Here’s a new hummus flavor I whipped up for the family. It goes great with the Beef Shawarma wraps I make. It’s very easy to make. You can use a food processor, but I was too lazy to take out my processor so I made it in my Ninja blender, it worked just as well.
I use sun dried tomatoes I buy in the open markets of Venice. I store them in the freezer and soak them in water for a few hours before using them. You can use the sun dried tomatoes they sell in jars at the produce section of your local supermarket. As for the roasted red pepper I just use the ones in a jar I get from the supermarket.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
1/2 cup roasted red peppers
1 cup chick peas – Garbanzo Beans
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbls. sesame tahini
1 tbls. minced garlic
1 tsp. sea salt
Juice from 1 lemon
Extra Virgin olive oil (optional)
Directions:
Place tomatoes in blender or food processor – blend until finely chopped
Add red peppers – blend until finely chopped and mixed well
Add chick peas, oil, tahini, garlic, salt – blend until it becomes a soft paste
Add lemon juice – blend until it’s absorbed
Move to serving bowl or dish. If desired drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil before serving.
After my grandchildren’s birthday party I found myself with a box full of single serve chips, mostly Fritos. Clearly this corn chip was not a guest favorite, it’s not exactly one of my favorites either.
I didn’t want to waste the chips so I decided to incorporate them in a recipe or two, I do have plenty of them. I remembered hearing about Frito Pies. I’ve never had it and didn’t really know how to make it, but how hard could it be?
I tossed the ingredients together and came up with this casserole that my family loves. It’s going to be part of our meals from now on, I guess we’ll need more Fritos!
You can serve it as a meal with a green salad, fill a tortilla with it for a burrito, or even use it as a dip! The great part is you can make it ahead of time and pop it in the oven when you’re ready.
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 tbls. chili powder
2 tbls. garlic powder
1 tsp. crushed red peppers (optional if you want it a bit spicy)
1 can black beans
1/2 cup salsa (mild, medium, or hot)
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar & monteray jack cheese mix
2-3 cups Fritos corn chips or any other brand corn chips
1. Cook beef until crumbly, add chili powder, garlic powder, crushed peppers to meat as you cook it.
2. Drain black beans and add to meat. Cook for 2 minutes more.
3. Place beef mixture into a mixing bowl stir in salsa, sour cream, and 1 cup shredded cheese.
4. Spread a layer of chips on the bottom of an oven safe baking dish.
5. Spoon beef mixture over the chips.
6. Sprinkle remaining chips and cheese on top.
7. Bake in 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese melts.
If you are preparing this ahead of time stop at step 6, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Sprinkle the chips and cheese on it when you’re ready to bake it.
Cook beef until crumbly, add chili powder, garlic powder, crushed peppers to meat as you cook it.
Drain black beans and add to meat. Cook for 2 minutes more.
Place beef mixture into a mixing bowl stir in salsa, sour cream, and 1 cup shredded cheese.
Spread a layer of chips on the bottom of an oven safe baking dish.
Spoon beef mixture over the chips.
Sprinkle remaining chips and cheese on top.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese melts.
If you are preparing this ahead of time stop at step 6, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Sprinkle the chips and cheese on it when you're ready to bake it.
Last week I decided to try out my spinach & cheese filling on Jumbo pasta shells. It’s basically the same recipe I use for my Yummy Spinach & Cheese Pasta Rolls, but I used Ricotta Cheese instead of cottage cheese.
The stuffed shells go great with garlic bread or garlic knots.
Ingredients:
10 Jumbo Pasta Shells
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach – thawed
1 cup Ricotta Cheese
1 1/2 cups Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 cup shredded fresh Parmesan Cheese
1 tbls. garlic powder
1 tsp. crushed red peppers
1/2 bottle of Pasta Sauce any flavor
Directions:
Cook Pasta Shells according to the box directions. Drain and place on clean surface.
Drain thawed spinach – squeeze as much as the water out
Add Ricotta Cheese, 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese, Parmesan Cheese, Garlic Powder and Crushed pepper to spinach. Mix well.
Separate spinach mixture into 10 equal portions.
Carefully spoon each portion into each shell
Place stuffed shells into an oven proof baking dish
Pour Pasta Sauce over shells; sprinkle with remaining Mozzarella Cheese
Bake in 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted. Don’t over cook the shell edges will become hard.
