Green is not just for Guacomole

They say it is not easy being green but this time of the year it really is.  Yesterday as I clipped my favorite plant, the Hosta (I know, I do not have a yard and I am obviously clipping public property.  Do you think if I  get arrested in I can plead amnesia or insanity and say I reverted back to my yard circa Summer 09 in 24141?), I thought about the vibrant color and how I can incorporate the lime and rich greens into my menu this week.

Then, as a gift from the foodie gods, I ran across this recipe in the NY Times this morning for asapargus pesto.  It reminds you that pesto does not have to be made with basil ... just like bean dip can be made with Edamame or Lima Beans, also green friendly foods.  *See Eda-mommy Dip on Chaos*

Asparagus Pesto

Salt
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch segments
1 clove garlic, or more to taste
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup olive oil, or more as desired
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1/2 lemon, or to taste.

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Add the asparagus and cook until fully tender but not mushy, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well, reserving some of the cooking liquid, and let the asparagus cool slightly.


2. Transfer the asparagus to a food processor and add the garlic, pine nuts, 2 tablespoons of the oil, Parmesan, a pinch of salt and a couple of tablespoons of the cooking liquid. Process the mixture, stopping to scrape down the sides of the container if necessary, and gradually add the remaining oil and a bit more of the reserved cooking liquid to moisten if necessary. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste, pulse one last time, and serve over pasta, fish or chicken (or cover and refrigerate for up to a day).

Porta Pops, Pop Rocks and Personal Confessions...

Last Wednesday was filled with many surprises. 

It all started with a sing-a-long,  a halt at Thomas Circle, followed by an event at Vastu with amazing treats, add in an off-color comment and finally a phone call confession that later made me question my judgment in others. 

The story is not the beginning or the end.  It is the food.  In the laws of story telling we know the muddle is the heart, and like most of my stories, the heart was in the food.   The food offered creative surprises all night long.  The mini potpies... the fondant tin foil and my two favorite Ps---- porta-pops (trade marked sdp) and poprock pieces (trade marked sdp).   

To follow the lollipop trend that has come and is on its way out was portabella mushrooms on a stick with corn pops on top---- AMAZING!  But the kicker, not photographed, was a chocolate truffle that offered a surprise as you savored the inside... a party in your mouth.  Yes, my friends... this treat was baked with Pop Rocks in the center.  PopRocks... the signature candy of my childhood, there covered in dark chocolate.  It took me to an amazing place. 

All DC events have great food and the wine always flows but no food has surprised me like the food I had last Wednesday.  It was creative, fun and quite tasty.  And the best part was that it surprised me almost as much as the phone call that ended my day.  The call and the confession and the email that follow is another story... a story best saved for the book. 

A Dip Down Memory Lane...

As I scavenged my computer this week for a dip recipe for a friend's beer club party, I came across six years worth of Encore Party Recipes. Ah the days of parties with staff to serve, bar tend and clean up, that you could also write off as advertising. I would throw a couple a year but always one big one during the holiday season. (Dear Vintage Cellar, Can you turn $200 into 10 cases of wine. XOXO, Stacey) They sure were fun and I did reward my ShopGals for working so hard... sometimes it was reward enough to see me relaxed with the Whos Who of the town buzzing with holiday cheer at the end of the evening. I am also sure that I gave away an outfit, bag or maybe a bonus to employees in my sheer Christmas delight on those evenings.


This year there will be no ShopGal holiday party or Festive Cookie exchange but there will be many functions that we all need to show up with a dish for. Wipe you tears, turn on the tunes and get to work... Here is my dish on the best, easiest and most liked dips to please the masses, ShopGal recommended:

*(recipes altered from Food &Wine, Cooking Light, sdp and jenny wagstaff of ShopGal Catering)

Asiago Dip with Crostini or Crackers
1 cup light mayonnaise
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/3 cup grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup sun-dried tomato sprinkles
1 (8 ounce) carton low-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese
32 (1/2-inch-thick) slices diagonally cut French bread baguette, toasted or crackers

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl; spoon into a 1-quart casserole. Sprinkle with 1tablespoon cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with toasted bread or crackers.

Blue Cheese-Walnut Dip
½ cup light cream cheese product
¼ cup crumbled blue cheese
12 ounce carton 1% low-fat cheese
2 tbsp brandy
2tbsp finely chopped walnuts

Place first 3 ingredients in food processor. Process for 1 minute. Stir in brandy and walnuts. Serve with crackers, apples, pears etc.

Lemon Artichoke Dip
1 small lemon, halved
1 bag frozen artichokes
8 large unpeeled garlic cloves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 thyme sprigs
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup mayonnaise
4 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons fine dry bread crumbs
2 teaspoons unsalted butter, melted
Crackers or bagel chips, for serving
Directions

Dethaw artichokes.

Preheat the oven to 425°. Drain the artichokes and pat dry. Cut each
artichoke into eighths. Quarter the remaining lemon half and remove
the seeds. In the bowl, toss the artichokes with the lemon pieces,
garlic, olive oil and thyme. Season with salt and pepper and spread on
a large nonstick rimmed baking sheet. Bake the artichokes for about 40
minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and tender. Let cool
slightly and discard the thyme. Coarsely chop 8 of the roasted
artichoke pieces and reserve. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°.

Peel the garlic; place in a food processor. Add the remaining roasted
artichoke and lemon pieces; pulse until finely chopped. Add the
mayonnaise and cream cheese and process until smooth. Season with salt
and pepper. Add the reserved chopped artichokes and pulse just until
combined. Spread the dip in an even layer in a small shallow baking
dish.
In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle over the
dip. Bake for 20 minutes, or until heated through and the topping is
golden. Serve with crackers or bagel chips.

Garlic and Dill Feta Cheese Spread
8oz package of cream cheese softened
4oz package of feta cheese crumbled
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp fresh dill
½ tsp seasoned pepper
¼ tsp salt

Mix all ingredients in the food processor. Chill 8 hours. Serve with cucumber slices and crackers.

Spinach Artichoke Dip
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
16 ounces marinated artichokes, drained and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
Two 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Tabasco
Spiced Pita Chips, for serving

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the
chopped onion and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until
softened, about 5 minutes. Add the artichokes and cook, stirring
occasionally, until lightly browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Add the
white wine and cook until nearly evaporated. Add the spinach and cook,
stirring, for 1 minute. Add the cream cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano and
lemon zest and season with Tabasco. Cook, stirring, until the dip is
creamy, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and serve warm or at room
temperature with the Pita Chips.

Is it SO Wrong to Want it All?

Lately I have been wanting my cake, cheesecake and maybe even a cupcake-- have it fed to me by someone cute and successful---all with no calorie intake. I know, I know, these demands are too high. This mentality gets a gal in trouble. And yes, a gal must give up something... but does she always have to make a choice?

For instance...last night at TJ's I was making a decision between sweet and savory. Do I get the Olive Oil Popcorn or the Soy Ice Cream? Did I want sugar or salty? After minutes of deliberation I did not choose... I got both because really, what is so bad about having a little of each?

Isn't life best when we have a little balance? Days filled with a mix of social and personal time, outfits paired with a pattern and solid, music combined with lyrics and instruments and dinners filled with equal proportions of sweet and savory. We should remember that in life we crave variety and without it we get bored, passive and stop growing.

Speaking of cravings... this morning a friend I have been wanting to see posed the question, "Cheese or Jam?" Mind you, he was referring to my music choices but of course I made it about food (as I always do). It reminded me of my favorite sweet savory treat that is the perfect example of this balanced life I crave. Full of all things comforting--- cheese, bread and fruit, Baked Brie can be served as a dessert or appetizer and is amazing whole or made bite sized.

Baked Brie and Jam
(Taken from the Rachel Ray website)

• 1 sheet frozen prepared puff pastry, 11 x 17 inches, defrosted
• 1 wheel brie cheese, about 5-inches round
• 2 tablespoons raspberry jam
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 1 box water crackers

Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice brie in half across the middle.

Spread the puff pastry sheet onto a counter and roll it to an 1/8 of an inch thick. Place half of the brie onto the puff pastry. Spread the jam on top. Sprinkle the almonds on the jam.

Replace the top half of the brie. Wrap dough up and over the brie, starting at the corners.

Turn over so the sealed side is underneath.

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve with crackers.

Baked Brie and Jam is proof that you can almost have it all, that you do not have to make a choice and that life is a little less boring with balance. I am still working on that calorie thing... again, sometimes a gal must give up something.

In fear that I would eat it all, I did not make Cheese and Jam for dinner but I did eat a balanced meal served playing a cheesy Ben Lee song and an 8 minute jam by Perpetual Groove and a couple of Coldplay songs in between... cause really, why must you choose?

More from the Luau...

Well... I am packing up Jess's food and sending her on her way to the makings of a yummy party. I love how the Key Lime Squares turned out! (See to the left)

Also on the menu:

Fruit and Chicken, Fish, Steak Kabobs

Coconut Crab Dip (see previous entry)

Melon, Asparagus, Procuitto Salad (see previous entry)

Margarita Cake with Coconut (see previous entry, add cup of coconut: half in cake, half to icing)

Pinapple Spread (see previous entry)

Key Lime Squares (see previous entry)

and finally... my new favorite salsa recipe:

Mango Lime Salsa

1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and diced (about 1 1/2 cup)

1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 Jalapeño chile, minced

1 small cucumber, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
3 Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

3 Tbsp fresh lime juice

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Season to taste with saltand pepper. If the salsa ends up being a little too hot or acidic for our taste, you can temper it by adding some diced avocado.

I am heading to take care of my sick mom and cannot be there for the festivities but congrats my dear friend, I am proud of you! Love you!

Chaos and Coconut????

I am contemplating a name change due to my new love of this fruit... I am digging it way more than chicken. Hold on, is coconut even a fruit?

I am preparing to make appies and desserts for a graduation Luau on Saturday. I am using lots of new recipes and a lot are filled with coconut. I must sample them before the real deal... right?

Today's sample is: Coconut Crab Dip. Yes, that is right- coconut and crab. Delicious.
I think that I will serve this in coconuts but I am still contemplating on the chip... baked plantains? Pita?Coconut Crab Dip
Ingredients:
1/3 cup well-stirred unsweetened canned coconut milk
3 scallions, chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh jalapeño chile, including seeds
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
1 lb jumbo lump crab meat, picked over and coarsely shredded
1/4 cup shredded coconut

Preparation
Blend coconut milk, scallions, jalapeño, and 1/4 cup cilantro in a blender until smooth and pour into a bowl. Whisk in mayonnaise, juice and remaining 1/4 cup cilantro until just combined. Stir in crab and salt to taste and serve spooned on ____________.

To be continued...

Okay ladies... here are the appy recipes!

Thanks for co-hosting the Encore party, Jessica!

Cheese Baked Olives
Two shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
36 pimento-stuffed green olives

DIRECTIONS
Mix Cheddar cheese and flour together in a bowl. Stir in butter, cover,
and refrigerate 1 hour, or more.
Heat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Form chilled dough into small balls, pressing a deep hole in the center
using your thumb. Stuff each ball with an olive, and seal completely.
Bake in the preheated oven 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown, watching
carefully and turning as needed to prevent bottoms from burning.

Southern Sushi

Adapted from Food Network
1/4 cup gorgonzola cream sauce (cheese and cream mixture)
2 tablespoons crumbled gorgonzola
4 leftover stalks grilled asparagus, cut into thirds
6 ounces grilled flank steak, cut into 12 1/2-inch-wide slices
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Roll Steak with gorgonzola and asparagus.  Serve with gorgonzola sauce.

Last night was the Encore Cookie Exchange and we tested out lots of new
recipes. My favorite was the breaded olive... cheesy and salty.  YUM!
A special thanks to Jess and Linda for offering their "Christmas House".


Smoked Salmon Cheese Ball

8 oz Cream cheese at room temperature
1/4 c Grated havarti cheese
1/2 ts Horseradish
1 Quick shake worcestershire
1 t Lemon juice
6 1/2 oz smoked salmon ( I used filets)
1 teaspoon crushed peppercorn
1/2 c Ground pecans

Mix all ingredients together and roll into a ball.
Roll in either chopped nuts or chives.

Childhood Favorites

In my house, everything is centered around food. I get this honestly... my mom is the same way.
To celebrate, we eat. To mourn, we eat. Almost all of my family memories and traditions are somehow tied to food. This weekend, I went home for a birthday dinner. My sweet Momma worked so hard to make it special by making all of my childhood favorites.

For snack, we had her famous
Pineapple Cheeseball
Ingredients:
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
3 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
2 teaspoons seasoned salt, or to taste
2 cups chopped pecans, divided

Preparation:
Directions for pineapple cheese ball.Combine cream cheese, drained crushed pineapple, chopped bell pepper, chopped green onion, seasoned salt, and 1 cup chopped pecans. Chill in refrigerator until firm then shape into a ball. Just before serving roll pineapple cheese ball in remaining cup of pecans. Serve pineapple cheese ball with assorted crackers. Pineapple cheese ball makes about 3 cups of cheese spread.

For Entree, Yucky Stuff (Hamburger Casserole that my dad hates, hense the name- Yucky Stuff)
Ingredients
1 lb. hamburger
1 sm. pkg. egg noodles
1 can tomato soup
1 can tomato paste
1/2 bag of shredded cheese
1 Green Pepper
1/2 Onion

Sautee onion, pepper and meat. Cook egg noodles. Add all ingredients to 9*13 casserole dish and bake at 350 until it bubbles.

For dessert, Cherry Yum Yum!
1 carton Cool Whip
1 1/2 c. graham crackers
1 can cherry pie filling
3/8 c. sugar
1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
Mix crumbs and butter and 1/8 cup sugar in 8x8 inch pan. Beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar. Add Cool Whip and mix well. Pour cherries over crumb mixture. Pour cream cheese mixture over cherries. Sprinkle with leftover crumbs. Chill before serving.

Eda-MOMMY Dip

Again, for this baby shower this weekend I made Edamame dip.
So YUMMY... and easy! I had made Lima Bean Dip for Jill's birthday
but wanted a little something different (and more green) for this green
and brown shower. I subbed out the edamame for limas...


Eda-Mommy Dip
1 bag edamame
1 clove garlic
salt and pepper
olive oil


Add garlic, edamame and seasoning to food processor. Add olive oil for consistency.
Add more seasoning before serving!


Serve with bread, crackers or veggies.

New Favorite Appetizer

Taken straight from BLOGHUNGRY, these savory sweet treats

were a hit at a baby show this past weekend.

Baked Brie Bites 1 pkg. puff pastry
1 egg
Medium wedge of brie
Small container of honey
2 thinly sliced and halved apples or pears
Small pkg. toasted walnut or pecan pieces

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Thaw pastry, unfold, dust with flour, and roll flat. Slice pastry into equal-sized squares. Place a cube of brie in the center of the square with 2-3 small slices of fruit, 3-4 pieces of nuts, and a drizzle of honey.

Fold corners of pastry into center and bunch edges together. In a small bowl beat egg with 1 Tbsp water. Brush egg mixture over pastry. Bake on a greased cookie sheet for 15 minutes or until golden