Asparagus Dip June 15, 2009

Inspired by these asparagus sandwiches or maybe a little bit lazy for not wanting to roll out sandwich bread for an upcoming Francophones party…  I decided to make an asparagus dip.  All the flavor and texture of the sandwich filling in an easier-on-the-cook format…

 

 

ASPARAGUS DIP

1 jar of asparagus spears

¼ cup of egg-less mayonnaise

8oz of cream cheese

Garlic salt to season to taste

 

1. In the bowl of a food processor combine the asparagus, egg-less mayonnaise, cream cheese and the garlic salt.  Pulse until it becomes a paste. 

 

Serve with crackers or on top of crostini…

Almond-Stuffed Dates April 7, 2009

This is a dish I learned from Emeril Lagasse…  I have heard so much about dates wrapped in bacon on the internet that I wanted to give it as try using veggie bacon.

I brought this appetizer to one of our Les Francophones party.  And as always, these vegetarian experiments are usually a better hit with the non-vegetarians than with the true veggie people.  The husband of a friend was all over these, so much, I had to sneak a few out of the plate for Annie Mariel , my fellow “almost vegetarian” of the group, to get a chance to try them.

There are a few steps in making these, but I believe they’re worth it.  The amount of stuffed dates are contingent upon how many slices of veggie bacon you have… so I will give you the method here, not so much quantities.

 

ALMOND-STUFFED DATES

Pitted dates

About 1/3 of an 8oz pack of cream cheese

Almonds, with skin removed and toasted

1 package of veggie bacon strips, cut in half

Toothpicks

Canola oil spray

 

I first soaked the almonds in water to remove the skin… afterwards, I toasted them lightly in a 350F toaster oven for about 15 minutes, until the almonds start to smell a bit and turn a slight darker beige color. You can do this in advance if you want…

1. Leave the oven at 350F or pre-heat it to that temperature if you made the almonds in advance, which I recommend so you can handle them better.
2. Create an assembly line…  Take a date and make sure it does not have the seed inside… this might be a not so nice surprise for your guest’s teeth.  Take an almond and pick a bit if cream cheese with the tip.  Insert the almond into the date using the pointy end of the almond as a guide.  After the almond and cream cheese is inside the date, wrap the date with a ½ strip of veggie bacon and secure with a tooth pick.
3. Be careful using the tooth picks because they can tear the veggie bacon… remember this is a soy-based product and does not have the same fat content of the original…  now, place the stuffed and wrapped dates in a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and spray with canola oil spray.  This will prevent the veggie bacon to get too dry in the oven.
4. Bake in oven for about 10-15 minutes…  when you like the color of the veggie bacon, take them out.

Let them cool off a bit and take off the toothpick before serving…

Guava Paste and Cream Cheese March 15, 2009

This has to be the first dessert I was taught how to make… besides opening a bag of Hershey’s Kisses, that is.

I grew up in a house where there always was guava paste and cream cheese, two if my dad’s passions.  I guess the passion rubbed off on me, because nowadays I heart anything with either guava or cream cheese, not to mention anything that combines the two.

This is just so simple that’s difficult to even call it a recipe…

 

GUAVA PASTE AND CREAM CHEESE

3 strips of guava paste

3 strips of cream cheese – you can use regular or the 1/3 less fat kind – the only difference is that the regular kind will hold its shape better when eating it…

1. Place guava strips onto a plate and place the cream cheese strip on top.
2. Take carefully with your fingers and enjoy the pleasure…

 

Read well the guava paste packages before buying.  Buy guava paste that’s free of additives or artificial colorants.  It should only contain guava, sugar and citric acid.  Anything else in there you do not want it or need it.

If you’re not into cream cheese, or do not have it in the house, just use any other cheese like queso blanco, cheddar or even muenster would work well here… it’s just something to cut the sweetness of the guava paste.

Fresh Baby Spinach Pasta February 4, 2009

I’ve had this recipe in my Food Network Recipe box for the longest time…  Penne with Spinach Sauce  is a recipe from Giada DeLaurentiis that I have found fascinating since I first saw it on TV.

I did this recipe off the top of my head for my French conversation class group, and was pleasantly surprised to learn that I actually made it almost the same as the original.  Two of my friends asked me for dish using spinach… so I knew they would enjoy it.  But Katherine is not a spinach fan, and she loved this dish.  She said the goat cheese in the sauce made it for her.  So this can be something to try on your little ones…  Call it Shrek’s pasta.

I used local fresh spinach, with a somewhat larger leaf than the one you get at the supermarket.  Remember to wash your spinach well before using it in this recipe…

 

 

FRESH BABY SPINACH PASTA

¾ pound of whole-wheat pasta – I used penne, but any tubular pasta would do

2 cups of fresh baby spinach leaves, loosely packed, divided

3 ounces of goat cheese

3 ounces of cream cheese

1 small garlic clove, cut in small pieces

2 turns of the food processor of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

¼ cup Parmesan Cheese, plus more to sprinkle on top to taste

 

1. Boil the pasta in salted boiling water according to packaging directions.
2. Wash and dry well the spinach leaves.  Set aside a small bunch aside and chop.
3. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a food processor, add most of the spinach leaves you have not chopped, goat cheese, cream cheese, garlic clove, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Pulse a few times until the mixture becomes a light green paste.
4. When pasta is done, drain well while reserving about 1 cup of the cooking water.
5. Return the pasta to the pot and add the spinach mixture.  Mix well so the sauce loosens with the heat of the pasta and pot.  Add pasta water little by little to loosen the sauce to a creamy consistency.  Add the chopped spinach leaves and the Parmesan cheese and mix well.
6. Sprinkle more Parmesan cheese on top.

 

To reheat this pasta, I added a small amount of milk to a small pot together with the left-over pasta.  I also added a bit of cream cheese and more Parmesan cheese.  The sauce was creamy and delicious again as it was when done originally.

Breakfast Sandwich February 16, 2008

I am on a bread phase… and most mornings I crave bread in some kind of shape or form.  I know I should be more moderate, but sometimes the craving is too strong to ignore.

I love toasts with lots of butter, I love cheese toasts, I love melted cheese sandwiches… but the other day I saw a box of veggie bacon and I knew I have to do something with it.  I built this breakfast sandwich – cream cheese, veggie bacon, tomatoes on whole wheat toast.  It hit the spot… so much indeed that I ate it two days in a row…

 

BREAKFAST SANDWICH

Whole wheat Bread

Cream Cheese

2-3 veggie bacon strips

cherry tomatoes

1.  Toast bread.  Cook Veggie Bacon according to package directions - I put it in the toaster oven for 5 minutes turning it half way
2. Assemble components in your favorite way.

Enjoy your breakfast!!!!

Veggie Party Dip January 19, 2008

If you’re not in the mood for sandwiches, or just don’t have time to wait for the Veggie Party Sandwiches to set to cut the crusts, you can serve the dip by itself with crackers, crostini or even crudites.

 

VEGGIE PARTY DIP

12oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 large tomato, seeds removed, chopped as finely as possible

1 medium cubanelle pepper or 1/2 green bell pepper, seeded, chopped as finely as possible

1/2 medium onion, chopped as finely as possible

Olive oil to taste

Garlic salt and pepper to taste

1. Mix together the cream cheese, tomato, onion and pepper.
2. Add olive oil in small increments to soften the mixture until it’s in an easy-to-spread consistency.
3. Season with garlic salt and pepper.

Veggie Party Sandwiches January 19, 2008

Here in Puerto Rico we have a custom of serving at most birthday parties what we call “sandwichitos de mezcla”.  Roughly translated means “mixture mini sandwiches”.  They’re traditionally made with a bunch of things I don’t eat anymore… so a friend taught me to make this alternative version.

I will confess, my friend Ana Yolanda has requested these sandwiches for several of her home parties.  And I am not lying when I tell you these sandwiches go faster than the traditional version.  I make them on 100% whole wheat bread, so that’s why they are not super symmetrical.  Traditionally they’re made with club sandwich bread, but none of the brands available here are 100% whole grain.

 They’re super easy and super tasty…

 

VEGGIE PARTY SANDWICHES

12oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 large tomato, seeds removed, chopped as finely as possible

1 medium cubanelle pepper or 1/2 green bell pepper, seeded, chopped as finely as possible

1/2 medium onion, chopped as finely as possible

Olive oil to taste

Garlic salt and pepper to taste

1 packet of 100% whole wheat sliced sandwich bread

1. Mix together the cream cheese, tomato, onion and pepper.
2. Add olive oil in small increments to soften the mixture until it’s in an easy-to-spread consistency.
3. Season with garlic salt and pepper.

If you stop here… you can use this mixture as a veggie party dip.  Continue to make the sandwiches…

4.  Spread the mixture onto the one side of the sliced bread and assemble sandwiches.

 

5.  Take a clean/new handi-wipe or 2 paper towel and dip it in milk or water.  Squeeze the excess milk/water.  Place it at the bottom of a tray or Pyrex where you can fit all the sandwiches.  Place the sandwiches on top of one paper towel or the opened handi wipe.  Cover the sandwiches with the remaining damp paper towel.  Place the tray in the fridge for a few hours or even over night.  The paper towel will keep the sandwiches moist while in the fridge.  If not using, the top bread will dry out on you.

6.  Remove sandwiches from fridge and cut away the crusts and cut in quarters – either diagonally or vertical/horizontal.  It’s up to you.

Serve on a platter and see them fly away…

Creamy Cranberry Dip December 16, 2007

Using my Cranberry Preserves recipe, I decided to try it in a dip. People flipped when they tried it.

It looks like frozen yogurt, but it’s only my Cranberry Preserves recipe and mixed it with cream cheese.  That’s it.  Tastes sweet and looks like the holidays.  Enjoy!

 

CREAMY CRANBERRY DIP

1/4 cup of Cranberry Preserves recipe

4oz cream cheese, you can use the 1/3 less fat kind

1. Mix Cranberry Preserves jelly with the cream cheese in a food processor.
2. Garnish with a bit of the cranberry preserves jelly on top… so people know what’s in it.

Serve with your favorite cracker.