tablespoons unseasoned bread crumbs
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 (16-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon for garnish
Salt
Pita Toasts, for serving
Directions
Put the pomegranate juice, into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until juice is reduced to about 2 tablespoons, about 6 minutes. Set aside to cool and thicken.
Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over a medium-high heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Put the walnuts and bread crumbs into a food processor and process until finely ground. Add the reduced pomegranate juice or pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, red peppers, cayenne pepper and cumin and process until smooth. With the processor on add the olive oil in a thin stream. Season with salt, to taste. Sprinkle with cumin and olive oil and serve.
Serve with pita toasts.

Coming Tomorrow- Blogging for Babies Event- Mini Layer Cakes

Vegan Tuesday-Red Lentil-Cauliflower Curry with Poppy Seed-Cornmeal Roti

One of my favorite blogs is Pink Stripes. Wendy bakes up the most wonderful treats and makes the most delicious looking food. She started doing Vegan Tuesdays awhile ago and I actually bought the cookbook- Veganomicon, because of all the wonderful looking recipes that Wendy was making from it. I tried a recipe from this cookbook a couple months ago-Butternut Squash & Pumpkin Seed Rice Paper Rolls, and really liked it.
My brother in-law was coming to town for an overnight visit and I wanted to make something amazing for dinner. I have raved and raved about red lentils and I had some in the pantry, so I grabbed Veganomicon and looked up a recipe that had red lentils in it. I chose the Red Lentil-Cauliflower Curry. The recipe suggested pairing the curry with Poppy Seed-Cornmeal Roti, which is a unleavened flatbread, and I thought that sounded like the perfect accompaniment. I actually picked up some Whole Wheat Pastry Flour the last time I went to Whole Foods and used that in the roti, since it was suggested as a way to make it a little bit more tender. Since we were having red lentils anyway, I decided to start the whole meal off with Garlicky Red Lentil Dal. (In case you missed the post about that dip, it really is the best tasting dip I have ever had.) We used the Roti to eat the dip and also ate it along with this wonderfully tasting curry.
It was a great dinner and everyone loved it. Eating vegan is more delicious than I ever would have imagined. Not that I am going to be doing it every day, but I think I can handle it once a week. To see what Wendy made for this week's Vegan Tuesday, check out her blog- Pink Stripes and while you are at it, stop by Veggie Num Nums, because Michele has joined in the fun too.

Red Lentil-Cauliflower Curry
Poppy Seed-Cornmeal Roti



Up Next- Caribbean Pork Tacos with Pineapple Salsa

Craving Ellie- Warm Spinach and Artichoke Dip

This week's Craving Ellie recipe was chosen by one of my favorite bloggers, Cathy, who blogs over at The Tortefeasor. Cathy cracks me up. Every single time I go and read her posts, I am seriously laughing. She is so fun and I really enjoyed her pick, Warm Spinach and Artichoke Dip. I know that most Ellies made this one for the Superbowl, but we don't watch it and I came down with the flu this weekend. I have been sleeping, taking advil and tylenol, coughing and sleeping some more for the past 5-6 days. Yuck!
But, I still wanted to make this dip, so one day, I drugged up and set to it. Because it was a fairly easy recipe, I didn't feel too horrible after throwing it together and the results at the dinner table were lots of happy faces. We served it with tortilla chips (kind of ruins the whole healthy thing) and carrots & celery sticks. Everyone loved it and it tasted so good and was so easy, that I am sure I will make it again. Hopefully this flu bug will be gone by the beginning of next week, but I will apologize now for the lack of comments I have made. Sitting in front of the computer is not easy for me when I feel like this.
Go and see what the other Ellies thought about this yummy dip, by checking out the Craving Ellie Blogroll!

Warm Spinach and Artichoke Dip by Ellie Krieger
Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 cloves garlic
1 (9-ounce) package artichoke hearts, defrosted, rinsed and dried
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted, excess liquid squeezed out.
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 cup (4 ounces) Neufchatel cheese (reduced-fat cream cheese)
2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes, or until onions are light golden but not browned. Remove from heat and cool.
In the bowl of a food processor combine artichoke hearts, spinach, sour cream, mayonnaise, Neufchatel, mozzarella and salt and pepper. Process until smooth. Add cooled onion-garlic mixture to the food processor and pulse a few times to combine.
Transfer mixture into an 8-inch glass square baking dish or 9-inch glass pie plate which has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through. Serve with pita wedges or crudites

Coming Sometime Soon (Hopefully when the flu is gone) Cranberry-Zucchini Muffins and a Barley-Tofu Salad with a Greek Twist

Garlicky Red Lentil Dal and Homemade Whole Wheat Garlic Pita Chips

This is hands down, the best dip I have ever tasted, made, inhaled, smelled, looked at, dreamed about or seen. It is unbelievable. I wasn't expecting anything spectacular when I made this. I had just about a cup of red lentils left in the pantry and I had done soups, wraps, and burgers, so I just searched red lentils at myrecipes.com and found this recipe. It sounded interesting and I had the lentils ready to go, so I mixed it up.
Amazing! The spices, the flavor, the texture- I know that I rave about a lot of things but this was delicious and I wasn't the only one who thought so. Even the very picky kids that turn their noses up at everything I make when they come over to play with my kids, gobbled it down. oh and the pita chips too.
Do what you have to. Find red lentils. Make this dip.
I would've like to spread this on some flatbread and make a wrap, but you guessed it- There wasn't any left. I am making this again soon. I just have to make a trip to a Health Food Store and stock up on my yummy lentils.

Garlicky Red Lentil Dal adapted from Cooking Light

This dip tastes best at room temperature.

1 cup dried small red lentils

2 1/2 cups water

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds, divided (I added 1 heaping tsp of ground cumin to the other spices)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika (I used normal paprika)

1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper

4 teaspoons olive oil, divided

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped seeded tomato (I used plain, diced tomatoes from a can)

1 garlic clove, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint ( I omitted this garnish on top)

Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until tender. Drain; discard bay leaf. Place lentils in a small bowl.
Combine 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, salt, turmeric, paprika, and red pepper in a spice or coffee grinder; process until finely ground.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes or until tender. Stir in spice mixture, tomato, and garlic; cook 2 minutes or until slightly thick. Remove pan from heat; stir in lentils, lemon juice, and black pepper. Place lentil mixture in a food processor; process until smooth.
Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat, and add 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds. Sauté seeds for 15 seconds, and drizzle over dal. Sprinkle with fresh mint.

Whole Wheat Garlic Pita Chips by Mary Ann

2 whole wheat pitas, divided in half- make two sides by opening the pocket

cooking spray

garlic sea salt grinder

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut or tear your pitas into triangles or pieces. Arrange them on a baking sheet. Coat pita pieces with cooking spray and season with garlic sea salt grinder. Toast in oven for 7-10 minutes, or until lightly browned and crispy.


Coming Tomorrow- Barefoot Bloggers- Easy Sticky Buns and Craving Ellie- Chicken Caccitore

Creamy Hummus Dip

This is a creamier version of hummus than I have had before. It is not as thick as I am used to, due to a little more liquid but it is still just as tasty. A great snack and it would also be a great spread for a wrap or sandwich.
Creamy Hummus Dip
2 cloves garlic
1 can garbanzo beans, with a little liquid drained off , but not all
1/2 cup + 3 Tbls greek style plain yogurt
1/3 cup tahini
juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
dash of pepper

Place garlic in food processor and pulse until minced. Add beans, yogurt and tahini, and puree until smooth, scraping down sides if necessary. Add lemon juice and spices. Puree until combined. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Spoon into a bowl and serve with pita chips and/or veggies.

Toffee Apple Dip

This is a recipe that was shared at our last Chefs-in Training get together. A bunch of women in my neighborhood take turns hosting at their house and show us a couple of recipes.
This was easy to throw together and I made a couple of changes due to what I had on hand.
Toffee Apple Dip
1 8-oz pkg. 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
brown sugar to taste (1/4 cup or less) I just put in a handful and then tasted it
handful of white sugar
1 T vanilla extract
1 cup marshmallow creme
1 1/2 cups Cool Whip
3/4 pkg. Heath Toffee pieces

Mix cream cheese, sugars, and vanilla in a bowl until smooth. Fold in marshmallow creme (you might have to use a mixer). Fold in Cool Whip. Add toffee bits and stir. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and serve with granny smith apples.