Hummus

I love hummus.  This is an easy recipe-no fancy food processor needed, I make it right in my blender.

2 garlic cloves, minced and mashed

1 15 oz can of garbanzo beans, drained

1/3 cup of tahini (roasted not raw)

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

I put all of that in my blender and blend till smooth-I add a little water if it needs to get "unstuck" and thinner.

Pita Chips

These are so easy and taste great with my homemade hummus.  If there are any left-my kids eat them up as soon as I remove them from the oven.

pitas

butter

coarse sea salt

Greek seasoning

Heat oven to 350.  

Spread a thin layer of butter on one side of pita bread.  If your pita is thick and you'd like thinner chip-like pita crisps, you can carefully, using a serated knife or simply by pulling apart, separate each piece of pita.

Place on bread on cookie sheets, butter side up.

Sprinkle seasoning and salt-don't go crazy! less is more!-over each buttered pita.

Bake in oven till bubbly and brown. Watch carefully as they burn quickly.  Usually mine are perfect in about 10 minutes.  I break them apart, or while they are still hot, I'll take a pizza cutter and slice them in wedges.

Cocktail Wieners

My mom has made these every Thanksgiving and Christmas, and my family loves them.

1 bottle chili sauce

1 jar red currant jelly

4 TBS brown sugar

1 package Lil Smoke Sausages

Mix first three ingredients on stove over low heat.  

Add sausages.

Heat through till hot.

Serve.

White Cheese Dip

1 pound white American cheese

1/2 cup milk

1 TBS butter

1 4 oz. can chopped green chiles

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

cayenne pepper to taste

Place cheese, milk and butter in a sauce pan over low heat.

Cook and stir until cheese has melted.  (Don't walk away,  or it will burn!)

Stir in the rest of the ingredients.

Add a little more milk if too thick.

Heat through and serve with tortilla chips.

Cilantro, Black Bean and Corn Salsa with a side of White Cheese Dip

I'm so addicted to this salsa. It's so good with just chips, but I've also used it as a side to grilled chicken. You could also put some grilled chicken pieces in it, and serve it as a salad.

Cilantro, Black Bean and Corn Salsa

1 can of yellow corn drained

1 can of white corn drained

2 cans of black beans drained and rinsed

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 bunch of chopped fresh cilantro

5 green onions, sliced

1 small red onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 avacados, diced

1 TBS minced garlic

1/4 cup lime juice

3 TBS olive oil

3 TBS honey

Mix them all together and YUM.

(Use good chips...they make all the difference.)

I also served this with this recipe and the kids LOVED it:

White Cheese Dip
1 pound of white American cheese, cubed
1/2 cup milk
1 TBS butter
1 4oz. can chopped green chilies
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
cayenne pepper to taste
Place cheese, milk and butter in a saucepan over low heat. Cook and stir until cheese has melted. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Add a little more milk if it's too thick for you. Heat through and serve immediately.
(Take a good chip, dip in salsa, drizzle the cheese dip on top...and now you know that you too have a terrible addiction.)

Avocado Tomato and Mango Salsa

This takes a little time to make, but is so worth it. I swear I could eat this whole thing by myself. In fact, I think I did once. Make sure your mango is ripe...it's supposed to be soft like a peach. Same with the avocado.

1 mango, peeled, seeded and diced

1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced

4 medium tomatoes, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

1/4 cup chopped red onion

3 tablespoons olive oil

Throw all ingredients in a large bowl,

refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

Serve with any chips, but my favorite are the lime ones.

Feta Dip

I thought I’d share this awesome super easy no-cook appetizer that has always been a hit.  This is that ONE recipe that I always get asked for the most.  And it’s ridiculously, embarrassingly easy. 

Here’s what you need:
olive oil
1 block (1#) of feta cheese  (I don’t like the pre-crumbled kind because I think it is dry)
tomatoes (any kind)…I use about 3 Roma’s
1 bunch of green onions
1 baguette
Greek Seasoning (see pic below)
1 large platter
1. Wet the platter generously with olive oil. 2. Dice the green onions and tomatoes. 3. Throw them on the olive oil. 4. Crumble the feta cheese and throw that on the platter.  4. Sprinkle the Greek Seasoning on top.  (I use about 3 tsp.)  I have seen this brand everywhere…it shouldn’t be hard to find.  (If you can't find it, you can sub with oregano and a little pepper and some salt to taste.) 4. Mix it gently all together…  5.  Until it looks like this.  (Festive, huh?) 5.  Slice the baguette.  A special word about the bread…it MAKES the dip.  I have found that the best bread is FRESH, bakery kind….the kind that comes in the long skinny paper bag.   You want it bite-sized and you want to cut it thin… 6.  …because this is how people will “dip”.  Or you can include a spoon if the people you hang around with are super polite and dainty.  I have never found that to be necessary.