Tortilla Rollups

For almost any get together our family has that requires snacks, these Tortilla Rollups always make an appearance.

This is a recipe that you can mess with. I usually add some finely shredded cheese to the mix when I make these at our house. You can substitute green olives for the black olives or use some of both. You could use flavored tortillas instead of plain. And you could even use a flavored cream cheese if you wanted. It's fun to play around with recipes and make something new out of a tried and true recipe.

We usually have a bowl of "Heather's Salsa" ready to dip these in, but store bought salsa will work just as well. You can set these next to a giant bowl of tortilla chips and the two snacks can share the salsa!

TORTILLA ROLLUPS                                                                                     Printable Version

8 oz. package cream cheese, softened

1 can diced green chilies

1 large can black olives, finely diced

Green onions, finely chopped

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 package flour tortillas

In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, green chilies, black olives, green onions, garlic salt, and black pepper. Stir until everything is well combined. Place a flour tortilla on a piece of plastic wrap you've laid out on the counter. Spread a thin layer of the cream cheese mixture over the tortilla, leaving about 1/4" clean around the edge of the tortilla. Roll up tightly and wrap securely in the plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour. When ready to serve, cut the wraps into 1" slices, place on a platter, and serve with salsa for dipping.

Spinach Dip with Sourdough Dunkers

If our family is together for a holiday, be it The 4th of July, Christmas, or New Year's Day, there is almost always Spinach Dip on the giant table of sweet and savory treats that Mom has assembled for us to dig into. We also make it throughout the year for times when we want something yummy to nosh on while watching a good movie, and eating it when it's not a holiday seems to make it taste even more special in some way.

The dip is usually served in a hollowed out loaf of Sourdough bread. The insides are cut into chunks and placed around the bread bowl. Baking homemade bread is something I plan to dive into this Winter, but until I become a Master breadbaker, we will continue to buy our Sourdough bread from the grocery store.

Now and then the store will be out of the round loaves, but will have longer loaves available. If this happens, we simply slice the bread into thick slices and cut it into dunkers. You can throw some crackers on the plate for dunking as well.

SPINACH DIP WITH SOURDOUGH DUNKERS            Printable Version

1 box chopped spinach, thawed

1 16 oz. container sour cream

1 c. Hellman's mayonnaise

1 pkg. dried vegetable soup mix

1 8 oz. can water chestnuts, drained and diced

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Chopped green onions or chives

Round loaf of Sourdough bread

Thaw the spinach, wrap it in paper towels, and squeeze it to release as much water as you can.  Separate the spinach and put in a medium size bowl.

Add the sour cream, mayonnaise, vegetable soup mix, water chestnuts, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.  Pour into a hollowed out loaf of Sourdough bread, or put into a pretty dish and garnish with chopped green onions or chives. Cut the bread into dunkers and serve alongside the dip.

Guacamole With Options

To me, guacamole is one of those things that every person makes a little differently.  Some people like to add lots of onion, some people add tomatoes.  Some people add cilantro, and some people HATE cilantro.

Thankfully our family mostly agrees on one recipe.  I whip up a big batch of the basic green stuff, and they get to add whatever they want to their own portions.

Depending on how ripe the avocados are at the store, I might buy just one, or four.  If I buy more than one, I try to get some that are ready to use now, and some that aren't so ripe so I don't make too large a batch and end up having to throw any away.  Guacamole is really best the day you make it, though I have found that if you put any leftovers in the refrigerator overnight with a sheet of plastic wrap pushed down onto the surface, you can scrape away the brown surface layer the next day and have another go at it.  I've also read that you can squeeze lemon juice over the surface to get it to keep longer, but we usually don't need to worry about any leftovers in our clan.

If you are craving guacamole and don't want to wait very long, or you plan to make it for a party, you can speed up the ripening of your avocados by putting them in a paper bag and leaving them on your kitchen counter.

GUACAMOLE WITH OPTIONS                   Printable Version

3 ripe avocado, diced

1/2 of a medium onion, diced

1 clove garlic, grated

Juice of half a lemon or lime

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

One large tomato, diced (optional)

Combine the avocado, onion, garlic, lemon or lime juice, cumin, salt and pepper.  You can fold these ingredients together lightly if you want a chunkier guacamole, or mash them together with a large fork if you want a creamier consistency.

You now have your basic guacamole ready, so set it out and let each person decide if they want to add cilantro and/or tomatoes.

The kid likes his guac sans-tomato, with just a touch of cilantro...

but the rest of us like it with tomato, so we sprinkle it over the top of our portions.  And I add extra cilantro, because I LOVE it.  Add some tortilla chips, and you're set.  

Guacamole is good all year 'round, but is best with fresh tomatoes and cilantro you've just picked from your garden.

Fresh Tomato and Black Bean Salsa

Earlier this month I posted a recipe for Heather's Salsa.  It requires much chopping, and cooking, and canning.  But there is an alternative; fresh salsa.

If you still have some tomatoes popping up in your garden, give this a try.  And if you don't, maybe go out and buy some.  It's worth the trip.

Fresh Tomato and Black Bean Salsa                   Printable Version

4 cups chopped vine-ripened tomatoes
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup small diced red onion
1 large fresh jalapeno, seeded and cut into small dice
1/2 cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Tortilla chips

Combine the tomatoes, black beans, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, parsley, and garlic in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add the lime juice and olive oil. Mix well. Spoon into a serving bowl and serve with the chips.

Craving Spring/Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip

Right about this time of year I start craving fresh stuff from the garden; lettuce, basil, fresh mint for my tea. Being able to walk out my back door, across the soft grass, and pick these things at the ready is something I cherish every Summer, knowing that the convenience is fleeting.  In Northern Minnesota we only have about four months (let's be honest) to enjoy this pleasure, but I do my best to freeze or preserve anything and everything I can to savor through the long, cold Winter.

Spring sprang the other day.  The temperature was above freezing, the hardier of our bunch could go outside without a giant insulated parka, and hope was in the air.

Then the next day we got 6 inches of snow.  And so it goes.

Digging through the pantry this weekend I found some canned artichokes, and in the freezer, spinach.  Needing to take a break from dilly beans and frozen sugar snap peas for a while, I decided it was time to whip up some hot spinach artichoke dip and enjoy perhaps one last Winter comfort food before I break out the salad spinner.

I served this with sweet potato chips, so it's healthy, right?  I know, not really, but it was worth every calorie.

Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip        (CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE)

1 8 oz. package regular cream cheese, softened
2 cans artichoke hearts in water, drained, and water squeezed out
1 box frozen spinach, thawed and water squeezed out
1 cup Provolone or other cheese of your choice, grated (save about 1/4 cup to sprinkle on top before baking)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
pinch of ground Ancho Chili pepper, or more if you like things spicy

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Chop up the artichokes and spinach and put in a medium bowl.  Add the cream cheese and shredded cheese.  Add pepper, garlic salt, onion powder, cumin, and Ancho Chili pepper.  Mix everything together with a hand mixer, or if you don't have one, work it with a wooden spoon until blended together well.  Spread into a 9" x 1"3 baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese and Parmesan evenly over the top.  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until cheese is melted and dip starts to bubble slightly around the edges.  Remove to a cooling rack.  Serve with potato chips, sweet potato chips, or fresh cut veggie sticks.