I found a "basic" recipe on the Food Network and have since doctored it up. I serve mine with toasted pita chips. Make extra chips if you have different dips you want to serve in addition to the spinach artichoke dip.
This dip is the best ever. It has bacon in it and tons of flavor. People will be asking you for this recipe for a long time!!
Uptown Spinach & Artichoke Dip:
Olive oil
Non-stick cooking spray
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, finely minced - as fine as you can get it - onion can be substituted
1 - 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 - 6-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, rinsed, and chopped
10 strips of center cut bacon, cooked until very crisp and then crumbled (you can use regular bacon - center cut has 30% less fat)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 cups reduced fat sour cream (you can use whole fat, as well)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Optional:
-leave shallot out
-substitute onion for shallot
-add in fresh dill or parsley
Spray a non-stick skillet with non-stick cooking spray, such as PAM. Add garlic and shallot and stir until shallot/onion becomes somewhat translucent - see through - about 4 minutes. Pour shallot/garlic mixture into a bowl to cool.
Defrost spinach. Place in a kitchen towel that is dark, if possible. Wring out the spinach water - as much as you can. Chop into smaller pieces if necessary - you may find that spinach leaves are cheaper then chopped spinach so it will take an extra step but save you money. Add chopped spinach to a large mixing bowl.
Empty the contents of the artichoke hearts into a colinder to rinse. The reason we are rinsing is that if the artichokes are kept in oil or a spice combination, we dont want it to overpower our dip. Rinse until all spices come off of the hearts.
To the bowl, add the sour cream, artichokes, bacon, cooked garlic/shallot mix, lemon zest, and salt. Mix throughly. Taste for salt. Place in the fridge until almost ready to serve.
**I use extra bacon and spinach, making the dip thicker, heartier, and more the way I like it. If you add more bacon, you may need to use less salt. Also, if you use reduced fat sour cream, you may need to add additional salt, as some find it to have less flavor. If you use reduced fat sour cream along with the center cut bacon, you can feel better about eating this dip because you have cut the fat by over 35%.
This can be served with tortilla chips, bread, toasted bread, or pita chips.
Toasted Pita Chips:
Spice Mixture:
2 tbs. dill
1 tbs. parsley
1 tbs. salt
1/2 tbs. pepper
1/2 tsp. season all salt (you can leave this out if you dont have it)
1-2 tbs. Italian seasonings such as basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary - or any combination of the bunch
3 tbs. olive oil
3 tbs. water - you can use all oil if you want - by using water, we are cutting the fat without cutting the taste
6 pita rounds, cut into 8 triangles - cut in half, then in quarters, cut each quarter in half
Preheat oven to 400F. Line a cookie sheet with tin foil.
In a bowl, combine spice mixture, oil, and water. Mix. One at a time, dip the chips into the mixture, trying to ensure that seasoning makes it onto all pieces. Place pita pieces on the cookie sheet.
Cook for 5-7 minutes each side or until desired crisp texture. Serve warm, room temperature, or place inside of a air tight container and serve at a later time.
**Remember that you can really use any spice mixture you have around. Sometimes, I might add some paprika, cayenne pepper, or garlic powder. It doesnt have to be exact and either way, it will still turn out delicious!!!
February 27, 2009
Really "Crabby" Cakes
Crab is a lush, decadent, and delicious product. And, when purchased in the refrigerated section of the store in a tin can, it is almost as delicious as the real thing at the shore. Anyone can fry up a little crab, mayo, and a ton of bread crumbs. The key to my crab cakes is utilizing the right kind of crab - middle of the road, not too expensive, not the cheap stuff - and a lot of it. Every bite will be mostly filled with crab. Switch in the veggies you like for an alternative taste.
I have included the recipe, some tips for purchasing, alternate cooking methods, and a few great alternatives for changing the recipe up. Also, these cakes go great with my Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce.
Really "Crabby" Cakes: Serves 4 (great main course with larger cakes and appetizers as smaller cakes)
Maggie McKelvey Ottenwess
*I would be on the look out for this on sale. When you are making a crab cake, you really don’t need lg. pieces of crab or anything. Crab in the aluminum usually keeps from 6 months to 1 year. I but 2 at a time when they are on sale. Even if I don’t get around to making crab cakes, they are an easy, elegant toss with almost any pasta sauce.
*If you want to do this for a large group and don’t want to put out too much cash for the cakes, use cheap, cooked shrimp, diced, and imitation crab. While this will not be as "good" the to trained palate, it can fool the crowd. Plus, you will be saving almost half of your money. Again, you can get the shrimp on sale and keep in the freezer.
1 lg. container of real crab meat – the kind in the aluminum can, refrigerated section near seafood
1/3 lg. onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 stalks of celery, minced OR
1 red/yellow/orange/or green pepper, minced
¼ cup white wine, pinot grigio (you could substitute broth or water)
2 eggs
1 cup, give or take, Panko breadcrumbs
1-2 tsp. dill weed
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
In a lg. sauté pan, spray with PAM or add olive oil. Then add the garlic and veggies (onion and whatever other veggies you want). Sauté 3-5 minutes and then add the wine. Cook down in the wine until there is little liquid left. Set aside and allow to cool.
In a mixing bowl, empty the crab. Toss with the two eggs, ½ tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper, ½ - 1 tsp. dill, depending if fresh or dried. More if fresh. Once veggie mixture is cooled, add to the bowl. Slowly add in the bread crumbs until most of the liquid from the egg, crab, and veggies is absorbed. Do not over bread. Form into patties, palm size for dinner, 1/3 palm size for appetizers. Refrigerate to firm.
There are three ways you can cook these. 1. Bake in a 375F degree oven on a PAM sprayed, foil lined cookie sheet until warmed through. Broil the last few minutes to get a crust on them. 2. Pan fry lightly in oil, both sides, creating a crust. Bake in a 375F degree oven until warmed through. 3. Cook entirely by frying on the stove. I would cook the first side 6-7 minutes over med. high to high heat and then the second side 2-3 minutes, med. high to high, drop the heat to medium, cover and heat until warm.
Alternative Add Ins:
-Make it Greek - add chopped olives, a small amount of feta, and raw cucumbers. Top or dip in a a tazeki style Greek sauce
-Instead of cakes, make small, mouth size balls. Use these in place of meatballs in any sauce from marina to scampi to Alfredo
-Freshen it up - lightly saute arugula, shallots, and mushrooms. Add these to the crab mixture for a change up!
*I serve with tarter, horseradish, or red pepper sauce; see previous blog
To plate:
Lay plate with mixed greens, spinach, or the combination of. Top with warm Really "Crabby" Cakes, causing minimal wilting of the greens. Spoon over the Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce and ENJOY!!!
I have included the recipe, some tips for purchasing, alternate cooking methods, and a few great alternatives for changing the recipe up. Also, these cakes go great with my Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce.
Really "Crabby" Cakes: Serves 4 (great main course with larger cakes and appetizers as smaller cakes)
Maggie McKelvey Ottenwess
*I would be on the look out for this on sale. When you are making a crab cake, you really don’t need lg. pieces of crab or anything. Crab in the aluminum usually keeps from 6 months to 1 year. I but 2 at a time when they are on sale. Even if I don’t get around to making crab cakes, they are an easy, elegant toss with almost any pasta sauce.
*If you want to do this for a large group and don’t want to put out too much cash for the cakes, use cheap, cooked shrimp, diced, and imitation crab. While this will not be as "good" the to trained palate, it can fool the crowd. Plus, you will be saving almost half of your money. Again, you can get the shrimp on sale and keep in the freezer.
1 lg. container of real crab meat – the kind in the aluminum can, refrigerated section near seafood
1/3 lg. onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 stalks of celery, minced OR
1 red/yellow/orange/or green pepper, minced
¼ cup white wine, pinot grigio (you could substitute broth or water)
2 eggs
1 cup, give or take, Panko breadcrumbs
1-2 tsp. dill weed
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
In a lg. sauté pan, spray with PAM or add olive oil. Then add the garlic and veggies (onion and whatever other veggies you want). Sauté 3-5 minutes and then add the wine. Cook down in the wine until there is little liquid left. Set aside and allow to cool.
In a mixing bowl, empty the crab. Toss with the two eggs, ½ tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper, ½ - 1 tsp. dill, depending if fresh or dried. More if fresh. Once veggie mixture is cooled, add to the bowl. Slowly add in the bread crumbs until most of the liquid from the egg, crab, and veggies is absorbed. Do not over bread. Form into patties, palm size for dinner, 1/3 palm size for appetizers. Refrigerate to firm.
There are three ways you can cook these. 1. Bake in a 375F degree oven on a PAM sprayed, foil lined cookie sheet until warmed through. Broil the last few minutes to get a crust on them. 2. Pan fry lightly in oil, both sides, creating a crust. Bake in a 375F degree oven until warmed through. 3. Cook entirely by frying on the stove. I would cook the first side 6-7 minutes over med. high to high heat and then the second side 2-3 minutes, med. high to high, drop the heat to medium, cover and heat until warm.
Alternative Add Ins:
-Make it Greek - add chopped olives, a small amount of feta, and raw cucumbers. Top or dip in a a tazeki style Greek sauce
-Instead of cakes, make small, mouth size balls. Use these in place of meatballs in any sauce from marina to scampi to Alfredo
-Freshen it up - lightly saute arugula, shallots, and mushrooms. Add these to the crab mixture for a change up!
*I serve with tarter, horseradish, or red pepper sauce; see previous blog
To plate:
Lay plate with mixed greens, spinach, or the combination of. Top with warm Really "Crabby" Cakes, causing minimal wilting of the greens. Spoon over the Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce and ENJOY!!!
February 26, 2009
Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce
Spring is around the corner and with that comes a whole new way of eating. We will start to drift away from the heavier, stewish meals we have been noshing on for several months and start opting for lighter meals.
Below is my Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce. What I love about this recipe is that it can be used as a sauce over pasta, replace a sauce in lasagna, used as a dipping sauce, and so many other ways.
I have encluded the healthier option, but remember, if you are in need of a more decatant meal, just up the fat and calories by using whipping or heavy cream.
Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce: Serves 6-8, Maggie McKelvey Ottenwess
3 large red bell peppers
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
½ onion, any kind, diced
2 cups chicken/veggie broth
1 cup fat free ½ and ½
½ cup white wine (optional) *you can substitute additional broth or dairy
½ cup parmesan cheese (optional)
2 tbs. butter
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Preheat oven to 425F. In an oven proof pan, line with foil. Put peppers on the foil. Heat in the oven 1 hour, turning every 20 minutes, until skins are lightly blackened and peppers have appeared to slightly concave. Remove the skins from the peppers. This can be done by attempting to pull out the seeds/core from the top, running cool water into the center of the peppers, and then using a light stream of water to cool the pepper while you remove the skins. Sometimes, the skins are difficult to get off. If all skin is not removed, it is OK. It is also recommended that you place the steaming peppers in a dish and cover with saran wrap. Wait 10 minutes, and then remove the skins. This step has not worked for me but a lot of people do it.
Meanwhile, mince the garlic and dice the onion. Sauté over medium in olive oil or PAM. After the peppers have been skinned, lightly chop and add to the garlic and onion. Season the vegetable mixture with salt and pepper. I usually use 1 ½ tsp. salt or more and ¼ tsp. pepper. Sauté for several minutes over medium heat. Transfer to a deeper pan (sauté pan, soup pan, it will need to be 4 inches or deeper). Add the broth and wine. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 15 minutes. Using a hand blender, puree the mixture. NO HAND BLENDER: in 2-4 small to medium batches, transfer some of the soup mixture into a blender. Ensure that the top, middle, circle thing in the lid is taken out. Place a dish towel on top and hold. Blend. If you do not do this, the heat from the soup will have an issue with the lid. Do not put too much in the blender at once, as it will expand as it is being blended. Continue this until entire sauce is blended.
Return to the 4-inch deep pan. Continue to simmer. Add the ½ and ½, butter, and ½ of the cheese. Continue to simmer the mixture until it becomes sauce-like. If this is taking too long, whisk in Wondra. Stir in the last of the cheese if you so wish near the end.
Use this sauce for the following:
- Over pasta, with or without meatballs or sausage
- Substitute your red sauce in lasagna. Mix it up and do lasagna roll-ups with shrimp and the red pepper sauce. Add veggies such as spinach.
- Dipping sauce for breaded veggies
- Use as a substitute for red sauce – pizza, stuffed shells, eggplant, chicken, or veal parmesan
Below is my Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce. What I love about this recipe is that it can be used as a sauce over pasta, replace a sauce in lasagna, used as a dipping sauce, and so many other ways.
I have encluded the healthier option, but remember, if you are in need of a more decatant meal, just up the fat and calories by using whipping or heavy cream.
Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce: Serves 6-8, Maggie McKelvey Ottenwess
3 large red bell peppers
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
½ onion, any kind, diced
2 cups chicken/veggie broth
1 cup fat free ½ and ½
½ cup white wine (optional) *you can substitute additional broth or dairy
½ cup parmesan cheese (optional)
2 tbs. butter
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Preheat oven to 425F. In an oven proof pan, line with foil. Put peppers on the foil. Heat in the oven 1 hour, turning every 20 minutes, until skins are lightly blackened and peppers have appeared to slightly concave. Remove the skins from the peppers. This can be done by attempting to pull out the seeds/core from the top, running cool water into the center of the peppers, and then using a light stream of water to cool the pepper while you remove the skins. Sometimes, the skins are difficult to get off. If all skin is not removed, it is OK. It is also recommended that you place the steaming peppers in a dish and cover with saran wrap. Wait 10 minutes, and then remove the skins. This step has not worked for me but a lot of people do it.
Meanwhile, mince the garlic and dice the onion. Sauté over medium in olive oil or PAM. After the peppers have been skinned, lightly chop and add to the garlic and onion. Season the vegetable mixture with salt and pepper. I usually use 1 ½ tsp. salt or more and ¼ tsp. pepper. Sauté for several minutes over medium heat. Transfer to a deeper pan (sauté pan, soup pan, it will need to be 4 inches or deeper). Add the broth and wine. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 15 minutes. Using a hand blender, puree the mixture. NO HAND BLENDER: in 2-4 small to medium batches, transfer some of the soup mixture into a blender. Ensure that the top, middle, circle thing in the lid is taken out. Place a dish towel on top and hold. Blend. If you do not do this, the heat from the soup will have an issue with the lid. Do not put too much in the blender at once, as it will expand as it is being blended. Continue this until entire sauce is blended.
Return to the 4-inch deep pan. Continue to simmer. Add the ½ and ½, butter, and ½ of the cheese. Continue to simmer the mixture until it becomes sauce-like. If this is taking too long, whisk in Wondra. Stir in the last of the cheese if you so wish near the end.
Use this sauce for the following:
- Over pasta, with or without meatballs or sausage
- Substitute your red sauce in lasagna. Mix it up and do lasagna roll-ups with shrimp and the red pepper sauce. Add veggies such as spinach.
- Dipping sauce for breaded veggies
- Use as a substitute for red sauce – pizza, stuffed shells, eggplant, chicken, or veal parmesan
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