Slammin' Crab Dip

People will love you for bringing this dip to any get-together! Don't count calories with this dish or you are going to be wayyyyy over your limit.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup mayo
1 package fake crab pieces (8 oz) - cut into small pieces
1 cup grated parmesan cheese - get the good stuff not the sawdust kind!
1 package cream cheese (room temperature) - whipped works great!
1 can of artichoke hearts - drained and cut small
1/3 cup onion - small dice
1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese

DIRECTIONS:
Mix mayo and cream cheese until creamy. Mix in other ingredients. Place in small glass dish. Heat at 375 for 18 - 25 minutes until ingredients are warm and top is slightly browned. Serve with tortilla chips, crunchy bread, or pita chips. Yummy!!!

COMMENTS:
A cast iron skillet works very well for cooking and serving this dish.

REFERENCE:
Thank you to the Louis Kemp website for this recipe: http://www.louiskemp.com/recipes.html

Donna’s Trippin’ Tapenade

Adjust the amounts of the following to your taste and combine in a food processor.
• Kalamata olives, pitted (1.5 cups or so)
• Dijon mustard (teaspoon or so)
• Olive oil (several tablespoons)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh orange zest (about ½ of an orange or less)
• 3 large cloves of garlic pressed or finely minced
• Sun-dried tomato, with or without oil, diced
• Oregano or other Italian spice (dried ok, fresh better)
• Capers, rinsed (2 – 3 teaspoons)

Process to the size you prefer. Serve with crackers, French bread, crostini and/or with fine cheese. Also good over eggs or with potatoes or fish.

Eggplant Feta Dip

Great use of your extra eggplant from the garden! Thanks, Jenny!

INGREDIENTS:
1-2 eggplants (depending on size)
1/4 cup feta cheese
2 tbs basil, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper chopped (small, almost minced)
1/2 poblano pepper chopped (small)--jalapeno or green chili will work too.
1/4 cup onion chopped (small)
1/4 cup olive oil
couple pinches sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 tbs lemon juice (lime would work too)

DIRECTIONS:
Broil or grill eggplants on foil lined and sprayed cookie sheet for about 5 min. Turn, cook few more minutes, until soft and blackened (doesn't have to be completely black) let cool until can handle. Then slice eggplant in half and scoop out flesh (seeds ok). Chop eggplant flesh a bit and but in bowl. Add lemon juice and mix.

Add rest of ingredients. Stir. Chill. Serve with pita chips, crackers...etc. Leftovers good on sandwich with olives and tomatoes.

Grilled Guacamole

Grilling the avocados does not add that much additional flavor, but this technique keeps your guac fresh and green looking for several days...

INGREDIENTS:
4 firm yet ripe avocados, halved, pitted, brushed with oil
3 T. fresh lime juice
1/4 cup red onion, minced
2 T. japaleno, seeded, minced
5 garlic cloves, minced
Salt/pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper can be added as well

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat grill to medium
Grill avocados, cut side down, until marks appear (about 2 min)
Peel and place in bowl then mash with lime juice until creamy (using a fork)
Stir in remaining ingredients and enjoy with chips

Cilantro Dip

Contributed by my neighbor, Vicki as highly requested from our last party...

INGREDIENTS:
Whipped cream cheese (1 tub)
Jalapeño juice (from can) (or green tabasco)
Sour cream
Minced garlic (or garlic salt)
Ripe avocado (1 small)
Fresh cilantro

PREPARATION:
Mix cream cheese and jalapeño juice to desired hotness. Add sour cream and mix to desired consistency. Add avocado and garlic mixing all ingredients completely. Top with fresh cilantro and let stand in fridge for a few hours. Serve with nice thick tortilla or pita chips.

Jalapeno Poppers

Be prepared to be the life of the party when you serve these babies...ooooh, man are they good.

INGREDIENTS:
Jalapeno peppers
Cream Cheese - whipped works great
Garlic (fresh cloves - minced)
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Chives
Prosciutto or Chorizo or Bacon (cooked and crumbled)
Onions

PREPARATION:
Wash the peppers and slice them in half lengthwise cleaning out the seeds. Be careful not to cut them all the way but leave the stem part intact so they close back up again (sort of).
Mix cream cheese with garlic and other ingredients (except Prosciutto) and stuff jalapenos full
Wrap each pepper in once piece of prosciutto
Bake at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until ham is crisp
Remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes then enjoy

For a picture of pre-cooked chilis, see http://www.flickr.com/photos/climberdee/2412639048/

Additional comments: Poblano peppers can be used instead of jalapeño peppers. Chorizo or bacon can be used instead of prosciutto. Just cook the meat and mix inside instead of wrapping outside.

Alternative prep method...cut japalenos in half completely and stuff like little boats.

SInful Stuffed Mushrooms (Garlic)

Well, if you love mushrooms (and even if you don't) you have GOT to try these babies. Oh, man. If you make them for an appetizer you can guarantee eating at least 5 - 8 of them yourself and forget about the entree. You'll be so stuffed that only a shoehorn will force anything else into your mouth. Get the idea? Ok..here's the do da:

INGREDIENTS:

• Japanese bread crumbs
• LOTS of garlic (are you sensing a theme on this blog?) separated and peeled (not minced)
• heaving whipping cream (Per the cream, I use enough to make the mixture moist and hold the crumbs together but not soggy or runny. The recipe that makes 4 - 6 servings calls for 1 cup along with 1 cup of the bread crumbs. So, a good ratio of bread crumbs to cream is 1:1.)
• salt
• button or cremini mushroom (remove stems - washing optional )
• Olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 450 F
Heat whipping cream and garlic in a small pan (low heat...do not burn!) until garlic is soft enough to mash (about 20 - 30 minutes). Stir in salt and bread crumbs and mix.

Brush mushroom edges with olive oil and fill with garlic cream.

Bake until just brown (about 10 - 15 minutes). Remove from oven and let sit. Sprinkle with pepper, serve, and stand back for the applause!

Baby's Best Bruschetta

Baby's Best Bruschetta as in "ooh baby this tastes so good". I made this last night and was concerned that the vine-ripened tomatoes I had chosen were not ripe enough. So, I added extra garlic and olive oil and a few secret spices (which are revealed below). Wow! Baby! Was that good! Put a bit on a toasted baguette and there is nothing better in the world of food.

INGREDIENTS:
Vine ripened tomatoes - as many as you want
Olive oil - enough to make the mixture moist but not runny
Garlic - can never have enough
Sea Salt - enough to bring out the flavor but not overwhelm
Fresh Ground Pepper - see above for salt
Secret Spices (Penzey's Pasta Sprinkle which has thyme and oregano and stuff in it) - just a pinch or two
Basil - enough to accent and provide that good basil flavor

Mix everything but the basil (leaving skins on the tomatoes) and let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature. Roll the basil all together and cut into strips then mix in.

BAGUETTE:
Baguette loaf from the store
Slice on the diagonal (thin)
Brush with olive oil
350 F for about 10 min
Remove and serve right away