If you make these for a party, then you will want to start early.  I could only fit about 4 whole tortillas on a baking sheet, and that's only like 1 serving.  So yes, I ate a whole pan.  I'll go be filled with self loathing now.

Baked Corn Tortilla Chips
to make 1-2 servings

4- 6 inch corn tortillas
Canola or other flavorless oil OR cooking spray/spray oil
Salt (I use Kosher but regular would be fine)

Preheat an oven to 350 and center your oven rack.  Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment (optional, but makes for much easier cleanup).

Cut your tortillas into quarters (or whatever size you desire- sixths would be fine too).  Lay them flat in a single layer on your baking sheet, and spray with oil.  You can use a Misto sprayer, a pump sprayer, or even a spray bottle with a nozzle, or even cooking spray- you just want an even, light layer of oil on the chips.  Sprinkle with salt.  Turn over and repeat on the other side.

Bake in preheated oven about 10-15 minutes, flipping about halfway through.  They are done when they've crisped up and are golden with some light browning.

Notes

• Depending on your love of salt, you may want to go easy at first.  Remember you are salting both sides (or just salt one side if you were heavy handed on the first side).  These can tend to be a little salty if you aren't careful.
• Despite their sturdiness, they get soggy more easily than the store bought chips.  Be warned.

Tortilla Española
from Bon Appetit

Serves 8 (we had about 5 servings)

1 tablespoon plus 2 cups olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
Kosher salt
2 medium waxy potatoes (about ¾ lb.), peeled, cut into ¾” pieces
8 large eggs

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and dark brown, 35–40 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, heat potatoes and remaining 2 cups oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until oil around potatoes begins to bubble; reduce heat to medium and cook until potatoes are tender but have not taken on any color, 10–12 minutes. Drain potatoes, reserving oil. Season potatoes with salt and let cool slightly.

Combine eggs, onion, potatoes, and ¼ cup reserved potato cooking oil in a large bowl and gently beat with a fork.

Heat 3 Tbsp. reserved potato cooking oil in a 10” nonstick skillet over medium heat (reserve remaining oil for another use). Add egg mixture and cook, lifting at edge and tilting skillet to let uncooked egg run underneath, until bottom and edge of tortilla are set but center is still wet.

Set a large plate on top of skillet. Swiftly invert tortilla onto plate, then slide back into skillet, cooked side up. Cook until center is just set, about 2 minutes longer. Cut into wedges.

I know we all have a little bit of a thing for chips and dip, am I right?  Long ago there were plain chips and french onion dip, and then we added in tortillas and salsa.  Now it's a multicultural free-for-all, with pita and tzatziki, hummus, and all sorts of other variations from around the world.  Isn't it great how much variety we have?

So this one is a new spin on the old, classic potato chip and dip concept, and it seems weird at first, but if you like pickles, the more you think about it, the better of an idea it seems.  As my friend Charlotte said, the flavor of this dip is like when you order a sandwich that is served with chips in a deli, and beside the chips is a dill pickle spear, and some of the pickle juice mingles with the chips beside it.  Those are your favorite chips, too, right?

This dip is easy, and makes a small batch, but with dips like this, a little goes a long way.  I found the original on Pinterest and made it for a Super Bowl party, and it was determined to be a success.  I did have to adjust the original recipe, so I'm posting as I made it.

Dill Pickle Dip
adapted from Buns In My Oven blog

1- 8 oz bar cream cheese, softened
1 Tb Worcestershire Sauce
1/2- 1 cup dill pickles, chopped
1 Tb (or more) pickle liquid
1 tsp dried dill

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth with an electric mixer.  Add in Worcestershire and pickle liquid and beat until well incorporated.  Stir in the pickles and dried dill with a rubber spatula or the beater.  At this point, taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.  Chill in refrigerator, preferably overnight.  Garnish with fresh or dried dill and serve with plain or plain ruffled chips.

Notes

• The original recipe didn't have enough flavor to me, so I increased the dried dill.  It really helped the flavor.
• This also benefits from a rest in the fridge to allow the flavors to mingle.  

I didn't think about it until just now, but this would have been a great "New Year's" dish.  I didn't make this for any new year celebration.  I made this for a Christmas party, and I've made it tons of times before.  It was one of those recipes that I've been making forever, and finding out I hadn't yet shared it really surprised me.  Use any reason you want to make this recipe.  It's got beans and other vegetables, so you can feel OK about eating half the bowl.  Until you realize that it took almost a whole bag of chips to do that.  It's really tasty, and even people who don't normally like things that aren't meat will eat this without flinching.  Good for parties wherever salsas or chip dips are accepted.  Makes a huge bowl full.  People will want the recipe.  Trust me on the Italian dressing (that's pronounced eye-talian where I'm from).

Aside from dipping, it's a good addition to scrambled eggs and mixed into a taco salad.  What other ways do you have for it to be eaten?

Black Eyed Pea Salsa

2 cans (15 oz each) black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (10 oz) shoepeg corn, drained
1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes and chilis, partially drained (Ro-Tel)
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
1/2 red onion, diced
1 bunch green onions, sliced
8 oz Italian salad dressing

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Store in fridge.

Our recipe collection at the Givens house is pretty varied- you've got the all-out, no good for any part of you except your soul sweets and the salads, all in one place.  Today's post is on the healthier end of things.  They're vegetarian, but not vegan, and if you're looking to vary your vegetarian offerings, here's one for you.



When I first made and tried them, I didn't think they'd make it to a post, because they weren't that good, but something happened when they sat around for a few minutes and we ate them topped with avocado and salsa.  They were good.  Really good.  Four of us ate every last cake.  They're easy and come together farily quickly, and they're also affordable.  You'd be hard pressed to find many "not affordable" options on this site.  Ain't nobody got time for that. 



Due to ingredient substitutions, I'll post the way I made the cakes, but I'll link to the blog where I got the recipe, which I pinned on Pinterest.  Just click the recipe title if you want to see the original blog post.



Quinoa and Kale Cakes
adapted from Yummy Supper blog

2.5 cups cooked quinoa or 1 cup uncooked quinoa
4 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup finely diced onions
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup steamed kale, chopped
1 cup plain bread crumbs
2 Tb olive oil

If not using already cooked quinoa, rinse 1 cup quinoa and place in a saucepan with one cup water and a pinch of salt.  Bring to a boil and reduce to a rapid simmer.  Cover and let cook approx. 15 minutes or until quinoa is soft and fluffy.  Let cool.

In a large bowl, mix together cooked quinoa, eggs, Parm, onions, garlic, salt, steamed kale, and breadcrumbs. Let everything sit for a few minutes to absorb the liquid. You want the batter to be moist, but not runny. Form patties and get your pan ready for cookin'.

Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Cook up to 6 patties at at time (don't overcrowd the pan). Cover the pan and let the cuties cook for 7-10 minutes until the underbellies are a deep rich brown. Flip and cook the other side for another 7-10 minutes until both sides are nice and brown. Let patties rest on a cooling rack while you finish the next batch.

Serve warm or at room temperature, topped with salsa, avocado, sauteed onions and peppers, and black beans (or, you know, whatever you want). 

Peach salsa is nostalgic for me.  It's a food that reminds me of family.  I can remember the first time I tried peach salsa, but I cannot remember how old I was.  I was at my grandmother's, and she had bought a jar somewhere and the whole family tried it, curious but with some trepidation.  To us, salsa was tomato based, and contained a jalapeño at the most, in terms of creative ingredients.  To our delight, the peach salsa was like opening a new world.  It wasn't syrupy sweet; it had a slight sweetness that balanced out the spice.  It was a unique flavor but  not so strange that you didn't want to finish off the whole jar, which I believe we did.  After that first time, the peach salsa found its way to our family get togethers for several years. 

I am subscribed to three food based magazines, and I try to utilize recipes from each one, lest they become relics I keep around to later smell musty when I'm old.  I found this recipe for salmon with this tomato-peach salsa, and in one recipe used it for both steak and fish.  I had intended it for fish all along, but the first time didn't so much work out, so the steak had to sit in. 

The salsa did justice to both the steak and the fish, but I definitely recommend making it with fish.  There's just something about the lightness of the whole meal that works with fish.  This salsa is also great with tortilla chips, just as a snack. 

Tomato Peach Salsa
from July 2011 Cooking Light

1 cup chopped peeled peach

Over the last several months, Drew and I have fostered an addiction to Trader Joe's Roasted Red Pepper Hummus.  We could devour a container in one day if we showed no restraint.  It's great as a dip, a sandwich spread, and even a very thick salad dressing.  The only problem with the Trader Joe's hummus is that the closest TJ's is about an hour from us, so it's a rare treat.  We knew we needed a substitute to fill the void.



While this recipe doesn't completley hit it for us, it's a great roasted red pepper hummus recipe that is fairly simple and gets better with about a day in the fridge.  It's definitely a great substitute, and it comes from user MARBALET from allrecipes.com. 

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
from allrecipes.com

1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained

I have lots of recipes to post for you in the coming days, some of which are very good for Christmas gifts or parties.  Today's post is good for any time of the year, but I just made them yesterday for Drew's birthday party.  Were you part of the popper craze of the mid '90's?  I remember when they came out, and how they were on every casual dining restaurant's menu.  My aunt would buy the frozen ones in the store and serve them at every family get together.  Fun times.  Now, of course, the poppers aren't king of casual appetizers, but they're still pretty popular, and pretty good. 



I first started searching for popper recipes earlier this year, and my main criteria was that the popper be baked.  For one thing, it's healthier, and for another thing, I don't have a fryer and have no desire to purchase that much oil.  After searching all my favorite sites for recipes, I settled on Emeril Lagasse's Baked Jalapeño Popper recipe, and he did not disappoint.



The panko bread crumbs make the popper crunchy, as though it were fried, but I still get the health benefits of the baking.  The cream cheese combined with monterrey jack and spices gives it a good, cheesy interior that isn't too greasy and won't ooze out of the pepper and onto your baking sheet.  The essence, which I did use from having some in my pantry from way a long time ago, adds color and flavor throughout the popper. 

Make these for your next get together.  They're relatively easy, and so good. 

Baked Jalapeño Poppers
from Emeril Lagasse

12 fresh jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise, stems, seeds and membranes removed

6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or less, to taste
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
8 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
1 cup panko crumbs, or fine dry breadcrumbs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet and set aside.

In a bowl, cream together the cream cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, cumin, and cayenne.

In a small bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, and 2 teaspoons of the Essence. In a shallow dish, combine the panko crumbs and remaining 4 teaspoons of Essence. In a third dish, combine the flour and remaining 2 teaspoons of Essence. Spread 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture into the middle of each jalapeno half. One at a time, dredge in the flour, dip into the egg mixture, then dredge in the panko crumbs, pressing to coat. If necessary, repeat the process. Place the coated peppers, cut side up, on the prepared baking sheet and bake until the filling is runny and the crust is golden, about 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and serve immediately.



Notes

• I had 10 big, huge jalapeños that I used, and had just a bit of leftover filling and no extra egg to dip in.  If you make more or if you have big jalapeños like I did, you may want some extra egg on hand
• I used about twice the amount of breadcrumbs needed, so make sure you have more than 1 cup.
• I found the coating stuck best when I did the flour and egg wash twice before moving to the crumb coating.
• Important!  Wear gloves when handling jalapeños or other hot peppers with your hands- they will burn you for hours afterward if you don't!

If you've ever been to PF Chang's China Bistro, you likely know about and love lettuce wraps.  Before the first time I went to PF Chang's, everyone told me I HAD to try the lettuce wraps, that they were the best thing on the menu.  The lettuce wraps practically have their own cult following, and after I tried them, I understood why.  They're a great combination of satisfying but light, and the contrast of the cool, crunchy lettuce wrapped around the warm filling is a great sensation in your mouth.  Add the dipping sauce and you have a real crowd pleaser. 











Over the past couple months I have begun to see various recipes for lettuce wraps in magazines and on the internet, and Monday night I decided to try my hand at them.  Monday night was the first night I had cooked anything other than eggs and baked beans in over a week.  You see, all weekend and most of last week were devoted to a wedding cake (more on that later) and that didn't leave much time for cooking or eating on a regular schedule.  I am ashamed to say that I ate a lot of fast food, and I don't even really like fast food very much.  I felt like I needed something lighter and healthier, and the lettuce wraps were on my mind.  Lettuce wraps are a healthy food and easy to make, which are great qualities for a recipe to have when you're still feeling blah from the food you ate during the weekend.  These are great for a light dinner or an appetizer, as PF Chang's serves them.  For all you Atkins fans, I think they're decently low carb too.


I drew inspiration from recipes in the September issue of Cooking Light, and the June/July 2010 issue of Taste of Home.  One of the ingredients in PF Chang's wraps that people really love are rice noodles that have been broken into short pieces and then fried so that they're light and crispy.  You can't buy that in stores, and I don't really care to make those myself, so you have to find something else to make the crunch in your mouth.  Based off the TOH recipe, I went with peanuts.  I bet cashews would be great, too.  I think every recipe I saw recommended water chestnuts, and I don't like those, so in my version I have left those out.  I also wanted a little more vegetable presence, so I included a julienned carrot.  Next time I will probably include some bell pepper, too.  That's the beauty of cooking on your own- add or subtract according to your preferences.  These came out great!  They had the lightness I desired, the contrast of the cold, crunchy lettuce worked great with the warm filling, and the peanuts were a great crunchy and flavorful addition. 



All that to say that below is my own recipe for the lettuce wrap ingredients.  The sauce is taken directly from the recipe in Cooking Light.  I give credit where credit is due! 





Lettuce Wraps
1 lb ground chicken or turkey
1 pkg or 8 oz mushrooms, sliced or diced
1/2 to 1 large carrot, julienned or 1/2 c. shredded carrots
1 bunch green onions or scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. minced ginger
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 head Boston, Bibb, or Iceberg lettuce leaves
3 Tb. hoisin sauce
3 Tb. soy sauce
1 Tb. rice vinegar
2 tsp. Sriracha or hot chili sauce
1/4-1/2 c. chopped peanuts
2-3 Tb. vegetable oil

Heat 1-2 tb. vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the mushrooms and carrot (and bell pepper, if including); sauté 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.  Remove mushrooms and carrot from the pan and place in a large bowl.  Heat another Tb of oil in the same pan.  Add the meat, ginger, and garlic to the pan.  Cook 6 minutes or until the meat is fully cooked, stirring occasionally to break up the meat.  Once the chicken is cooked, add all but about 2 tablespoons green onions and stir.  Sprinkle 1-2 tsp soy sauce over the meat and onion and stir around to distribute.  Add the peanuts and meat mixture to the mushroom mixture in the bowl and stir to incorporate all ingredients. 

In a small bowl, make the sauce: stir together the hoisin, soy, vinegar, sriracha, and remaining green onions. 

Spoon about 1/2 of the wrap filling into each lettuce leaf and spoon over desired amount of sauce.


Cook's Notes

• I am intentionally leaving the mushroom variety out.  The Cooking Light recipe called for shiitakes, which would have been great, but I am pretty sure my local grocery store's produce guy would think I was cussing him.  I used portobellos.  They were on sale and delicious.  I am sure button or white mushrooms would work great here, too.
• Next time I will increase the vegetable to meat ratio because I like vegetables.  This time I used 1/2 a big carrot.  Next time I'll likely use a whole one. 
• I'll probably also add 1/2 to 1 whole bell pepper.  Red is my favorite. 
• Don't try to get too healthy or fancy with the lettuce.  You're looking for a fairly neutral flavor with a flexible leaf and some crunch, so endive or arugula won't be great.  You could try romaine or green leaf.  If you do let me know how that works out for you.
• The sauce by itself is a little funny tasting, but over the filling, it works.  I am not as familiar with Asian ingredients, so I did follow the amounts somewhat carefully.  I still didn't use measuring spoons. 
• This is a slightly more expensive dish than others I've made, so be forewarned.  I spent about $15.  I am, however, getting 4 good sized meal portions.
• I ate this as a main course and had no side dishes.  If you can't live without a side, go for brown rice or edamame. 

If you make this, please post in the comments section and let me know what you think!

BONUS: How to julienne your carrots, in a completely amateur sort of way

Step 1: Cut your carrot in half lengthwise so you're left with two semi circles. 



Step 2:  Thinly slice each of those semi circles lengthwise so that you have little carrot planks


Step 3: Thinly slice each of those planks lengthwise so that you're left with match sticks.



Now you have julienned your carrot, and it's perfect for this and other recipes!

Oh, the mozzarella stick- it is, for me, an irresistable food, and yet it's partially why America is increasingly obese.  I mean, breaded, fried cheese?!  Pass the plate, but stop me after one or two!  I love cheese, and the mozzarella stick is a wonderful way to eat it- melty, stringy cheese inside a crunchy shell of bread crumbs, dipped in marinara sauce.  Yum!  As before stated, however, these are really quite bad for you since they're fried.  What's a girl to do?  Make Rocco DiSpirito's version, that's what!

Chef Rocco has come out with a new cookbook entitled, Now Eat This.  It's filled with ways to make your favorite guilty pleasure foods less guilty, but every bit as pleasurable.  He appeared on the Rachael Ray Show back in March to talk about this new book and to make these mozzarella sticks.  His version is baked and uses Panko bread crumbs in place of regular ones.  His version actually uses whole wheat panko bread crumbs, but the grocery stores around here aren't quite that well stocked yet. 










These sticks take a few steps, but are easy to make.  They're also relatively fast.  First, take your average mozzarella cheese stick, a.k.a. string cheese.  You can leave them whole or cut them in half, depending on your own preference.  The ones I have pictured are left whole.  Put the sticks through a three stage breading process of flour, egg white, and bread crumbs.  Line them on a baking sheet, bake, and enjoy while warm.  I served them with marinara sauce. 











We had them for my brother in law's birthday, and they were very good!  The crunch of the panko mimics the crunch that is created when the stick is fried.  I would definitely recommend these for your next get together...or your next craving of mozzarella sticks, whichever comes first. 

Rocco DiSpirito's Mozzarella Sticks
from Now Eat This

Ingredients
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs, such as Ian's All-Natural
3 large egg whites
8 reduced-fat mozzarella sticks, such as Polly-O 2% Milk Natural Reduced-Fat Mozzarella
Garlic salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Nonstick olive oil cooking spray
1 cup fra diavolo pasta sauce, such as Victoria


Preparation
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a wire rack on a foil-lined baking sheet, and set it aside.

Put the flour in a shallow dish. Put the panko in another shallow dish. In a medium bowl, whip the egg whites with a whisk until they are extremely foamy but not quite holding peaks.

Working in batches, dredge the mozzarella sticks in the flour, shaking off any excess. Add the mozzarella sticks to the egg whites and toss to coat completely. Add the mozzarella sticks, a few pieces at a time, to the panko and coat completely.

Spread the breaded cheese sticks out on the wire rack. Season them generously with garlic salt and pepper, and spray lightly with cooking spray. Bake until the breading is golden brown and crispy and the cheese is melted throughout, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the pasta sauce in the microwave or in a small saucepan for 2 minutes, or until it is hot.

Serve the mozzarella sticks with the sauce for dipping.

Notes

• Since I never really know what to do when I separate an egg and don't use the yolk in the recipe, and I wasn't that super concerned about the added calories, I used two whole eggs in place of the white.
• Since I haven't found whole wheat panko crumbs in the grocery stores around here, I used regular.  It slightly decreases the nutritional value and coloration, but the crunch effect is the same. 
• I didn't have garlic salt, so I used granulated garlic instead.