Hot Roasted Artichoke Dip with Spinach and Asiago Cheese with Herbed Pita Chips

Dear Jess,

Oh man. Christmas is fast approaching, and the 'party food' lists are being completed.

Last night my cousin Mark came for a visit. He is visiting from Alberta until Christmas. Last time he visited I completely ran out of time, and couldn't get together anything worth serving. The chips were stale, the coffee was week, I had to ask someone to pick up veggie dip for the few veggies I had in my fridge... It wasn't tasty. It wasn't pretty. Basically, it was something from my nightmares. I decided to do a 're-do'.

This time I had a beautiful, large veggie tray with dip, some chocolate dipped pretzels, and this artichoke dip with pita crisps that I seasoned and made crispy in the oven. We demolished everything! It was so delicious! And just for the record, I had fresh ground non-weak coffee, tea, eggnog, beer, wine and juice to serve for beverages. I think I redeemed myself.

I have decided to pay closer attention to my 'kitchen inventory' these days. It is forcing me to take into account what I already have, and try to find recipes that include said items. This Artichoke Dip is a result of this searching. I had a can of artichokes left over from some other recipe I tried quite a while ago. Needless to say, I'm glad I did! As mentioned before, we demolished this dip! And this is saying something, because this recipe makes a fair amount of it!

Hot Roasted Artichoke Dip with Spinach & Asiago Cheese 
from The Looneyspoons Collections by Janet and Greta Podleski, Hearty-Choke Dip, Page 4
1 can (14oz/398mL) artichoke hearts (not marinated)
1/2 large yellow sweet onion, coarsely chopped
3 large cloves garlic, peeled and cut into thirds
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 can (19oz/540mL) no-salt-added white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup light (5%) sour cream (I used Fat Free)
1 tub (8oz/250mL) light garden vegetable cream cheese (such as Philadelphia brand)
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
4 or 5 dashes hot pepper sauce
1/2 pkg (10 oz/300g) frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry and chopped (I used the whole 10 oz package. I love spinach!)
1 cup packed shredded Asiago cheese, divided (You can use Parmesan or Romano cheese instead. I used a combination of the three.)

1. Preheat oven to 425F

2. Drain artichokes and pat dry using paper towels. Cut artichokes in half. Place artichokes in a small casserole dish or baking pan. Add chopped onions and garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Mix well. Roast uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring once, halfway through roasting time.

3. While vegetables are roasting, place kidney beans, sour cream, cream cheese, lemon zest and hot pepper sauce in the bowl of a food processor*. Whirl until smooth.

4. Remove artichoke mixture from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 375F. Let vegetables cool for 5 minutes, then add to ingredients in food processor. Pulse on and off until mixture is well blended but still slightly lumpy. Transfer artichoke mixture to a bowl and stir in spinach, a pinch of black pepper and all but 2 tbsp Asiago cheese. Spoon mixture back into casserole dish. Top with remaining 2 tbsp asiago cheese.

5. Bake uncovered on middle oven rack for 30 minutes, until mixture bubbles around the edges and top turns a light golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. It's hot! Serve with whole-grain pita chips or crackers.

*I don't have a food processor, so I just used my blender.

Pita Chips
adapted from allrecipes.com
4-5 whole wheat pita breads
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley

1. Preheat oven to 400F.

2. Cut all pita bread into whatever sizes/shapes you want your chips to be. Place them on a lined cookie sheet.

3. In a small bowl combine the remaining ingredients and mix well. Brush each pita piece with oil mixture.

4. Bake for 5-7 minutes, or until lightly golden and crispy. Watch carefully, as they brown easily!

I prepared the dip the day before (minus baking it.) Because of this, it was colder from being in the fridge over night, so I baked it for an extra 10 or 15 minutes. It still turned out amazing!

The chips were really yummy. The herbed seasoning was not very strong. They had a nice and subtle taste to them, and made the house smell delicious.

I hope you're not too busy, and you are finding time to relax during your holidays. I miss you and am really excited to see you again (hopefully soon!)

Love,

Mexican Lasagna

Dearest Jessica,

I love autumn. At first I was severely bitter about rushing through summer and thus feeling I missed out on it. But with the changing of the winds, wearing cardigans, hearing the geese fly south... I think I'm coming around to the idea.

This weekend was a very cozy one. On Saturday Jason and I made a last minute visit up to Bancroft to visit with Julia, Marky, their little boy Jack (2 years old!) and the little bun in the oven (7 months in!) We hunkered down, made individual pizzas, played some games and had a great visit. On Sunday we went to church for the 'intro' of the school year at the Gathering. Great teaching by Johnny. We then joined Jason's Mom (and family) and Grandparents for dinner. I love when a weekend can be full of community and relaxation. There was lots of sunshine and deep breaths.

Sometime in there I made one of my favourite 'go-to' recipes and realized I have never blogged it! It's from Eat Shrink and Be Merry. The dish: No Weigh, Jose! (Mexican Lasagna) I love this recipe for so many reasons. It's so healthy for you. You can keep the meat or ditch it and replace with more veggies and it's just as tasty. There is no pasta in it! I have made this so many times for sceptical eaters and never mentioned this. To this day no one has noticed the absence of the noodles. (Until I tell them because I love the expression on their faces!) And for a lasagna, it doesn't take much time.

No Weigh, Jose! Mexican Lasagna
From Eat Shrink and be Merry by Janet and Greta Podleski

1-1/2 lbs extra-lean ground chicken
1 cup each diced red onions and diced green bell pepper
2 tsp minced garlic
1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup frozen or canned corn
1-1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
2 cups your favorite tomato pasta sauce
1 cup medium salsa
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro
4 large or 8 small whole wheat flour tortillas
1-1/2 cups packed shredded light old (sharp) cheddar cheese (6 oz)
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 cup light sour cream

  
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.


2. In a large, non-stick pot or skillet, cook ground chicken, onions, green pepper, and garlic over medium-high heat until meat is no longer pink. Break up any large pieces of chicken as it’s cooking.

3. Add black beans, tomatoes, corn, chili powder, and cumin. Cook and stir for 2 more minutes. Add pasta sauce, salsa, and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low.

4. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cilantro and remove from heat.

5. To assemble lasagna, spread 1/3 sauce mixture over bottom of casserole dish. Top with 1/2 the tortillas, overlapping and cutting them as necessary to fit. Top with 1/3 sauce mixture, followed by 1/2 the cheese. Cover cheese with remaining tortillas, followed by remaining sauce. Sprinkle remaining cheese over sauce and top with green onions.


6. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes. Let lasagna stand for at least 10 minutes before slicing for easier serving. Top each piece with a dollop of sour cream.

Hint: If you prefer, you can substitute extra-lean ground beef for ground chicken and Monterey Jack cheese for cheddar cheese.

I added Zucchini and cut back on the meat. Usually I cut the meat out completely and sub in a smallish eggplant and 2 small zucchinis. There are many different ways you could do this.

As always, I miss you and love you. I hope your week is going so smoothly! I am very excited for this weekend. (Caitlin is most likely going to be here too!) Can't wait to hear lots of Kindergarten stories!

So Much Love,

Spicy Falafels

Dear Jess,

Today is the first overcast day all week. The sunny days have been delightful. It was a bonus to have the long weekend full of them. Try not to get jealous... but I got to relax by my pool with a stack of novels aaaaall weekend. (Except for my short shift of cleaning on Saturday morning.)

This recipe I have wanted to try for a while. It said it was to take only 20 minutes, so when Jason and I were super hungry and tired I decided to throw it together.

The main problem I had with this one was that the patties didn't stay together. The recipe said to mush the chickpeas with a potato-masher and/or fork until they were completely broken down. This is impossible. I got them as broken down as I could, but it just wasn't enough. I was afraid if I put them in a blender or food processor they would turn into hummus. Long story short, the patties turned into a scramble. A tasty scramble, but a scramble none-the-less.

That being said, it was yummy, filling, cheap, and perfect for a hot summer evening. We stuffed them in whole wheat pitas with spinach, red peppers, and tomatoes. Next time it would be worth whipping up a batch of some sort of spicy mayo or guacamole!

Spicy Falafels
adapted from this recipe
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
400g can chickpeas, washed and drained
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp hot red pepper flakes
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1 egg

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pan. Fry the onion and garlic over low heat for 5 minutes until softened. Tip into a large mixing bowl with the chickpeas and spices, then mash together with fork or potato masher until the chickpeas are totally broken down. Stir in basil and oregano. Add the egg, then squish the mixture together with your hands.
2. Mould the mix into 6 balls, then flatten into patties. Heat the remaining oil in the pan, then fry the falafels on medium heat for 3 minutes on each side. (Until golden brown and firm.) Serve hot or cold with couscous, pita bread or salad.

I miss you a great deal. I can't wait to see you in a couple weeks.

I Love You,
Sally

So Much Food!

Dear Sally,

I think Friday night was one of many theme parties to come. I love the idea of combining food and costume and great company. What is it about food that seems to bring people together (besides the natural need for sustenance)? The 1920s party was just the start of an epic journey through the history, food, and

fashion. I look forward to sharing many more nights like this one with friends!

Love,

Jess

The pictures were taken just before all the food was demolished. Sally and I were so hungry we were worried there would

be no food left for everyone else once we got it all togeth

er but thankfully there was lots!

There were yummy chocolate treats such as homemade
truffles and turtles.

I served avocado salsa with chips, homemade tortillas with

dip (no I did not make the dip) and yummy veggie pitas with a lemon-pepper bite!

I learned this recipe from my mother's friend Margie so I am guessing a little but this is what I do.

Veggie Pita Triangles

4- 6 inch multigrain pitas

4 oz cream cheese softened

1 tbsp. Italian salad dressing or 2 tsp dry seasoning

tomato and cucumber slices

lemon pepper

1. Combine cream cheese and salad dressing and let stand for a few hours.

2. Slice cucumber and tomatoes into thin slices and set aside.

3. Spread 1/4 of the cream cheese mixture over a pita. Place the tomato or cucumber slices on top and sprinkle with lemon pepper. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

4. Cut each pita into triangles and serve!