Classic Hummus

The key to this light and airy dip is to process the freshly cooked beans while they’re still warm, and to add some of the cooking liquid to the mixture. 

Prep time: 20 minutes

Soak time: 1 hour or overnight 

Cook time: 50 minutes

1/2 lb. dry garbanzo beans

Water to cover

Baking soda

2 to 3 cloves garlic

2/3 cup tahini (sesame paste)

1 cup water from cooking beans, divided

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste*

1/3 cup Chobani Greek Yogurt

Stonefire Naan Bread and Stonefire Naan Chips or cut fresh veggies

Additional yogurt, olive oil, paprika or smoked paprika and chopped fresh 

Italian parsley (optional toppings)

Place garbanzo beans in a large pot with plenty of water to cover. Let stand for 12 hours or overnight, then drain water. Add back to pot with water to cover by at least several inches. Add baking soda and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes or until beans are very tender. Reserve a cup of the cooking liquid, then drain the beans well. While still warm, place in a food processor with garlic. Process for 3 to 4 minutes or until very light and fluffy and almost mousse like in consistency. (Don’t shortcut this step – the additional mixing will give you the best texture.) Add tahini, 1/2 cup cooking liquid, lemon juice, sea salt, cumin and cayenne pepper and process again well. Add yogurt and process just until blended.  Spoon a portion of the warm hummus into a bowl and top with any optional toppings. Best served with naan bread or naan chips and cut fresh veggies. Store remaining in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. 

*Omit if adding spicy flavors like buffalo wing or chipotle. 

Variations:

Chipotle Carrot

Simmer 1/2 cup diced carrots until very tender. Drain well, then place in a small blender or food processor with 3/4 cup prepared hummus and 1 teaspoon minced chipotle peppers and 1 teaspoon adobo sauce from can. Process until very smooth. If desired, add 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves and pulse to chop. 

Buffalo Wing Hummus

Stir together 1 cup prepared hummus with 3 to 4 teaspoons buffalo wing sauce. Great on a turkey or chicken sandwich or with celery sticks for dipping.

Notes:

• To speed soak, bring the water and beans to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour. 

• Save a handful of cooked beans to use as a garnish for the finished dip.

• Make sure sesame paste is thin and not dense and thick. If the liquid and solids have separated, stir until well mixed. If tahini is too thick, add additional cooking liquid from beans. 

Serving suggestions:

• Greek Hummus and Yogurt Dip

Spoon a layer of hummus into a shallow bowl and spread with a thin layer of plain yogurt. Top with pitted kalamata olive wedges, diced roasted red bell pepper or diced tomato and sliced green onion. Finish with a sprinkle of crumbled feta cheese and chopped fresh oregano, if you like. 

• Hummus Egg Sandwiches

Spread a layer of hummus onto a toasted personal-size naan bread. Top with roasted red bell peppers, sliced green onions and a fried egg. Finish with chopped fresh parsley, if you like.

Creamy Green Chile Queso

Thin with a bit of milk or almond milk if you prefer a thinner consistency.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 5 minutes

2/3 cup salsa verde

1 teaspoon Mexican seasoning blend

2 (8-oz.) containers Alouette Sharp Cheddar Soft Spreadable Cheese

Chopped fresh cilantro to taste (optional)

Stir together salsa, seasoning and cheese in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes or until mixture is hot and bubbly, stirring occasionally. Season with cilantro, if desired. Serve warm with tortilla chips or your favorite Mexican dishes. Serve warm and do not reheat. Makes about 2 cups.

Creamy Layered Bean Dip

Prep time: 15 minutes

Chill time: at least 1 hour

1 (16-oz.) can refried beans

1 (6.5-oz.) container Alouette Smokey Jalapeno Soft Spreadable Cheese*

1 (2.2-oz.) can sliced ripe olives

2/3 cup fresh pico de gallo

1/4 cup sliced green onion tops

Blue Diamond Pepper Jack Nut Thins or tortilla chips

Torn fresh cilantro leaves, guacamole (optional garnishes)

Spread beans evenly in the bottom of an 8 or 9-inch dish. Spread cheese over the top leaving a rim of beans showing around the edges. Top with olives, pico de gallo and green onions, in that order. Serve with Nut Thins Crackers or tortilla chips. May be prepared 1 day ahead and stored tightly covered in the refrigerator. Garnish as desired. Makes 12 appetizer servings.

Creamy Mandarin Dip

Prep time: 10 minutes

1 (16-oz.) container cottage cheese

2 medium mandarin oranges, peeled and sectioned

3 tablespoons honey

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Mandarin orange slices for dipping

Puree cottage cheese, mandarin oranges, honey and cinnamon in a small blender until very smooth. Spoon into a bowl and serve with additional mandarin orange slices for dipping. 

Smoothie Variation:

Make it a smoothie by blending with a bit of orange juice.

Creamy Potato Salad Bites

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: about 10 minutes

Chill time: at least 1 hour or overnight

12 (2-inch) baby yellow potatoes

1 (6.5-oz.) container Alouette Garlic & Herbs Soft Spreadable Cheese*

1/4 cup milk

Snipped fresh chives, chopped fresh herbs, crumbled bacon or minced red onion (optional garnishes)

Pierce potatoes with a small sharp knife and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on HIGH for 10 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Remove any soft potatoes and microwave any that aren’t quite done for a few minutes more. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Cut each in half and scoop out the centers with a very small spoon or melon baller into a medium bowl, leaving a small rim of potato to form a cup. Mash the potato flesh with cheese and milk until smooth. Spoon back into potato shells. For for a prettier presentation, spoon into a pastry bag or large resealable bag with the end snipped off and pipe the mixture into the potato shells. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. May be prepared 1 day ahead. Garnish as desired. Makes 24 potato bites. 

*May substitute any variety of Alouette Soft Spreadable Cheese.

Crispy Cheddar Cheese Crackers

Prep time: 20 minutes  

Cook time: 10 to 12 minutes  

1 (8-oz.) package shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

2/3 cup flour

2/3 cup brown rice flour

1/4 cup butter or olive oil

3 tablespoons milk

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Preheat oven to 400°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse on and off until well mixed

and dough sticks together when gently pressed with your fingers. Gather 

into a ball and knead several times until smooth. Using half the dough at a time, roll out very thinly on a lightly floured board, pressing any cracks together. Trim away outer edges to form a large square or rectangle and cut into 2-inch pieces; place on prepared baking sheets. Reroll scraps to use all of the dough. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until crackers are lightly browned. (They’ll crisp as they cool.) Store in an airtight container.  

Note: Make these bite sized or kid friendly by cutting them into 3/4-inch pieces. They’ll cook slightly faster if cut smaller.

Crispy Naan Dippers

Great as a dipper for hummus or your favorite dip, or use in place of croutons in a salad. 

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 to 12 minutes

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Freshly ground pepper to taste

1 package Stonefire Naan Bread or Mini Naan Bread

Preheat oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Stir together oil and seasonings in a medium bowl. Cut bread into 2 bite-size pieces and place in bowl. Toss well to coat evenly with mixture. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until bread is golden and crisp. Let cool, then store in an airtight container.

Crispy Salmon Cups

Prep time: 20 minutes   

24 square won ton wrappers

Vegetable oil cooking spray or vegetable oil

1 3/4 cups shredded 3-color deli coleslaw blend (cabbage and carrots)

3 tbsp. minced red onion

1 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

1 1/2 tbsp. each: Grama’s Sweet Chilli Sauce and rice vinegar

3/4 tsp. each: sesame oil and soy sauce

2 oz. hardwood smoked salmon (from a 4-oz. package) 

Black or white sesame seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray won ton wrappers on both sides with nonstick cooking spray or brush very lightly with vegetable oil. Press into 24 mini muffin cups, pressing all the way into the bottom. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned; let cool. Toss cabbage mixture, onion and cilantro together in a medium bowl. Stir together chilli sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and soy sauce and toss with cabbage mixture. Spoon into won ton cups. Remove skin from salmon and break into pieces; place  into cups and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if you like. Makes 8 servings.

Crunchy Won Ton Crackers

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 7 to 10 minutes 

Square won ton wrappers

Olive oil cooking spray

Sea salt

Preheat oven to 400°F and line 1 or 2 large baking sheets with foil; coat with cooking spray. Cut won ton wrappers in half to form triangles and place on baking sheets. Coat with olive oil cooking spray and season lightly with salt. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Cubano Beer Cheese Dip

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup chopped onion 

3/4 cup beer 

1 (8-oz.) block cream cheese

1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard

1 cup Chobani Oat Beverage 

2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded Swiss or Jarlsberg cheese

Minced dill pickle (garnish)

Baguette slices

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in beer, cream cheese and mustard; simmer for 10 minutes or until hot and bubbly, whisking until smooth. Reduce heat to low and slowly add cheeses a small handful at a time, whisking until smooth and cooking just until hot. Garnish with pickles if desired and serve with baguette slices. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Grape and Pickled Jalapeno Salsa

Prep time: 10 minutes

2 cups coarsely chopped red and green seedless grapes

1/4 cup minced red onion

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon minced pickled jalapeno pepper plus 1 tablespoon pickling liquid from jar or to taste

1 clove garlic, minced

Stir together all ingredients in a medium bowl. Serve immediately or cover and chill for 1 hour to let flavors blend. Serve with tortilla chips or spoon over hot dogs.

Greek Hummus Dip

Prep time: 20 minutes 

Hummus:

2 cloves garlic

1 (15-oz.) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

3  tablespoons lemon juice

2 1/2 tablespoons tahini sauce

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Toppings:

1/4 cup coarsely chopped kalamata olives

1/4 cup diced tomato or roasted red pepper

3 tablespoons minced red onion

Chopped fresh oregano (optional)

Stonefire Naan Bread Mini’s or Naan cut into wedges and cut fresh vegetables

Drop garlic into a food processor with the motor running to chop. Add beans, yogurt, lemon juice, tahini, cumin, cayenne and process until very smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Transfer to a decorative bowl and sprinkle with olives, tomato or roasted red pepper, onion and oregano. Serve with naan bread or raw vegetables. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Greek Tzaztiki Dip

Prep time: 10 minutes

Chill time: 1 hour

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

3/4 cup peeled, seeded and chopped cucumber

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

Stir together all ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serve with pita chips, or with grilled lamb. Makes about 2 cups.

Herbed Sun-Dried Tomato Polenta Squares

This is a great make ahead recipe and perfect for any gathering. 

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: about 15 minutes

Chill time: at least 1 hour

4 cups Blue Diamond Original Unsweetened Almond Breeze

4 cups vegetable broth

3 tablespoons butter or buttery spread

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups polenta

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup minced sun-dried tomatoes (preferably smoked)

2 tablespoons minced fresh basil (or 2 teaspoons dried)

2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

To prepare polenta, lightly oil a foil-lined baking sheet. Melt spread in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, then add Almond Breeze and broth and bring to a simmer. Add polenta and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is thickening and bubbly. Reduce heat to low and and cook for 5 minutes more or until mixture is very thick, stirring constantly. Stir in cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, chives and salt.

Spread about 3/4-inch thick on prepared baking sheet. Let cool slightly, then cover with plastic wrap and chill until firm. Cut into 1 1/2-inch squares and top with desired topping. May be prepared several days ahead. 

Toppings:

Basil or sun-dried tomato pesto

Olive tapenade

Balsamic and olive oil marinated tomatoes

Sun-Dried Tomato Lamb Ragu (recipe @idofood.com)

Herbed Veggie Dip

Prep time: 5 minutes

Chill time: 1 hour

2 cups sour cream

1 tablespoon snipped fresch hives

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon dried dill

Smoked salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Stir together all ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour for flavors to blend. Makes 2 cups.

Mediterranean Basil Dip

Prep time: 10 minutes

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon finely chopped oil packed sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon sugar

Stir together all ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour for flavors to blend. Makes about 1 1/4 cups.

Mexican Green Chile and Olive Polenta

Prep time : 15 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Chill time: at least 1 hour

2  cups vegetable broth

2 cups milk

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup polenta

2 tablespoons minced pickled jalapeno peppers

1 to 2 teaspoons Mexican seasoning blend

1 to 2 tablespoons prepared guacamole seasoning

3/4 cup crumbled queso fresco or shredded Mexican blend cheese

1 (2.2-oz.) can sliced ripe olives, drained

1 medium fresh pasilla or poblano pepper, roasted, peeled and chopped

Salsa, sour cream, guacamole and fresh cilantro leaves (optional toppers)

Line a 9-inch square baking pan with foil and coat with nonstick cooking spray. Bring broth, milk and butter to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Add polenta; cook and stir over low heat for 10 minutes or until very thick.  Add remaining ingredients and cook for 5 minutes more stirring frequently. Pour into prepared pan chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.  Pull up foil to remove from pan and cut into 1-inch squares. Serve with salsa, sour cream, guacamole and fresh cilantro. Makes 12 appetizer servings. 

Tip: Replace a few tablespoons of broth with the liquid from the pickled jalapenos for extra flavor.

Mini Cheese Quiche Cups

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Olive oil cooking spray

36 square egg roll or round pot sticker wrappers 

1 1/2 cups shredded smoked or sharp Cheddar cheese*

1/4 cup leftover corn

1/4 cup minced leftover ham or bacon bits

1/4 cup minced red bell pepper 

1/4 cup sliced green onion

3/4 cup milk or 1/2 & 1/21/4 cup cottage cheese

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

3 eggs

Freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 375°F and coat 36 mini muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. Press a won ton wrapper into each cup, pressing firmly into the bottom. Place equal amounts of cheese, corn, ham, bell pepper and green onion into each cup. Puree milk, cottage cheese, garlic salt and eggs in a small blender until smooth. Slowly pour into cups and sprinkle with pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, tenting with foil if tops brown too quickly. Makes 36 quiches.

 *May substitute Swiss, Havarti, Gouda or any of your favorite semi soft cheeses. 

Mini Cheese Quiches

Prep time: 15 minutes  

Cook time: 15 minutes  

Makes: 24 mini quiches

INGREDIENTS
24 pot sticker or egg roll wrappers
1/2 cup shredded Jarlsberg cheese

1/2 cup aged Cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons top quality cooked, crumbled bacon
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion tops

4 eggs
2/3 cup half & half
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400°F and coat 24 mini muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. Press a pot sticker or won ton wrapper into each cup, pressing firmly into the bottom. 

Toss together cheeses, bacon and green onions in a medium bowl and place equal amounts into each lined cup.

Whisk remaining ingredients well and pour into filled cups. Bake for 15 minutes, tenting with foil if the tops brown too quickly. Serve warm.

Variation:

Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Quiches

• Replace Jarlsberg cheese with smoked mozzarella cheese

• Replace bacon with 3 tablespoons chopped, cooked spinach (pressed dry) and 1 tablespoon minced smoked sun-dried tomatoes

• Replace green onion tops with fresh basil

Mini Herbed Cheese Quiches

A soft herbed cheese makes this recipe so tasty and easy to prepare.

Prep time: 15 minutes  

Cook time: 15 minutes 

Butter
16 to 20 square won ton wrappers*
1/2 of a 6.5-oz. container Alouette Garlic & Herbs Soft Spreadable Cheese
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk

1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 375°F and coat 16 to 20 mini muffin cups with butter. Press a won ton wrapper into each cup, pressing firmly into the bottom. Beat all ingredients together in a medium bowl and pour equal amounts into each cup. Bake for 15 minutes, tenting with foil if won ton edges brown too quickly. Makes 16 to 20 tiny quiches

*Muffin cup sizes will vary in depth. Deeper muffin cups will yield fewer quiches.

Note:

Substitute any variety of Alouette cheese. Try Smokey Jalapeno and top with salsa or guacamole, or Grilled Tomato and top with pesto or sun-dried tomato pesto and snipped fresh basil.