homemade reduced fat guacamole

(photo credit - latimes.com)

i got inspiration for this lighter version from whole foods. they sell "reduced fat" guacamole that has half the calories of the regular stuff. i was skeptical at first, but after looking over the ingredient list on the label, i decided to give it a try. the trick is subbing out avocados for peas. you still use an avocado in this recipe, just not as many as you normally would. it turned out really good and i could hardly tell there was an avocado missing. if you don't have peas on hand, you can also try it with edamame.

ingredients:
2 ripe avocados, diced
1 cup frozen peas, cooked and cooled
1/4 cup onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
1 tomato, seeded and diced
juice of 1 lime
s&p

directions:
place peas and 1 avocado in food processor, blending until smooth. in a bowl, mix together remaining avocado, pureed pea mixture and the rest of the ingredients. mash a little bit with a fork, leaving some chunks of avocado. season with more s&p if needed.

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go grΣΣk - my grecian pasta salad

we recently hired a new employee at work and i put together a little roof top luncheon to welcome him to the gang. everyone brought a side dish to share and i decided to contribute with this crazy easy pasta salad. i kind of just threw things in here that i thought would go good together. it turned out wonderful - one of my coworkers even mentioned it being the best pasta salad she's ever had.

ingredients:

1 lb. mini cheese-filled raviolis (i used the trader joe's brand)
12 oz. marinated artichokes, drained and chopped (reserving liquid for later)
1/3 cup black olives, sliced
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
4 cups fresh spinach, chopped
6 oz. crumbled feta
juice of half a lemon
s&p

directions:

cook pasta according to directions. rinse and cool under cold water until it reaches room temperature. combine rest of ingredients with pasta, seasoning with s&p. pour lemon juice and reserved artichoke marinade liquid over pasta salad, mixing well to combine flavors.  let rest 1 hour in fridge before serving for best results. enjoy!

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i shouldn't have...but i did.

and i don't regret it.  if you come across these treats, buy a bag.  worth every calorie.  i mean it.

(image credit - mms.com)

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'tis the season: crunchy chicken spring rolls, panko crusted crab cakes, bacon-wrapped shrimp, peanut chicken skewers, & mini beef tenderloin sandwiches

the holiday season is official over and sis and i can finally get back to you guys.  we've had a busy couple of weeks with an unruly snow blizzard, puppy babysitting and visitors galore.  we had to cancel peg's first annual christmas party after waking up to 20 inches of snow last saturday morning.  never one to just give up, i decided to whip up some of the appetizers i had planned to make, just in much fewer quantities.  some of the recipes can be found at the link above and the others are listed below.

crunchy chicken spring rolls

bacon-wrapped shrimp with basil garlic stuffing

peanut chicken skewers with chili mayo

panko crusted crab cakes with spicy avocado aioli

mini beef tenderloin sandwiches with mustard-horseradish sauce

crunchy chicken spring rolls
(adapted from martha)
ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup minced celery
1/4 cup grated carrot
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon of fish sauce
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
1/2 cup grated cabbage
1/4 cup sugar snap peas, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, plus more for frying
20 spring roll wrappers
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
pepper

directions:
heat oil in large saucepan over medium high heat. add chicken, onion, celery, carrot, garlic, sugar snap peas, cabbage, fish sauce and soy sauce. cook for about 4 minutes and season with pepper. remove from heat and set up a work station. beat egg and water in small dish to make an egg wash. cover wonton wrappers with damp paper towels to prevent from drying out while making the spring rolls. working quickly, place about a tablespoon or more of chicken mixture in corner of wrapper. (you will need to fold this spring roll like you would fold a burrito.) roll up corner until you cannot see mixture anymore. fold up sides to meet in the middle and continue to roll into right cylinder. brush top corner with egg wash and seal. cover rolls with damp paper towel as you continue to make the others. heat oil in large skillet to 350 degrees. working in batches, fry up spring rolls for about 2 to 3 minutes, placing on paper towel to absorb left over oil. you must continually turn rolls to make sure they don't burn. serve immediately with asian duck sauce.


panko crusted crab cakes with spicy avocado aioli
(adapted from cooking light)
ingredients:
16 oz crab meat
1.5 cups panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup diced celery

1/2 cup mayo
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 egg
1 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
couple dashes of hot sauce
avocado
s&p

directions:
preheat oven to 450 degrees. combine crab, 1/2 cup panko, celery, 1/4 cup mayo, egg, dijon mustard, worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and s&p in a mixing bowl.  stir together and form into 2 inch crab cakes. place remaining panko on plate and roll each crab cake into breadcrumbs, making sure they stick.  place crab cakes on non-stick baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

combine 1/4 cup of mayo, sour cream, avocado, hot sauce and s&p in food processor and blend.  once crab crabs are finished, scoop a little of the avocado aioli on each.  serve immediately.

and don't forget the other recipes:
bacon-wrapped shrimp with basil garlic stuffing
peanut chicken skewers with chili mayo
mini beef tenderloin sandwiches with mustard-horseradish sauce

the impromptu family party was a a hit, including a round of drunken dominoes till 3 a.m. and this little pup came just in time to enjoy the holidays with us.

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giving thanks

i wanted to give a big thank you to my friend kim and her boyfriend david for giving me the best gift of all this holiday season - a 3 pound wedge of jarlsberg cheese.  david found the entire wheel mis-priced at harris teeter for only $7.  lucky for me, david is a pale and believes us pales should stick together and handed over some.

i immediately knew that i wanted to whip up some cheese fondue with this decadent treat as a thanksgiving appetizer.  i served it with sourdough bread, broccoli, cauliflower and chunks of salami.  needless to say, there wasn't much left over to take any pictures.

thanks again.  loves ya both.

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ariba, ariba: chorizo quesadillas with fresh salsa and stuffed tomatoes

earlier this week, i whipped up these tasty quesadillas for the fam.  i used chorizo sausage to spice things up and made a quick homemade salsa to cool things down.  i've made these stuffed tomatoes before - they are a good go-to recipe whenever you're cooking up some mexi flavors.  there are no real measurements for this recipe, because it all depends on your preference and how much heat you like.

ingredients:

tortillas
chorizo sausage, removed from castings and browned
cheddar cheese
velvetta cheese
tomatoes
garlic
onion
jalapeno
cilantro
s&p

directions:
combine tomatoes, garlic, onion, jalapeno, cilantro and s&p in food processor.  pulse for a few seconds until it all comes together.  in a medium sauce pan melt velvetta cheese and half of salsa mixture until it turns into a creamy concoction. heat grill pan or large skillet over medium low heat and spray with nonstick cooking spray.  spread velvetta cheese all over tortilla, just until you reach the end.  add chorizo and top with cheddar cheese.  fold in half and cook on each side for about 5-6 minutes until the cheesy has melted and the sides are brown.  top with sour cream and the homemade salsa!  and there you have it - mexican in a flash.

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my own version of heaven

this weekend, i'm leaving for a vacation to kiawah island with MZ's family. all i can think about is how i am not going to be sticking to my diet. i don't believe diet & exercise goes with vacation. however, i do believe the word vacation goes with the word chip.

anyone who even slightly knows me, knows i have a love/love relationship with chips. ton (stepdad) jokes that i'm not a good person to share a bag of chips with because the other person will only get the crumbs. whenever someone tells me they had chips for lunch, i just have to ask, "well, what kind? did you have a dip to go with those?" i like to think it's genetic. peg loves a good chip and dip combo as well.

so i got to thinking - i should write a blog post on my favorite chip. this is no small task as i've never met a chip i didn't like. so i narrowed it down to my top 6 favorites because i could not even narrow it down to 5.

#1

miss vickie's jalapeno kettle cooked chips

#2
lay's sour cream and onion chips

#3

cool ranch doritos

#4

ruffles original potato chips with homemade french onion dip

#5

tostitos chips and queso dip (peg's #1)

#6

mini sourdough pretzels with hidden valley buttermilk ranch

if i had to guess sis's favorites, i would say it's a close tie between crunchy cheetos and bbq chips. am i right sis?

(photo credits - blogs.trb.com, cathycalifornia.typepad.com, foodnetwork.com, fritolay.com, greatamericanpublishers.com)

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fresh from the market: herbed sweet corn and tomato salad

as i was perusing through my google reader this morning, the lovely sight above jumped out at me - courtesy of the kitchn. since visiting the courthouse farmer's market over the weekend, i've been hoping to come across a recipe that requires all my freshly scooped up ingredients.

so when this recipe came my way, i thought, "yesssss." the recipe calls for any fresh herb you have on hand. my roommates and i have been caring for a basil plant in our apartment all summer so i'll definitely throw in some of that. i'm leaning towards the vegetarian version complimented by crusty, warm garlic bread and lightly seasoned and grilled squash. (peg and i got a fresh baguette from costco on sunday). i usually do like some protein with my meals, but tonight i'm feeling like a quicky easy supper. sounds just delicious, right?

eat up:

herbed sweet corn and tomato salad
ingredients:
6 ears fresh sweet corn, shucked
4 medium tomatoes, as ripe as possible
1/4 cup (or small handful) fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup (or small handful) fresh mixed herbs — like Italian parsley, basil, rosemary, sage
1 tablespoon evoo
s&p, to taste
3 ounces soft goat cheese, chilled and crumble

directions:
bring a large pot of water to the boil over medium-high heat. add the corn and boil for five minutes. drain and let cool. meanwhile, chop the tomatoes in quarters and scrape or squeeze out the juices and seeds. (reserve, if you want, for a future batch of tomato sauce, or to mix into cream cheese for a fresh sandwich spread.) chop the seeded tomato quarters into a rough dice. pat dry with a paper towel to remove any extra moisture. when the corn has cooled, stand each ear up in a wide, shallow bowl and slice the corn kernels off with a chef's knife. toss the corn with the tomatoes. finely mince the mint and herb leaves. toss with veggies along with evoo. season to taste with s&p , then crumble in the goat cheese and toss gently.

note: feel free to toss in any other mix-ins too - grilled eggplant, pine nuts or a touch of balsamic vinegar.

(photo credit - faith durand via kitchn.com)

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quick fire challenge: bruschetta with a twist

need an appetizer in a flash? i was at the point of starvation last week and needed something to hold me over until dinner. i turned to my mishmashed fridge and had to work with whatever was in there -

ingredients:
fresh diced tomatoes
mozzarella cheese wrapped with prosciutto (check out the link just in case you're confused)
evoo
s&p
garlic
sliced sour dough bread
fresh basil

directions:
toast bread in oven for 5 minutes. once bread is toasted, cut clove of garlic in half and rub cut side down all over top of bread. in bowl, mix together tomatoes, the meat-wrapped cheese, evoo, and s&p. spoon on top of warm bread. place back in the oven and broil for 1-2 minutes...until cheese is melted. sprinkle with basil and you're done. how simple is that?

take that top chef.

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party of 40: chicken salad bites, blt stuffed tomatoes, roasted garlic shrimp, fried mac and cheese bites, and mini pesto burgers

this past weekend, my roommates and i were ready to play hostesses with the mostesses. ready to party, we opted for a rooftop party and our invitation promised our 40+ guests sunsetting views of our nation's capitol, tunes that make you wanna dance, and of course, tasty treats. my sparky sous chef (ashley) and i got to work in the kitchen with a mission to impress our guests.

so for a little party, our menu:
- chicken salad bites in phyllo cups
- blt stuffed tomatoes
- roasted garlic shrimp with spicy cocktail sauce
- fried mac and cheese bites
- and mini pesto burgers (courtesy of sister leonard)

...and our outcome:

believe it or not, everything was actually really simple, so get on board. here's how we did it:

chicken salad bites in phyllo cups:
cook and dice two large chicken breasts. mix together with s&p, light mayo, light sour cream, craisins, and celery. bake pre-made phyllo cups in oven. when done, individually scoop chicken salad into cups. sprinkle with parsley.

blt stuffed tomatoes:
cut small circular hole in top of large cherry tomatoes. scoop out seeds and juices. in ziploc bag mix together light mayo, s&p and a couple dashes of hot sauce. cut corner of bag and pipe into tomatoes. garnish tomatoes with small piece of bacon and lettuce.

roasted garlic shrimp with spicy cocktail sauce:
place peeled and de-veined shrimp on baking sheet. liberally season with evoo, s&p and minced garlic. cook at 400 degrees for 5 to 6 minutes. serve with jarred cocktail sauce. kick it up a notch by adding extra teaspoons of horseradish. can be served hot or cold.

fried mac and cheese bites:
cook package of velveeta mac and cheese add a couple slices of chopped bacon. place in casserole dish and let sit in fridge overnight for best results. cut mac and cheese into in bite-size square pieces. prepare three dunking bowls: panko bread crumbs, egg whites, flour. first dunk in flour, then egg, then panko. let set for a couple of minutes to let bread cup really stick to bites. when oil is ready, place three mac and cheese bites in at a time. let cook for 4-5 minutes, depending on size. serve immediately.

sister leonard's mini pesto burgers:
combine ground beef with s&p and form mini beef patties. grill 3 minutes per side, depending on how you like it. add provolone cheese and let melt. add dollop of pesto and place on miniature bun. (sorry we didn't take a pictures of these delicious treats...)

special thanks to my little sous chef. she's still learning.

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inspector gadget: avocado-cucumber toss

i was walking through williams sonoma the other day and found this gadget. what gal (or guy) wouldn't want to pit, slice, and smash an avocado within seconds? hint hint.

feeling inspired? i thought so. try out this scrumptious side dish:

avocado-cucumber toss
ingredients:
4 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp evoo
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered (about 12 tomatoes)
1 cup avocado, peeled (about 1 medium)
2 cup cucumber, chopped

directions:
combine first 4 ingredients in a jar - cover tightly - and shake vigorously. place tomato, avocado and cucumber in a bowl; add vinegar mixture, and toss gently to coat. serve immediately. makes for you and three amigos.

(photo credit - williamssonoma.com)

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i'll take two, please: veggie and goat cheese pizza, phyllo pizza with feta, basil and tomatoes, & simple tomato/feta salad

everyone who knows me is aware that one of my greatest weaknesses (besides chips - THE #1 guilty pleasure of my life) is pizza. the pizza is universal...and i don't know of a palette that doesn't crave a good pie on the regular. this past weekend, my roommates and i were feeling the hunger pains...so we opted for two pizzas instead of just one - and a simple tomato/feta salad - for health purposes, of course. back to the pies -

the first is a 'sis special'- my version of whole food's veggie pizza. (and like to think mine is better.)
the second pie is from my version of a bible, cooking light magazine.

'sis special' - veggie and goat cheese pizza
ingredients:
- fresh pizza dough (i recommend the $1 trader joe's bag of dough)
- pesto
- 1-2 squash (depending on size..get frisky)
- 1-2 zucchini (depending on size...why not be generous?)
- 3/4 to 1 cup goat cheese crumbles
- 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
- evoo
- s&p

directions: preheat oven to 400 degrees. dice up squash and zucchini to bite-size pieces. season with evoo and s&p - don't skimp. cook in oven for 10-12 minutes - just until soft. turn oven down to 375 degrees. roll out pizza dough on greased cookie sheet (put a lil flour on your hands to avoid the stickiness). cook pizza for 5 minutes - just until edges start to brown. spread pesto over pizza dough. add roasted veggies on top. sprinkle with goat cheese and mozzarella. add finishing touch with S&P. cook for 12-15 minutes until cheese turns golden brown.

phyllo pizza with feta, basil, & tomatoes - ingredients & directions are this way

simple tomato/feta salad
ingredients:
- 2 pints of fresh, heirloom tomatoes
- 3-4 tablespoons of feta cheese (go for the 4 tbsp.if you love cheese as much as me)
- trader joe's red wine vinaigrette (or anything similar if you have no tj's nearby)
- s&p

directions: mix tomatoes with feta cheese. top with red wine vinaigrette (or anything similar if you have no tj's nearby). season with s&p. serve chilled or at room temperature.

and the final products, my friends:

(sorry, no pic of salad...it went fast)

the 'sis special' & my cooking light masterpiece

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