Appetizers

Spinach-Pesto Dip

A friend of mine came to visit a couple weekends ago and when I was at the grocery store buying food for the week, I realized I didn’t have anything to offer her to snack on other than veggies or chicken. I remembered a page in the latest Real Simple magazine about different dips to make with Greek yogurt and the next thing I know, I was scouring the check-out lanes for the latest issue to look up the ingredients. This Spinach-Pesto Dip appealed to me since I’m not only a big spinach fan but I would eat pesto on top of just about anything if it wasn’t so fattening. I wasn’t thrilled about buying store-bought pesto with it’s inch-thick layer of olive oil sitting at the top of the jar but I didn’t want to have to buy all of the ingredients to make my own. I ended up dumping most of that olive oil once I opened the jar before stirring the pesto and I didn’t miss any of the extra oil. This was such a simple dip to make what with it only having three ingredients and it’s a pleasant change from the regular old spinach dip. This made for a perfect last minute appetizer to have with wine when my guests came over. I served it with carrots and pretzel chips (is anyone else as addicted to these things as I am?!) but this dip will taste great with any of your favorite veggies or chips.

The ingredients:

Cook the frozen spinach as per the package instructions. Once the spinach is cool enough, press or squeeze out as much excess water as you can.

In a small bowl, combine Greek yogurt and pesto.

Add in the spinach and stir until incorporated.

Serve with your favorite vegetables or chips.

Additions: None

Omissions: None

Substitutions: None

Overall Rating: Like It

Source: Real Simple Magazine

Chipotle-Garlic Edamame

March 6, 2012
Shannon
1 comment
appetizer, beans, chipotle, food, sides, vegetarian

The first time I ate edamame was about five years ago at a cute sushi place in the middle of Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegas. I’m not much of a sushi person so when my friends would pony up to the counter for what could easily become our only meal of the day, I typically would get a bowl of white sticky rice with soy sauce. After seeing how my friends would devour the edamame, I tried it. And now I think it’s just as addicting as potato chips yet so much better for you! If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know that I don’t mind my mouth being on fire after eating a meal on occasion. This Chipotle-Garlic Edamame is hot, spicy, and completely addictive. Normally I eat edamame with a little sea salt or soy sauce so this addition of chipotle and garlic is wonderfully different. Minced chipotle peppers and garlic are cooked in a little olive oil with cumin, giving the oil an immensely smoky flavor which coats the edamame. Be prepared to lick your fingers with these and keep a drink of something cold nearby!

The ingredients:

Prepare the edamame according to package directions (either in the microwave or in boiling water). Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pan with the minced chipotle pepper, garlic and ground cumin.

Add cooked edamame to the pan and cook until the garlic has softened and the pods are coated.

Sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper before serving.

Additions: None

Omissions: None

Substitutions: None

Overall Rating: Love It

Source: Food and Wine Magazine

Chicken Pot Stickers

I don’t know about you but whenever I go to an event or a get-together and I see pot stickers, I lunge for them (if they are vegetarian or chicken, that is). When I think about the appetizers my friends most go for, pot stickers or any kind of Asian dumplings are usually the first to go. Making these Chicken Pot Stickers seem like a slam dunk to me.

A simple mixture of ground chicken, cooked cabbage, garlic, ginger, scallions, and sesame oil are wrapped up in wonton wrappers, browned slightly, and steamed until cooked to perfection. I don’t think I’ve ever bought a head of cabbage before and as I cooked this cabbage, I realized that the vegetables in the vegetables and rice I get from the food cart outside work is made with cabbage (I thought it was bok choy this whole time!). I now realize I’m a huge cabbage fan and will incorporate it into all of my stir-fry recipes from now on. But, I digress…these pot stickers are fragrant and gingery and I honestly can’t rave about these enough. They are the perfect little bite to dunk into salty soy sauce or any other of your favorite Asian dipping sauce. I dare you to stop at one. Or two. Or three. Seriously. They are that good.

The ingredients:

Shred or chop the cabbage and add it to a skillet with vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Cook the cabbage until slightly brown, adding the water a tablespoon at a time.

Move cabbage to a large bowl and allow to cool.

Add ground chicken, scallions, ginger, garlic, salt, sesame oil, and egg white to the cabbage and mix.

Spoon a tablespoon of the chicken mixture into the middle of a wonton. Using your fingers, moisten the edges of the wonton with water.

Bring 2 opposite corners of the wonton to the center and pinch to seal. Bring the other 2 corners to center and pinch all 4 edges together to seal. Place wontons on a baking sheet covered in cornstarch or parchment. Cover wontons with a wet papertowl to prevent them from drying out as you prepare the remaining pot stickers.