Creamy Bacon, Tomato, and Avocado Pasta Salad

I love BLT's. I love them even more with the addition of avocado, but then ANYTHING tastes better with some of the green creamy goodness in it. It is also no secret if you've been following my blog, that I love bacon. I think just a little bit of bacon goes a long way in flavoring a dish and making it a standout. Tomatoes are another of my favorites, and I use them almost daily in the summer time when they are ripe. So, when I saw the picture for this salad on Photograzing, I had to click on it. I was not disappointed. All of my favorite things rolled into one delicious sounding salad. I was sold!

This salad is another very quickly made dish, which is great, especially during the week with the dinnertime rush a lot of us experience. Bacon is chopped and cooked until crisp.  Meanwhile, pasta is cooked, and while cooking, you can go ahead and chop the tomatoes and make your dressing. A quick dressing of mayonnaise (you can use light mayo as well) with lots of lemon juice, seasonings, and dill is whisked together and then added to the cooked pasta along with the bacon and tomatoes. The salad is chilled for about 30 minutes (fix your sides during this time), and right before serving you add the cut up avocados (any earlier and they turn brown). Done! I told you it was quick.

This salad was a HUGE hit in our house. We loved the tartness of the dressing along with the creamy avocado and smokiness of the bacon. I served it with grilled chicken, but I could certainly eat a bowl of this all by itself and be happy.  The recipe called for dried dill, and while it was good, the next time I will make sure to use fresh dill. This dish will be making many more repeat appearances in our home, and if you like all these ingredients as well, this is a great salad to fix!

Creamy Bacon, Tomato, and Avocado Pasta Salad

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

6 slices bacon, chopped into 1-inch pieces

3/4 pound (12 ounces) dried Rotini pasta

1 cup mayonnaise

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill (or 1 tablespoon freshly chopped dill)

1 1/2 cups tomatoes, seeded and diced

2 avocados, pitted and cubed

Directions:

Cook bacon until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Set aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Strain. Run cold water over the top until the pasta is cooled.

While your bacon and pasta are cooking, whisk mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, garlic powder, pepper and dill together in a bowl.

Stir cooled pasta, diced tomatoes, and reserved bacon into the dressing. Toss to combine. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Right before serving add cubed avocados.

Adapted from: Life's Ambrosia 

French Onion Dip

Do you have a husband that on occasion will bring home some utterly delicious junk food from the grocery store? Well, I do, but mine only brings home salty snack food. I'm still working on getting him to buy all the chocolaty treats though. Anyways, one of those times he brought home a tub of French Onion Dip along with a bag of chips. He was even trying to be "good" and bought the low-fat kind. Calorie wise, it wasn't too bad unless you ate the whole container, but looking at the ingredient list I felt a little nauseous. I get extremely upset when you can't pronounce half of the ingredients in the product. I mean really, is it necessary to add all of this additional junk into it? Yes, I do understand that preservatives are necessary, but there are also a lot of unnecessary additives in convenience food. I'm very passionate about the fact that many of these foods can be simply prepared at home with great results. They do take a little bit longer to make than going to a store and purchasing them, and I know sometimes when in a bind they are convenient, but homemade is always better in my opinion!

I've made french onion dip before by taking sour cream and a Lipton onion soup mix envelope. Still better than the pre-mixed stuff, but after looking over the mix not much healthier. I figured there must be a recipe out there for a homemade French Onion Dip, and I was going to find it. Which is where Foodnetwork.com and Rachael Ray came to the rescue. I'm not the world's biggest Rachael Ray fan, but the dip sounded promising.

After cutting and cooking the onions along with some seasoning, all you have to do is add the onion mixture to the cream cheese and sour cream. That's it, easy enough, right? I had to tweak the original a bit, but not much. The result is a fabulous dip that actually tasted even better after sitting overnight in the refrigerator. This dip makes a lot, but can be halved easily for smaller gatherings. It can be served with chips, but is just as good with cut up vegetables or crostini. It is also a great dip to take along on picnic's or potluck's. This is definitely a new recipe to add to my collection to be made many more times.

French Onion Dip

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 medium onions, quartered lengthwise then very thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cubes beef bouillon (I used 2 teaspoons of this)

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup beer (or additional water)

black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 cups sour cream

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

Salt to taste

Directions:

Place a medium skillet over medium to medium high heat and add the extra-virgin olive oil and the butter. Melt butter into oil then add onions and garlic cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add bouillon cube to the pan with water and beer (or all water) and cook until it "melts" coating onions, stirring frequently, 3 minutes. Season the onions with pepper, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate to quick-cool a bit.

In a medium bowl, mix together the sour cream and softened cream cheese using a rubber spatula. Stir in the onion mixture until completely combined, add salt if necessary. Chill for a couple of hours before serving.

Adapted from: Rachael Ray

BBQ Deviled Eggs

Don't you just hate when the "rules" regarding food constantly change? I do, and in the case of eggs, it's always something different. First they are good for you, then they are not, and right now they are "in" again. Who makes these rules? Regardless of what has been said in the past, I've always been a giant egg fan. I love them prepared any way. One of my favorite childhood memories was my dad making soft boiled eggs for weekend breakfasts. I also like them scrambled, in omelets, in frittata form, or sunny side up.

About a week ago I ended up with a plethora of eggs. They had been on sale, and long story short, I bought way more of them than I needed and was able to use, so I had to come up with some recipes that would require quite a few eggs.

What better way to use up copious amounts of eggs than to turn them into deviled eggs, and what better time of year to make these considering all the potlucks and picnics to get "rid" of them.

I found this recipe in one of my "Cuisine at Home" magazine and fell in love with it right away. BBQ Deviled Eggs? Two of my favorite things combined into one, no further convincing was needed.

This recipe is a bit of a departure from my standard  Snappy Deviled Egg recipe but it is just as good. Hard boiled egg yolks get mixed together with cream cheese, mayonnaise, mustard and barbecue sauce (aha!). Minced pickles (I used dill pickle relish), sweet onions, and parsley will add the final touch. The filled egg is then garnished with a drizzle of barbecue sauce and a pickle slice. Voilà!

These eggs were a giant hit! I loved the little bit of smokiness the barbecue sauce added and the crunch of the pickles. These eggs were gone in no time and are most definitely a keeper for our family! I know I will be making this recipe over and over again. I hope you'll give it a try as well, I'm sure there are plenty of occasions left during the summer months.

BBQ Deviled Eggs

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

12 hard-cooked eggs, peeled, cut in half, and yolks removed

2 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

1 tablespoon barbecue sauce 

3 tablespoons minced dill pickles (I used dill pickle relish)

2 tablespoons sweet onions, minced

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

Salt and black pepper to taste

Barbecue sauce for drizzling

Sliced pickles for garnish

Directions:

Mash egg yolks in a bowl; stir in cream cheese, mayonnaise, mustard, barbecue sauce, minced pickles, onion, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Season mixture with salt and pepper; stir until ingredients are well combined. Divide filling amount egg whites*.

Drizzle barbecue sauce lightly over each egg. Garnish each egg with a small pickle slice. Refrigerate until ready to serve!

* For easy piping, spoon filling into a heavy-duty plastic Ziploc bag. Cut a small hole in the corner; squeeze gently.

Adapted from: Cuisine at Home

Oma Ingrid's German Potato Salad

The cooking was simple in my family growing up. Uncomplicated meals that were balanced, but nothing fancy were the norm. The garden provided whatever vegetables were in season. Potatoes were a staple, but we also had pasta and rice on occasion. Meat was mostly pork, beef or chicken. My mom did not rely on pre-packaged mixes, so everything she cooked for us was made from scratch. 

I love her meals and still consider it a special treat the occasional time I get to fly home and she cooks for me. There are certain things only she can make properly, no matter how hard I try. It must be the extra touch mom's add to their cooking that makes it so special.

I didn't grow up with mayonnaise based potato salad, the one I grew up eating all my life had a vinegar dressing. My mom made, and still makes this salad to this day, and there are hardly ever any leftovers when it is served at the dinner table.

This salad is very simple, but full of flavor. It starts by cooking whole Yukon gold potatoes (or any other waxy potato variant) in their skin by steaming them. Once cooked, they are peeled while still fairly hot, cut up, and immediately dressed with oil, vinegar and vegetable broth. The hot potato acts like a sponge and soaks up the flavor of the dressing. Mustard, onions and spices round out the seasonings, and finally a good sprinkling of fresh parsley and chives are added for the finishing touch.

This salad is my go to salad, especially when the meat I'm serving alongside is heavy (like ribs or Bratwurst) or when I have mayo based side dishes like coleslaw. My kids have come to love Oma Ingrid's salad as much as I do, and my husband prefers this variation over other versions as well. I hope you'll give this one a try, and you and your family love it as much as we do. Why not add a little piece of Franconia to your dinner table?

Oma Ingrid's German Potato Salad

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/4 - 1/3 cup hot vegetable broth (water with a vegetable bullion cube dissolved)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon brown deli mustard
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons parsley, minced
2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped

Directions:
Wash potatoes, place in a double boiler/steamer basket over hot water and cook until tender. Remove and let cool for about 5 minutes, then peel and cut into quarters which are then cut into 1/8 inch slices and place in a large bowl.

Immediately after slicing the potatoes, add the oil, vinegars, and 1/4 cup of the broth. Carefully toss to coat. Add onions, mustard, herbs, and season with salt and pepper. If your potato salad seems dry, add the rest of the broth. Serve or refrigerate until ready for use.

Adapted from: my mom

Potato-Pea Salad

I'm always on the hunt to add to my salad repertoire for the summer months and BBQ season. This is how I found this wonderful potato salad. I think there is no such thing as too many salad recipes. I thrive on trying out new dishes, and also on not eating the same thing all the time. True, I do have a few recipes that date back to my childhood which I will make to this day since they are pure comfort food but my family has fun with new meals and they enjoy giving me commentary on what to improve or when to toss the recipe and ban it forever from the table.

This salad was well received all the way around. Considering the 4 main "players" are potatoes, peas, bacon and cheese I didn't think it was going to go any other way. The salad is a combination of a tasty potato salad and a pea salad. Two of my favorites combined into one was all I needed to be convinced to make this dish.

I like to make all of my potato recipes with Yukon Gold potatoes (or any other waxy kind). I think they hold their shape much better than russet potatoes even after boiling. Nothing worse than a "mushy" potato salad. Usually I steam my potatoes with the skin on to make potato salad and remove it after they are cooked, but in this recipe it calls for peeling and slicing the potatoes prior to cooking. I stuck with my regular method, but I'm sure either way works fine.

The recipe calls for cheddar cheese, so I decided to go with my favorite extra sharp cheddar. I don't ever bother with mild or medium cheddar since I want to be able to taste the cheese, and I believe by using a cheese with more flavor you tend to use less, hence you save a few calories and don't we all like to do this when we can. The salad also calls for regular mayonnaise, but can also be made with the low-fat kind since the mayo just helps bind it all together and is definitely not the star of this dish. The recipe makes enough to feed a big family or a small crowd, but can easily be halved or quartered if you are cooking for less.

If you are looking for a unique salad to add to a BBQ for Father's day, look no further and make this one. Dad will thank you!

Potato-Pea Salad

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

8 strips bacon

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled

2 cups frozen peas, thawed

1 cup (8 ounces) diced sharp Cheddar

1 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons mustard

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Salt, Pepper and Cayenne Pepper to taste

Directions:

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil for the potatoes.

Cook bacon until very crisp; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Crumble bacon; set aside.

Quarter potatoes. Thinly slice potatoes with a knife or mandoline. Boil sliced potatoes until tender but not mushy, about 5 minutes. Rinse potatoes to remove excess starch and drain well; transfer to a large bowl. Add peas, 3/4 of the crumbled bacon and cheddar; toss gently to mix.

Combine mayonnaise, mustard, and onion powder in a separate bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Gently fold mayonnaise mixture into potato mixture. Adjust for additional seasonings if needed. Chill until ready to serve. Before serving, sprinkle reserved bacon bits over salad.

Adapted from: Cuisine at Home

Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Cupcakes

My oldest turned 17 last week and celebrated her birthday with her family and friends this past weekend. It was up to me to provide the menu. We had the standard fare of hamburgers and hot dogs, along with a few salads, fresh vegetables and a HUGE bowl of fruit salad that was pretty much gone before anything else (don't you just love it when teenagers prefer the good, healthy stuff over junk food)?

For dessert my daughter decided to go a little different route and forgo the typical birthday cake in favor of cupcakes. She was looking through a few of my books and decided to go with Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Cupcakes which can be found in the book: Martha Stewart's Cupcakes.

I've made quite a few recipes out of this book so far and every single one has turned out great. This one was no exception either. In fact, the recipe is so easy that even a baking novice could make this one. The "crust" is an Oreo cookie, that gets dropped in the bottom of a cupcake paper liner. A simple cheesecake mixture with additional chopped Oreos gets poured on top and then baked. You do have to thoroughly chill the cupcakes after baking them in the muffin tins before removing the cakes but all in all, it is a quick recipe.

This dessert was incredibly well received by all the teenagers and adults alike. I've had several of them already ask me for the recipe, which in my eyes is always a sign it was tasty! Give this one a try for your next party, I'm sure it will be a hit as well.

Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Cupcakes

~makes about 30~

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

42 cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, such as Oreos, 30 left whole and 12 coarsely chopped

2 pounds (4 packs) cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten

1 cup sour cream

Pinch of salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Place 1 whole cookie in the bottom of each lined cup.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Gradually add sugar, and beat until combined. Beat in vanilla.

Drizzle in eggs, a bit at a time, beating to combine and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in sour cream and salt. Stir in chopped cookies by hand.

Divide batter evenly  among cookie-filled cups, filling each almost to the top. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until filling is set, about 22 minutes. Transfer tins to wire rack to cool completely. Refrigerate (in tins) at least 4 hours (or up to overnight). Remove from tins just before serving.

Adapted from: Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

Southwest Corn Guacamole

Aside from grilling a lot in the warmer month we also like to eat a lot of Mexican food. Restaurants unfortunately are really hit and miss here, so we make most of our Mexican fare at home. By using fresh ingredients and being able to control what goes into each dish, most of the meals are beloved by the whole family.

Guacamole is one of those dishes. I usually make a traditional one that is mainly avocado and tomato along with seasonings and another version that is blended (and fantastic) which was given to me by a Hispanic friend.

When I was flipping through my May 2010 Issue of Food Network Magazine I got excited to see they had a few different guacamole recipes that I had never tasted before and that sounded really good. I had a hard time deciding, but ultimately went with the Southwest Corn version.

The recipe called for broiling some of the vegetables before putting the dish together, but in true fashion my husband decided it would be even better if we grilled them. Boy, was he ever right. Unfortunately the pictures don't do this wonderful guacamole justice. I made the recipe as written, but doubled up on the corn which made the dish even more delicious.

We loved this recipe. The slightly charred vegetables added a wonderful flavor throughout. This recipe makes a big batch, but for us this wasn't a problem since we just ate it with tortilla chips for dinner. Remember, guacamole does not keep well overnight in the refrigerator, so if you are just serving this as a side dish or for a smaller crowd then scale back accordingly.

 

Southwest Corn Guacamole

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

2 ears of corn, grilled and kernels cut off

2 plum tomatoes

1 bunch green onions

3 avocados, diced

2 jalapenos, minced

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Juice of 1 lime

Chili powder

Ground coriander

Kosher Salt

Directions:

Oil the corn; sprinkle with chili powder, ground coriander and kosher salt. Grill the corn, the plum tomatoes, and scallions, 5-7 minutes or until slightly charred (you might have to remove the tomatoes before the corn).

Chop the scallions and tomatoes; mash with 3 diced avocados, jalapenos, cilantro, and the lime juice. Add the corn kernels and season with chili powder, coriander and salt. Serve immediately with your favorite tortilla chips.

Adapted from: Food Network Magazine

Dill Potato Salad

What goes better with BBQ than potato salad as a side dish? Really, it is the perfect accompaniment to pretty much anything grilled. But, considering that we have a lot of summer days in the south-west and my husband loves to BBQ, I have to have a big repertoire of go-to salads or we would eat the same thing over and over again, and who wants to do that? True, I do have a few salads I make often, like my Better Than Restaurant Coleslaw or my Susi's German Pasta Salad but I do like variety, so I try new recipes quite frequently. Some taste great and make it into regular rotation but many recipes I end up tossing out since they were not a hit with the family.

This potato salad falls into the "regular rotation" category. I love dill and use it a lot in my cooking so when I came across this salad it was a no-brainer for me. Unfortunately potato salad is never made quickly. And honestly, it isn't my favorite task when it comes to peeling the boiled potatoes, but the reward in the end is that the salad is always well received.

Starting with a good tasting potato is key for a tasty end result. I like to use Yukon gold potatoes. Their buttery taste works well in a variety of dishes, plus they keep their shape well. Celery, green onions and and a lot of fresh dill add freshness to the recipe. A delicious dressing that combines mayonnaise, sour cream and a heaping tablespoon of Dijon mustard make this potato salad a winner.

If you have room for another potato salad recipe this summer on your dinner table, then give this one a try, you won't be disappointed.

Dill Potato Salad

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cooked, peeled and sliced

2 tablespoons white vinegar

3/4 cup celery, diced

1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced

3/4 cup sour cream

3/4 cup mayo

1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons fresh dill, minced

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large bowl combine the cooked but still warm potatoes and toss with the white vinegar. Set aside to cool.

Add the celery and green onions to the cooled potatoes.

In a separate bowl whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and dill. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Gently add the dressing to the potato-vegetable mixture and carefully toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Crunchy Pea Salad

I found the recipe for this salad many years ago online and have loved it ever since. I suppose you really need to like peas to enjoy this salad, so if you do, I hope you'll give this one a try. It is one of my favorite salads to serve in the spring/summer time.

The salad is made quickly, and is beautiful to look at. It is also easily taken along for picnics and potlucks and is still tasty after a couple of days in the refrigerator. Radishes, water chestnuts, and fresh sweet red pepper add great crunch and contrast to the bright green peas. The dressing is whisked together quickly and tastes fresh and light despite the mayonnaise. However, if you are watching your diet, feel free to use low fat mayonnaise in the dressing without compromising taste. 

  

Crunchy Pea Salad

~makes 6-8 servings~

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 package (16 ounces) frozen peas, thawed

1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped

1/2 cup radishes, diced

1 medium sweet red pepper, diced

1/2 cup red onion, diced

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

2 teaspoons poppy seeds

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large bowl combine the peas, water chestnuts, radishes, red pepper and onion.

In a small bowl combine the remaining ingredients. Pour over vegetables and toss gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Sonoma Chicken Salad

Shopping at Costco is always an adventure. You never know what you can come across. On weekends when all the testers are out, you can actually make a meal of it, and unfortunately it also means more impulse buys since you think you "have" to buy the product you just tasted.

Costco's Sonoma Chicken Salad was one of those buys. It had cranberries, pecans and poppy seeds in it. This sets it apart from a lot of the chicken salads that are out there. It was mighty tasty and we all enjoyed it. The only downside of the Costco chicken salad is that for one, it is expensive, and for two, it also has some unpronounceable ingredients mixed in along with a high calorie count.

So in true fashion I decided to replicate the recipe, and we haven't bought one chicken salad from Costco since. It is a different kind of dish than what you might be used to since I add pecans, dried cranberries, poppy seeds, and grapes to my version which makes it incredibly delicious and look beautiful. Many people who I have served this to who were initially turned off by all the fruit, ended up liking it after all and I keep getting requests for the recipe. 

This salad can be served with crackers, with a loaf of good artisan bread or on a split croissant. It also travels well for picnics and potlucks. I hope you'll give my creation a try!

Sonoma Chicken Salad

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 Rotisserie Chicken, skin and bones removed, roughly chopped

2 stalks celery, finely diced

1 cup green grapes, cut in half

1 cup red grapes, cut in half

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Dressing:

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large bowl add chicken, celery, green and red grapes, and dried cranberries.

For the dressing whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice and poppy seeds. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Gently toss chicken mixture and dressing together. Refrigerate for about 1 hour.
Fold in toasted pecans right before serving.

A Susi's Kochen und Backen Original Recipe, inspired by Costco

Restaurant-Style Hummus

I've been eating hummus for years. I didn't grow up eating it but rather got acquainted with it as an adult. Hummus is another one of those dishes that while convenient to buy at a store it is so much more flavorful if you make it homemade. 

The recipe itself doesn't call for a lot of ingredients, chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil and some salt and garlic. Again a food processor or blender makes preparation a cinch. This is another dish where a high quality olive oil makes all the difference. Since it is added to the hummus while blending and on top of the finished dip, the taste needs to be spot on. Canned chickpeas make this an easy and quick dish to put together. 

I've made this recipe many times and my choice of toppings vary, depending on what I have at home. I love it drizzled with olive oil and pine nuts sprinkled on top. I also enjoy it with roasted garlic. This time tough I went with a small jar of roasted red peppers that I chopped, seasoned and mixed with a bit of olive oil. 

We eat this with pita bread triangles but a lot of times my kids will also take this in their school lunch or eat it as an after school snack with Stacy's Pita Chips. This is also a great dish to bring to any potluck or picnic and even people who have never had it before seem to enjoy it.

Restaurant-Style Hummus

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup water

6 tablespoons tahini, stirred well

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

1 (14 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 small garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Topping (optional):

1 small jar of roasted red peppers, chopped

Salt, Pepper and Olive oil to taste

Directions:

Combine lemon juice and water in a small bowl or measuring cup. Whisk together tahini and 2 tablespoons oil in  second small bowl.

Process chickpeas, garlic, salt, cumin and cayenne in food processor until almost fully ground, about 15 seconds.  Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula. With machine running, add lemon juice-water mixture in steady stream through food tube. Scrape down bowl and continue to process for 1 minute. With machine running, add oil-tahini mixture in steady stream through food tube, continue to process until hummus is smooth and creamy, scraping down bowl as needed.

Transfer hummus to serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand until flavors meld,  at least 30 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil, add topping if desired and serve.

Adapted from: Cook's Illustrated

Almost Crab Salad

Many years ago I found a recipe for shrimp pasta salad in one of my cooking magazines. It looked and sounded good for a lighter summer meal. So I went looking through my freezer for shrimp which I could have sworn I had some on hand. Of course there were none, the only "seafood" I could find was imitation crab meat that I had bought in case I ever came across a recipe that would use it.

I figured I might as well try to use it in this salad and needless to say, it's been years. I've never made the original with shrimp since we've been in love with this salad ever since the first time I made it. Many times this is my go-to salad on a busy day since I can make it early in the morning and just let it hang out in the fridge till dinner time. I serve this often as a main dish with just a crusty loaf of bread and fruit (like watermelon) on the side.

The salad has a wonderful flavor combination brought on by the sweetness of the peas and the imitation crab. It also has a little bit of crunch from the green onions and a wonderful tart, creamy dressing that is enhanced with lemon juice and dill.

This salad is a great salad for those hot, busy days, I hope you give it a try!

Almost Crab Salad

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 pound small pasta shells, cooked and drained

1 pound imitation crab meat

1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) frozen peas

3/4 cup green onions, finely sliced

1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

2 tablespoons fresh chives, minced

3/4 cup (6 ounces) plain yogurt*

1/2 cup sour cream*

1 cup mayonnaise*

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup fresh dill, minced

Salt and Pepper to taste

* Low-fat yogurt, sour cream and mayo can be used with equally good results

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the pasta, imitation crab, peas, onions, parsley, and chives.

In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and dill. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour over pasta mixture and toss gently. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Layer Salad

 

Layer Salad is one of my husband's favorite salads. It is also a great salad to take along to any BBQ, picnic, or potluck since it's visual appeal alone is a stand out.

This salad is best made a few hours ahead before serving so the frozen peas can un-thaw. Preparation for this salad is a little bit involved since you are chopping, grating and cooking the individual layers, but the results if presented in a nice glass trifle bowl are stunning.

This salad usually has something for everyone with all the different components of sweet, salty, crunchy and creamy. It is important however, that all the ingredients are at their prime. So don't skimp on sub-par vegetables since they are the star in this dish. A good quality mayonnaise is also key since it is mainly what makes your dressing. It is also a salad that if taken somewhere, the bowl is empty when you return home.

Hopefully you like this as much as we do when you serve it at your next function.

Layer Salad

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

1/2 head Iceberg Lettuce, shredded

1/2 medium red onion, diced

2 medium carrots, shredded

2 cups frozen baby peas

1 medium red pepper, diced

1/2 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled

6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Dressing:

1 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I like Best Food's)

1/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon white vinegar

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Layer the ingredients in the order listed into a trifle or other glass bowl reserving some of the bacon if desired to sprinkle on top.

Whisk the dressing ingredients in a separate bowl making sure to taste for seasoning. Spread dressing over entire bowl making sure to cover the entire surface. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a couple of hours. Before serving add reserved bacon bits.