Spinach Artichoke Dip

YUM !  Thanks Holly!






Serves: 8; Serving = 1/8 recipe
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 20 min

Total: 40 min


Ingredients:
1 package (1 lb) light silken tofu, drained
1 package (8 oz) neufchâtel light cream cheese
1/2 c Parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic, halved
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 package (9 oz) frozen artichoke hearts,
 thawed and finely chopped
1 package (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach,
 thawed and squeezed dry


Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a
1 1/2- or 2-quart baking dish with cooking
 spray.

2. Place the tofu, cream cheese, 1/4 c of the
 Parmesan cheese,    garlic, and mustard in a
 blender or food processor. Puree, pushing
 mixture toward blade to start, until smooth.

3. Place the artichoke hearts and spinach in a
  medium bowl.
Add the tofu mixture and toss to coat. Pour
 into the prepared baking dish. Top with the
 remaining  1/4 c Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbling hot.

4. Serve with pita wedges and assorted veggies,
  such as celery sticks, carrot sticks, jicama sticks,
  and sliced bell peppers.


Nutritional summary:
Calories: 127
Carbohydrates (g): 7
Calcium (mg): 382
Fiber(g): 2
Omega-3 (g): 0.01
Vitamin D (IU): 0


:  )

Orange frappé

Orange frappé compliments of Holly!

Swap in a new afternoon pick-me-up
that won't skyrocket your blood sugar
- or widen your waistline. Reduced-fat
ricotta cheese  is the secret ingredient
in this creamy, calcium-rich dessert.

Serves: 1; Serving = 1 bowl
Prep: 5 min
Total: 5 min


Ingredients:
1/4 c reduced-fat ricotta cheese
1 tsp nonfat dry milk
1 1/2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp orange zest
1/4 c sliced strawberries, fresh, or frozen
loose-pack, partially thawed


Directions:
1. In a small bowl, combine the cheese,
dry  milk, honey, and zest. Stir briskly
until very smooth.

2. Top with the strawberries.


Nutritional summary:
Calories: 137
Carbohydrates (g): 16
Calcium (mg): 196
Fiber(g): 1
Omega-3 (g): 0.07
Vitamin D (IU): 0



:)

Rudolph the Red-nosed Cookie

I saw this online and decided to put it in the blog - and of course I altered the recipe...

	Sugar cookie dough - just buy the roll in the grocery story either plain or chocolate
	3-inch-long teardrop cardboard pattern (for Rudolph's head)
	Pretzels
	Spray Can of Frosting
	M&M's
	Red hots

1. Roll out the cookie dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Set the cardboard pattern on the dough. With the point of a sharp knife (parent's only), cut out the reindeer's head. Bake as directed.
2. Let cool. Break apart the pretzels to form antlers and attach them at the top of the reindeer's head with dabs of frosting. Add M&M eyes and don't forget the red hot nose. Makes 40 Rudolph cookies.

Robyn and Isabella are going to bake them up for Santa (and the guys at work)

The Devil you say? Deviled Eggs

It's weird how you decide to cook things isn't it? It might be a smell that triggers the emotion to eat something in particular, or it might be a thought that pulls you back to an old memory and puts a smile on your face. No matter what the trigger is the need to build something wonderful in the kitchen can not be quenched.

I sat here in the house by myself all day today doing nothing...I had a "feeling sorry for myself" moment and in the past I would have gone and spent money. Well as most of you know I am a poor college student so my "therapy" wouldn't have worked! So I started thinking about things that make me feel good, happy, safe, and yes loved... and of course,...I went to the kitchen to create something ...anything! And I wonder why I am FAT! Anyway, I started thinking about good times and happiness and that usually conjures up food.

Well, I loved my Mama Reid's Deviled Eggs at family gatherings...they were simply works of art! My immediate family hates deviled eggs so I rarely fix them. When I moved to Tennessee in 2001 we had a get together at my sister Laura's house. I knew my mom would be there so I figured at least she and I could eat deviled eggs (she likes them too.) So I made Deviled Eggs like Mama Reid did back in the 50's and 60's with Paprika and Sliced Green Olives... well to my surprise, Laura's husband Gary loved Deviled Eggs...so I then had a reason to make Deviled Eggs whenever we had a small gathering here in Tennessee. Gary was such a joy to be around, if you can imagine a huge blond bear that loved to laugh, tell lies(jokes), and loved to eat you would have a picture of Gary! He could make you smile even if you had the crappiest day in the history of time.... so this recipe is for Gary.

DEVILED EGGS

1 dozen eggs
½ C. mayonnaise
1 tsp mustard
salt and pepper to taste
paprika
sliced olives

• Put eggs in the bottom of a large stainless steel or glass pot.
• Don’t use aluminum as it will turn the yokes green.
• Cover the eggs with cold water and approximately 1 T salt.
• Put on medium heat and bring to a boil.
• Once the eggs are boiling, let them continue to do so for 10 minutes.
• Don’t be concerned if the shells start to crack, they are still good.
• When they are finished boiling, remove from heat and pour off hot water and run cold water over them until they start to cool.
• Crack and peel them under running water.

• After they are all peeled, slice the egg long wise and put the yoke into a small bowl.
• When all have been ‘deyoked’ put the egg white bowl on serving platter.
• Grate the yokes into a bowl, add mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper.
• If any of the whites were torn during the ‘deyoking’ you can grate it and put it into the yokes.
  
• Refill the egg white bowl with the mixture and sprinkle with paprika and top with an olive slice. Tasty and pretty.

I am always surprised at the number of people who really don’t know how to boil eggs… my mom used to put a dish towel in the bottom of the pot to keep the eggs from knocking too hard on the bottom of the pan…. Try it !!

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You say you don't have a deviled egg tray? Not an issue, just take a serving platter and fill it with dried split peas - - - place your finished egg in the peas and it will not slip slide away!

Classic Shrimp Mold

This is an OLD recipe that I started using back in the 70's - it is still a classic and still gets great reviews. I know sometimes recipes like this seem too time consuming and maybe a little daunting... but believe me it really is simple - it just looks like you slaved over it!

SHRIMP MOLD

1 – 8 ounce cream cheese
1 bundle green onions
1 – 10 can tomato soup
1 C mayonnaise
1 pkg Knox gelatin
½ C. chopped celery
1 T liquid crab boil
2 T Worcestershire
1 lb shrimp (small) boiled (reserve a few choice shrimp for garnish)
salt, pepper to taste

--------------

Melt cheese in undiluted tomato soup over low heat until cheese isn’t lumpy. A whisk is handy here!

Dissolve gelatin in ¼ C. water… when completely dissolved pour into the soup mixture.

Chop your celery and green onions finely and put into mix.

Add the shrimp that you have coarsely chopped and have drizzled the crab boil liquid on.

Add mayonnaise and seasonings. (I love Blue Plate Mayo! - It is a New Orleans staple)

Put into a PAM coated mold ( fish shape is always nice ) and refrigerate. You can do this over a two day period - or make it early in the morning and use it that same evening.

To unmold - simply run hot water in sink and push the mold into the hot water just shy of the rim for just a few seconds, remove from water, place your serving platter over your mold and invert the whole thing.

Pop back into the fridge and garnish with parsley or green onions and if you have a few spare shrimp pop them on the platter.

Serve with good club crackers. This is a wonderful dish and sounds harder than it actually is !

This mold makes a wonderful shower food, it is cool and creamy and tastes wonderful ! You will get rave reviews on this one !

Lately I seem to be dreaming about food... that always happens when I start going to the gym...maybe I should just get up and cook instead of just dreaming about it!
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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!