Artichoke Dip

This simple and easy dip was a hit with the kids - who we had to monitor for challenging the "no double-dipping" rule. Mandy picked this recipe the night we polished off her torta-di-santantonio, so she thought she deserved something EASY to make this month.  You might even have all of the ingredients in your pantry! She baked in a Le Creuset dish which dressed this starter up nicely.

Artichoke Dip 

INGREDIENTS

3–4 cups cooked artichoke hearts or 15-oz. cans artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
Minced onions to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine the artichokes, cheese, and mayonnaise, mixing well. Stir in the onions.
3. Spoon into an 8" square baking dish and bake until bubbly and lightly browned.
4. Serve with assorted crackers

Red Rice

Red Rice

A Southern style rice recipe, similar to a Spanish rice, made with tomatoes, peppers, onion, rice, bacon, and other ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

4 strips bacon

1 onion, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 small green pepper, diced

2 cups long-grain rice

1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Brown bacon until crisp, remove, and drain on paper towels.
2. Add onions, celery, and peppers to bacon fat, and cook 10 minutes.
3. Add rice and cook 5 minutes.
4. Add crushed tomatoes, salt and pepper.
5. Put in baking pan with 2 cups water. Cover tightly with foil.
6. Bake at 350° for 1 hour.
7. Serve with crumbled bacon.

Beet and Walnut Salad

This roasted beet and walnut salad was a surprise hit with a slightly sweet flavor enhanced by the crunch of the nuts and the tang of blue cheese. The kids poked at it suspiciously while the adults went back for seconds and thirds. It's the perfect chilled accompaniment to the warm dishes sharing the plate. Just remember to serve with the blue cheese...it wasn't until we were putting the few left overs back in the fridge did we realize we forgot the wedge in there!! And after Anne specifically hunted the cheese shelf for non-crumbly blue cheese for the perfect wedge.

Anne found these beautiful beets at the local food co-op, but this time of year, Farmers Markets are filled with these little gems that are all too often only served pickled.

Roasted Beet and Walnut Salad

INGREDIENTS
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
4 tbsp. red wine vinegar
4 tbsp. walnut oil
12 medium cooled Roasted Beets, peeled and cubed
¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
wedges of blue cheese



INSTRUCTIONS

1. Put garlic, vinegar, walnut oil, beets, walnuts, and salt and pepper to taste into a bowl and toss well. (Anne roasted the beets the evening before to ensure they were cooled in time)
2. Serve with wedges of blue cheese on the side.

 

Gougères (Cheese Puffs)

These little cheese puffs were more puff than cheese. With a consistency and taste similar to cheese straws, the kids ate them faster than they could come out of the oven. They reminded me of eclairs with the filling (which is the only reason I for one enjoy an eclair). They left you longing for something filling the air-pocket in the center. This did not stop the kids, but I am not sure these will be gracing my oven again any time soon.

Gougères (Cheese Puffs) Recipe

INGREDIENTS
½ cup milk
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed
½ tsp. kosher salt
1 cup flour
4 eggs, at room temperature
6 oz. Gruyère cheese, grated

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Heat oven to 425°.
2. Bring milk, butter, salt, and ½ cup water to a boil in a 4-qt. saucepan over high heat.
3. Add flour; stir until dough forms.
4. Reduce heat to medium; cook, stirring dough constantly with a wooden spoon, until slightly dried, about 2 minutes.
5. Transfer to a bowl; using a hand mixer, beat in 1 egg until smooth.
6. Repeat with remaining eggs, beating each one at a time, until dough is smooth; stir in cheese.
7. Using a large tablespoon, drop balls of dough onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
8. Place in oven; reduce temperature to 375°.
9. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Crab Cakes Recipe

In my opinion, the best crab cakes are more crab and less "cake." I want the ratio of filler to crab to be just enough to hold the shape. These beauties are all about the crab and simple enough to be made while some steaks are perfected on the BBQ out back. I made one batch and before the cooled down, they were gone.

Ingredients

1 pound crabmeat, picked free of shells
1/3 cup crushed Ritz crackers
3 green onions (green and white parts), finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 egg
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard (same as ground mustard)
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
Flour, for dusting
1/2 cup cooking oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients, except for the flour and oil. Shape into patties and dust with flour.

3. Place patties on a lightly greased cook sheet. 

4. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Baking them firms up the patties and helps them stay together a bit.

5. Remove from oven.
6. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. 

7. When oil is hot, carefully place crab cakes, in batches, in pan and fry until browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. 

8. Carefully flip crab cakes and fry on other side until golden brown, about 2 minutes.

These were devoured before I could snap pictures! 

These were supper simple and were delicious! I will definitely make these again.

Enjoy!!

Cookie Pizza Recipe

When I was assigned a dessert pizza, I was drawn to this simple Betty Crocker recipe.

Mostly because it was simple.

And let's face it, simple is best when one is involved in a Supper Club.

And when simple tastes this good, well, that's a win all the way around.

Sugar Cookie Pizza Recipe

Ingredients

1 package of Sugar Cookie Dough (to be honest, you could also use already refrigerated dough or, if you're really ambitious, make your own)
1 pint whipped cream
1 container frosting (again, you can make your own, but why when there are so many delicious pre-made ones?)
strawberries
blueberries
2 kiwi, peeled and sliced

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375.

1.  Mix your cookie dough according to package directions.

2.  Spread your cookie dough out on a pizza stone or pan. Warning. The dough WILL expand so leave yourself a little space or else you'll be cleaning up burnt cookie dough off the bottom of your oven. Not that I know from personal experience or anything. Just trust me on this one.

3.  Bake your giant cookie crust until the edges are golden.

4. While your "crust" is cooling, whip the cream with an electric mixer (do not try to use a whisk, not that I know from personal experience or anything). When stiff peaks form - and they will - fold in frosting. Gently.

5.  Spread the whipped cream and frosting combo on the cookie crust.

6. Top with fruit.

7. Eat and pretend it's healthy. After all, there's fruit!

Enjoy!

Pot Sticker Recipe

I have to admit I was intimated making these pot stickers. But, once I got going it was extremely easy! I will definitely be making these again for my family. I adapted my recipe from Martha Stewart and since I am "the substitute" I modified it a bit.

Pot Sticker Recipe

I started by making the filling….

Ingredients

1/2 cup finely chopped Napa cabbage – **I used bagged coleslaw
Coarse salt
6 ounces ground pork, not all lean
3 scallions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped, peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil – **I omitted this because I didn’t have any

Here are the ingredients...

Directions 

1.  In a medium bowl, toss cabbage with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let stand 10 minutes.

2.  Wrap cabbage in a double layer of paper towels; firmly squeeze out excess liquid. 

3.  Return cabbage to bowl; add pork, scallions, ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Mix well with a fork. Refrigerate leftover filling up to 2 days

Then I started on making the Pot Stickers themselves. This is the tricky part! Once you get the hang of it you will be on a roll. (No pun intended.) Biggest advice is to keep your fingers moist so the wonton paper does not stick to you. Also, don’t worry about the appearance they will still taste great! I used the sauce recipe but added a little sugar for sweetness.

Ingredients

24 rectangular (3 1/2-by-3-inch) or square wonton wrappers
1 recipe Wonton Filling
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 scallions, finely chopped (optional)
1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce, for serving

Directions

1. Put a small amount of the wonton filling in the middle of the wrapper.

2. Fold edges to form a triangle, pressing lightly.

3.  Fold triangle corners inwards.

4. Transfer to an oiled plate, and cover with a damp towel to keep moist.

5.  In a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add half the wontons and cook, turning once, until lightly browned, about 1 minute per side. Carefully add 1/2 cup water (oil may sputter), cover, and steam until translucent and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat with remaining tablespoon oil and wontons. 

6.  Sprinkle pot stickers with scallions, if using, and serve with soy sauce.

Of course we sampled just to make sure they tasted ok! They were amazing! Thank goodness there was no need to stop by the store for frozen ones on the way over! Enjoy!

xoxo – Dolly

“The Substitute “