Hummus Recipe

This, hands down, beats the store bought. Going to try it with roasted garlic and with roasted red bell pepper.

Click for recipe

Hot German Potato Salad

6 large potatoes (Yukon Gold or Red preferred), boiled whole. Drained, roughly chopped and placed in mixing bowl. (Overcook and/or too small of pieces and you may be making German mashed potatoes.)

In a small saucepan, add:

1/4 C water
1 chicken bullion cube (Mom uses cube, I prefer tsp of "Better Than Bullion" per 1/4 C water)
1 Tbsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Vinegar
1 Tsp Garlic powder
Heat and stir until bubble start to appear around the edges.

Remove sauce from heat, add:

1 bunch green onions, chopped
6 to 8 oz bacon, cooked, crumbled
1 Tbsp bacon drippings
Stir and pour over warm potatoes.

Add:

2 Tbsp mayo
Salt, Pepper, Dried Parsley to taste.
Mix and serve warm.


Note: This is Mom's recipe. I found that the potatoes absorbed a lot of the sauce so I doubled that part of the recipe before the onions and bacon...of course, a pound of bacon never hurt anyone, right? ;)

-Bryan Monson

Taco Appetizer Platter

Originally published in Taste of Home magazine.

Ingredients

1½-2 lbs ground beef
½ cup water
1 envelope taco seasoning
2 pkgs (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
¼ cup milk
1 can (4½ oz) chopped green chilies, drained
1 can (3.8 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained
1 can (10 oz) Rotel milder diced tomatoes and green chilies, drained
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 cup chopped green onions
1½-3 cups chopped lettuce
¾ cup honey barbecue sauce
1½+ cups shredded cheddar cheese
Large corn chips

Directions

In skillet cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add water and taco seasoning; mix. Stir and simmer 5 minutes.

In a bowl combine cream cheese and milk; spread on 14” platter or pizza pan. Top with meat mixture.

Toss the chilies, tomatoes/chilies, olives, onions, tomatoes, and lettuce in bowl. Place on top of meat. Drizzle with honey barbecue sauce. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Serve with corn chips. Serves 8-10

-Dorothy Beaufait

Smoked Salmon Spread

Ingredients

12 oz Smoked Salmon (I got canned smoked salmon in Newport on Bayfront. No bones it it!)
1 8 oz. pkg. Cream Cheese
1 tbsp Mayo
2 stalks celery, take out threads, finely diced
4 green onions, finely diced
1/4 c. red bell pepper, finely diced
3~4 cloves minced garlic
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dill weed
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. worchestershire sauce (optional)
chipotle-flavor tabasco to taste (optional...I like a bit of it)
white pepper to taste

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. I used my KitchenAid to get a very fine consistency. Refrigerate overnight.

-Bryan Monson

Ceviche!

Ingredients

1 dozen limes (very juicy ones)
1.5 lbs. medium size shrimp
1 lb. imitation crab
1 large tomato finely chopped
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 jalapeño green chile (optional)
Cilantro
Salt

Directions

1. Squeeze juice out of limes and place in a bowl.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add shrimp to boil for about 3 minutes or until shrimp turn pink/red.
3. Drain water from shrimp and allow to cool.
4. Peel shrimp and chop finely- add to bowl with lemon.
5. Chop all other ingredients and add to bowl.
6. Add the imitation crab, tomatoes, onion, chile, cilantro, and salt to taste.
7. Leave to marinate over night or 3 hrs before serving.

You can eat the ceviche on a tostada and you can garnish it with a slice of avocado, or you can eat it with tortilla chips.

-Veronica Martinez