Crab Rangoon dip

 

Recipe #4 from my husband's annual work party that we hosted a few weeks ago.

This is definitely not healthy either.  But it is darned tasty.

INGREDIENTS

-2 cans crab meat

-16 oz. cream cheese (2 blocks)

-1/2 cup sour cream

-4 green onions, chopped

-1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

-2 Tbsp powdered sugar

-1/2 tsp garlic powder

-1/2 tsp lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

Chop your green onions.  Add them and your two cans of crab meat (drained).

  

Add the sour cream, Wosterschire sauce, powdered sugar, garlic powder and lemon juice.

Mix all the ingredients and bake for 30 mins at 350 degrees.  Sever hot with chips or fried wontons. 

VERDICT

If you like crab rangoons, this is probably healthier than the deep fried wanton-wrapped appetizers. Not by much, mind you, but somewhat healthier.  It is also a lot quicker to whip up than stuffing each wanton wrapper.  Serve with ritz crackers, pita chips, pretzel chips, or tortilla chips. 

 

Jalapeno Popper Dip

 

This recipe (and a plethora of versions of the same recipe) have been all over Pinterest lately.  I was going to save this for Super Bowl Sunday, but the office annual party seemed like the perfect time to try it out.  This is the "lighter" version, although I don't think you're going to be sticking to any diet on this or any other version of a recipe that is 90% cheese.      

INGREDIENTS

1 8-oz. pack neufchâtel cheese (basically the same as low-fat cream cheese)

1/2c fat free greek yogurt

2 Tbsp mayonnaise (the real kind – this will give you the perfect texture to make it feel non-lightened)

1/2 c shredded mexican blend cheese (low fat if you prefer)

1/2 c parmesan

1/2 can diced green chilis (2 oz)

2 fresh jalapeños, seeded and minced

salt & pepper to taste

1/2 c panko bread crumbs

1 Tbsp butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a medium bowl, blend together neufchâtel cheese, yogurt, and mayo until smooth. Stir in 1/2 c mexican cheeses, 1/4 c of the parmesan, diced chilis, minced jalapeños, salt, and pepper.

Remove dip to an oven-safe container (I just used a pie pan). Mix panko bread crumbs with melted butter and remaining parmesan, sprinkle mixture over top. Bake for 20 min, then switch to the broiler for 3 additional minutes to make the top extra golden brown.

VERDICT

So.... this little diet killer is darned good.   It went quickly at the party and I'm pretty sure we're going to have to make up a second batch for the big game this weekend.

Avacado Hummus

Remember my last attempt at hummus?  When I decided that it was easier to just buy the good stuff at the store?

I take back everything I said.  I can make hummus.  Here's the proof:

INGREDIENTS

1. 1 can of white beans, drained and rinsed
2. 1 avocado, cubed
3. juice from 1/2 of a lime
4. 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of olive oil (a lower fat option: substitute oil for juice from the beans)
5. 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
6. 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS

Mix together well (in a blender or food processor).  Serve.


VERDICT

Delicious.  I'm so glad that I'm completely ADD sometimes (I like to call it creative inattention) because it leads to recipes like this.  It is 10am on a week day morning and I'm actually at home working.  But this recipe I printed off pinterest caught my eye and I knew I had an avacado that needed to be used up.  Five minutes later I'm back on e-mail and the hummus is in the fridge, just waiting to be devoured tonight.  Success!

Homemade Hummus

Hummus is my new favorite snack this summer.  It's relatively low in calories and is great to dip fresh veggies in.  The store-bought kind can be pricey ($4 even at Aldi's), so I thought I'd try to make it on my own.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 15 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans, drained (save liquid)
• 1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon tahini, or low fat peanut butter if you prefer (optional, but if you do not use, increase yogurt by 1 TBSP)
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

In a food processor combine beans, tahini (if desired), yogurt, garlic, and lemon juice. Blend well. Add salt and cumin and blend to a smooth and creamy dip.

If your hummus is too thick, add a little bit of the liquid from the chickpeas - about a teaspoon at a time. Other ways to thin out hummus is by using warm water or olive oil. 

VERDICT

Umm.... I think I may have found something that is better store bought and processed that made at home.  This was not good.  It was really thick (even with the addition of olive oil) and had chunks of chickpeas still.  And the taste wasn't too flavorful at all.

But I have hope!  It wasn't difficult to make and there are a LOT of recipes out there to try.  So let's call this one a work in progress.

Queso Blanco Dip

Sure, it's easy enough to make this stuff by combining a jar of salsa with a chunk of velveeta cheese.  Or buy the stuff in the jar.

This recipe may be more involved, but it is so much better than the jarred stuff!

INGREDIENTS


1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup white onion, finely diced
1 large jalapeno, seeds and stem removed; finely diced
12 oz white American cheese, shredded (block of processed Velveeta or Kraft American Cheese)
4 oz Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
1/2 to 1 cup milk
1 – 2 roma tomatoes, seeds removed and diced
2 tbsp. cilantro, roughly chopped

DIRECTIONS


Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Saute the onion and pepper until softened and reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in the shredded cheese and 1/4 cup of the milk. Quickly stir until the cheese is melted. Add the tomatoes, cilantro, and additional milk a little at a time until you reach desired consistency. Serve immediately with tortilla chips, tortillas, or on tacos, burritos, etc.

VERDICT

Yum.  I could eat a full recipe of this stuff with a bag of chips and not think twice about the calorie count. 

Another option that saves a little time is to use a can of diced tomatoes and green chiles, found in the Mexican aisle of the grocery store.