Joe's Stars

This is a great hors d'oeuvre that Joe Thornell introduced us to this past weekend! He says his mom has been making these for him since he was a small boy!

• 1 (16 ounce) package wonton wrappers
• 1 pound sausage
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped black olives, drained
• 1 cup Ranch dressing

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a mini muffin pan with cooking spray.
2. Brown sausage in a separate pan.
   
3. Insert wonton wrappers into the muffin pan so as to form small cups. Bake 5 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow the baked wrappers to cool. Remove from the pan.
4. In a medium bowl, mix the sausage, Monterey Jack, Cheddar, black olives and Ranch dressing. Fill the baked wonton wrapper cups with the mixture.
5. Bake the filled wonton wrappers 10 to 15 minutes, until the sausage mixture is bubbly and slightly brown. Watch closely so the wonton wrappers do not burn.

:)

Hummus

This is one of those recipes that is almost FOOL proof! It is quick, easy, and a great appetizer. This one came from Plantation Country by Lola Broadbent who had traveled the world with her husband Elmer. (Note the photo above as well as the examples are from Wednesdays Cook.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup of canned cooked chick peas (Garbanzos)
• 1/3 Cup Tahini (or Taheeni) I found it at Publix and Kroger - but any health food store
• 1/2 Cup lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt ( I like Sea Salt)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 teaspoons chopped parsley
• Olive Oil
• Paprika or Tony's Cajun Seasonings (whatever your taste leads to)
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. Drain the chick peas - reserve some of the liquid - JUST IN CASE!
2. In blender/food processor put lemon juice and slowly add tahini
3. It is a good idea to crush the garlic with a little salt prior to putting it in the blender
   
4. Add the garlic cloves and salt. Blend until it looks like this ...
5. 
6. Now gradually add the chick peas a few at a time until it is blended very smooth
7. You may need to add a little of the reserved liquid to help it blend - as necessary... but not TOOO thin!
8. It should look like this...
9. The only thing I don't agree with Lola is chilling it.... I think that if you don't chill it ... the flavors start to meld together nicely.... OF COURSE if you are making this early in the morning or the night before... of course... refrigerate it.
10. For plating.... swirl it on a plate, sprinkle Paprika or Tony's, and drizzle it with a great olive oil... or even maybe a flavored oil and parsley.
11. Of COURSE serve this with toasted pita bread that has been cut apart like a pizza.... or even french bread torn in chunks it not bad.

Just a note here.... I had a professor who is a vegetarian who eats this with every meal... but to change the flavor up... he will sometimes throw in cilantro for another layer of flavor.... however,,,,,,,,, your hummus will look green! ... BUT THEN AGAIN I LOVE Guacamole so green doesn't offend me!

Hmmmm... I wonder if Rotel would be good in it? I bet it would... if you try it ... email me and let me know !

Spinach Dip

This dip is good anytime of the year and for any occasion.


SPINACH DIP

1 – 10 ounce pkg of frozen chopped spinach
1 C. mayonnaise
1 C. sour cream
1 small can chopped water chestnuts
1 pkg Knorr vegetable soup mix

Cajun Seasonings to taste (Tony Chachere's or Slap Ya Mama)

Put your spinach in a colander and run warm water over it, until it is defrosted. Squeeze all the water out of the spinach and I do mean squeeze! Now I know it says chopped on the bag but it isn't really!!! So take that lump of damp spinach and place it on your chopping board and CHOP IT TO PIECES! Set it aside. Just a note.... I can rarely find chopped water chestnuts... they are usually just whole or sliced... so ... drain them and chop them to pieces as well!
Mix remaining ingredients together and stir in the spinach. Mix thoroughly and chill.
Serve with Wheat Thins ! Yum !

Now my wonderful sister-in-law, Virginia takes a bread boule and digs out the soft bread and puts the dip in the bread "bowl" which is can also be eaten. She places the pulled apart bread around the "bowl" on a nice platter and serves.... I never said these recipes would be skinny food!

*Easy and so impressive… people who hate spinach stand at the bowl ! Makes approximately 3 cups.

It has rained off and on here today... makes you want to curl up and read a good book... or maybe just tune into the Food Network!

Next time ... let's make Golden Cadillacs !

Hor d'oeuvres - Artichoke Dip

Summer is a great time to sit out on the screened porch with the fan whirling softly and relax. With the kids playing within earshot and the mosquitoes held at bay by the screening and rediscovering the art of simple conversation ...especially with the cost of gasoline going up daily. Late afternoon when the sun starts to sink and the afternoon air begins to cool is a great time just to enjoy each other. In this fast paced work-a-day-world take a minute to sit back.... and do NOTHING! It is amazing how much you can extend your life with the simplest things.

Speaking of simple this is a really easy and delicious dip...especially with a good glass of wine... or better yet... a tall glass of iced tea.... I am from the South Cher!

ARTICHOKE DIP

1- 1 pound can of artichokes (not marinated just brine soaked)
1 C. mayonnaise (I personally like Blue Plate Mayonnaise from New Orleans)
1- 8 ounce sour cream
1 pkg of Hidden Valley Salad Dressing Mix
½ tsp Garlic powder

Drain artichokes and chop finely. Combine all ingredients and refrigerate. Dish up when chilled and serve with raw veggies and crackers. Makes 2 cups.

--- As long as men don’t know they are eating artichokes they will gladly eat them… so call this wonderful dip something else… like… hmmmm…… HUNTERS DIP !


I am in the process of writing a Southern Cookbook for new brides or the new cook.... it is harder that you think... especially when you are used to just doing and not really measuring everything down to the 1/8 of a teaspoon.... but it is making me revisit some wonderful old "food friends"...the bad thing is ... I love to eat the results! I would hate to think I will end up a size larger by the time the dang thing is finished!...

Oh well, maybe next time we will talk about paint!

Hor d'oeuvres - Cheese Pecan Ball - Cajun Style

This is always a dish you can bring to a party and NEVER have to worry presenting it to your hostess...it's always eaten.

HORS D’OEUVRES

CHEESE – PECAN BALL
1- 8 ounce pkg cream cheese softened
1 C. pecans, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced

2 T Worcestershire sauce
5 dashes of Louisiana Hot Sauce (or you can use Tabasco)

1 T minced onion

¼ C chopped parsley

Cajun Seasonings (Slap Ya Mama! or Tony Chachere's )

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Combine cream cheese, sauces, garlic, onions and 1/2 C. of the nuts.

Form into a ball; chill for a couple of hours until firm.

Remove from the fridge and roll in the parsley and remaining nuts and sprinkle a little cajun seasoning on the ball.

Wrap in waxed paper and return to the fridge.

About 15 minutes prior to your guest arrival set the cheese ball out with assorted crackers.

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 How do you peel and mince garlic???? OK first pull one of the garlic pods off the ‘garlic toe’...it has a white papery shell… to remove that…simply whack the clove with the flat side of your large kitchen knife…presto your garlic is naked !! NOW simply chop the stew out of that thing!!

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Strange that I am already thinking about the holidays ... and it must be 90 outside or maybe it's because I have the AC set to 60!

Until next time.... maybe we'll cook rice!