Dips and Sauces

Clever am I.  Clever I am. Okay, well maybe just this once. 

For the first time I can recall I actually “called” the final four on a realtiy show - right from the start.  On the Food Network’s delectable show, The Next Food Network Star, I picked what I thought would be the final four on the first episode.  As the season went along, I grew even more sure of my picks.  The thing was, until  last night, I couldn’t figure out who the top three would be after that.  

Lovely Lisa and Adam been my favorites since day 1.  They have a cool kind of chemistry. I could see them going head to head in some sort of a Food TV series. I wouldn’t miss an episode. Love them.

I like that Adam’s kind of in his own little world. As someone who, long ago, bought similar real estate, I know where he’s coming from. When the judges commented that he didn’t even look at the reporter during the Throwdown challenge, I thought it was all over but the crying. I told my cat, “He’s cooking!” But as she pointed out, to be a Food Network Star, you have to cook and socialize.

She’s always right.

I also sweated when Paula called out Lisa’s Mac and Cheese. If there’s something we southerners know, it’s Mac and Cheese - so if Paula didn’t like it, my girl Lisa must’ve made some crummy stuff. Sigh. Lisa rebounded nicely, though, and I’m sure the next time she meets Macaroni and Cheese in the kitchen, she’ll whip it into shape.

She’s just so fresh, unique, and fun to watch She also has a wealth of knowledge about food and cooking.  I honestly could never get tired of watching her.  The only thing is, right down to the Dora the Explorer haircut and mischievous eyebrows, she reminds me of a little girl I used to babysit years ago.  Unlike Lisa, though, I quickly got tired of watching her!  M-E-A-N.  Adorable, beautiful little girl - looked like an angel.  But… M-E-A-N. One time her grandmother (who I loved) brought her over and she had her in the cutest little yellow raincoat. She had on little orange duck boots and was carrying a little brown teddy bear. I thought, “She’s one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen. Awwww.” Then when the grandmother left, down went the bear, off came the raincoat and out came the mean. The awwww gave way to auggghhh. M-E-A-N.

I think Bobby Flay is perfect for this type of show.  He’s better with the contestants and in front of the camera than most reality show hosts on network television.  Also, how great is Susie Fogelson?! She should spend a lot more time in front of cameras than behind them or off to the side. She’s brilliant and has a fantastic personality and camera presence. The same can be said for Bob Tuschman. The three of them are what make this series so addictive.

Anyway, this has been an especially great season.  It helps when you have a couple of favorites.  Like Season 2 with Guy - My pick went all the way and look at him now.  Mr. Big Shot on Food TV with two shows.  He’s proven to be as big a spark as we all knew he would be.  When you combine a great personality with a big ol’ dose of individuality and good old fashioned know how, you usually come up a winner.

Speaking of winners, there are other chefs I never tire of watching.  A few of them are serving up great shows, themselves, today.  Check your local listings for the times, of course… just don’t miss the episodes below.

Emeril Live (remember, he’s doing his thing, via reruns, in the afternoon now): On an episode titled Southern Comfort, Emeril will be making - Pan-Fried Catfish Fingers with Lemony Tartar Sauce and Hushpuppies, Sweet Potato Pie, Country Fried Steak with White Gravy, and Sylvia’s Red Velvet Cake. I’m dying a little, here.

Tyler’s Ultimate - On “Ultimate Meatloaf,” Tyler’s making Meatloaf with Tomato Relish, Velvety Mashed Potatoes, and Green Beans with Caramelized Onions and Almonds. How extra incredible does Meatloaf with Tomato Relish sound?

Good Eats - Alton has two shows that can’t be missed tonight. Overachiever, much? The first one is all about meatballs and features Swedish Meatballs. The second one is all about dips (Guacamole, Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip, and an Onion Dip from Scratch). I only listed three of the dips he’ll make because the fourth one’s, brace yourself, Chicken Liver Mousse. I didn’t want to list it amongst the other three because, frankly, they didn’t do anything to deserve that.

Never. That’s when I’ll eat something with liver in the title. The fourth of Never. That’s when I’ll make something that would involve me looking at, smelling, or getting anywhere near liver.

We’ve got to end this on a good note, and since liver doesn’t know any good notes, I’d better tell you about one of the other “Can’t Miss” episodes today/tonight. I saved this one for last because of the whole “Joi’s obsessed with Buttermilk” thing.  On today’s Barefoot Contessa (the episode’s titled “Lunch for the Boys”) , she’ll make Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes. As if that wouldn’t justify a stand alone episode, she’s also making a Brownie Tart, Brussels Sprouts Lardons, and Individual Meatloaves. Make no mistake about it, though the star of the show’s the Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes.

With outrageous gas prices and an economy that seems to think we have money trees in our back yards, I’ve been trying to find new ways to cut my spending.  Sadly, I’m one of those people who just lets the cash fly - I  spend it like the economy has me convinced those trees really exist!

One of the things I’m trying to do is go to the store fewer times.  Each time I go, I spend more than I need to.  Especially since my Grocery Store was kind enough to build a Starbucks right inside the store… right by the exit.  I’d need a clothespin on my nose, skates on my feet, and blinders on my eyes to make it by.  They all know me so well, as it is, they practically have my drink waiting on me

It didn’t take me long to realize that Starbucks was one area I wouldn’t be cutting back on!

I have begun to find fresh ways to utilize leftovers.  My latest trick involved one of the best sauces on the market (Country Bob’s) and meatballs.

We’d had spaghetti one night last week and I’d made up a large batch of meatballs.  I always serve them separately, since one of our daughters is a vegetarian.  I knew we had more than enough, so I put about half of them in a plastic container, covered them with Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce and put them in the refrigerator.

The next day, we had Country Bob Steakball Hoagies for lunch. I sauteed an onion, 1 tsp garlic, and a can of mushrooms in a small amount of butter. Meanwhile, I slowly warmed up the Country Bob Steakballs and lightly toasted some sesame-seed hoagie buns.

When everything was ready, I assembled the hoagies by putting a slice of Swiss Cheese on the bottom of each hoagie, then the steakballs, then the onion mixture. I topped each off with shredded lettuce and sliced tomatoes.

You might want the bottle of Country Bob’s to add more to the hoagies.

These are amazing! Another great thing about Country Bob’s is that he “gets’ that money trees only exist in our dreams. The quality of the sauce is on par with all the other sauces, but the price is much, much friendlier.

The money I save just fattens up my Starbucks fund.  Thanks for that, C.B. !

You know what sounds good right now - I mean really, really good?  A bowl of homemade guacamole and some really fresh, crunchy tortilla chips.  Ever since the Attack of the Infested Tomatoes started playing out, my obsession with salsa has understandably faded.  It’s been challenging to find ways to substitute what was always a frequently used staple in my kitchen.

I never really realized just HOW frequently I used tomatoes until now.  Sliced on sandwiches, cut up in salads (which my family eats just about daily in some fashion or another during the warm months), in tacos, cooked with pasta, and…sigh… in salsa and pico de gallo.

With salads, I’ve been replacing tomatoes with radishes and/or red pepper.  Some people like sun dried tomatoes in salads, but I’m still on the fence.  I think they’re amazingly good in pasta dishes, though.  They can fill the void nicely.  Then, too, there’s always the cannded tomatoes.  They mingle well with pasta. 

I also stir the petite diced tomatoes into taco meat for tacos.  They’ll do in a pinch for salsa, too.

But back to my overwhelming desire for guacamole.  I love this stuff and can’t get enough of it.  At the moment, I want it to show up for lunch with it’s tortilla chip friends, but it’s versatile enough to show up with a lot of other sidekicks.

For Example, you have to try the following:

1. Lightly toast some quality bread.  Spread the inside with guacamole.  Add a few sliced of smoked turkey, a slice of swiss cheese (optional), shredded lettuce, and a few slices of bacon.
2. A South of the Border Burger:  Grill, fry, or bake your burger patties.  Lightly toast your buns.  In no particular order, add your meat, sliced onion, a dollop of guacamole, jalapeno peppers if you’re brave, and a teaspoon or so of store bought picante sauce (I usually get Pace.)  Serve with fresh tortilla chips and enjoy being alive.
3. Toast a wheat english muffin.  Spread on some fresh guacamole.  To this you can add either a little picante sauce or hot sauce, if desired.  Now top it off with a poached egg.  Oh, come on now!  It’s good, I promise.
4. Cut up some cooked chicken.  I most recently used mesquite roasted chicken (YUM!), but grilled or baked chicken are delicious, too.  In a bowl, combine the chicken, some guacamole, and a little bit of salt and pepper.  Add as little or as much guacamole as you desire.  Use your chicken mixture to stuff lightly toasted pita pockets or wrap a warmed tortilla around and create a delicious wrap.
5. Serve guacamole beside your grilled steak or chicken.
6. Use guacamole as a potato topper - give sour cream the night off.
7. Slather on top of baked potato skins.
8. Serve with the Ruffles Pinch of Salt Chips and/or Frito Corn Chips I told you about in the last post!

Did you know that early Spanish settlers called guacamole the “butter of the poor?”  It got the name because it was flavorful, could be used a lot of different ways, and was inexpensive to make.  At least it’s still diverse and flavorful!

Food Network.com has put up a delicious section on Barbecuing and Smoking.  There are videos, tips, and recipes that’ll flip your grill’s lid.  My husband actually needs to buy a new grill.  Last summer, the weather here in Kentucky was fierce - tornadoes, thunderstorms with bite, hail, etc.  Even though we had a nice cover over our large grill, Mother Nature just knocked it off when she knocked the grill off the patio.  Oh the brutality!

Below are just a few of the ridiculously yummy recipes in the section:

Slow Cooked Apple Smoked Barbecue Pork

Barbecued Texas-Style Beef Brisket

Sixteen Spice Smoked Chicken

Hold it just a southern minute.  Sixteen Spice Smoked Chicken?!?!    It appears that the husband needs to get four more things in addition to the grill:

1. A smoker
2. A chicken
3. 16 Spices
4. Busy!

Click HERE to see the entire BBQ Section - you don’t want to miss this.

Check it out, the Rachael Ray 2-pc. Berry Paisley Platter and Dip Bowl, Red/ Orange (above) is as colorful and perky as Rachael Ray, herself, is.

Fresh veggies, fruit slices and even plain old chips would look twice as nice on Rachael’s nine inch paisley-shaped platter! The platter and coordinating bowl hold enough munchies and dip (or salsa) for the whole family. Sturdy melamine is dishwasher-safe.

A sneaky little tip that you didn’t hear from me: Stop by your favorite Authentic Mexican Restaurant (here in Owensboro, Kentucky, mine are Real Hacienda or El Toribio’s on the river) and get an order of chips and salsa AND cheese dip to go. Bring it home, dispose of the evidence a.k.a. the bag/containers. Serve the chips, cheese sauce, and salsa alongside some killer tacos or a taco salad. Served up on gorgeous dishes like the Rachael Ray 2-pc. Berry Paisley Platter and Dip Bowl, Red/ Orange, you’d be the talk of the town…or at least the table.

Okay, changing the pace here for a minute - going from Authentic Mexican food to Mexican-ish food. The next time you go to Taco Bell…don’t deny it, I’ve seen you there….order a hard shell FRESCO taco. They’re, honestly, better than the regular tacos. They seem fresher and, dare I say, more authentic. They’re also healthier. Trust me on this one - I’m addicted to them.

2/3 cup chopped onion
3 TBS vegetable oil
1 (10 oz) can tomatoes with chilies
4 tsp. paprika
4 TBS chilli powder
1 small clove garlic, minced
3 TBS flour
1/4 cup cold water
4 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 pound sharp process cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

In a medium saucepan, over low heat, saute the onion in oil until the onion is transparent. Add the tomatoes, paprika, chilli powder, and garlic.

Stir in a paste made from the flour and water.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add the cheeses and salt/pepper - stir until cheeses are a vision of melted heaven!

Serve hot with the best tortilla chips you can find, or better yet fry your own. I love to cut tortillas into wedges and fry them in batches. Right after removing them from the oil, I hit them with some salt. I also sprinkle ground red pepper to the last couple of batches.

Enjoy!

Michael (a.k.a. The Husband) recently put on his hero hat again and surprised me with a new
Hamilton Beach Food Processor - 70590. The hat became a crown when he said, “This isn’t an early Christmas present, I got it for you just to get it for you.” My shopping prince!

I started scouring all of my cookbooks and food magazines for humus recipes, pico de gallo recipes, and other opportunities to play with my new toy. I sort of flashed back to when I’d get a new Barbie for Christmas and I’d run around the house looking for new things for her to get into.

I got my ingredient list together and we headed off to Kroger. When we got back, I made a chunky Guacamole spread as well as my first attempt at humus. I used more garlic than the recipe called for…I guess years and years of watching Emeril has rubbed off on me. I also used a little bit more lemon juice (fresh from the lemon, of course) and actually substituted Organic Peanut Butter for the Tahini Paste. I read in more than one publication that many people (and even restaurants) substitute Peanut Butter because they prefer the taste and the cost.

Basically, I processed three cloves of garlic until they were minced nicely, then I added about 1/2 cup of loose curly parsley leaves - no stems were invited. I used the pulse method of processing until the parsley and garlic had mingled. Then I added two DRAINED cans of Garbanzo beans (also known as Chick Peas). I processed it until I got the consistency I needed, then added the juice of 1 very, very large lemon and some Olive Oil - enough to cover the top. Be sure you use the juice from a lemon and not lemon juice concentrate - it simply lacks the lemony goodness of the real thing. And, believe me, Garbanzo beans need a healthy dose of lemony goodness, without it, they just don’t have much personality or pop.

At this point, I removed the lid and used a handy little rubber spatula that came with my new culinary toy. I got the food off of the sides of the bowl and brought it back to the center where the action was. Then I added between 1/2 and 1 cup of peanut butter - closer to 1 cup.

If the humus is too thick, you can always add a little more Olive Oil - which I did, because…well, the peanut butter was way closer to 1 cup.

Add a little salt and pepper, remove the humus to a great-looking container, and you’re good to go.

At the time I served it with sliced wheat pita bread, untoasted. It was delicious, but I imagine that I’ll toast it first next time. Humus would be delicious served inside a hollowed out Sourdough bread bowl - wheat or regular - and served with crunchy vegetables.

For the chunky Guacamole, I processed two avocados with the juice of a lemon (the same lemony sermon above goes for Guacamole, too). Then I added about little about a tsp of chopped jalapeno - most wouldn’t want it this hot. However, my taste buds appreciate a good challenge. I also added a little minced garlic for good measure.

It was delicious, too. My tortilla chips were honored to take a hot little dip. They like a good challenge too.

I plan on experimenting with pico de gallo and salsas today. My taste buds are very much looking forward to it!

A few more quick tips:

I know that a lot of times I say things that make most of you seasoned cooks say, “I can’t believe she’s telling us that…” But keep in mind that there are lots of men/women/girls/boys who are new to the kitchen. I remember when I was new to the world of cooking, I’d get frustrated because the books would tell me, “Knead 10 minutes..” but wouldn’t tell me exactly how to do so. They seemed to be written with the assumption that I had a clue what I was doing. They couldn’t have been more wrong! So, that’s why you’ll often read things like the lemon sermon or “Use butter…not margarine..” - things that you may have learned by now. Reason? Not everyone has.

So, I want to point a few things out. First of all - a clove of garlic is one of the wedge-shaped portions that make up a head of garlic. It can be kind of confusing if you read “clove of garlic” and it can be kind of gross if you make the mistake in a recipe. Unless you’re cooking for Emeril, of course!

Second of all, always always always read through a recipe first. You don’t want to get halfway through and find that you need to chill the dish for 12 hours - when you were supposed to have it on the table in 30 minutes! Along that line of thinking, always be sure to get the ingredients you’ll be needing out on the counter before you begin. This way, if you have run out of something….a-hem…. that you could have SWORN you had….a-hem…you will know before you….a-hem a-hem….get in the middle of making your humus in your new Hamilton Beach Food Processor and have to run to Kroger for Olive Oil. Not that this has happened to anyone I know or anything.

Third of all, always use the freshest ingredients possible. The people who work in Kroger know me pretty well - I’m in there just about everyday, so they should. But I want my meat and produce to be as fresh as possible….plus, they’ve recently opened a Starbucks inside the store, so….

Finally, experiment! First, try a recipe the way it’s presented online or in the book/magazine, or on Food TV. Then, get crazy and substitute ingredients and amounts - make it your own. I’ve said it before, but my favorite recipes are ones I have come up with on my own or recipes I saw and “made” my own.

For example, one of the dishes I’m most known for is my Spinach-Artichoke dip. I actually first saw a similar recipe in an issue of Cooking Light. I thought, “That’d be good if all the Lows” and “Frees” were erased and if more cheese was added. So I tore the recipe out and headed to the store. I took the general idea and made an amazingly delicious recipe. I substituted the things that looked like they were on a diabetic’s doctor’s orders with things that looked like they were on Paula Deen’s shopping list. Then I threw in a little more of this and a lot more of that. In the end - Heaven!

Yes, as a matter of fact, I did take a healthy, lowish-calorie dish and fatten it up. I took good, common sense and turned it into Joi’s version of common sense. I did, indeed, go there.

That sort of thing defines me.

I wholeheartedly recommend the Hamilton Beach Food Processor. It’s easy to use, fun to use, and delicious to use!

First of all, I have to jump, shout and point a finger toward this afternoon’s The Essence of Emeril. Not just because Emeril’s da man, but also because he’s centering the episode around…..cue the special music….BUTTERMILK!

The amazing recipes he’ll be whipping up:

Buttermilk Battered Fennel Fries with a Creamy Buttermilk Dipping Sauce

Check out the ingredients in the Creamy Buttermilk Dipping Sauce -

1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeds removed and coarsely grated
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus 1/4 teaspoon
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

I know, I know…I’m all captivated, agog, anxious, jubilant, avid, eager, joyous, excited, flabbergasted, open-mouthed, and thunderstruck, too. He had me at Buttermilk.

The second recipe launches the whole experience all over again.

White Chocolate Buttermilk Cake with Macerated Berries and Buttermilk Ice Milk

“White Chocolate Buttermilk Cake ” - that phrase, alone, puts a mile-wide smile on my face.

By the by, a few (okay, 7!) lovely readers have e-mailed me within the past week asking if I could list more shows in my What’s on the Food Network Today scrollers. One scroller is to the right and one is on the Main Website. I said, “NO!” —Just kidding, of course I said it’d be my pleasure, because it is. I honestly have no idea why I started listing the line-up where I did (with Paula Deen’s second show of the dsy), but now I’ve begun listing them with Tyler’s morning show. That’s actually when I turn the Food Network on, myself. Tyler gets the ball rolling and, usually, Alton wraps it up (sometimes Rachael has the honors) at night.

Thanks SO MUCH for all of the e-mails, by the way. I love hearing from you! If you ever have a recipe or recipes you’d like to share with everyone else, e-mail it to me and I’ll add it asap - along with your name, of course. If you have pictures and a story that goes along with it, send them, too!

-Joi

Shop with Buttermilk Press!

How ridiculously perfect is this guy?! The Apple Dipper is next on my Gotta Have It list.

It’s cleverly designed to make caramel apples. It melts the caramel, then keeps it warm while your apple has it’s way with it. No microwave mess!

How wickedly delicious does a caramel apple sound right about now - a big fat apple, all covered with caramel, then rolled around in crushed nuts. Heck, while we’re at it, let’s drizzle a little melted white chocolate over the nuts. What? Milk Chocolate drizzled, too?

I like the way you think!

The Artichoke Dip I linked you to recently (Artichoke Dip With Pretzels) is amazing! It was a blind link, which I really don’t like to do (linking you to something I haven’t tried yet) - but it was from Lifestyle MSN, and they’re about as Can’t Miss as Food TV. So I felt safe.

Even so, I was really relieved when I made it for the Oscars and it turned out delicious! - Especially since I doubled the recipe.

Funny thing is, it was EVEN better the next day. I got it out to go with lunch, and my daughters and I ended up making IT our lunch! With pretzels, of course.

If you haven’t tried this dip yet, you’ll want to. I always make warm artichoke dips (and they’re usually accompanied by spinach), so I wasn’t sure if I’d care for a cold artichoke dip. But, it’s absolutely delish.

Even more so the next day!

Joi

By the way, congrats to the beautiful and amazing Jennifer Hudson - I’m so glad she won the Oscar. This girl has such a bright future it isn’t even fit to talk about.