Garlic Red Bean Dip

Serves: 8+

Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp cilantro
1 1/2 cups red beans
1/2 tsp paprika
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:
1. Toss all items in a food processor and blend until smooth.

2. Top dip with additional sprinkle of paprika and cilantro if you'd like.

3. Serve with chopped veggies or toasted pita points.

Nutritional Info: 125 calories per 1/4 cup serving

Bon Appetit!
The Food Whore

Spicy Hummus

I love hummus. It's so delicious and healthy, and it's a great way to add some extra protein into a vegetarian meal.  I've already tried (and loved!) one hummus recipe, but one of things I love most about cooking is trying different versions of recipes.  The other day we had some spicy hummus from the grocery store, and I went in search of a new recipe to try.

Ingredients
2 cans chick peas, drained (reserve the liquid)
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp tahini
3 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp parsley
1 tbsp olive oil
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
dash of crushed red pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. In a large food processor, combine garlic, parsley, and the jalapeno. Pulse until well chopped

2. Add in the rest of the ingredients and pulse to mix. The hummus should be somewhat dry and may not mix well.  Add the reserved chick pea liquid until the hummus has reached the desired consistency. I added about 8 tbsp, and my hummus is pretty thick and creamy.

Makes approximately 3.5 cups; about 21 calories per tablespoon

Adapted from a recipe by Branny Boils Over.

Bon Appetit!
The FoodWhore

Spicy Black Bean Dip

A few weeks back I picked up some Chipotle Black Bean dip at Publix. It was on sale and I thought I'd give it a whirl. Well, this stuff was delicious.  It was great in a breakfast burrito and it was great just with plain pita chips.  Unfortunately, we're on a bit of a tight budget lately, so splurging on a tiny container of dip is just not an option lately.  So I went in search of a recipe so I could replicate this myself at home.  This recipe is based on one I found on Cooking Light's website.  I tweaked it a bit, of course, because that's what I do.

This is super tasty. It's got a mild kick to it, but it's not very spicy at all, despite the peppers added. If you want to make it a bit hotter, I'd suggest adding a little more spice to the actual dip or sprinkle your favorite hot sauce on top before serving so you swirl your chips through it when scooping it. 

Ingredients
1 can black beans
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 1/2 tbsp chopped jalapeno
1/4 tsp cumin
2 cloves garlic
dash of crushed red pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Combine all ingredients except the black beans in a small food processor. Pulse to mix.

2. Add the black beans and pulse until well-blended and relatively smooth and creamy.

Makes 1 1/4 cups; 47 calories per 2 tbsp

Serving Suggestion: Spread the black bean dip in a disposable pie tin. Top with a mixture of equal parts low-fat sour cream and guacamole.  Sprinkle with salsa and cheese and pop in the oven until cheese is bubbly for an easy and healthy Mexican dip!

Bon Appetit!
The Food Whore

Creamy Avocado Vinaigrette Dressing

Okay, so go ahead and add this to my "looks gross, tastes great" list.  I have been on an avocado kick like nobody's business lately.  I've probably had a bit of avocado every day for the past two weeks.  The other day, I bought a bunch of them at the store. I noticed yesterday that a couple were reaching that too-ripe stage, so something had to be done. I was hesitant to make guacamole because that would mean consuming a lot of unhealthy tortilla chips. So I opted for a salad dressing.

While this isn't a true vinaigrette dressing, it does satisfy the urge for a creamy dressing without all the fat and calories of ranch.  The avocado adds a delicious healthy/natural fat in lieu of olive oil.  I promise: this tastes great! And it could also be used as a great veggie dip, or as a spread in Mexican meals.  Honestly, I might even try this on an English muffin for breakfast tomorrow . . . that's how much I love it!

Ingredients:
2 avocados
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup fat free sour cream
4 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2/3 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
dash of hot sauce

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a small food processor and pulse until well blended.

Note: this is a thicker, creamier dressing. To thin it down, you could add more water, red wine vinegar, and/or lemon juice. Play around with consistencies. But just add a little at a time and see how it turns out.  Remember, vinegar or lemon juice will affect the acidity of the dressing and the flavor. Water will likely make it more bland and may increase the need for more seasoning.
Makes about 2 1/2 cups; 1 tbsp is 10 calories!

Fat-Free (and Delicious) Veggie Dip

Last month I went on a girls' weekend trip to Savannah for my good friend A's bachelorette party. I was in charge of bringing snacks for the hotel room. With 11 girls eating conciously (to fit into bridesmaid dresses and save room for Paula Deen's buffet), I opted for some healthier snacks. I came up with this FAT-FREE (yes, you read that right) veggie dip.

Ingredients:
16 oz fat free sour cream
3 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled
5 basil leaves, chopped
3-4 sprigs dill, chopped and stemless
1/3 cup diced red onion
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Combine garlic, basil, dill, onion, and salt and pepper in a small food processor and pulse until well chopped and blended.

2. Mix the processed blend, green onions and sour cream in a medium sized bowl and chill for about an hour before serving.

3. Serve with fresh chopped veggies.

Bon Appetit!
The Food Whore

The Holy Grail of Hummus

I would like to give a huge shout-out to a fellow food blogger today. Katie, of Good Things Catered, was recently kind enought to share with me her recipe for hummus. I will now profess my undying love for her: "Katie rocks my world!" (At this point, Katie is probably wondering if she should get a restraining order...no worries, I'm just a harmless food whore.)

I used to work at a deli with the most amazing hummus ever. Since then I have been in search of a recipe that could come close to the perfection they served. I tried many different combinations, but they all fell short. Then Katie shared her recipe, found here. It's creamy, delicious, and just what I was looking for.

My favorite way to eat it is spread in a pita with baby spinach, shredded cheese and red peppers. Toss it in the toaster oven til the cheese melts, et voila: a delicious, healthy, vegetarian sandwich.

Thanks again, Katie. And to everyone else, be sure to check out Good Things Catered, which is now my official food blog mentor.

*I've noticed recently that the link to Katie's blog hasn't been working with regularity lately, so here is the hummus recipe:

Ingredients

1 12 oz can chick peas
2 large cloves garlic
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 heaping tbsp tahini (sesame paste--found with ethnic foods)
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp salt

Directions
1. Drain water from the can of chick peas into a small bowl and reserve.

2. In a food processor (or blender), mix together the chick peas with the remaining rest of the ingredients, being careful to add second half of lemon juice and tahini slowly, stopping to taste.

3.  Slowly add reserved water for correct consistency,(about 1-2 minutes) until a smooth, slightly fluid paste is formed.
Note: to dress the hummus up for the table, the traditional way of serving is on a plate, with an extra drizzle of olive oil on top and a sprinkle of paprika and chopped parsley.


Bon Appetit!
The Food Whore

Post-Game Analysis

The Chili Bar

Super Bowl Sunday was a success. The game was great, the food was delicious, and the company was enjoyable. The only part I didn't like was the weak commercials. There were a few good ones, but overall I was disappointed. (My faves: FedEx's "Carrier Pigeons" and Tide's "Talking Stain").

The chili turned out great. Even though my large crock pot was over-flowing, it went down faster than Tom Brady at the hands of the Giant's D-Line. My friend, Coy, consumed 5 bowls, which I guess is the ultimate compliment to the chef. In fact, when I went to have my first (and only) serving at half-time, I had to scrape the bottom of the bowl to get a ladle-full. Everyone raved about it and was so impressed with all the toppings available. I actually meant to tell everyone it was actually ground turkey instead of beef, but it slipped my mind. I don't think anyone could tell, though.

My Chili

For the first time, I served cornbread with my chili. Typically, I do a sour dough loaf, but a co-worker suggested cornbread. The combination of the sweet bread with the spicy chili was delicious. I will certainly go the cornbread route again.

I also made a few revisions to my original chili "guidelines" that I posted last week. I added some fresh peppers and some ground dried peppers. I used 1/2 poblana, 1/2 jalapeno, 1 tsp habanero, and 1/2 scotch bonnet. I also ground up an ancho chile and a pasillo chile into powder. (Warning: wear gloves when handling these peppers!)

The football dip and bean dip were also quite successful. I've learned over the years to make only a half pan of the bean dip when there's a smaller crowd. Otherwise everyone stuffs themselves on it until they are sick. Then we all sit around moaning and clutching our stomachs and wondering why we don't have better self-control. (Sometimes I think I do put crack in it).

the football cream cheese dip

Extreme Close-Up of Football Details

As for my piece de resistance, the cake was amazing. Mr. Food Whore was a wonderful consultant. He helped out by properly lining up the teams in an accurate formation. He also informed me where all 7 of the referees should be situated. (The only thing missing was Bellichek's hidden camera.) I was thrilled with how this cake turned out. So much so that I took about 20 pictures of it. Below are a few of my favorite takes. All of the guests were massively impressed. And I had to convince them that it was ok to eat; I had taken enough pictures by which to remember it. (An extra special Thank You to Mrs. White who shared her recipe for this cake with me.)

The Super Bowl Cake

Close up of centerfield

Just like the '72 Dolphins, I would say my Super Bowl gathering was perfect.

Bon Appetit!

The Food Whore

My Salsa Makes All the Pretty Girls Dance

I have to admit, I bought salsa for many years, but after discovering this recipe for home-made salsa I will never buy again. I found the recipe for Salsa Borracha (drunk salsa) on allrecipes.com. I've tweaked it a bit to make it my own. It's super-easy and super-delicious, and it's a synch to adapt it to your own personal taste.

Salsa Borracha (Drunk Salsa)

Ingredients

4 fresh tomatoes
1 can diced jalapenos
1 (12 fluid ounce) bottle Mexican beer (or light beer)
1/2 cup water, or as needed
1 clove garlic
1 slice onion
salt to taste
favorite hot sauce (optional)

1. Place the tomatoes and jalapenos in a medium saucepan with the beer. Add enough water to cover the tomatoes and bring to a boil.

2. Let boil for a few minutes, then turn the heat down to simmer for 10-15 minutes.

3. Remove from heat. Let the tomato mixture cool for a few minutes.

4. In a food processor or blender, combine tomato mixture, onions, and garlic. Blend until pureed.

5. Add salt and hot sauce until seasoned to taste. Mix well.

6. Pour the salsa through a strainer to remove excess liquid. The salsa will still be warm at this point. I suggest chilling it in the fridge for at least 90 minutes before serving. Serve with tortilla chips.

Bon Appetit!
The Food Whore

Football + Food + Party = I'm in Heaven

Super Bowl Sunday is a little more than a week away and I feel like I've died and gone to heaven. Three of my favorite things (football, food, and parties) all in one night is almost too much for my feable mind. I haven't hosted an official Super Bowl party since the Bucs won . . . yea, it's been a few years. But this year, I'm back in the saddle. Here's what I'm planning on serving:

Cream Cheese Football Dip

7 Layer Bean Dip
Chili Bar with all the Fixins

Super Bowl Cake

The cream cheese football dip is something I try to make every year for the Super Bowl. My mom and I used to make it together when I was younger and the tradition has stuck. It's super yummy and pretty easy to make. Here's a link to the recipe. I love to serve it with Triscuits because they are sturdy enough to scoop the cream cheese.

The 7 layer bean dip is another famous recipe that was handed down from a family friend. My friends call it the "Crack Dip" because they are addicted to it. It's so easy to make, even Mike has prepared it before. I guarantee if you make this dip, your friends will ask for the recipe. Here's what you'll need:

13 x 9 pan

2 cans refried beans
8 oz sour cream

16 0z guacamole

green onions-chopped

can of black olives-sliced

2 tomatoes-diced and "drained"

taco seasoning

small can diced jalapenos

2-3 cups shredded Mexican cheese

1. Spread beans on the bottom of the pan and sprinkle with a 1/4 of the taco seasoning

2. mix sour cream and guac and spread on the beans; sprinkle 1/4 more seasoning

3. layer tomatoes, onions, olives, and jalapenos; sprinkle with 1/4 seasoning

4. top with cheese and sprinkle with the last of the seasoning

5. cook at 350 until cheese is all melted and bubbly; let it cool for a bit before serving so the cheese isn't scalding hot. Serve with tortilla chips.

For the main course I'm planning a chili bar. I'm going to fix a huge pot of my chili and then have a buffet of fixins which will include: cheese, jalapenos, onions, fritos, bread, hot sauce, sour cream, and crackers. I'll post the recipe for my chili closer to the big day.

And finally, the cake. A friend showed me this picture of a cake she'd made and I am now inspired. In fact, this cake is the entire reason I am having a Super Bowl party. To hell with funny commercials or the Patriot's history-making season, I'm in it for the cake. All the decorations are edible. I can't wait to get wait to get to work on this sugary creation so I can post my own pictures of it.Stay tuned for my chili recipe and pictures of the Big Game Buffet!

Bon Appetit!

The Food Whore