1-Minute Lentil Dip

You guys, I've discovered the most delicious, effortless dip in all of the land.  Me, I've discovered it, no one else, ALL the credit lands HERE.  No, that is a lie.  My friend's mom made it for me, and she discovered it from Trader Joe's.  In fact, when I went to TJ's to buy the 3 ingredients - that's right, THREE ingredients - required to make it, the employee ringing me up said, "best. dip. ever."  He knew.  From eyeing my feta cheese, cooked lentils and bruschetta sauce, he knew what I was up to...

  

There's really no recipe.  You combine everything and, voila!  You have a dip that's best served, in my opinion, with Trader Joe's Pita Crackers.  (By the by, this post has NOT been sponsored by TJ's...I'm just a loyal fan.  Remember "2-Buck Chuck?"  Oh, those were the days...)  

However, if you like measurements and all that jazz, you can find the recipe HERE.

Carson pointed out it's not the most appetizing dip in all of the land, and he has a point, but that doesn't matter.  One bite and you will agree.  

Also, TJ's calls it a "salad" - but I'm not down with that.  It's a dip, if you ask me, and that's where I stand.  The End.

Skinny Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Well my friends, now that it appears spring blizzards are finally behind us, it's safe to start thinking about swim suit season.  Although, is it ever safe to think about that?  I just went online to look at a few, and the ones I like are backordered until August.  Excuse me??  Was I supposed to shop for swimsuits in January?  While I was eating hearty stews and drinking goblets of wine??  No thanks.  I guess I'll just drape myself in a fitted sheet and call it a day.  

However, if YOU found yourself a fabulous new swimsuit seven months ago, then maybe you're working on getting fit for those selfies by the pool (bahahaha... hahahahaha... HA, who does that?).  I have found the perfect snack for you.  This Spinach and Artichoke Dip uses greek yogurt in place of sour cream and much less cheese than traditional dips, yet it's just as creamy and delicious and the perfect vessel for all sorts of vegetables.  See?  Swim suit approved.        

Recipe here!

Corn and Avocado Salsa

The lyrics, "back to life, back to reality" have been playing in my head all morning long as I pack up five weeks worth of STUFF we've accumulated in California over the summer.  We've been away from home for a long time.  There has been a lot of sweet family moments mixed with extreme sibling rivalry, large home-cooked dinners mixed with lots of take-out, busy packed days mixed with endless hours of summer boredom.  Now that it's all said and done, I'm ready to get back to routine.

Also, I'm not ready.  I've had moments of sheer panic over the past few weeks.  Moments where I've questioned just about everything in my life.  Is my middle child really ready for kindergarten?  Do they all have "cute enough" back to school clothes?  Did I sign them up for enough activities?  Did I sign them up for too many activities?  Am I volunteering enough?  Am I blogging enough?  Posting enough on Instagram?  Am I keeping up with my cookbook writing?  Am I going to fail?  Am I keeping up with my friends while I'm gone?  Am I planning enough things for September?  Am I planning too many things in September?  Am I neglecting my husband?  

Are you sick of these questions yet?

Then, as if she knew I needed it, a friend sent me this article, titled "What if All I want is a Mediocre Life?"  It's written so beautifully.  She writes, "what if I am most happy in the space of in between, where calm lives?"  I have to remind myself, it's okay to not have the answers to all of those questions above.  It's okay to take baby steps, each and every day, towards a life of balance.  It's okay that this lovely, refreshing, deliciously simple Corn and Avocado Salsa is the only thing I've posted in weeks.  Right?  Tell me it's okay.  (Recipe HERE)  

Now I'm ready to get back to my mediocre life, my mediocre reality. 

(And I'm ready for school to start...)

Spicy Edamame Dip

I recently tried out Our Harvest back east, which is basically an online farmer's market experience.  You pick out fresh, organic, local foods and then either have them delivered or you pick them up at a convenient location.  Everything we picked was so good, but I was especially impressed with an Edamame Dip that was made in Brooklyn by a company called MOMO Dressing.  It was SO tasty, and after reading the simple ingredients on the packaging, I knew I could recreate it at home.  And so I did.  And now I am sharing my version of the recipe with you.  Amen.  

Spicy Edamame Dip

Serves 8

(Printable Recipe)

1 12oz. bag shelled edamame, cooked per instructions on bag

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1 jalapeño, ribs and seeds removed, roughly chopped

1 large clove garlic, stems removed

1 handful cilantro, stems removed

Juice of 1 lime

Sea salt to taste

Extra virgin olive oil, about 1/4 cup (more or less depending on desired consistency)

Combine first 6 ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse to combine.  Stream in the olive oil until desired consistency is reached.  Season to taste with sea salt and serve along side crackers or veggies!

Baked Crab Dip

Our time at the beach is almost over.  Teacher letters went out yesterday, which feels like the first official sign of fall.  I finally started to register the kids for their activities, which pretty much makes my head spin.  So for now, I'm soaking up every minute of the sun-filled, routine-less days.  I'm also trying to eat as much seafood as I can before heading back to my east coast bagels.  Like this easy, delicious baked crab dip.  I found lump crab meat at a Gelson's out west, but I'm sure Whole Foods would be a good alternative.  This appetizer was a hit at my daughter's two-year birthday celebration.  That's right, SHE IS TWO.  Wasn't I just posting an absurd amount of homemade cakes whilst pregnant with her???  Is "whilst" even a word?  Did I use it properly if so?    

Speaking of cakes, I will share her birthday cake(s) tomorrow.  In the meantime, make this dip!

Recipe here.

Easy Edamame Hummus

Look at me, 3 blog posts in 3 days!  It reminds me of olden times, when I only had one child and Carson and I were able to stay up later than 9pm to watch television together.  Alas, things have changed.  My children have multiplied by 3, I'm halfway through my 30's, and I have no idea what Pokemon Go is.  All of that means, semi-homemade tricks are crucial in my kitchen.  Recently, I've been wanting to make hummus from scratch - and I'll get to it - but for now, taking store-bought hummus and blending it with shelled edamame beans will do!  (My kids love hummus, so I'm also hoping this might turn them onto the idea of green foods in general... maybe?)  Here's what I did:

Take one family-size portion of hummus (1 lb.) and throw it in a blender or food processor.  Add roughly 2 cups of shelled edamame and blend until smooth, adding olive oil if needed.  Season to taste with salt, pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon.  Sprinkle more olive oil on top before serving.

Easy!  Delicious!  And maybe, just maybe, you'll save some time in the kitchen and you can apply it to watching an episode of Orange is the New Black, Season 3 (because you'll never be current).

Fajitas and Queso on TODAY

Yesterday morning I woke up bright and early and made chicken fajitas and queso dip on the Today Show.  The recipes were based on some dishes from one of my favorite childhood restaurants, Chili's!  Today I woke up bright and early to write this blog post.  Ok that's a lie, my daughters woke me up bright and early... at 1:30 and 4:30 and 5:00 and 5:30.  You know how it goes, right?  PLEASE TELL ME YOU KNOW HOW IT GOES.  Sometimes people ask me, is it hard to wake up so early for the show and I say no, no, no, no, no.  I get to drink my coffee in peace.  Someone blow dries my hair, and I get to wear eyeliner that doesn't make me look like a cat (I've never been able to do my own makeup properly).  It's the mornings when I wake up, milk bottle, vitamins, breakfast, pack lunch, pack snack, get clothes, stop fighting, brush your teeth, wipe the nutella off your face, brush your hair WE'RE GOING TO MISS THE BUS... those are the hard mornings.  Sooooo that said, I better go!      

You can find the recipes and video from yesterday here.  

Stay tuned for some delicious pasta later today!

Cookie Stacking and Other Things...

Hello Internet People.  I'm sorry I've been a little absent, but this has been a busy and emotional week.  Therefore, I present to you this scatterbrained post of odds and ends...

Many of you have been curious about the infamous "cookie stacking" Instagram post (infamous, really Siri?).  The origin of this layered dough can be found in this recipe for Peanut Butter Honey Cookies.  I was instantly intrigued to see if by stacking two blobs of dough on top of each other, the result would be a cookie that spread less, as suggested.  Well, perhaps I did something wrong, but my cookies just ended up looking like butts, so... delicious recipe, however.  Honey?  Peanut Butter?  Yes.

Last Thursday I was all set to appear on the Today Show, and you may have caught a glimpse of me even, however, breaking news about the Pope's whereabouts interrupted my segment.  Of course, I didn't mind in the slightest, and it was actually very exciting to witness... yet another reminder of how surreal it is to be a small part of a news institution like Today.  If you're interested in the recipes I was planning on preparing, you may click here: Buffalo Chicken Dip and Ultimate Queso Dip. 

Last night, I was very honored to be a part of the launch of Keurig Kold, a revolutionary new drinkmaker that brews perfectly chilled beverages like Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and so, SO much more.  It is available for purchase today on their website... check it out!

And finally, I wanted to repost this recipe in honor of a great woman, Lucy.  If you've been following my blog for awhile then you probably know this sandwich, but to have known the woman behind it was something else.  The heavens above gained a beautiful soul.  Team Lucy forever!

Taco Tuesday on Today

I have many irrational fears.  Like of spiders crawling into my mouth while I sleep or clowns popping out of the sewers as I walk by.  And don't even get me started about driving over bridges.  (By the way, I love that you can google ANYTHING and Buzzfeed has already turned it into a list.)  Some of my fears involve trains.  Like realizing you're on the wrong one or falling asleep, missing your stop and waking up in Alaska.  This morning, I witnessed the terror in a poor girl's face as the train ticket person (I'm sorry, I'm sure there's a more official name for that person) very nonchalantly told her that she was on the wrong train.  And then, not long after that, it happened.  I fell asleep!!!!  I woke up in a flash, nearly dropping my coffee everywhere, and realized I was only one stop away from my own!  So uh, yeah, it all worked out and I didn't end up in Alaska.  BUT JUST THINK OF WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED!?  (Oh, I would have been just fine?  Ok.)  

  I was so tired, because all three of my kids decided to wake up at different intervals last night.  And why wouldn't they do that?  I actually had something important to do this morning!  I was on the Today Show!  So of COURSE they wanted to give me as little sleep as possible!  (I love my kids I love my kids I love my kids I love my kids.)  Well, after a cold shower and a LOT of hot coffee, I woke up and had a great time cooking and grilling with Carson... it's Taco Tuesday!  We made a basic street taco with the tastiest steak ever, homemade corn tortillas that only require one ingredient, and a stripped down delicious margarita.  If you missed the segment or want to check out the recipes, you can find everything here at Today.com.

Photos by Samantha Okazaki.

Baked Zucchini Fries with Yogurt Cucumber Sauce

While we were recently in Los Angeles for 2 weeks, we ate.  A lot.  When you're hopping from one hotel to another, you're forced to eat out, a lot!  And as much as you may try to eat healthy at restaurants, it's never easy.  Especially after 2 weeks.  Veggie burger?  Not so bad.  With french fries? Sure, okay.  Salad?  Healthy.  With a Fried Zucchini Sticks appetizer?  Yes!!  After devouring an order of those, it got me thinking about making a healthier alternative when I got home, which is exactly what I did last night.  And guess what?  We devoured them as well!  Crispy baked shell, tender, juicy zucchini inside with a tangy, yogurt-based sauce.  Fried food, schmied schmood.  

Baked Zucchini Fries with Yogurt Cucumber Sauce

(Makes approx. 24 "fries" and 1 cup sauce)

Printable Recipe

For Fries:

2 zucchinis, cut into 3-inch spears

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup plain bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tsp salt, divided

1 tsp pepper, divided

2 large egg whites

Preheat oven to 425.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Crack egg whites into a small bowl, stirring briefly.  In another bowl, stir together flour with 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper.  In one more bowl, stir together bread crumbs, Parmesan and remaining salt and pepper.  Taking one spear at a time, dip first in the flour (shaking off any excess), then in the egg whites and finally in the bread crumbs, pressing lightly with your fingers to make sure crumbs coat zucchini.  Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining spears.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, until fries are golden.  

For sauce:

1 cup greek yogurt
1/2 cup diced, peeled cucumber
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir.

Three Cheese Hot Artichoke Dip

Good day to you!  How were your Super Bowl Sundays?  Were you so bored with the game that you ate way more than you should have?  I did.  And I'm usually bored with football so imagine boredom on top of boredom on top of multiple dips on top of multiple chips.  One appetizer that I consumed too much of was this Artichoke Dip my sister made.  It's a Paula Deen recipe (posted here), so you know it's going to be, well, worthy of Super Bowl eating (that's a polite way of saying full of cheese and mayo).  Although halfway through the game I started dipping carrots in it, so that's halfway healthy, right?  My sister did a few things differently - she used 2 cans of artichokes instead of 1, added some garlic salt and omitted the Worcestershire sauce.  It really is a crowd-pleasing dish so I suggest you bookmark this for the next time you're bored with sports and want to eat a lot.   

Pesto, White Bean and Broccoli Dip

I was sent a copy of The Truly Healthy Family Cookbook by Tina Ruggiero and after a brief page-through I knew it was a keeper.  You can usually tell when a healthy dish will end up stale and flavorless just by reading the recipe, and all of these sound delicious (yes, I read recipes for fun, what's it to you?).  Some of the meals on my to-do list: Risotto with Mushrooms, Butternut Squash and Kale, Mini Salmon Sliders and Turkey Meatloaf with Chipotle Glaze.  Yes, please, all of that.  

Right off the bat I made this Pesto, White Bean and Broccoli Dip because I'm trying to feed my daughter more iron.  Beans and Broccoli are great sources of iron!  Iron, iron, i-ron... that's a weird word.  Anyway.  This was simple to make, yielded a HUGE batch, and was great on pasta or crackers.  

Thanks for the book, Tina!  Recipe here.
  

Smoked Albacore Dip

I am in vacation mode.  Every August, we rent a house in the same town on the same road and I do the same things that I never do the rest of the year: I read, I ride a bike, I watch Showtime series, I paint rocks.  Yup, I really paint rocks and it's becoming an unhealthy obsession.  I also cook, and although that's nothing new, I try to cook light, beach-y meals.  Like this dip Carson and I attempted two years ago.  Only this time, we made it with Smoked Albacore (found at Gelson's) and instead of flaking the fish with a fork, we put it in a food processor.  It gave the dip such a lovely and professional quality.  In fact, we might set up a Lemonade Stand and sell our dip on the side.  Of course, you'll also be able to purchase my painted rocks for only $500 a pop.  What, they're really special.  

Patsy's Turkey Burgers with Garlic Mayo Dip

Guess what?  If you send me recipes, I will make them.  Most of the time.  If they sound deliciously irresistible, that is.  No pressure.  A friend/reader constantly sends me recipes and I have them all bookmarked.  I finally got around to these turkey burgers, named after one of her relatives.  Ground turkey mixed with all sorts of vibrant, somewhat southwestern ingredients, fried up as sliders and dipped in a tangy garlic mayo.  She recommended topping them with avocado, which I did, and I also added mushrooms and served them over sourdough toast.  They were superb.  Patsy probably doesn't follow a recipe, since she invented these, but I tried to throw one together for you.  Send me more recipes!  Send me more recipes!  But only if they're irresistibly delicious.      

Patsy's Turkey Burgers with Garlic Mayo Dip
(Makes approx. 15 sliders)
Printable Recipe

Burgers:
1 lb. ground turkey
1/4 cup chopped parsley or cilantro (I used cilantro)
5 or 6 chopped green onions (tops and bottoms)
Poblano pepper, finely chopped
Anaheim pepper, finely chopped
1 large egg
1 T mayo
1/2 cup bread crumbs (I used panko)
1/2 tsp salt

Mayo:
1/4 cup mayo
1 T fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced

Throw all burger ingredients in a bowl and mix with a spoon or your hands.  Form them into slider size (or regular burger size if you wish).  Heat olive oil over medium-high heat and saute the burgers until cooked through (roughly 5 minutes a side if you're making sliders).  Whisk mayo ingredients together and serve.

Peach Butter

Well hello millions of peaches!  I traded in my zucchini the size of a wiener dog for two boxes of freshly grown peaches.  Again, these came straight from our friend Linda's garden.  I've never been to their home, but I imagine it to be a magical place where friendly birds turn into cartoon characters, singing you songs while feeding you berries.  I bet that's what it's like there.

Welcome to Peach Week.  

I decided to make peach butter first because it called for 4 pounds of peaches and I wanted to make a dent in my stash before I became overwhelmed.  I found this recipe and it's delightful.  Just the right amount of sweet with no added spices - simply peaches, lemon juice and sugar.  They call it "butter" because it's a cross between a jam and a sauce (and mine is much more like the latter).  I can't wait to pour it over ice cream, stir it into drinks, drizzle it over pancakes and smother it over toast and scones all, summer, long.  

Four pounds is roughly equivalent to 40 smaller-sized peaches, FYI.  That's a lot of peaches to peel, pit and chop.  However, the method of boiling them for 30 seconds and letting them cool in cold water before removing the skin worked beautifully...  

Simmering peaches...

I used my immersion blender to puree it until it reached a silky smooth, butter-like texture... 

Thickening "butter"...

Gifts! 

Super Sunday

Are you one of those people who love the Super Bowl for the commercials, halftime entertainment, betting and food?  We'd be friends.  Well, this year I won't have a chance to make any snacks because I'M GOING TO THE GAME!  GAH!  I will be celebrating my birthday Indy style.  Whatever that means.  That means I'll be cold?  So, here are some snacks that I WOULD make if I were going to be home.  

Go Giants!  p.s. WATCH THE VOICE AFTER THE GAME! 

Homemade Potato Chips

Soft Pretzels

Citrus Marinated Olives

Fried Cheese Curds

Marcona Almonds with Rosemary

...and for the kiddos Homemade Goldfish

Also, a fun treat idea for your team colors, "Black and White" Cookies: