Seven Layer Dip Redux

It's Super Bowl Sunday this weekend and we've been invited to a neighbor's for game day. 

If you're going to a similar get-together and looking for a take along appetizer, here's one of our favorites.

Long-time readers may recall that I posted this recipe a couple of years ago. It's easy, aside from the chopping prep, travels well,  no cooking needed and leftovers are scarce.

Seven Layer Dip

• 2 avocados, peeled, pitted and mashed (see NOTE)
• 1-1/2 TBSP fresh lime juice
• 1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 C salsa (drain if too liquid)
• 1 (8 oz) container sour cream
• 1 package taco seasoning mix
• 4 plum tomatoes, diced
• 1 bunch scallions (green onions) finely chopped
• 1 (16 oz) can refried beans
• 1 can black olives, drained and chopped
• 2 C shredded Mexican style cheese blend
• Chili seasoning (optional)
• Ground black pepper 

NOTE: I've made this recipe using fresh avocados bought a few days in advance hoping they would ripen green and not an overripe brown. But this time, a ready-made product in the produce department was so much easier (and reliable).

If you prefer to make fresh guacamole, continue with step 1.

1. Mash avocados in a bowl (if using fresh). Add lime juice, cilantro, salsa, and pepper.
2. Blend sour cream and taco seasoning in a small bowl (add in dash of chili seasoning if using).
3. Using a 9x13 dish layer ingredients: spread refried beans, top with sour cream mixture, then spread guacamole. Top with tomatoes, green onions, cheese and black olives.

Like with any recipe, there's lots of variations and ways to spice up this one. Adding chili powder to the sour cream kicks it up a little or a lot, depending on your taste preferences.

There's not much that can go wrong with this appetizer, except that it disappears when served at a large gathering. Serve with an accompanying large bag of chips. The "scoop" type chips work best. 

Claws and (KFC) Slaw

We've been invited to the home of domino playing friends for a "Lobster Fest" this weekend — our first since relocating to New England. We've enjoyed feasted on lobster mac & cheese, which is a big HUGE menu item in many fast food eateries and restaurants here, but it's really not the same as eating lobster. Trust me on this.

This weekend event is "a bring something" along. I volunteered to make coleslaw because it's a side dish also to the alternate used pork that's being served. Nope, I didn't use pre-packaged slaw, there's no need to since shredding a head of cabbage and carrots is easy-peasy with a food processor (and less costly than the packaged stuff too). We already had the needed ingredients including salt, vinegar, lemon juice, pepper, sugar, onion and luckily some buttermilk.

Since our friends said they enjoyed the coleslaw at KFC, a place we never eat at, I decided to try and duplicate their version. I checked online and found lots of sites showing the KFC Coleslaw Recipe. Apparently, it's quite well liked.

And, to save you some time in looking, here is one found online.

KFC Coleslaw Recipe

• 1/2 C Hellman's mayonnaise (only brand we use and "the best")
• 1/3 C granulated sugar
• 1/4 C milk
• 1/4 C buttermilk
• 2-1/2 TBSP lemon juice
• 1-1/2 TBSP white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1 head finely chopped cabbage
• 1-2 finely chopped carrots
• 2 TBSP minced onion

1. Chop carrots and cabbage into fine pieces using a food processor — it's easier.
2. Combine all other ingredients, including onions.
3. Add dressing to cabbage and carrots and mix well.
4. Cover and refrigerate min. 2 hours before serving; longer enhances the flavors.

According to Grenville, this slaw passed the taste-test. However, this version was too finely chopped for us. Next time we'll return to our recipe, which chops the cabbage and carrots in thin strands and adds celery seed, but no buttermilk.

How do you like (or not) your coleslaw?

Tuna-Pea Wiggle

Or, more often, called Tuna Casserole. 

It's a classic take-along dish to pot-luck suppers, gatherings of family and friends, or family dinner. But, it's not one we prepare as many recipes use condensed soup, crushed potato chips, or canned fried onions — none of which are "staples" in our pantry. 

But, this one is different. It includes none of those ingredients. 

This (slightly modified) version was on the Martha Stewart website. Instead of canned condensed soup it uses chicken broth, milk and flour for the sauce. (In fairness, celebrity chef Rachel Ray also has one that avoids condensed soup or chips. I'll try that one next.)

This altered version of the MS recipe added mushrooms and chopped celery as both are "staples" here. If you forget to advance defrost the peas, just put them in a small colander and run hot water over them. I used whatever pasta product was already opened vs. elbow macaroni. 

Tuna Casserole (ala Martha & Beatrice)

• Coarse salt and ground pepper 
• 3/4 lb tubetti or elbow macaroni (or substitute another macaroni)
• 1 C panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) 
• 1/2 ounce Parmesan, grated (2 TBSP) 
• 2 TBSP plus 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1 yellow onion, diced small
• 3/4 C mushrooms (modified recipe add-in)
• 2 stalks celery, diced  (modified recipe add-in)
• 3 TBSP all-purpose flour 
• 2 1/2 C low-sodium chicken broth 
• 1 1/2 C whole milk 
• 2 cans solid light tuna packed in water, drained and flaked 
• 1 C frozen peas, thawed

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 2 minutes less than package instructions (it will be undercooked). Drain. In a small bowl, toss together panko, Parmesan, and 2 teaspoons oil. 
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high in pot. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened, 8 minutes. Add flour and whisk to coat onion with flour. Slowly whisk in broth, then milk. 
3. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce is thickened, about 8 minutes. Stir in pasta, tuna, and peas and season to taste with salt and pepper. 
4. Transfer tuna mixture to 9-by-13-in.baking dish, top with panko mixture. Bake until sauce bubbles and crust is golden (17 to 20 minutes). Cool 10 minutes.

Grenville declared this one "a keeper" with a "fork up."

Party Favorite (Ours Too!)

The holiday season is get-together time for so many. Last week we attended a couple of holiday socials and our grandson's birthday celebration too. 

While it can be risky bringing along a first-time tried dish, I had wanted to a 7 Layer Dip after a few years of enjoying ones done by others for similar gatherings.

It was so easy once you assemble all the ingredients. The best part is that no cooking is required. You can dice some of the ingredients the night before or earlier in the day, then assemble everything later. It helps to make it a few hours earlier and refrigerate before serving. The ingredients set up better when chilled.

7 Layer Dip Appetizer 

• 2 avocados, peeled, pitted and mashed
• 1-1/2 TBSP fresh lime juice
• 1/4 C hoped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 C salsa (drain if too liquid)
• 1 (8 oz) container sour cream
• 1 package taco seasoning mix
• 4 plum tomatoes, diced
• 1 bunch scallions (green onions) finely chopped
• 1 (16 oz) can refried beans
• 1 can black olives, drained and chopped
• 2 C shredded Mexican style cheese blend
• Chili seasoning (optional)
• garlic salt to taste (optional) 
• ground black pepper 

1. Mash avocados in a bowl. Add in lime juice, cilantro, salsa, garlic salt and pepper and you now have guacamole.
2. Blend sour cream and taco seasoning in a small bowl (add in dash of chili seasoning if using).
3. In a 9x13 dish or large serving platter layer ingredients: spread refried beans, top with sour cream mixture, spread on guacamole. Top with tomatoes, green onions, cheese and black olives.
4. Serve with nacho chips.

There are many variations to this dish; you might have a different recipe which adds or omits some ingredients. I made it 3 times in a week and learned something each time. For example: draining diced tomatoes and removing some seeds is helpful as is draining the salsa if the brand is too liquid. Also, I combined scallions with tomatoes and mixed some of the cheese with the diced olives before spreading the layers.

There's not much that can go wrong with this appetizer, except that it tends to disappear. Be sure to have an accompanying large bag of nacho chips when serving. I plan to make it again during the holiday season (so let us know if you can stop by for a visit).

Broccoli Salad

This salad is often a mainstay for many potluck or holiday get-togethers, yet it's good anytime and even served at home. It was a first time dish at The Frog & PenguINN this weekend.

Broccoli salad can be overdone with too much mayonnaise and sugar. Too much of either and the broccoli can't be seen or tasted. 

A recipe in Cook’s Country magazine formed the basis of this version. 

Broccoli Salad

• 6 slices bacon, cooked and chopped fine
• 1/2 C golden raisins
• 1-1/2 lb. broccoli florets, cut into 1-inch pieces (we used 1 lb.)
• 1/2 C mayonnaise
• 1 TBSP balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 C walnuts, toasted and chopped; pecans will work too (we had these)
• 1 large shallot, minced (skipped this as had none)

1. Cook bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Drain on paper-lined plate.
2. Boil water; add broccoli and cook for about 1 minute, until sightly tender. Drain and place in ice water to cool, then drain again.
3. Whisk mayonnaise, vinegar, salt and pepper in large bowl. Add broccoli, raisins, nuts, and shallot (if using) and toss to combine. Season with (more) salt and pepper to taste.
4. Sprinkle with bacon and serve. I mixed the bacon in with the raisins and nuts in the above step.

Grenville declared a “keeper" and that's always high praise. It pairs well with many entrees, including beef, pork and chicken and we served it with grilled steaks for Sunday dinner. 

Ribs, Slaw & Baked Beans

This past weekend we invited good friends, Marty & Bob to join us to savor Grenville's famous Frog & PenguINN smoked ribs prepared with his special rub mix.

I prepared side dishes of cole slaw and baked beans — easy was the keyword.

Classic Slaw Dressing

I remember when the cole slaw mix bag had a dressing recipe  which called for white vinegar and white sugar. Since there was no dressing recipe on the bag, this one from the Fresh Express website was a delicious change. 

• 1 package cole slaw mix
• 1/2 C mayonnaise
• 2 TBSP rice vinegar
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 2 TBSP milk or soy milk
• 1 tsp ground celery seed
• 1/2 tsp salt

Whisk dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Let sit 15 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Stir before adding to slaw. Note: use a food or blender for a smoother dressing. 

 

Baked beans are a great side dish — summertime dining or take-along dish — especially when you make your own. Sure, you can buy canned baked beans and reheat them, but not only is homemade much tastier, but you can "doctor"  or modify it, and there's lots of variations. Some folks use ketchup and/or prepared mustard. So if you like those ingredients, substitute OR try some of your own variations.

 

(Baked) Campbell’s Pork & Beans

• 2 (28 oz.) cans Campbell's Baked Beans 
• 1/2 C brown sugar
• 1/2 C barbecue sauce
• 1 TBSP dried mustard
• 1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 5-6 slices of crispy cooked bacon, crumbled

1. Mix first 5 ingredients together in large bowl.
2. Fry bacon until well done. Reserve some of bacon drippings.
3. Sauté onion in drippings until tender, but not browned .
4. Add crumbled bacon and onion to beans, mix thoroughly
5. Bake uncovered in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until thickened to desired consistency. Cool slightly before serving.

 
 

Ratatouille to Go

This is the perfect summer take-along dish when you’ve been invited to a backyard pot luck as we were this  weekend. My first thought was to take along a pot filled with pieces of paper that read  luck, but clever as he thought this idea was Grenville suggested something edible.
As you may have read on our blog, he’s been bringing in freshly picked zukes all week. So, my second choice was to make a pot of ratatouille – a perfect take-along dish with a lot of pluses:

• Uses lots of veggies
• Easy stove-top prep (no heating the oven or house)
• Serve warm or cold – appetizer or main dish
• Healthy with lots of fresh veggies
• Fool-proof and easy to add variations

What’s needed -

• olive oil (extra virgin if possible)
• 2 or 3 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 medium onions, coarsely cut into chunks
• 3 green peppers, coarsely cut into chunks
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• fresh basil & oregano herbs (if available) use dried if not
• 1 tsp dried marjoram
• 1 large can chunked tomatoes
• salt & pepper

F&P Variation: There are lots of different recipes for making this dish. Many include eggplant which is first peeled and then cut into cubes before being sautéed. But since we had no eggplant, this version doesn’t include any.
Select a very large sauté pan. The one I used is called a “chicken fryer” and has high sides. Heat olive oil, add and sauté veggies  - doing each separately. First, I sautéed the zukes until just browned and soft, then transferred to a small colander to drain. Next, came the onions with the herbs and garlic added in, and then the peppers. Once everything has been sautéed, I combined them together in the pan, added the tomatoes and stirred them in gently over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until heated through.
Than, I transferred everything to a large Dutch oven and sprinkled grated cheese on top. Covered and let sit until cool. This dish serves a gathering. Leftovers are even better and can eaten as a vegetable stew. Crusty bread is a wonderful accompaniment (hint, hint, Lois), It can also be used as a primavera topping over pasta.

In Quiche You Didn’t Know

Yesterday’s post was about this week’s abundance of green summer torpedoes, which I referred to as cukes and zukes or cucumbers and zucchini.

The post also included a recipe fo Sour Cream Cucumbers, which  was enjoyed by friends who came for dinner last night with zucchini quiche.  Quiche is a recipe that lets you be as creative as you want with vegetables and cheese. This main ingredient in this quiche was (one guess only, please) zucchini.

Since yesterday’s post only covered cukes, the zucchini requested equal blog space. (Now don’t tell me, the veggies never talk to you  or that you don’t believe me.)You may have read it somewhere before on this blog, that the F&P garden is brimming with zukes  this season due to Grenville excellent gardening skills. This was my first zuke quiche , but it won’t be the last judging from our friends’ reactions and appetites. The last two pieces were part of our dinner tonight.

Zucchini Quiche

Deep dish glass pie – I use a 9 ½-inch deep dish and add extra veggies, like zucchini. Did I mention we have LOTS of zukes?You might need to stretch the crust a bit. My choice is 1 Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crust. Prebake crust per package directions.

F&P Note: The measurements below are approximate'; I was was “winging” it with my first zucchini quiche of the season.

• olive oil to coat pan
• 1 sliced zucchini, remove seeds if using larger zukes
• 1 small yellow squash
• ½  -1 C sliced green onions or thinly sliced onion
• 2 C shredded cheese – Swiss & cheese was used for this recipe
• 1 ½ tbsp of flour
• 1 C milk or half milk and half & half or light cream
• 4 eggs
• 1 tbsp fresh herbs (oregano, basil, parsley)l or ½ tsp dried
• ½ salt (to taste)
• ¼ tsp black pepper (to taste)

Heat oven to 375°. Prebake pie crust as directed on package. Cool after baking.

1. Add olive oil in bottom of large sauté pan, add zucchini and cook just until tender. Add scallions (or chopped onion) and cook a few minutes longer. Season with assorted herbs
2. Combine cheese and flour in bowl and toss to coat cheese with flour.
3. Sprinkle half of cheese in bottom of cooled baked shell. Spread zucchini mixture over cheese, add rest of cheese.
4. Whisk eggs, milk, spices until well blended; pour over vegetables and cheese.
5. Bake 40-45 minutes until filling is browned. It’s done if knife inserted in center comes out clean; the quiche will set up while it cools. Serve chilled or reheat before serving, if preferred.

Zuke Quiche is What’s for Dinner

Disappearing Easy Baked Beans

Following Saturday’s Spring Fling yard sale was a Neighborhood Watch picnic. Our friend and NW coordinator (Colonel Jan) reminded everyone that not only did we need to bring a covered dish, but actually put something in it to share! Grenville’s contribution was rosemary potato salad which he made Friday night.I volunteered to bring baked beans and since these are best served warm, I waited until after the yard sale and cleanup to get started because I had an easy recipe plan. The recipe below is virtually foolproof and will work with any canned beans, even Campbell’s®.

Easy Baked Beans       
Open cans of baked beans (or pork and beans if you prefer). My choice was (3) 28 oz cans of Bush’s® Best Maple Cured Beans.

1. Open beans and pour in pot.
2. Cook 1/2 lb of bacon until crisp. Remove bacon, drain, crumble and set aside. Reserve drippings.
3. Chop small onion; Cook in reserved drippings until tender.
4. Add cooked onion and following ingredients to beans.

2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp ketchup (catsup if you prefer)
1 tbsp prepared mustard
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Sample after adding and adjust amounts as needed.
Heat on stovetop for 15-20 minutes over medium to low heat.* Place into 1 ½ quart casserole. Top with bacon. Bring to event.
HOW you will know for sure that everyone enjoyed the baked beans?
By the nearly empty casserole dish you take home.

* Optional: Instead of heating on stovetop, bake uncovered in a 350°F degree oven for about an hour. (But why bother heating up the kitchen on a warm day?)

The after-picnic night time maneuvers were cancelled due to attacks of marauding seagulls in search of leftovers and no-see-ems starting their own evening maneuvers.