Due to the fact that I have a food blog, I think it's pretty obvious that I enjoy cooking. I know it's not something that everyone looks forward to, but I truly do. The only thing I don't love is the cleanup. Getting to the point, I threw a small party today which was to promote Kodak Gallery and to sell Scentsy products for a friend of mine. But for me, the real fun was cooking (and EATING) the food! So, for a grand total of 7 people, including myself, I made 4 appetizers and 3 desserts. Overkill, yes, but I just couldn't resist, and I have NO regrets. Bear with me here, this is going to be a long blog...
Chicken Enchilada Dip1 10 oz can chicken breast, drained and broken up with a fork
2 4 oz cans green chiles
2 jalepenos, seeds and pith removed, diced
1 cup mayonaise
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz cheddar, jack or mexican mix cheese
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Bake for 20-30 mins, until just brown on top and bubbly.
Mrs. Johns' Artichoke Dip1 14 oz can artichokes, drained and chopped
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup mayo
1 cup mozzerella cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder, or 1 minced clove of garlic
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Bake for 20-30 mins, until just brown on top and bubbly.
Spinach and Ham PinwheelsSpinach Parmesan Balls 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 cups Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp olive oil
4 small green onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 eggs, lightly beaten
salt and pepper, to taste
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a small sauce pan. Saute green onions and garlic until just softened.
- In a medium bowl, mix the spinach, Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, butter, green onion, eggs, salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into 1 inch balls.
- Arrange the balls in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned.
Ginger Cookies
Key Lime Bars (from Cooks'Illustrated)
Makes sixteen 2-inch bars. Published July 1, 2006.
If you cannot find fresh Key limes, use regular (Persian) limes. Do not use bottled lime juice. Grate the zest from the limes before juicing them, avoiding the bitter white pith that lies just beneath the outermost skin. The optional coconut garnish adds textural interest and tames the lime flavor for those who find it too intense. The recipe can be doubled and baked in a 13- by 9-inch baking pan; you will need a double layer of extra-wide foil for the pan (each sheet about 20 inches in length) and should increase the baking times by a minute or two.
| Crust |
| 5 | ounces animal crackers |
| 3 | tablespoons packed brown sugar (light or dark) |
| Pinch table salt |
| 4 | tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly |
| Filling |
| 2 | ounces cream cheese , room temperature |
| 1 | tablespoon grated lime zest , minced |
| Pinch table salt |
| 1 | (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk |
| 1 | egg yolk |
| 1/2 | cup fresh lime juice , either Key lime or regular |
| Garnish (optional) |
| 3/4 | cup sweetened shredded coconut , toasted until golden and crisp |
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Cut about 12-inch length extra-wide heavy-duty foil; fold cut edges back to form 7 1/2-inch width. With folded sides facing down, fit foil securely into bottom and up sides of 8-inch-square baking pan, allowing excess to overhang pan sides. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.
TO MAKE THE CRUST: In workbowl of food processor, pulse animal crackers until broken down, about ten 1-second pulses; process crumbs until evenly fine, about 10 seconds (you should have about 1 1/4 cups crumbs). Add brown sugar and salt; process to combine, ten to twelve 1-second pulses (if large sugar lumps remain, break them apart with fingers). Drizzle butter over crumbs and pulse until crumbs are evenly moistened with butter, about ten 1-second pulses. Press crumbs evenly and firmly into bottom of prepared pan. Bake until deep golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack while making filling. Do not turn off oven.
TO MAKE THE FILLING: While crust cools, in medium bowl, stir cream cheese, zest, and salt with rubber spatula until softened, creamy, and thoroughly combined. Add sweetened condensed milk and whisk vigorously until incorporated and no lumps of cream cheese remain; whisk in egg yolk. Add lime juice and whisk gently until incorporated (mixture will thicken slightly).
TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE: Pour filling into crust; spread to corners and smooth surface with rubber spatula. Bake until set and edges begin to pull away slightly from sides, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cover with foil and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours.
Loosen edges with paring knife and lift bars from baking pan using foil extensions; cut bars into 16 squares. Sprinkle with toasted coconut, if using, and serve. (Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 2 days; crust will soften slightly. Let bars stand at room temperature about 15 minutes before serving.)
Raspberry Yogurt Trifle1 large pound cake or angel food cake, diced into 1 inch cubes
1 32 oz container vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup milk
1 10 oz package frozen raspberries
1. Mix yogurt and milk in a large bowl.
2. Make a single layer of cake cubes in the bottom of a trifle dish (may use any old bowl).
3. Then layer 1/2 raspberries and yogurt. Repeat, reserving small amount of raspberries for garnish on top.
4. Let sit at least a couple hours so the yogurt can soak into the cake.
The result: I'm pretty sure every one was happily full at the end of the party! I don't have the patience for truly tedious recipes (which none of these are), so this was a lot of fun for me to prepare. I actually made the spinach balls earlier in the week when I had time, and froze them until this morning. They took 20 mins to cook, from frozen. The only recipe "premiere" on here is the key lime bars, and I will definitely be making them again!
On another, less exciting note...my husband was gone for work this week, and our meals consisted of rotisserie chicken, canned children's pasta, broccoli, grapes, mac n cheese, quesadillas, and other OH SO EXCITING meals :o) I wouldn't say that I ever truly cook to impress, but cooking for a 3 year old and 11 month old is just plain unrewarding...so, I make what they like, and jazz it up a bit for myself.
