Week 2 of "Think outside the box"- Dips and spreads

Conditions at 6:00- clear skies, lots of stars and 12'
Expected later: sunny and 14' - a little cooler today

After another absolutely gorgeous day yesterday, we are expecting somewhat more seasonal temperatures today. But it will be sunny so it's going to be just fine.

On my way home last night I picked up the supplies we need for tonight's class. I stopped in at the VanGaals to drop off Brenda's chaps and sweater that I had taken home in the back of my bike on Sunday. I got there just in time to see Bernie's photos from his hunting trip. Brenda had a meeting to go to but I had time for a sandwich and tea and a muffin so I ended up with supper as well. It wasn't my plan - as I was painfully aware when I went out to get in my car. I have a good memory but it's, unfortunately, really short. After sitting around eating and drinking I got out to the car to discover I had left it running. My intention was to run in and drop of the stuff and then leave. Then I got looking at the photos and totally forgot I left the car running. Good thing I had filled it up with gas yesterday. What an idiot!

When I got home, I did some badly needed tidying up and got everything organized for tonight's class. That didn't take very long as there was no pre-prep involved giving me time to watch some TV. I had taped that new show Pan Am. I called Lloyd to tell him to watch it and I'm sure Patti will hear about it at work. It takes place in the 60's and as I watched it, I thought about how that was supposed to be my life. You see, in the mid sixties, when I was in high school, I really wanted to be what was then called an airline stewardess. At that time you had to go to finishing school before you could apply to the airlines. I applied to one and a lady came out to our house to interview me, take my measurements, weight, etc to determine if I was a likely candidate. I was accepted into the finishing school program but when it was revealed that I have caps on my front teeth, I was told I would not be accepted into the airline program because of the caps. You were only allowed in if you had all your own real teeth. What a bummer. So that led me to look for other career paths but I was always sorry I wasn't able to do what I really wanted to do. So it was very ironic  many years later when Patti ended up doing that very job. I do have to say I don't think I had anything to do with her decision (at least I hope I didn't). I know what it's like to not be able to make your own career choice.
Anyway it was entertaining to watch so I'm interested to see what their thoughts are on it.

Now back to reality. And now that I think of it, as I always say, everything happens for  a reason. Had I taken to the skies in the sixties, chances are I would not be sitting where I am now, so in the end I'm pretty happy with the way things turned out.

On that note, here are the recipes for tonight's class:

Warm Artichoke Dip

1-6.5 oz. jar marinade artichoke hearts, chopped

½ cup mayonnaise

½ cup sour cream

1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1 clove garlic, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix together the artichoke hearts, mayonnaise,  sour cream, Parmesan and garlic.

Spoon the mixture into a medium baking dish.

Bake in a pre-heated  oven 15 minutes, or until lightly brown on top.

Olive Manga Mania

1 cup pimento stuffed green olives

½ cup pitted black olives

¼ cup olive oil

1 tbsp pickled hot pepper rings

½ tsp oregano

½ tsp black pepper

2 cloves garlic

2 anchovies (optional)

Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend until desired consistency (slightly chunky  to very smooth)

Serve with crackers, grilled slices of bread or as a pizza topping.

Another option is to add an additional ½ cup of olive oil. 2 tbsp parmesan cheese and use as a pasta sauce. This will make enough sauce for one pound of pasta serving six people.

Hummus & Pita Chips

Serving: Makes 2 cups

Ingredients

4 pitas
1 tablespoon olive oil
a sprinkle or two sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 19 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup tahini (sesame paste)
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 more Tablespoons olive oil
a sprinkle or two sea salt and freshly ground pepper
a splash olive oil
a sprinkle paprika
a sprinkle chopped parsley

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
Brush each pita using 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of olive oil and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cut into 6 or 8 pie-shaped wedges. Arrange the pieces on a baking tray and bake until toasted and crisp, about 15 minutes or so.

Toss the drained chickpeas into your food processor or blender. (Draining and rinsing the chickpeas really well will not remove any nutrients, but it will remove any lingering processed taste from the can.) Add the tahini, lemon zest and juice, garlic and the last 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of olive oil. Purée until smooth, adding a splash or two of water to reach a soft creamy texture. Taste and season with salt and pepper as you like.

To serve hummus, splash it with some olive oil, and sprinkle paprika and chopped parsley on top.

Variation

Hummus is one of the most common foods in the Middle East, and every cook has his or her own version. To create yours try adding more or less of the tahini, lemon zest and juice, garlic or olive oil. You may also add other ingredients like olives, capers, sun-dried tomatoes, pesto, parsley, chives, green onions or the traditional ground cumin. The pita chips may also be dusted with any herb or spice before baking.

Tomato Basil Bruschetta

Serving: 16 pieces

Ingredients

1 baguette sliced into 1/4 inch slices a splash or two  olive oil
2 large cloves of garlic, cut in half
2 or 3  ripe tomatoes
a handful fresh basil leaves, finely sliced or chopped
2 or 3 green onions, finely sliced

3 tbsp parmesan cheese
a sprinkle or two sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Balsamic Vinegar

Instructions

Preheat your barbecue or broiler.
Generously brush each slice of bread with olive oil, and grill or toast it until golden brown on both sides.
Vigorously rub both sides of the toasted bread with the garlic, dramatically scenting each slice.

Cut each slice into quarters.
Chop the tomatoes and toss them with the basil leaves and green onions. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Place a spoonful on top of each bread slice. Drizzle with a bit of balsamic vinegar  and olive oil

Variation

You can add any flavour you like to the tomato mixture. Olives, capers, artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes are all great ideas. Besides basil any fresh herb or pesto works well. 

 Keg Crab Spinach Parmesan Dip Recipe

This is a recipe for a dip that is almost identical to the Keg Steakhouse Crab Spinach and Parmesan dip.  This is the best warm crab spinach dip ever.

Ingredients:

• One 250 ml (8 oz) container of  regular cream cheese
• 1/2 Cup of regular (14% M.F.) sour cream
• 1 Cup of grated Cheddar Cheese
• 3 Tablespoons of Mayonaise
• 2 Cloves of chopped or minced garlic (we found 3 cloves to be even better)
• 1 Cup of chopped spinach (you can substitute frozen spinach, but make sure to remove all water)
• 1 can crab meat (Drain well)
• 1 Tsp parmesan cheese (a few shakes from a container)

Directions:

1. Heat the cream cheese in the microwave for 30 seconds or so to make it stir-able
2. Mix in all other ingredients except for the parmesan cheese, mixing the carb in last (leave out a little of the cheddar)
3. Sprinkle the parmesan and left over cheddar on top
4. Bake for 30 minutes at 375 or until bubbling at the edges, then broil for 3 minutes or so to let the top get a little crispy