Hummus- Allison

Hummus

1- 16 oz can Garbanzo beans
1/4 Cup bean liquid from can, reserved
1.5 Tbsp tahini
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 T lemon juice

Combine all the ingredients except for the bean liquid in a food processor. Let it run for a few minutes making it as smooth as it's going to get, and then slowly add the bean liquid

Coconut Shrimp

Coconut Shrimp is just plain heavenly.  We ate these yesterday with Allison's- Tom Kha Gai.  Scrumptious!  We like to use the Jumbo raw shrimp and butterfly them.  

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2-1 tsp cayenne (your preference)
• 2/3 cup 7 Up
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups flaked coconut
• 40 shrimp
• 3 cups oil for frying

Directions

1. In medium bowl, combine egg, 1/2 cup flour, 7 Up, cayenne and baking powder. Place 1/4 cup flour and coconut in two separate bowls.
2. Hold shrimp by tail, and dredge in flour, shaking off excess flour. Dip in egg/7 Up batter; allow excess to drip off. Roll shrimp in coconut, and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oil to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) in a deep-fryer.  (We never refrigerate these, just put them right into the hot oil.)
3. Fry shrimp in batches: cook, turning once, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Using tongs, remove shrimp to paper towels to drain. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.

Our Favorite Dipping Sauce

1/2 cup  Apricot Pineapple Jam
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup Spicy Brown Mustard- or whatever type you have- Dijon is good
1/8 tsp ginger powder

Mix it all up.  Warm it up if you like.  Serve with Coconut shrimp, egg rolls, chicken nuggets.  My kids love it over rice!

Crab Rangoon

We made these today to go with our Butter Yakki- they were so good.  Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 quart oil for deep frying
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 (6 ounce) cans crabmeat, drained and flaked
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 2 tablespoons water chestnuts, drained and chopped ( I didn't have any of this- so it was omitted)
• 1 (14 ounce) package wonton wrappers

Directions

1. In a large, heavy sauce pan heat oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese, crabmeat, garlic powder, paprika and water chestnuts.
3. Place approximately 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture in the center of wonton wrappers. Moisten wrapper edges with water, fold over the mixture and pinch to seal.
4. In small batches, fry the wontons 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown.

Baked Zucchini Fries & Wasabi Cucumber Ranch Dip

I took these zucchini fries to a ward cookout and they were a big hit.  They are reminiscent of Friday's crispy green beans.  In fact, I used a copy cat recipe of their   Creamy Cucumber Wasabi sauce to dip them in.  This is a tasty way to use up some of your garden zucchini- if you are lucky enough to have a plant. :)

Baked Zucchini Fries- adapted from Real Mom Kitchen

• 3 small zucchini (around 1 lb.)
• 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 packet Shake & Bake Coating Mix- I used Shake N Bake Parmesan Crusted
• salt, to taste- I would not use this and then add salt if needed later.
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1. Heat oven to 450ºF.  Trim the zucchini and cut each in half width wise. Then cut each half into 1/4 inch sticks.
2. In a bowl, combine the Parmesan cheese, coating mix, and salt.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the egg and water together. Place flour in another bowl.
4. Coat zucchini with flour. Then place zucchini in the egg mixture followed by the parmesan cheese/coating mix.
5. Place on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
6. Bake at 450 for 12 to 13 min. or until golden brown, rotate the baking sheet  180 degrees halfway through baking for even cooking. Serve with ranch dressing or marinara sauce for dipping.  I used the following dip.

Wasabi-Cucumber Ranch Dip
1/2 cup Hiddert Valley Ranch bottled salad dressing 
1/4 cup minced cucumber (peeled and seeded)
1 tablespoon whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon powdered wasabi
1/8 teaspoon salt
pinch ground cayenne pepper


Make the dip by combining all of the ingredients in a blender on high speed until smooth. Cover and chill. The dip will thicken as it chills. 

Spanakopita

The lovely spinach stuff Heather made at the reunion

1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 large onions chopped
2 (10 oz) packages frozen, chopped spinach thawed, drained and squeezed dry
2 T. chopped fresh dill
2 T. all purpose flour
2 (4 oz) packages feta cheese
4 eggs , lightly beaten (this was missing from the lovely dish due to lack of eggs)
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 (16 oz) packages phyllo dough
3/4 lb. butter melted


1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Slowly cook and stir onions until softened. Mix in spinach, dill and flour. Cook approximately 10 min, or until most of the moisure has been absored. Remove from heat. Mix in feta chesse, eggs, salt and pepper.

3. seperate one sheet of phyllo from the stack and evenly brush with a light coating of butter. place another sheet of phyllo over the butter and press the two sheets together. Cut the layered phyllo dough into long strips about 3 in. wide. Keep the remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap (or wet cloth) to keep it form drying out.

4. Lay out one strip of phyllo at a time on your work surface with one of the narrow ends close to you. Place a heaping T of filling 1 inch from the end closest to you. Fold the bottom right corner over the filling to the left edge to form a triagnle. Fold like a flag. Repeat with remaining phyllo and filling.

5. Place filled triangles on baking sheet and brush with remaining butter. Bake for 45 min to an hour (until golden brown).

When Heather did it she just layed out sheet of dough, brushed with butter. Spread filling, layer more dough and butter and bake until golden brown. (less work, just as good) Cut into squares before baking.  Six layers bottom, filling, 3 layers, filling, remaing phyllo.

Homemade Restraunt Style Salsa

I definitely love fresh salsa the best- but this is a great substitution- especially when tomatoes aren't looking too hot.

From BrownEyedBaker
Yield: About 6 cups (a.k.a. a ginormous batch)
Prep Time: 15 minutes
28-ounce can whole tomatoes (peeled) with juice
2 10-ounce cans Rotel (diced tomatoes with green chilies)
¼ cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 jalepeño, quartered and sliced thin
½ cup cilantro
Juice from ½ a fresh lime
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cumin

Add all ingredients to a food processor. Pulse until you get desired consistency (was about 10 pulses for me). Refrigerate for at least one hour, and then serve with your favorite tortilla chips.
*Note 1: This makes a large quantity so use at least an 11-cup food processor, or work in batches.
*Note 2: If you prefer a milder salsa, remove the seeds and membrane from the jalapeno before adding it to the food processor

7-Layer Greek Dip

7-Layer Greek Dip

Adapted by Our Best Bites from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. dill weed or Greek seasoning (salt free–go for a mix that just has herbs)
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 c. hummus
1 c. seeded, diced cucumbers
1 c. seeded, diced tomatoes
1/2 c. chopped Kalamata olives
1/3 c. chopped green onions (about 3 green onions completely chopped)
1/2 c. crumbled Feta cheese
1/8-1/4 c. minced fresh parsley

With an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, seasoning, garlic, and lemon juice until light and fluffy. Spread in the bottom of a pie plate or a small, shallow baking dish. Then spread a layer of hummus. In order, create layers by sprinkling the cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, onions, Feta cheese, and parsley. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours. Serve with pita chips, fresh vegetables, and/or flatbread

ARTICHOKE ROSEMARY BRUCHETTE-Mylinda

ARTICHOKE ROSEMARY BRUCHETTE-Mylinda

• 1loaf ( 1lbs)French bread ,cut horizontally in half
• 1cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4oz)
• ½cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1TBS chopped fresh or 1tsp dried rosemary leaves ,crumbled
• 2/3cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
• 1jar ( 6 oz) marinated artichoke hearts , drained and chopped
• heat oven to 375˚. place bread , cut sides up ,on ungreased cookie sheet. bake 10 min.
• mix ½ cup of the mozzarella cheese , the parmesan cheese ,rosemary ,mayonnaise and artichokes ; spread on bread . sprinkle with remaining ½ cup mozzarella cheese. bake 15to20 min. or until cheese is melted

ARTICHOKE ROSEMARY BRUCHETTE-Mylinda

• 1loaf ( 1lbs)French bread ,cut horizontally in half
• 1cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4oz)
• ½cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1TBS chopped fresh or 1tsp dried rosemary leaves ,crumbled
• 2/3cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
• 1jar ( 6 oz) marinated artichoke hearts , drained and chopped
• heat oven to 375˚. place bread , cut sides up ,on ungreased cookie sheet. bake 10 min.
• mix ½ cup of the mozzarella cheese , the parmesan cheese ,rosemary ,mayonnaise and artichokes ; spread on bread . sprinkle with remaining ½ cup mozzarella cheese. bake 15to20 min. or until cheese is melted

White Nacho Sauce

My friend in El Paso brought this to a lot of gatherings. Everyone always loved it. It was their family's "Secret" recipe so she never gave it out. Then finally, she wanted my egg roll recipe which I only agreed to give her for a swap. I changed it a little. I like more green chili flavor.
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz. Block of softened cream cheese
1 small can of diced chilis- I like to use a big can of green chili sauce
3 green onions chopped
1 soup can of milk (or thin to the consistency you like)
1 cup grated monterrey jack cheese
stir in saucepan or heat in crockpot.
If you would like
Add 1/2 package of Jimmy Dean Sausage, browned, broken up and cooked well.
Serve warm with tortilla chips. I think it is great with or without the sausage.