Artichoke Dip

Photo by Katie Guymon

I've made this hot dip for holiday parties, for bachelorette parties, and just recently, for a Labor Day weekend barbeque. It never fails to please a crowd--whether that crowd includes four year-olds with pretend pet sting rays named Luna or thirty-somethings with egg nog-induced munchies. It's just a titch bit spicy--and deliciously cheesy--but the salty artichoke is really what it's all about.

Artichoke Dip
-8 oz. of cream cheese, softened
-1 1/2 cups of light mayo
-1 14 oz. can of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped into small pieces
-3 green onions, sliced
-1/2 cup of grated parmesan
-1 cup of shredded mozzarella
-dash of hot sauce
-dash of Worcestershire sauce
-salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth.

3. Add the remaining ingredients--minus the onions--and stir together until combined. Add the onions at the end and stir gently.

4. Transfer the dip to a pie plate or shallow gratin dish. Bake in a preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes until the top is golden brown and the dip is bubbling.

5. Serve hot with crackers, or my favorite, blue corn tortilla chips.

Blue Cheese and Walnut Spread

Photo by Katie Guymon

Last Wednesday, Matt and I went to the Botanical Gardens for its weekly music series, which is one of my absolute favorite things to do during St. Louis summers. I put together a picnic basket o' goodies that included white bean dip with homemade pita chips and this blue cheese and walnut spread.

Even better than serving it with crackers? Slice up a green apple or pear thinly in place of the carbs. That's what I'll be doing next time.

Blue Cheese and Walnut Spread [adapted from Martha Stewart]
-4 oz. of cream cheese, room temperature
-4 oz. of crumbled blue cheese
-1/2 cup of walnuts, chopped
-kosher salt and fresh pepper
-crackers or apple slices, for serving

1. In a medium bowl, stir cream cheese with a wooden spoon until completely softened. Mix in walnuts; season with salt and pepper. Gently fold in blue cheese. Transfer mixture to a small bowl. Serve with crackers or apple slices. To store: Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, up to 1 week.

Roasted Shrimp Cocktail

Photo by Katie Guymon

Last Friday, Catherine came over for happy hour, and I served roasted shrimp cocktail. We both easily became believers in this twist on a pretty standard appetizer. The shrimp is incredibly easy to prepare (especially if you gather a weird satisfaction during the peeling and deveining process, like I do), but it looks elegant and tastes more special than the norm. Serve these shrimp with your favorite prepared cocktail sauce and a spritz of fresh lemon juice, and there you go.

Roasted Shrimp Cocktail [adapted from Barefoot Contessa; serving size: 4]
-1 pound of 16-20 count shrimp
-1 tablespoon of olive oil
-1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
-1/2 teaspoon of fresh cracked pepper

1. Peel and devein the shrimp, then rinse clean with cold water.

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the shrimp in a single layer on a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3. Roast for 6-8 minutes, just until pink, firm, and cooked through. Set aside to cool, or serve warm.

Cape Cod Dip

Cape Cod Dip
-8 ounces cream cheese, softened
-1 can condensed New England clam chowder
-1 medium clove garlic, minced
-1/2 teaspoon of Worchestershire sauce

1. Combine all ingredients and beat with electric mixer until smooth.

2. Chill, then serve with cracks or chips.

White Bean Dip with Homemade Pita Chips

Photo by Katie Guymon

I saw Giada making this easy appetizer on an episode of Everyday Italian, and I knew it must be mine. It tastes kinda like hummus, so if you've got a non-bean eater in your life, just lie through your oregano-covered teeth.

White Bean Dip with Homemade Pita Chips
-1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
-2 cloves garlic
-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
-1/3 cup olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons
-1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves
-salt
-freshly ground black pepper
-6 pitas
-1 teaspoon dried oregano

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Place the beans, garlic, lemon juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, and parsley in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the bean puree to a small bowl.

3. Cut each pita in half and then into 8 wedges. Arrange the pita wedges on a large baking sheet. Pour the remaining oil over the pitas. Toss and spread out the wedges evenly. Sprinkle with the oregano, salt, and pepper. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until toasted and golden in color.

4. Serve the pita toasts warm or at room temperature alongside the bean puree.

Matt's Birthday Dinner

Last Saturday, I hosted what will probably be my last dinner party for quite awhile (I hear new babies require a lot of attention) in honor of Matt's birthday. The birthday boy requested scallops and risotto. Holy heavy! Holy delicious! Needless to say, I kept the rest of the of the menu light.

Enjoy all of the recipes from the night.

Roasted Tomato Bruschetta [adapted from Rachael Ray]
-2 pints grape tomatoes
-1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
-salt and freshly ground black pepper
-1 loaf French bread
-4 scallions, finely chopped
-1/2 cup basil leaves, thinly sliced

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. 

2. Coat the tomatoes in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast 20 minutes to concentrate the flavor and burst the tomatoes.

3. Cut the French baguette into 1/2 slices and broil until lightly toasted.

4. In a bowl, lightly mash the roasted tomatoes and combine with scallions and basil. Top the French bread slices with the mixture and serve.

Seed Salad
This is one of my family's favorite salads of all time! My mom has been making it for years and years. It doesn't keep very well in the fridge (the word "soggy" comes to mind), so make sure there are no leftovers.

-1 1/2 heads of iceberg lettuce
-1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds
-1/4 cup chopped white onion
-2 tablespoons sesame seeds
-2 tablespoons poppy seeds
-4 tablespoons sugar
-4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
-1 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon pepper
-1 teaspoon Accent
-1/8 cup olive oil

1. Cut up lettuce in large bowl. Add almonds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and onion.

2. Mix together remaining ingredients, adding the olive oil last. Shake or blend well.

3. Pour the dressing over the salad no more than one hour before serving. Toss well.

Roasted Asparagus
-2 bunches of asparagus
-olive oil
-kosher salt
-fresh cracked pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 

2. Cut off the tough ends of the asparagus. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, then toss to coat the asparagus completely. Spread the asparagus in a single layer and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.

3. Roast the asparagus for 20-25 minutes, until tender but still crisp.

Goat Cheese, Pancetta, and Mushroom Risotto
I posted this recipe as one of my favorites of 2011 after only making it one time. Two times in, I continue to stand firm in my endorsement of this risotto. Wow, wow, wow.

-5 cups low sodium chicken broth
-10 ounces cremini mushrooms
-3 tablespoons butter
-1 medium onion, diced
- 1/2 cup pancetta, diced (4 ounces)
-1.5 cups Arborio rice
-1/2 cup dry white wine
-1/2 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
-3/4 cup goat cheese (3-4 ounces)
-1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
-1/2 teaspoon. kosher salt
-1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a boil over medium-high heat and keep warm over low heat.

2. In a large, heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion, mushrooms and pancetta and cook until the onions are tender but not brown, about 3 minutes.

3. Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter. Add the wine and simmer until the wine has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes.

4. Add ½ cup of warm stock and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes.

5. Continue with remaining stock, adding ½ cup at a time, and allowing each addition to be absorbed, until the rice is tender to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 to 25 minutes.

6. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the parmesan, goat cheese, chives, salt and pepper. Allow to sit for a few minutes before serving.

Seared Sea Scallops [recipe courtesy of Alton Brown]
-1 to 1 1/4 pounds dry sea scallops, approximately 16
-2 teaspoons unsalted butter
-2 teaspoons olive oil
-kosher salt
-freshly ground black pepper

1. Remove the small side muscle from the scallops, rinse with cold water and thoroughly pat dry.

2. Add the butter and oil to a 12 to 14-inch saute pan on high heat. Salt and pepper the scallops. Once the fat begins to smoke, gently add the scallops, making sure they are not touching each other.

3. Sear the scallops for 1 1/2 minutes on each side. The scallops should have a 1/4-inch golden crust on each side while still being translucent in the center. Serve immediately.

Edamame Hummus

Edamame Hummus [recipe adapted from Claire Robinson]
Please, please promise me you will find frozen shelled edamame. It took me longer to shell two cups worth than to actually make the hummus. Never again!

-2 cups frozen shelled edamame
-1 garlic clove
-juice of 1 lemon
-1/3 cup tahini
-1/2 teaspoon coriander
-kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
-1 cup of cooking water
-1 teaspoon of honey
-fresh vegetable crudités or toasted pita points, for serving

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add the edamame and garlic clove, and cook to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and strain.

2. Put the edamame and garlic into a food processor along with lemon juice, tahini, coriander, and salt and pepper. Puree until smooth and, with the motor running, drizzle in the cup of the cooking liquid to reach desired consistency.

3. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.

4. Serve with crudités or pita points.

Spicy Citrus Mozzarella Bites

Photo by Katie Guymon

Last week, I tried out my first two recipes from my new cookbook purchase, Claire Robinson's 5 Ingredient Fix. My girlfriends got together for - what else? wine - and so, I made a couple of cocktail-y type snacks. Both were easy, both were tasty.

Up first...

Spicy Citrus Mozzarella Bites
These, to me, are better the longer they marinate. They definitely have a unique flavor!

-8 ounces of fresh cherry-size (ciliegine) mozzarella balls, drained
-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
-zest of one 1 lemon
-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
-1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
-sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

1. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and serve immediately or chill in refrigerator until ready to eat.

Roasted Red Pepper and Artichoke Dip

You know what's awesome? Cream cheese. I bet you guessed I was gonna say that.

I mean, it's just so versatile. It's like a 2001 John Mabry sitting in the dairy section of your local grocery store. Am I right, or am I right?

My mother-in-law, Marilyn, introduced me to this tasty dip, and I've been craving it ever since.

Roasted Red Pepper and Artichoke Dip
-8 ounces cream cheese, softened
-1 package of dry Hidden Valley ranch dressing mix
-2 roasted red peppers, diced
-1 six ounce can of quartered artichokes, diced
-3 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
-crackers or pita chips

1. Mix the cream cheese and ranch dressing mix with a hand blender. Spread evenly into the bottom of a pie plate.

2. Add the chopped roasted red peppers, artichokes, and parsley evenly on top of the cream cheese.

3. Serve with pita chips or crackers.

A Super Bowl Party

So, it's the Monday after the Super Bowl, and despite the fact that I'm feeling quite disgusting after eating my weight in food yesterday, I'm here to share a few recipes from the little get together Matt and I hosted.

Our friends and I had engaged in general merrymaking, and for us, that included (but was not limited to): pulling up pictures of Fergie as proof of the unfortunate time she wet her pants onstage, whimpering over the cuteness of puppies, and drinking beer. Good times had by all.

These are the adorable cookies that Alice brought over the day before the game. They are from Clayton's Bakery and Deli in Saint Louis, the place Alice swears is the best for frosted cookies. Good to know. (Although, I have ordered cookies through the same gal who did my wedding cupcakes, and they were pretty spectacular. Just had to give a shout out).

Antipasto Pasta Salad [recipe courtesy of Cuisine at Home]

I had my eye on this recipe from the Cuisine at Home magazine ever since I saw it at the beginning of football season last fall. It contains approximately one million ingredients, and all of them are individually fantastic. But, put 'em all together, and that's when the magic really happens.
Vinaigrette:
-1 1/2 tablespoons capers, drained
-2 teaspoons anchovy paste
-2 teaspoons minced garlic
-1/4 cup red wine vinaigrette
-1 teaspoon dried oregano
-6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
-salt and black pepper to taste

Salad:
-8 ounces dry tri-color rotini pasta
-2 cups seeded and half-moon sliced cucumbers
-1 cup diced smoked mozzarella
-1 cup diced Italian salami
-1 cup thinly sliced red onion
-3/4 cup pitted and chopped kalamata olives
-1/2 cup pepperoncini, rinsed and stemmed
-1/2 cup sliced roasted red peppers
-1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts, quartered
-2 tablespoons capers, drained

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, according to package directions. Drain pasta, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
2. Purée capers, anchovy paste, and garlic for the vinaigrette in a food processor. Add vinegar and oregano; pulse to combine. Slowly drizzle in oil, and bled until emulsified. Season vinaigrette with salt and black pepper.
3. Mix together cooked pasta, cucumbers, tomatoes, mozzarella, salami, onion, olives, pepperoncini, roasted peppers, artichoke hearts, and capers for the salad in a large bowl. Toss the salad with vinaigrette to coat.
4. Refrigerate salad overnight.

Italian Beef
The hardest part of this recipe is the required shredding of the meat after all the cooking is done. All you need is a fork, some elbow grease, and some patience. The easiest part of this recipe is the joyful eating of the meat after the shredding is done.

-4 lbs. boneless sirloin
-1 package of dry Italian dressing mix
-1 package of au jus gravy mix
-5-6 pepperoncini and juice
-6-8 fresh garlic cloves
-hoagie rolls

1. Place all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for 4-5 hours. (I usually cut in the meat in half after four hours to check on doneness).
2. Shred, baby, shred.

Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip
Holy Lord, this dip is my Kryptonite. Courtney brought it over yesterday, but I think my recipe is exactly the same as hers. Luckily, most people serve it with celery sticks, so it's, at least, got something healthy going for it.

-8 ounces Frank's Red Hot buffalo wing sauce
-12 ounces cream cheese, softened
-8 ounces Marie's Blue Cheese salad dressing
-2-4 cups cooked chicken (can use Tyson's precooked grill strips and chop into smaller pieces)
-2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. Mix first four ingredients, spread into a baking dish, and top with cheddar.
2. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until cheese is bubbling.
3. Serve with tortilla chips and celery.

Restaurant Style Salsa

You guys. I just started reading The Pioneer Woman obsessively. This is no good. I could spend hours scouring through her recipes and checking out her photographs. Hours that I should be grading papers or reviewing some band's album or getting on the treadmill.

But, I have to say, The Pioneer Woman, bless her heart, pushed me out of my comfort zone yesterday. See, she posted a recipe for restaurant-style salsa, and the end result looked so good (I mean, not to toot my own horn, but the picture above is Exhibit A. Aren't those two tortilla chips so artfully placed?) that I had to try it. The biggest problem was that I had never used my food processor before. Yes, the food processor that Matt and I were was gifted at my bridal shower in August of 2010. That machine sat in my cupboard for well over twelve months...until yesterday.

See, I am intimidated of what I don't know how to do. Hey, that's just me. After Matt bought me the best birthday present ever (my DSLR), it sat untouched until I had the guts to sit down with my copy of The Nikon D90 For Dummies and start putting two and two together. The learning curve can be a little...too much. My mother has admonished me on several occasions for leaving the Cuisinart untouched in the cabinet, but now, there's not a darn thing she can say. 'Sup now, Jude?

Granted, there was some leaking involved. And a loose blade. But, nothing a husband can't fix after some good, old fashioned cursing from his wife.

PS - I made the salsa by following the recipe exactly. It only called for one jalapeño, but next time, I'd probably use two. And, I think I would get rid of some of the liquid from the can of tomatoes. The salsa is a titch too liquid-y for my personal taste. However, this salsa is really so very yummy, and it's a great alternative in the winter when lovely, ripe tomatoes simply do not exist.

PPS - I did not intend for I Used to Vacation to morph into a food blog. I'll try to do some other exciting things and write about them. Maybe.