Roasted Garlic & Cannelli Bean Hummus….

This is the perfect appetizer.  So easy, elegant, and quick.  Make ahead and serve right when your guests arrive.   Keep several varieties of canned beans on hand, they are so versatile and you can whip up this excellent hummus in a snap.  I especially love the cannelli beans (aka white kidney beans) because they are so creamy when you process them, no need for tahini, they are great with the few true ingredients in this recipe. I made the toasted baguette myself,  it’s much more economical than those bags of pita chips or bagel chips.   Hummus keeps for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator.  Also delicious on sandwiches or as a dip on a vegetable tray.  Good fiber and all healthy.  As always, real ingredients. 

Roasted Garlic Hummus with Cannelli Beans

½ cup olive oil (don’t worry; this isn’t all going into recipe! Use later for cooking or in salad dressing, sooooo good!)
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and halved
2 tablespoons lemon juice, bottled or fresh
2 cans cannelli beans, drained but reserve liquid
½ teaspoon smoked paprika + an extra pinch for garnish
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

1) In a very small sauce pan, add olive oil and fresh garlic. Cook on lowest setting of stove top until garlic is just soft and slightly brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
2) Into food processor, add about 2 tablespoons of the reserved garlic olive oil, lemon juice, roasted garlic cloves, cannelli beans, half of the reserved liquid from the beans, paprika, salt and pepper. Process until smooth; add more of the reserved bean liquid if necessary. Taste, add more salt and pepper if necessary.
3) When ready to serve, pour into a pretty serving dish. Drizzle some of the reserved garlic olive oil over hummus. For garnish sprinkle a pinch of smoked paprika over the top and finally, the chopped parsley. Beautiful! Serve with pita chips, warm pita bread, or your own toasted baguette.

Easy Baguette Toasts….

Delicious, economical, easy, very short ingredient list.

Toasted baguette

Baguette, day old or more is best
Olive oil
Kosher salt

1) Preheat oven to 300’.
2) Slice stale bread into ¼” slices. Put into a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Add a couple of pinches of kosher salt. Spread out over a large cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

*always refrigerate leftover breads to use for later, they will keep much longer.

Shrimp Cocktail

RECIPE:
1- 2 lb. package frozen cooked & peeled shrimp

1 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons brown sugar

To thaw shrimp, place into a large bowl in sink and allow water to slowly run into bowl, stir frequently.  Drain well.

Sauce:
Mix well, refrigerate.  Serve with cooked & peeled shrimp.  Garnish with fresh parsley and fresh lemon wedges or slices.

Light Artichoke Dip

Yes, this is my version of that delicious coma inducing holiday dip that I could easily eat half of the pan!  It actually tastes very much like the original, but significantly lower in fat. FYI, non fat anything is against my religion. 

RECIPE:
1 8 oz. softened light cream cheese
½ cup non fat plain yogurt
1/3 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons parmesan cheese
2 15 cans drained and chopped artichoke hearts

Topping:
1 tablespoon melted butter
¼ cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried

1)  Preheat oven to 350’.
2) Coat a small 10” casserole dish with cooking spray.
3)  Into a medium sized mixing bowl, beat cream cheese.  Add yogurt, mayonnaise & parmesan cheese, beat with mixer until well blended.  Fold prepared artichokes into bowl.
4)  Spread evenly into prepared baking dish.
5)  Melt butter in a small microwaveable dish, add bread crumbs, parmesan and parsley, mix well.  Top artichoke mixture evenly.
6)  Bake for 25 minutes, serve immediately with gourmet crackers

Caramelized Onion, Toasted Walnut, & Brie Flatbread

Ok, we saved some calories on the artichoke dip so we can enjoy the triple cream brie appetizer.  It’s all about checks and balances, right?  This is SO delicious.  The combination of sweet caramelized onions, toasted walnuts and brie are simply heaven.  This also is a very beautiful presentation and quite impressive to serve your guests.

RECIPE:
5 large sweet onions, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1lb. Wheel of double or triple cream brie
2 packages of whole wheat flat bread (5 pieces/package)
½ cup toasted walnuts
1 small bunch fresh parsley, chopped
Honey for drizzling

Caramelized onions:  place a large skillet over medium low heat, add oil and onions.  Stir very often, once they begin to change color, you really have to watch and stir often.  This will take about 45 minutes to one hour, it will be worth it!  You can make a day or two ahead and refrigerate.

Toasted walnuts:  Spread walnuts over a cookie sheet and bake at 300’ for 8-10 minutes.  You can make these a day or two ahead as well.  Once cool, coarsely chop.

Assembly of flatbreads:  Onto a flatbread, top with a couple of slices of brie and caramelized onions.  Bake at 350’ for 10-12 minutes.  Drizzle with honey, top with a sprinkle of parsley and walnuts.  Cut into 4 wedges.  Serve immediately.

To make ahead, assemble flatbreads and layer in a plastic container with wax paper between to prevent sticking.  Simply warm and serve when you’re ready, don’t forget to top with parsley and walnuts!