hummus

adapted from mccormick

drain 1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas reserving 1/4 cup liquid
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. adjust seasonings to taste.

use as a dip for veggies and chips, or in place of mayo in sandwiches and wraps.

gyoza

gyoza is a japanese version of the chinese pot sticker. i made this recipe for new year's eve and it was a big hit. and my sister who lived in japan said they tasted pretty authentic. they are quite time consuming to make, but if you can get a few people to help fill the wrappers, it should take no time at all. i got the recipe from this food blog: wasabi bratwurst. so if gyoza sounds like something you want to make, check out that site because it has pictures of what they should look like.

This recipe will make just over 50 gyoza, adjust as necessary. I would recommend freezing a batch to enjoy at a later date.

6 cups minced napa cabbage leaves, shredded
1 1/2 teaspoon table salt (no kosher as it is too coarse)
1 1/2 lbs ground pork
3/4 cup of garlic chives, minced. If not accessible, white and green parts of scallions can be used for substitute.
1/4 teaspoons white pepper
2 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons grated ginger*
2 tablespoon grated fresh ginger* (No substitution with the dried stuff, please!)
3 large cloves of garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press
3 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 package of gyoza wrapping skins
vegetable oil and water for cooking
* (not sure if that was a typo adding ginger twice, so i just used 2 tablespoons ginger and called it good.)

Gyoza Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoon rice vinegar
chili oil to taste (sesame oil and hot sauce can be used as substitute)
Dash of white pepper
Minced scallions - green parts only

Combine all ingredients in bowl, sauce can be refrigerated overnight.

the Procedure

1. Toss cabbage and salt in colander and place inside a medium bowl - the salt will help to draw out the extra moisture in the cabbage. After about 20 minutes the cabbage will begin to wilt, at which time you will want remove the excess water. You can use a rubber spatula and press the cabbage along the sides of the bowl, however, I find squeezing the cabbage in my hands with a towel is much more effective. If you used your hands be sure to toss cabbage to separate and fluff the combine with other filling ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold (minimum of 30 minutes, no more than 24 hours).
2. Now for the fun part…Wrapping Things Up! When working with the wrappers you want to be sure to keep them from drying out, the best way to do this is to keep them covered with a damp cloth until they are ready for use. Remove one wrapper from under the cloth and begin…
* Place the gyoza wrapper in your palm and place a small spoonful of filling in the center. Use enough of the mixture to fill out the wrapper completely without overstuffing it. Be sure to keep the edges clean giving you room to enclose the filling with the wrapper. It may take a couple to get it just right; just remember practice makes perfect.
* Place your index finger of your opposite hand into the water and use it to wet the edges of the gyoza skin (no need to wet the edges all the way around, just the top half). If you have any filling that is approaching the edges at this point, you have too much filling. Remove the excess and reposition the remaining filling in the center of the wrapper with your fingers.
* Fold the bottom half of the wrapper to meet the top half that you moistened in the previous step. I work from one edge of the skin to the other, making pleats by crimping the bottom half of the wrapper to meet the top half. I follow each pleat with my index finger to keep the sides from sticking before I am ready to bring them together. I also use that same finger to keep the filling from escaping. Continue making pleats until the filling is completely encased, you should have about 5-6 pleats total. The gyoza should naturally curve as you’re working.
* Place the wrapper gyoza on a baking sheet to flatten the bottom of the dumpling. At this point you can also press down on the pleats to ensure a tight seal while eliminating any air bubbles.
* If you are not eating right away, freeze gyoza in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once fully frozen, place into freezer bags.

If you are like me and cannot resist, move on to the cooking phase…
3. Grease bottom of a 12-inch nonstick skillet with vegetable oil using a paper towel to spread to all edges of the pan. Add gyoza to the skillet, laying them flat and being sure not to crowd. Place skillet over medium-high heat and cook for 4-5 minutes WITHOUT moving. You want the bottoms to become golden brown. At this point add a couple of shots of water (just enough to cover the bottom of the skillet) and cover with a tight fitting lid. The intention is to steam the dumplings - you do NOT need a lot of water. Cook for another 4-5 minutes. You will undoubtedly have to cook and eat in batches. Serve with Scallion Dipping Sauce and eat while hot!

bruschetta

serves 20












12 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon roasted garlic*
1 shallot, minced
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
2 (1 pound) loaves Italian bread, cut into 1/2 inch slices

to roast the garlic, take 1 head of garlic and cut 1/4 to 1/2 inch off the top so the individual cloves of garlic are exposed. rub some olive oil over the exposed area and wrap the head in foil. place in a preheated 400 degree oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the garlic is soft. set aside to cool.

in a skillet over medium heat, sauté the minced shallot in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. in a large bowl, mash about 4 cloves of roasted garlic (to equal 1 tablespoon) with a fork to form a paste. add the shallots, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and diced tomatoes. fold the ingredients together. add salt and pepper, to taste. cover and refrigerate for 2-6 hours.

slice the bread on a bias and place on a baking sheet. broil for 1 1/2 minutes on each side, or until lightly toasty brown.

chop the basil leaves and fold into the tomatoes. spoon the tomato mixture over the toasted bread slices and sprinkle with feta cheese. the tomatoes can get a little watery, so i would use a fork instead of a spoon to drain the excess liquid.

*this recipe only uses about 4 cloves of roasted garlic. the rest can be refrigerated up to 3 days and is great to spread on bread, crackers, or use in any recipe calling for garlic. some people even eat it plain....

spinach phyllo triangles

this is a great appetizer i have served on many occasions. since they can be a bit time consuming to assemble, i make them up to 2 months before the party and keep them in the freezer. the directions i have say you can cook them frozen, but then the tips get too brown before they are done, so i like to thaw them out for 15-20 minutes before they go in the oven.

spinach phyllo triangles -- from better homes and gardens, (but i modified it by adding more ingredients)

10 oz package frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups feta cheese, crumbled (6 oz)
1/2 teaspoon oregano
a pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
3 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 egg
12+ sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed completely*
1/2 cup butter, melted

in a medium hot skillet, saute onions and garlic in the olive oil until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. sprinkle a little salt on the onions while cooking to speed the process. let cool. in a mixing bowl, combine the spinach, feta, oregano, cayenne and black pepper, nutmeg, yogurt, and egg. add the onions and garlic and mix well.

brush one sheet of phyllo with melted butter. layer another sheet on top and brush with butter. using a pizza cutter, cut phyllo into 2x14" strips. spoon a rounded teaspoon of filling onto the end of each strip. fold into triangles by bringing a corner over the filling so it lines up with the other side of the strip. continue folding the strip, keeping it in a triangle shape. (just like you are folding the american flag. <- click for instructions, start with step 4.) brush triangles with butter and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

bake at 375 for 15 minutes, or until golden. let cool slightly. they can be served warm, or at room temperature.

if you are freezing them for a later date, place the unbaked triangles in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. cover with plastic wrap and freeze until frozen through....(i don't know how long, i usually end up forgetting about them and finding them the next day.) put triangles in tupperware with sheets of wax paper between the layers and store in the freezer up to 2 months.

*working with phyllo can be a little intimidating at first. just make sure you thaw the dough all the way by putting it in the refrigerator overnight or leaving it out on the counter for 2 hours. otherwise, the dough will crack. also, keep a damp kitchen towel over the dough and folded triangles so they don't dry out.