Coconut Berry Pizza

I found a fun recipe for fruit pizza. Check out my blog for the recipe:
Put a Lyd on it...

Hummus

This is adapted from my mom's recipe. The tahini is a little hard to find; you can find it in health or ethnic food stores. You can still make this without it, or even throw in some sesame seeds in the food processor instead.

2 cans garbanzo beans, drained
1/4 cup tahini (sesame butter)
3 T chopped cilantro (a handful of leaves)
2 -- 4 cloves garlic
juice of one large lemon
2 T water
1 T olive oil
a pinch cumin
Process in food processor until fairly smooth.Makes about 3 cups.Serve with warm pita and raw vegetables such as lettuce, chopped cucumber, diced tomatoes, chopped bell pepper, olives, or sprouts. Or use as a dip with chips or crackers.
Or make pinwheel sandwiches by spreading 3/4 - 1 cup hummus on a piece of lavash bread (or torilla), add lettuce (with the crunchy part torn out) or baby spinach and any of the other vegetables mentioned above. Roll it up and slice.

Creamy Tomatoe Fondue Sauce

This is a recipe I got from my good friend, Jessica. She made it for a baby shower and it was so amazing, I had to get the recipe. This recipe is actually for fondue, but I have made a meal of it. I don't have a fondue pot- I just used a small crock pot. Also, I bought my tortellini noodles in the bulk section at Winco. I just boiled them up with a bit of salt and olive oil and they tasted great! (You could probably use any kind of noodle though if you are going to make it a meal.) If I were going to serve it again as a meal over noodles, I think I would add a little bit more liquid to the sauce- maybe apple juice or a bit of cream or milk. It is very rich and this makes a big batch, but it is SO delicous! Hope you try this one out!

Creamy Tomato Sauce (Originally for Fondue)
1 T Olive Oil
1 med Onion, chopped
2 tsp Garlic, minced
1 28oz can Diced Italian Tomatoes with Oregano, Basil and Garlic
1 c. Apple Juice
2 8oz Cream Cheese, cut in 1” cubes
1 c. Monterrey Jack Cheese – shredded (I used mozzarella)

Dip ideas:
French Bread, Cubed Mozzarella, Pepperoni, Tortellini, Green Peppers, Bagel Chips

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until onion is very soft. Add the tomatoes, and apple juice. Simmer 10 min, until liquid is almost completely reduced. Add the cheese and heat, stirring constantly, until melted. Pour into a fondue pot, over medium heat.

Caramel Apple Bites

This recipe is from Taste of Home magazine. If you don't subscribe to it, you should! It's an awesome food/cooking magazine my mom got me hooked on a few years ago. ( Which reminds me, I need to renew my subscription!) If you know me, you know I LOVE anything with nuts. It's a fun recipe that's a little more eater-friendly than carameled apples.

Ingredients:

FILLING:
1/3 cup chopped unpeeled apple
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

DOUGH:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour

TOPPING:
1 package (14 ounces) caramels
2/3 cup evaporated milk
Green toothpicks
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions: In a small saucepan, combine filling ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened; set aside to cool. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add egg, vanilla and salt; beat well. Add flour; mix well. Shape dough into 1-in. balls. Flatten and place 1/4 teaspoon filling in center of each. Fold dough over filling and reshape into balls. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. In a saucepan over low heat, cook caramels are melted. Insert a toothpick into each cookie and dip into caramel until completely coated. Dip bottoms into nuts. Place on wire racks to set. Yield: about 3 dozen.

Tomato Parmesan Crostini

I'm sorry this isn't part of the theme, but I just got this recipe from my Mom and HAD to share it with you all. It is delicious. It just melts in your mouth and you will be going back for FOURTHS on this one!

4-5 tomatoes, plum or ripe whatever-kind-of-tomatoes you have on hand
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 T. chopped fresh basil
1/4 c. olive oil (extra virgin if you have)
salt to taste
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 loaf french baguette, sliced 1/2" rounds

Combine tomatoes, garlic, basil, oil and salt & pepper. Mix well and set aside. Mix the parmesan cheese and mayonnaise and spread on each bread round. Place bread rounds on baking sheet. Top each round with a spoonful of tomato mixture. Bake at 400 degrees fir 10 minutes or until bubbly & bread is toasted!

Two Easy Appetizers

Sorry I didn't have this one for you at the get-together. I had them all printed and cut, but I forgot to bring them. You might have noticed that some of the bread was burnt on the edges; remember to keep an eye on them under the broiler!

Easy Cream Cheese Dip
Place an unwrapped brick of cream cheese on a plate and cover it with about ½ cup salsa; microwave for about 30 seconds until soft. Serve with crackers or chips for dipping.


Spicy Cheesy Bread
½ lb. Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1 4 oz. can of diced green chilies, drained
4 to 5 Tbl. Mayo
1 loaf french bread, sliced
Mix cheese, chilies, and mayo. Spread thinly on bread slices and place on a baking sheet. Broil in the oven about 2 minutes, or until bubbly.

Cheesy Stuffing Cups

1/4 c. [1/2 stick] butter
3/4 c. chopped celery
1 1/2 c. water
1 pkg. [6 oz.] stuffing mix
1/3 c. dried cranberries [Craisins]
1/4 c. walnuts, chopped [pecans]
1 1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat Oven to 350*F. Melt butter in large skillet on medium heat. Add celery; cook and stir 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Stir in water. Bring to boil. Remove from heat. Stir in stuffing mix, cranberries adn walnuts. Add 1 cup of cheese and egg; mix lightly.

Spoon stuffing mixture evenly into 8 greased medium muffin cups, mounding mixture as necessary to use all the stuffing mixture. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese on the tops.

Bake for 10 minutes or until stuffing cups are heated through and cheese is melted.