7 Layer Mexican Dip

This recipe was made before the Instant Chicken Ramen Noodles that I shared previously.  I made this recipe for a Mix n Mingle at church in New York.  My friend Whitney shared this recipe with me.  Sadly, this recipe got lost in the shuffle until now.  Thank you everyone who continues to follow my food hijinks and kitchen adventures.   

Who doesn't love a dip with 7 layers? 

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. shredded Sharp Cheddar
1 1/2 cups  Sour Cream (I used homemade, my recipe is here)
1 Packet Taco Seasoning
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
3 ripe Hass Avocados
2 tablespoons Fresh Cilantro
1/2 Lime, juiced
6 Campari Tomatoes (You may substitute with 3 Roma Tomatoes,  or 2 Beefsteak Tomatoes)
4 Green Onions
1 can Black Olives
1/2 lb. cooked Black Bean mashed (You may substitute with 3 cans pinto or black beans)

Mix sour cream and taco seasoning.

Spread the beans on the bottom of a 8x12 inch glass/ceramic dish.

Sprinkle garlic, 1 sliced green onion, and cilantro in a molcajete if you have one.
Grind together.  Otherwise cut green onions and cilantro finely in a bowl.

Add chopped up avocado to ground mixture and grind until the texture you like.
Add lime juice and mix.

Spread guacamole on the beans.

Spread the sour cream mixture on the guacamole.

Sprinkle shredded cheese on top.

Cut up tomatoes into 1 inch pieces and sprinkle on the cheese.

Cut remaining 3 green onions and black olives and sprinkle on top.

Grab and bag of tortilla chips and begin dipping.

Enjoy!

7 Layer Mexican Dip

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. shredded Sharp Cheddar
1 1/2 cups  Sour Cream (I used homemade, my recipe is here)
1 Packet Taco Seasoning
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
3 ripe Hass Avocados
2 tablespoons Fresh Cilantro
1/2 Lime, juiced
6 Campari Tomatoes (You may substitute with 3 Roma Tomatoes,  or 2 Beefsteak Tomatoes)
4 Green Onions
1 can Black Olives
1/2 lb. cooked Black Bean mashed (You may substitute with 3 cans pinto or black beans)

Process:

Mix sour cream and taco seasoning.

Spread the beans on the bottom of a 8x12 inch glass/ceramic dish.

Sprinkle garlic, 1 sliced green onion, and cilantro in a molcajete if you have one.  Grind together.  

Otherwise cut green onions and cilantro finely in a bowl.

Add chopped up avocado to ground mixture and grind until the texture you like.  Add lime juice and mix.

Spread guacamole on the beans.

Spread the sour cream mixture on the guacamole.

Sprinkle shredded cheese on top.

Cut remaining 3 green onions and black olives and sprinkle on top.

Grab and bag of tortilla chips and begin dipping.

Enjoy!

French Fry Sauce

I wanted to use my homemade sour cream for the french fries we were having.  Well, that is when I scoured the internet for a fry sauce.  My fry sauce is similar to what I found, but different.  I don't use recipes as they are written by someone else.  I put what I thought would taste good in the sauce and thankfully it worked.  All those years of tinkering in the kitchen have helped me understand flavors and what goes well together.  It helps if you understand what flavor different ingredients will impart in a recipe.  This sauce was so good that I wanted to keep eating french fries, even though I was full. When I put this sauce on our dining room table, my husband was first upset that I didn't put ketchup. When he tried the sauce, he changed his mind.  This recipe wasn't on my mind to be posted here. After I made it, and loved it, I went back and took a photo of the ingredients.  You don't get to see the middle of the process before the ingredients were mixed.  

This is the best sauce  for dipping french fries.   It puts ketchup to shame.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Sour Cream (I used homemade, recipe found here)
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
4 tablespoons Cholula Lime Hot Sauce (Yes it must be this hot sauce)
2 teaspoons Smoked Paprika
1 teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

Mix the ingredients together.  Place in a lidded container.  Refrigerate for an hour before
serving, so the flavors can come together.

Put some of this sauce next to your french fries and allow them to meet.  You will
 not be disappointed at how they taste together.

Enjoy!

French Fry Sauce
Printable Recipe found Here

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Sour Cream (I used homemade, recipe found here)
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
4 tablespoons Cholula Lime Hot Sauce (Yes it must be this hot sauce)
2 teaspoons Smoked Paprika
1 teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

Process:

Mix the ingredients together.  Place in a lidded container.  Refrigerate for an hour before serving so the flavors can come together.

Enjoy!

Cilantro Lime Sauce

We had fish tacos last night for dinner and with them I made guacamole and a new sauce.  That sauce is the sauce I'm about to show you.  This sauce will take your fish tacos, or fish sticks, or whatever fish you want to eat to all new levels.  Think about that tartar sauce you always serve and serve this instead. Really it is that good.  Don't believe me? Ask the dishes, I mean my friends Whitney and Erin who had some with our fish today for lunch.  This sauce is super simple and full of flavor. You could even change the full fat ingredients for low fat or fat free, but I can't promise that it will be as amazing.

 This sauce will be your new favorite fried fish condiment.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 cup Sour cream
Juice of 1 Lime
1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro
1/4 of a Red Thai Chili

 Cut the cilantro.

Slice the small piece of thai chili, seeds and all.

 Juice the lime into a bowl, add all the other ingredients.  Stir until smooth.

Enjoy!

Cilantro Lime Sauce

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 cup Sour cream
Juice of 1 Lime
1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro
1/4 of a Red Thai Chili

Process:

Cut the cilantro.

Slice the small piece of thai chili, seeds and all.

Juice the lime into a bowl, add all the other ingredients.  Stir until smooth.

Enjoy!

Ranch Dip

You know what happens when you attempt to make ranch dressing and it ends up being too thick? You pretend like you were actually making ranch dip, hence the title of my post and name of my recipe.  Before my youngest daughter decided she loved vegetables, she didn't, and we recommended she eat them with ranch dressing, and it worked.  She has loved ranch and vegetables ever since.  I promised her homemade ranch dressing, and finally I made it.  Of course my ranch dressing really was ranch dip, but hey that is a forgivable mistake right?  It isn't is it?  Okay, well then we'll make ranch dressing next time.  This dip is really good with vegetables, like those commercials for a certain hidden ranch dressing where everyone is eating cauliflower like popcorn and they have vegetable eating contests.  Potato chips are really yummy with this dip too.  

 Ranch dip and vegetables, great Summer time snack.

Ingredients:

2 cups Greek Style Yogurt
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1/4 Avocado Oil (Olive Oil can be substituted)
1/4 cup Fresh Parsley
2 tablespoons Fresh Dill
5 Small or 3 Large Green Onions
2 cloves Garlic
2 teaspoons Hot Sauce
1 teaspoon Sea Salt
1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika

 Cut the greens onion, parsley, and dill, press the garlic and mix all of these with salt.

 Lets add the yogurt, sour cream, and avocado oil, stir.

 The flavor wasn't right yet, so add pepper, and Worcestershire Sauce, stir.

 Still not right add smoked paprika and hot sauce, stir.  Perfect!

 Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Dip your favorite vegetables and potato chips.

Enjoy!

Ranch dip

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients:

2 cups Greek Style Yogurt

1/2 cup Sour Cream

1/4 Avocado Oil (Olive Oil can be substituted)

1/4 cup Fresh Parsley

2 tablespoons Fresh Dill

5 Small or 3 Large Green Onions

2 cloves Garlic

2 teaspoons Hot Sauce

1 teaspoon Sea Salt

1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika

Process:

Cut the greens onion, parsley, and dill, press the garlic and mix all of these with salt.

Add the remaining ingredients and stir.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Enjoy!

Red Potato Salad

My friend Whitney had her baby.  Gabriella is a beautiful baby.  I decided to make them Baked Beans, a favorite of Whitney and her husband Jonny, but I wanted to make something to go with it.  Potato Salad seemed like a good idea.  I like potato salad.  My family doesn't like potato salad, so when I make it, I'm the one who eats it.  Thankfully, the Martinez family are wonderful about eating food I make. Potato Salad is one of those dishes that can be very complicated or very simple.  It seems to be an American staple during the warmer months.  We had a warm day today, so I felt like I could make this salad.  

 This is American, eaten on the 4th of July comfort food.

Ingredients for this Recipe Are:

3 lbs. Red Potatoes
3 Green Onions
3 tablespoons Fresh Dill
5 Eggs
3/4 cup Mayonnaise
3/4 cup Sour Cream
3 tablespoons Yellow Mustard
1 teaspoon Sea Salt
1 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Wash potatoes and place on a rack in a pressure cooker.  Add 1/2 inch water.

Pierce potatoes with a knife twice and sprinkle with sea salt.

Cover pressure cooker and cook on high for 8 minutes.

Remove potatoes from pressure cooker and cut into 1/2 inch dice and allow to cool on cutting board.

Place eggs in a medium sauce pan, cover with water about 1/2 an inch over eggs.

Set burner to medium-high.

When water boils, cover with lid.  Turn off burner and set timer for 14 minutes.

 Remove eggs from boiling water and place in ice water and allow to cool completely.

 Peel eggs and cut into 1/2 inch dice.

 Add mayonnaise, sour cream, and mustard, sea salt, and pepper to a small bowl and stir.

Place potatoes and eggs in a large bowl.

Remove excess stem from dill and cut into small pieces.

Slice green onions.

Add sauce, green onions, and dill to potatoes and eggs.  Gently stir, add more salt and pepper to taste.

Allow salad to cool in refrigerator and serve.

Enjoy!

Red Potato Salad

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients:

3 lbs. Red Potatoes

3 Green Onions

3 tablespoons Fresh Dill

5 Eggs

3/4 cup Mayonnaise

3/4 cup Sour Cream

3 tablespoons Yellow Mustard

1 teaspoon Sea Salt

1 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Process:

Wash potatoes and place on a rack in a pressure cooker, add 1/2 inch water.

Pierce potatoes with a knife twice and sprinkle with sea salt.

Cover pressure cooker and cook on high for 8 minutes.

Remove potatoes from pressure cooker and cut into 1/2 inch dice and allow to cool on cutting board.

Place eggs in a medium sauce pan, cover with water about 1/2 an inch over eggs.

Set burner to medium-high.

When water boils cover with lid, turn off burner and set timer for 16 minutes.

Remove eggs from boiling water and place in ice water and allow to cool completely.

Peel eggs and cut into 1/2 inch dice.

Add mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, sea salt, and pepper to a small bowl and stir.

Place potatoes and eggs in a large bowl.

Remove excess stem from dill and cut into small pieces.

Slice green onions.

Add sauce, green onions, and dill to potatoes and eggs.  Gently stir, add more salt and pepper to taste.

Allow salad to cool in refrigerator and serve.

Enjoy!

Polish Pierogi's & Sausage Peppers

My husband's co-worker Fernando has been gone from the office here in Queens and working in Long Island for the past month.  He told Parley upon his return that he had missed my home cooking and asked for lunch again with Parley this week.  Today I made lunch for the guys.  I decided to make a recipe I haven't made in several years, Polish pirogies.  Last time I made them was with our friend's the Bailey's back in my full size kitchen in our house in California.  I love this recipe because it is a comfort food.  It has all the ingredients to make a down home meal.  

 My children and I shared this lunch with my husband and his friend/co-worker Fernando.

Ingredients for Pierogi Dough: 

4 1/2 cups Spelt Flour

2 teaspoons Sea Salt

2 tablespoons Butter, melted

2 cups Sour Cream

2 Eggs

1 Egg Yolk

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil (not pictured)

Ingredients for Pierogi Filling:

8 Red Potatoes

1 1/2 cups shredded Gouda Cheese

4 Green Onions (not pictured)

 In a large bowl combine flour and sea salt and stir.

 Combine butter, sour cream, eggs, and vegetable oil in another bowl.

Combine liquid and dry ingredients to form a ball.

Cover bowl with pierogi dough for fifteen minutes.

Place potatoes in stock pot with enough water to cover

Turn burner to medium/high and bring water to a boil.

Cook potatoes until fork tender.

 Cut greens onion into small rings.

Mash potatoes, cheese, and green onions together with potato masher.

Roll out half of the pierogi dough at a time on a floured surface to 1/8 inch.

Using a 3 inch circle cookie cutter cut the dough into as many circles as possible.

Place 1 tablespoon potato mixture into middle of the pierogi dough round.

Dip finger into water and dab onto half of the outer edge and fold dough over the filling and 
crimp and seal.

Boil a large pot of salted water.

Add pierogi's one at a time to the pot.  Cook until they float and remove from pot with slotted spoon.

Place pierogi's on a towel.

Ingredients for Polish Pierogi's & Sausage Peppers:

2 lb. package of Hot Italian Sausage

2 Green Bell Peppers

1 Yellow Onion

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

Dice peppers and onions into 1 inch pieces.

Pierce sausage with knife several times.

Preheat large saute pan over medium/high burner.

Pour oil into pan.

Add onion, and peppers to pan, stir.

Place sausages into pan being sure they touch the pan.

Brown sausages on each side.

 Cut sausages into four pieces, cover with lid and continue cooking until completely cooked.

Remove sausages and onions, and peppers to a plate.

Add one tablespoon of vegetable oil to pan and sauté pierogi's until brown on each side.

Cook pierogi's in stages.

Serve pierogo's with sausage, peppers, and onion.

Enjoy!

Polish Pierogi's & Sausage Peppers

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients for Pierogi Dough: 

4 1/2 cups Spelt Flour

2 teaspoons Sea Salt

2 tablespoons Butter, melted

2 cups Sour Cream

2 Eggs

1 Egg Yolk

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

Ingredients for Pierogi Filling:

8 Red Potatoes

1 1/2 cups shredded Gouda Cheese

4 Green Onions

In a large bowl combine flour and sea salt and stir.

Combine butter, sour cream, eggs, and vegetable oil in another bowl.

Combine liquid and dry ingredients to form a ball.

Cover bowl with pierogi dough for fifteen minutes.

Place potatoes in stock pot with enough water to cover

Turn burner to medium/high and bring water to a boil.

Cook potatoes until fork tender.

Cut greens onion into small rings.

Mash potatoes, cheese, and green onions together with potato masher.

Roll out half of the pierogi dough at a time on a floured surface to 1/8 inch.

Using a 3 inch circle cookie cutter cut the dough into as many circles as possible.

Place 1 tablespoon potato mixture into middle of the pierogi dough round.

Dip finger into water and dab onto half of the outer edge and fold dough over the filling and crimp 
and seal.

Boil a large pot of salted water.

Add pierogi's one at a time to the pot, cook until they float and remove from pot with slotted spoon.

Place pierogi's on a towel.

Ingredients for Polish Pierogi's & Sausage Peppers:

2 lb. package of Hot Italian Sausage

2 Green Bell Peppers

1 Yellow Onion

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

Dice peppers and onions into 1 inch pieces.

Pierce sausage with knife several times.

Preheat large saute pan over medium/high burner.

Pour oil into pan.

Add onion, and peppers to pan, stir.

Place sausages into pan being sure they touch the pan.

Brown sausages on each side.

Cut sausages into four pieces, cover with lid and continue cooking until completely cooked.

Remove sausages and onions, and peppers to a plate.

Add one tablespoon of vegetable oil to pan and sauté pierogi's until brown on each side.

Cook pierogi's in stages.

Serve pierogo's with sausage, peppers, and onion.

Enjoy!