2 New Recipes
I just made these up one day--and they are great!
Potato Salad
I get sick of super heavy mayo deli salads. This one still has mayo, but is lighter and more flavorful. This is fantastic when you can get hold of those tiny little red new potatoes when they come into season in the spring. I didn't measure anything, so y0u will just have to taste as you go along.
Basically I just make a dressing first: a few spoonfuls of lite mayo, a teaspoon of dijon mustard, the juice of 1/2 a lemon, salt, pepper, garlic powder & onion powder. Mix, then add your herbs. Now, I used dried parsley and dill, but if you have fresh it would be so much better. If you only have dried, try to make your dressing about 30 min ahead of time and let it sit. That way the herbs can kinda reconstitute. Anyway, after adding your herbs, carefully measure out and add 4 T. olive oil. Whisk together and let sit for at least 10 minutes.
After boiling the potatoes, let them hang out in the collander for about 10 minutes or so. Chop up 1-2 stalks of celery, and toss into the dressing. Then add your potatoes and toss & mix really well. Serve at room temp--that's the secret! You think potato salad should be served cold because that is what we are all use to, but room temp really brings out all the flavors.
White bean dip
This is basically a bastard hummus, because I was out of chickpeas. Aaron went crazy for it and has asked for it again.
1 can white beans (cannelli, great northern, or navy will all work fine), rinsed and drained.
3 cloves of garlic
juice of 1/2 a lemon
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 t. dried parsley (or fresh, if you've got it)
olive oil
Throw everything into a food processor, and add maybe 4 T. of olive oil. Whiz it up, adding more olive oil if it gets too chunky and needs to be loosened up. That's it. Will keep in the fridge for up to 7 days.
I love love love this with homemade pita. There are many homemade pita recipes on the internet, but here's my favorite:
http://momgrind.com/2009/02/26/pita-bread-recipe-homemade-soft-and-fabulous/
This is from a blog called momgrind. I haven't tried any of their other recipes, but this one is amazing.
Besides the above, we are still cooking pizzas like crazy. I've also been making devilled eggs because they are so yummy.
Easy recipe there: take the boiled egg yolks, mash with a fork, and add mayo, mustard, celery, pickle or relish, salt & pepper. Mix and scoop back into halves of the boiled egg whites. Serve with a sliced green olive and sprinkled paprika on top.
I think I'll go make some now...
