Salmon Dip, Updated

I've been making this updated version of salmon dip for some time, but realized I never posted it.  I figured I better so if my kids attempted to make it they wouldn't wonder what happened. Then when they phone me and ask why it didn't turn out the same...well, let's just not go there.

1 8 oz.package cream cheese, softened
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1-2 minced garlic clove
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4-1/2 tsp. Tabasco or Franks Red Hot Sauce
fresh ground black pepper
4-6 oz. smoked salmon

Mix together cream cheese, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, onion, and seasonings. Break salmon apart and blend into cream cheese mixture.  Adjust seasonings as desired.  Serve with gluten free crackers.

Easy Cream Cheese w/Chives

8 oz. Cream Cheese

4-6 sliced green onions (about 2 TBS)

 2 TBS Milk

1/8 tsp. Garlic Salt

Dash of Fresh Ground Pepper

Beat all ingredients with a mixer until well blended and fluffy. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.

This recipe adapted from The Artistic Farmer

Cranberry Salsa

This is tasty, and very pretty to serve for your Christmas/New Years celebrations.
1 12 oz. bag of cranberries (frozen)
4 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup sugar (can add more, if desired)
2 limes, juiced
1-2 minced jalapenos (remove seeds & membranes for less heat)
2 garlic cloves, minced

Mix all ingredients together in food processor. Serve with chips or Chalupas.

Gluten Free Pita & Hummus

I'm not sure if these are really pita pockets, as I've never made them before.  But these were delicious served with Hummus.  Could also be used as a tortilla or wrap.  I used basically the same ingredients as Brazilian Cheese Bread, minus the cheese.

2/3 cups milk
1/3 cup olive oil
1 egg
1 1/2 cups tapioca flour
1 tsp. salt

Mix ingredients together well.  You can use a blender or food processor.  Heat a griddle or electric skillet to 375 degrees.  Lightly oil and pour batter as you would for pancakes.  Cook several minutes, flipping occasionally to check for doneness.  They require longer cooking than a typical pancake.

 Cut in half and serve with Hummus.

Hummus

I've been wanting to make some homemade hummus for quite some time. I purchased a jar of tahini for this very purpose, but it has sat on the pantry shelf looking rather lonely. In fact, it was nearing its expiration date. My daughter, Sarabeth took it upon herself to make a batch of hummus and it was superb! I found the tahini at our local grocery store next to the peanut butter.

1 can of garbanzo beans (some brands are called chickpeas-same thing)
1 1/2 TBS tahini
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 TBS lemon juice
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup reserved juice from can of beans

1/4 teaspoon cumin (optional for extra flavor)

1 TBS chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional, but it does add a nice flavor)
1 TBS olive oil (also optional, but nice for dipping)

Drain beans, reserving 1/4 cup of the juice. Combine first 6 ingredients in food processor. Mix on low for 3 minutes, or until smooth.

To serve, place in bowl. Using a ladle, make an impression in the middle of the hummus and filling with 1 TBS olive oil. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with pita bread, crackers, or can be used in a wrap.

I'm working on a gluten free pita bread and will post the recipe soon. But if you aren't gluten free, there are plenty of recipes for pita bread out there.

I can't wait to add some other flavors to this basic recipe, sun dried tomatoes or roasted red peppers, jalapeno...the variations are endless.

Black Bean Salsa

I can't seem to get enough of the summer's bounty of vegetables. I couldn't decide whether to make black bean salsa or corn. So I merged them. As usual this was a hit.

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1-2 avocadoes, chopped
1/2 onion, diced or 6 green onions, chopped
1/2 red pepper, diced
1-2 ears of fresh corn cut off cob or 1 1/2 cups frozen and thawed
1/2-1 fresh jalapeno pepper, finely diced
2 TBS fresh chopped cilantro
2-3 minced garlic cloves
1 TBS lime juice
1 1/2 TBS red wine vinegar
Salt to taste (1/2-1 tsp.)
tomatoes (I chopped and add my last tomato after I took pictures.)

Add chopped vegetables to a bowl. Gently mix in spices, lime juice, and vinegar. Serve with tortilla chips or as a side to tacos. For a salad, serve over a bed of lettuce with or without chicken. Or just heap into a taco shell and call it a vegetarian taco.

Smoked Salmon Dip

1 8 oz.package cream cheese, softened
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 minced garlic clove
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp seafood seasoning (I use Chef Paul Prudhommes Blackened Redfish Magic)
fresh ground black pepper
4 oz. smoked salmon or 6 oz. can smoked salmon, drained

(I didn't have any smoked salmon for the photo. The flavor isn't the same with non-smoked salmon.)
Mix together cream cheese, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, onion powder, seafood seasoning, & pepper. Shred salmon and mix with other ingredients. Serve with a variety of crackers.

This is also good spread on a toasted bagel for breakfast, lunch, or a snack.

Black-eyed Pea Salad

I was amused as I read of others making "traditional New Year's food." I wondered what in the world they were talking about. Maybe I've lived a sheltered life, having grown up in the Phoenix area-well except for great Mexican Food. Honestly, I've never heard about the good luck black-eyed peas deliver if eaten the day of the year. Truthfully, I'd never eaten a single black-eyed pea in my entire life.

After seeing the Pioneer Woman's Black-Eyed Pea Dip, I thought I'd give it a try. Not sure why they are in the pea family they taste and look like beans. Split peas at least are green, so look like peas.

2 cans black eyed peas, drained
1 chopped red bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped celery, include leaves
4-6 chopped green onions
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/2-1 fresh chopped jalapeno (remove seeds before chopping)
1 cup fresh chopped parsley (or cilantro)

1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
2 TBS sugar
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp
Fresh Ground Pepper to taste

Mix vinegar, spices & olive oil for dressing. Chop vegetables and add to drained peas. Mix all together and refrigerator an hour or so. Stir before serving.

We ate this as a salad with Glazed MahiMahi & rice last night. It was delicious. The pioneer woman serves it with chips as a salsa. Must be the jalapeno pepper that makes one want to eat it with chips.

Hot Wing Chicken Dip

2 (10 ounce) cans of chicken, drained and shredded
2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese, softened
1 cup ranch dressing
3/4 cup red hot sauce (we use Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Frito Scoops
Celery
Baguette Bread Chips
or anything else that sounds good for dipping.

Add all ingredients to small crockpot. Heat on hight 30 minutes or so, then switch to low/warm until ready to serve.

OR:

Beat cream cheese, ranch dressing, and red hot sauce. Fold in shredded chicken. Spread mixture into a pie plate sprayed with Pam. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Add cheddar to top and bake an additional 10-15 minutes. Serve hot with Fritos and celery sticks.

Guacamole

1-2 California Avocados (smaller, bumpy kind that turn almost black when ripe)
1/2 cup finely diced onion*
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 TBS lemon juice
1-2 TBS salsa or chopped tomato
1/2 tsp salt

Mash avocados and add remaining ingredients. Adjust ingredients according to taste. If you don't add salsa, you might want to add 1 TBS fresh chopped parsley or cilantro. Lime juice adds a nice flavor and can be used in place of lemon. (Fresh squeezed is nice with both.) If you like zip in your guacamole, try adding a bit of minced jalapeno pepper-a tsp at a time.

Chili Dip

1 8 oz. package cream cheese
1 can chili without beans (I use turkey chili)
chives or sliced green onion tops
shredded cheese
Tortilla chips

Spread cream cheese into pie plate. Sprinkle generously with chives. Add chili and top with cheese. Microwave 3-4 minutes, until cheese is melted. Serve with tortilla chips.

For sack lunches, I layer this in a food thermos jar. Include chips and a spoon and it's a change from sandwiches.

Spinach Dip

1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 bunch green onions chopped/with tops
1 pkg. frozen spinach, thawed
1 small can waterchestnuts, diced
1 pkg. dry creamy soup mix-my favorite was creamy chicken (they don't make it anymore.) Cream of onion,leek, or other cream soup will work-but it has to be dry not canned.
1 loaf unsliced shepherd's bread

Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, green onions, waterchestnuts, spinach, and dry soup mix. Cut a circle top out of the bread. Pull out pieces of bread from the inside to make a bowl. Fill with dip mixture. Slice top and use leftover bread to dip. You can also use crackers for dipping and of course tear away pieces of bread from the bowl.