1 8 oz carton dairy sour cream or lower-fat diary sour cream
2 finely chopped jalapeno peppers
1 tsp. shredded lime peel
1 8 oz jar (1 cup) chunky salsa
1/2 of a medium avocado, halved, seeded, peeled, and coarsely chopped
2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese or lower-fat
cheddar cheese
1/3 cup chopped pitted ripe olives
1 Tbsp. snipped fresh cilantro or parsley (optional)
Line a 12 inch platter with shredded lettuce. Stir together black beans, sweet pepper, and green onion. Spoon atop lettuce, leaving a lettuce border. Dollop sour cream atop bean mixture; gently spread in a smooth layer atop beans, leaving a border. Sprinkle with jalapeno pepper and lime peel. Drain excess liquid from salsa. Stir in avocado; spoon atop sour cream layer, leaving a border. Sprinkle cheese atop. Top with a layer of chopped ripe olives and sprinkle with cilantro or parsley, if desired. Serve immediately or cover and chill for up to 6 hours. Serve with Tortilla Chips or purchased chips. Makes about 32 appetizer servings.
2 large artichokes
2 Tbsp. water
1/2 cup shredded smoked mozzarella, edam, gouda, or cheddar cheese (2 oz.)
1 8 oz carton dairy sour cream or low-fat dairy sour cream
Assorted vegetable dippers, such as Belgian endive leaves, steamed pea pods, cauliflower flowerets, red or yellow cherry tomatoes, cut up radishes, or peeled baby carrots
Wash and trim stems or artichokes. Place in a microwave-safe casserole with water. Micro-cook, covered, on 100% power (high) for 7 to 9 minutes or till a leaf pulls out easily. Drain and cool. Discard small outer leaves of 1 cooled artichoke. Pull off large leaves; cover and chill leaves till serving time. Pull out the tender leaves from the center as a single clump. Remove the fuzzy choke by scooping it out with a spoon; discard the choke. Finely chop the heart. In a blender container or food processor combine cheese, sour cream, capers, and basil. Cover and blend or process till smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides. Stir in the artichoke heart. Cover and chill till serving time. To serve, remove center leaves, choke, and heart from remaining artichoke. Spoon dip into center, spreading outer leaves. If desired, garnish with additional capers and a Belgian endive leaf. Arrange artichoke leaves and other vegetables around dip. Makes 1 1/2 cups dip.
1 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained
1 clove of garlic
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. dried mint
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1/4 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
In a food processor bowl combine all the ingredients. Cover; process till smooth. Cover; chill before serving. Makes 3/4 cup.
1 cup plain yogurt (do not use low-fat or nonfat)
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 large green onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon grate lemon peel
Place all ingredients in processor and puree until almost smooth. Season with pepper. Chill until cold, about 2 hours. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.4 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed
1 to 2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup olive oil or salad oilIn a blender container or food processor bowl, combine garlic, egg product, lemon juice, and salt. Cover and blend or process for 5 seconds or till combined. With blender or processor running, gradually add the oil in a thin, steady stream. (When necessary, stop machine and use a rubber scraper ro scrape sides.) Place in a covered container and refrigerate till ready to serve. Store up to 3 days in the refrigerator. If mixture begins to separate, stir before serving. Makes about 1 cup.
Green-Onion Ailoil-Add tablespoons sliced green onion before blending or processing. Serve with cold chicken or pork, or as a dip for raw vegetables
Dill Ailoil-Add 2 tablespoons snipped fresh dillweed before blending or processing. This is especially good with cold fish or potatoes.
