Mediterranean Layer Dip

Time for another recipe swap! It is a good thing I keep doing these because they make me update my blog regularly. This weeks swap theme was something you would take to a Memorial Day cookout. I submitted S'more Brownies and in return got this fabulous dip from Baby Food Scoops. When I saw this recipe was immediately excited because I love these flavors (minus the onions of course). I have always been a fan of hummus, but this recipe makes hummus even more amazing. It adds texture and freshness that is sometimes missing. The best part of this dip is it healthy and guilt free.

INGREDIENTS

Note: Required quantities dependent upon desired amount of finished product.

hummus (I used roasted garlic)
cucumber, peeled and chopped
tomato, seeded and chopped
Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
feta cheese, crumbled
pitas, for serving

DIRECTIONS

Spread hummus onto serving platter. Scatter cucumber, tomato, olives and feta over hummus.

Serve with pita bread sliced into finger-sized pieces.

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Taco Pizza

I have been wanting to make some type of Mexican inspired pizza for a while now. When I saw my pick for this weeks recipe swap I was happy to see this Taco Pizza from The Weekly Pizza. And by that way, was a great idea for a food blog! This weeks swap theme was vegetarian. I am sure this would also be great with some shredded chicken or ground beef. You can really make this pizza your own by simply using what you have on hand.

INGREDIENTS

1 ball of pizza dough
taco sauce
1 15 ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
taco seasoning
shredded cheddar cheese
1 tomato, diced
1 avocado diced (I omitted)
shredded lettuce or fresh baby spinach (I just garnished mine with fresh parsley)
sour cream

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven - 475 F.

Prep pizza crust on the pan. Stretch ball of dough out to about 12-14 inches. Cook on lowest rack for 5 minutes. Slightly mash black beans in a bowl and add taco seasoning to taste. Top the taco sauce and then the beans and tomatoes*. Top with the cheddar cheese. Place back in oven for 9-11 minutes.

After pizza is cooked, top with a layer of sour cream, the lettuce, spinach or parsley and diced avocados.

*The original recipe calls for the tomatoes to be place on after the pizza is cooked, but I prefer mine heated with the pizza.

Recipe Rewind: Cheddar Ale Spread and Cauliflower Pie with Grated Potato Crust

Italian Beef Sandwiches

This is another recipe from an exchange. The theme was sandwiches or burgers this time around. I was happy when I saw a recipe I could throw in the slow cooker from The Cooking Nurse. There is nothing better then coming home to the smell of dinner in the air. I used a sirloin tip roast for this is it worked perfectly. The main thing I did differently was I separated the fat from the juice out of the slow cooker and mixed it in with the meat to keep it from getting dry.

Adapted from: Midwest Living

INGREDIENTS

1 (4 pound) boneless beef sirloin roast or beef rump roast
1/2 cup water
1 package dry Italian dressing
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
10-12 hoagie buns
1 1/2 cups shredded Italian cheese (I used sliced provolone)
pickles, sliced onion, sliced pepperoncini peppers (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Place beef in a 4-5 quart slow cooker. Add water, dry Italian dressing, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, and garlic powder. Cover and cook on low for 10-11 hours. Shred meat with two forks and place on hoagie buns. Top with cheese and peppers if using.

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Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

This was a last minute meal that I just had to make for Cinco de Mayo. I must say I am SO glad I did, they were better than I had hoped for. Since I didn't start making them until 8:00 at night I took the help of a rotisserie chicken from the store to move things along. These are great for dinner or as finger food for a get together.

Adapted from: Our Best Bites

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup salsa
the juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic, or garlic powder
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup grated Monterey jack cheese

small tortillas (I used flour)
kosher salt
cooking spray

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine. Add chicken, beans and cheese and combine well.

You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.

Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

I ended up with 19 taquitos.

Recipe Rewind: 7 Layer Dip and Chicken Enchilada Roll-Ups

Marlboro Man Sandwich

I always had cube steak growing up, but never in a sandwich. After years of seeing this recipe I finally gave it a try. I am happy to say I am glad I did. As you may be able to guess I omitted the onions (I hate them) when I made this, but I have kept them in the recipe below because chances are you will prefer it that way. Although I took away the onions, I couldn’t resist the urge to add cheese to this. Cheese is a must when it comes to sandwiches. This is a great fast weeknight dinner.

From: The Pioneer Woman

INGREDIENTS

1 whole large onion
2 sticks butter
2-3 pounds cube steak
seasoned salt, such as Lawry’s
½ cups (approximately) Worcestershire sauce
hot sauce, to taste
4 whole French/deli rolls
provolone cheese – optional

DIRECTIONS

Slice onions and cook in 1/4 stick butter until soft and light brown. Remove and set aside.

Slice cube steak against the grain. Season with Lawry’s.

Heat 2 tablespoons butter over high heat (in same skillet) until melted and beginning to brown. Add meat in single layer. Cook one side until brown, then flip and cook until brown, about a minute on both sides.

Add 1/2 cup (at least) Worcestershire sauce, 5 to 6 shakes Tabasco, and 2 tablespoons butter. Add cooked onions. Stir to combine.

Butter halved French rolls and brown in skillet.

To assemble, lay bottom half of French roll on plate. Place meat mixture, followed by a spoonful of juice from the pan. Top with cheese and other half of roll.

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Meat and Cheese Stuffed Shells

These are not your average stuffed shells...they are above average in my opinion. These are full of meat and creamy goodness. You can use any type of ground meat for this...pork, turkey, chicken or beef. Just try to make sure you do use some type of sausage for half of the meat, it gives it great flavor. This was the first time I didn't use plain cream cheese in this recipe. My local grocery store had the Philadelphia Cooking Creme on sale and it ended up being cheaper than the plain stuff so I gave it a try. The results were wonderful.

INGREDIENTS

20 large pasta shells (this will vary on depending on how much you fill them)
½ pound bulk Italian sausage (I used a pork sausage)
½ pound ground chicken/turkey/beef/pork (I used chicken this time)
4 ounces sour cream
5 ounces cream cheese or Philadelphia Cooking Creme*
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat over to 350.

Boil pasta in salted water according to directions. Drain and set aside

Over medium/high heat cook both meats seasoned with salt and pepper. Once meat is thoroughly cooked through turn off heat and stir in sour cream, cream cheese/cooking creme and ¾ cup shredded cheese.

Evenly distribute meat mixture into the pasta shells. Place shells open side up in a 9x13 baking dish. Top shells with ¾ cup shredded cheese and bake until cheese is melted and shells are warmed through, about 15-20 minutes.

*This was the first time I have used the Philadelphia Cooking Creme and it really gave the shells a wonderful flavor. I used the Italian Cheese and Herb blend. If you go with pain cream cheese and I would some Italian seasoning to the mixture to bump up the flavor.

Recipe Rewind: Pepperoni Bruschetta and Chile Cheese Bread

Cauliflower Gratin

It is that time again for another recipe swap. This week the swap was for a side dish. I submitted a wonderful Baked Lemon Pasta, which reminds me I need to make it again soon. And speaking of reminders, I was reminded of this great dish I had forgotten all about. The recipe I received in the swap was one I had made before. But it had been YEARS since I had made it. A thank you goes to Christine's Kitchen Chronicles for not letting me forget about this great side dish.

From Ina Garten

INGREDIENTS

1 (3-pound) head cauliflower, cut into large floretsKosher salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 cup freshly grated Gruyere, divided
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and stir until it comes to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Off the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of the Gruyere, and the Parmesan.

Pour 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of an 8 by 11 by 2-inch baking dish. Place the drained cauliflower on top and then spread the rest of the sauce evenly on top. Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup of Gruyere and sprinkle on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the gratin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Recipe Rewind: Chili Lime Marinated Drumsticks and Baked Ham and Swiss Rolls

Lentils with Pasta

I participated in another recipe swap and this time around it was pasta themed. My recipe was Pasta with Lentils. It piqued my interested because I had never mixed the two. I was also little worried because I am not a huge fan of lentils unless they are heavily flavored…think Indian cuisine. Since lentils are not easily found in stores near me and I wanted to get the most flavor possible I went looking at recipes that incorporated pasta and lentils. I wanted the recipe to be similar to the swap recipe, but I still wanted something to accommodate my tastes and ingredients I could easily obtain. The recipe I made did the trick!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup dry orzo pasta
1 14.5 ounce can vegetable lentil soup
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
salt
pepper
splash of balsamic vinegar
Parmesan cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS

Boil pasta in salted water according to directions on box.

In a separate pot combine soup and tomatoes. Heat over medium heat until warmed though; add a splash of balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste and turned down low.

Combine orzo pasta and lentil mixture and top each serving with parmesan cheese.

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Orzo with Garbanzo Beans and Goat Cheese

I went searching for a recipe when I realized I had some goat cheese sitting around with no purpose. While searching I added chick peas (garbanzo beans) to the list because I am lazy and didn't feel like thawing and cooking meat. The original recipe calsl for oregano, but I used dill since I had some on hand. This dish was very satisfying...creamy, comforting and had a nice bite from the chick peas.

Adapted from Epicurious

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups orzo (about 9 ounces)
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 15- to 15 1/2-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed, drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
15-ounce log soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)

DIRECTIONS

Cook orzo in large saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender, stirring occasionally. Drain orzo.

Whisk olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and minced garlic to blend in large serving bowl. Add drained garbanzo beans, cooked orzo, and chopped fresh dill; toss salad to coat. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper. Gently stir in crumbled goat cheese. Serve orzo salad warm or at room temperature.

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Oreo Fluff Cupcakes

I have seen numerous recipes for Oreo Cupcakes and had a hard time picking just the right one. Therefore I decided to mix it up a little. My favorite idea I saw was on Beantown Baker where she put half an Oreo on the bottom. Then I saw the fabulous idea of placing marshmallow fluff inside on Picky Palate. Next the laziness in my wanted to use a cake mix, so The Cake Mix Doctor cookbook gave me a little help as well. But wait...I need frosting. I decided to go with the Easy Vanilla Buttercream from. Cooks Illustrated (April, 2007). Now I think I have given all the credit where credit is due...here it is all put together.

INGREDIENTS

Cake
1 package (18.25 oz.) cake mix (I used chocolate)
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 package Oreos, divided
marshmallow fluff

DIRECTIONS

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. Set the pans aside.

Twist apart 24 Oreos. Place the wafer with filling on it, filling side up, in the bottom of each paper liner. Cut other wafers in half. Save 24 halves to place in the frosting. Crush the other wafer halves for the frosting. Take your remaining whole Oreos and crush 1 and 1/2 cups worth, set aside for batter.

Place the cake mix, sour cream, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 1 1/2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of the crushed Oreos and fold these into the batter until well incorporated. Fill liner just under 1/2 way with batter, place a dollop of marshmallow fluff on top of batter, then top with a little more batter. Once all your cups are filled give the pan a little shake so the batter gets distributed. Place the pans in the oven. **Please note: I ended up with extra batter after filling 24 cups because of my additions. I used the rest of the batter and baked up some mini cupcakes. **

Bake the cupcakes until they are lightly golden and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the cupcake liners, lift the cup­cakes up from the bottoms of the cups using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your finger­tips. Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before frosting.

Once cupcakes have cooled completely, frost with buttercream frosting. Place 1/2 of an Oreo on the frosting of each cupcake.

INGREDIENTS

Frosting
20 tablespoons (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2½ cups Confectioners’ sugar (10 ounces)
1/8 tablespoons table salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons heavy cream
crushed Oreo wafers

DIRECTIONS

In standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add confectioners’ sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Scrape down bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds; scrape bowl, add vanilla and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice. Mix in crushed Oreo wafers.

Recipe Rewind: Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip