Cookie Exchange Recipes

 
Here’s a list of links to the cookies that were made for our cookie exchange (16 December 2024) and the names of those that made them. 

Note: All rights are reserved to the original author who created these recipes.

 
Monica: https://monicacooks.blogspot.com/2024/12/cool-whip-cookies.html
 
Monica: https://monicacooks.blogspot.com/2022/12/chocolate-espresso-cookie.html
 
Maria: https://noplatelikehome.com/italian-anise-cookies/
 

Cool Whip Cookies

For a Christmas cookie exchange party, I made two recipes. One was my favorite chocolate espresso cookies and these cool whip cookies.

I followed this recipe: https://temeculablogs.com/cool-whip-cookies/

The recipe stated it makes 24 servings (form into 1 inch balls of dough), but I ended up with 48 cookies! 

They were very easy to make. I placed into the oven one pan at a time, while keeping the rest of the dough in the refrigerator between baking to keep the dough cold.

It was suggested to bake them for 8 to 10 minutes, but I ended up baking them for about 14-15 minutes. I'm not sure if it was my oven or if the dough was too cold. Make sure the top of the cookies are not still wet. 

Cool completely before storing them in an air tight container.

I used a ginger bread cake mix. They came out great!

Ingredients

1 box of cake mix [any flavor that you like]

1 tub cool whip, whipped topping, 8 oz. (I used extra creamy)

1 egg

1 c powdered sugar

Instructions 
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, Cool Whip, and egg. Stir well until a sticky dough forms; this will take a few minutes of stirring. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in fridge for 30 min – 1 hour to stiffen up a bit – optional step.

Pour the powdered sugar out onto a plate [I used a bowl]. Use a cookie scoop or melon baller [I used a teaspoon] to create 1-inch balls of dough and drop them on to the plate of powdered sugar a few at a time.
Roll the balls in the powdered sugar then place them on the prepared cookie sheets, leaving at least 1 ½ inches of space between each cookie dough balls.
Bake at 350 F for 8-10 minutes until cracking on the edges and middle is no longer wet. I like a really chewy outcome so 8 minutes is best for us because as they cool they will stiffen up a bit but still maintain a really really soft consistency in the center. For stiffer bake for 10 min.
Cool the cookies on the cookie sheets to stiffen up, enjoy once cooled.
[Once cooled, store in an air-tight container].

Cranberry Brie Bites

I made these delicious cranberry brie bites for my bookclub: https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a56610/cranberry-brie-bites-recipe/

I used a cranberry-apricot relish that I make for Thanksgiving. Since it freezes well, I put half into the freezer for the next year. (Recipe below).

Ingredients

1 (8-oz.) tube crescent dough
Cooking spray
All-purpose flour, for surface
1 (8-oz.) wheel of brie [chilled in the refrigerator for easy cutting]
1/2 c. whole berry cranberry sauce
1/4 c.  chopped roasted unsalted pecans
6  sprigs fresh rosemary, cut into 1" pieces.
 

Directions

 
Preheat oven to 375°. Grease a mini (24-cup) muffin tin with cooking spray. On a lightly floured surface, roll out crescent dough and pinch together seams. Cut into 24 squares [using a pizza cutter makes it easy to cut]. Place squares into prepared cups.
 
Cut brie into small pieces and place inside dough. Top with a spoonful of cranberry sauce, pecans, and one piece of rosemary.
 
Bake bites until pastry is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Check at 8 minutes.
 

My Notes: 

I put about a half teaspoon into the cups. 

I didn't need to pinch the seams together when I rolled out the dough. 

I cut the pecans into smaller pieces. 

Recipe for the relish: https://monicacooks.blogspot.com/2008/05/cranberry-apricot-relish.html

 

Ricotta Cheese Ravioli with Lemon Slices

When Tony and I were on a cruise this past October 2024, one of our ports was the beautiful town of Amalfi. Our morning started with a tour to a nearby grotto, which was beautiful. Later we explored the town.
 
For lunch, we ate at Rosticceria La Galea. I had the most amazing ricotta ravioli with a lemon flavor: RAVIOLI ALLO SFUSATO AMALFITAN, Ravioli stuffed with ricotta cheese, local Amalfi lemon, with Datterini cherry tomatoes, shrimps and rocket. 

Datterini means “little dates”, elongated small tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes are a good substitute. 
 
While there were lots of other delicious dishes to choose from on the menu, I decided to try this ravioli dish since it was so appropriate being in the land of lemons.
 
There are many variations of lemon ravioli recipes online, some with lemon juice and others with a combination of lemon juice and lemon zest.  I wanted to duplicate what I ate, so this is my creation.
 
Serves 2
 
4 T extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
8 oz. cherry tomatoes cut in half
4 T tomato sauce
Salt to taste
A few turns of the black pepper mill
Ricotta Stuffed  Ravioli, enough for two servings
1 lemon, peeled into strips and thinly sliced
6-7 large shrimp, peeled and diced into large pieces
1 cup reserved pasta cooking water
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
5-6 Basil leaves, julienned
Arugula

Instructions:
 
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the ravioli for 3-4 minutes. Drain and reserve 1 cups of water. 

I cooked 20 raviolis and had some leftovers

Meanwhile, in a large skillet on medium high heat, add the olive oil and garlic. Sauté the garlic for 1-2 minutes. Add the lemon slices, cherry tomatoes, stirring to combine, then add the tomato sauce. Cook on low.  With a wooden spoon, gently smash the tomatoes to let out the juices.

While the ravioli is cooking, add the shrimp to skillet and cook until they are no longer opaque. This will be about the same time the ravioli is done.

 
 Add the drained ravioli, about 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water, and 1/4 parmesan cheese. Stir to combine. You want the sauce to have a ‘soupy’ consistency, so adjust as needed. Add half of the basil and stir to combine.

 

Plate the food and top with fresh arugula, more basil and parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

 
My Notes:
 
The ravioli that I had at the restaurant did not have lemon zest as part of the filling, just a regular ricotta filling. The thinly sliced lemon peel is what brought out the lemon flavor. It may have had some lemon juice in the tomato sauce. At Trader Joe’s, I found Ricotta and Lemon Zest Ravioli and used for this recipe.
 
Next time I may add a squeeze of lemon juice to really brighten up the dish.
 
For a variety, I may add some crushed pepper flakes.
 
Next time I will stir in half of the arugula in the skillet and will finish with fresh arugula.

New York Deli Tuna Salad

I made this delicious tuna salad for a dinner party.  I followed this recipe:

https://www.sipandfeast.com/new-york-deli-tuna-salad/

New York Deli Tuna Salad

Prep: 10 minutes 

Total: 20 minutes 
Servings: 4
 
This classic New York deli style tuna salad is so easy to make and is perfect for sandwiches, salads, or even by itself.
 
Ingredients 
 
4 5-ounce cans solid water-packed tuna - well drained
1/2 cup (35g) onion - finely diced
1/2 cup (35g) celery - finely diced
1 teaspoon celery salt
2 tablespoons sweet relish
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/4 cups (300g) mayonnaise - plus more as needed
salt and pepper - to taste
 
Instructions 
 
Drain the tuna cans of their water as much as possible.
 
Place the tuna, celery, and onion into a large bowl and thoroughly mix in the relish, celery salt, and soy sauce and let sit for 10 minutes before adding the mayo.
 
Add the mayonnaise and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
 
The next day, strain the tuna of all the accumulated water. Add more mayo as required and serve. Enjoy!
 
Notes
 
It is recommended to refrigerate overnight. The flavor will be much better and the tuna salad can be thoroughly drained to remove excess water.
 
Pieces of white bread or crushed crackers can be used to dry up the tuna after draining and remixing the next day.
 
Leftovers can be saved in the fridge for up to 3 days.
 
(FOR THE TUNA MELT rye bread sliced tomato American or Swiss cheese)
 

My Notes:
 
The video for this recipe stated to mash the tuna so there are no big chunks, but flaky. I shredded finely by hand.

 
I used celery seed instead of celery salt.
 
I used 4 cans that I purchased at Costco. I didn’t think about the larger size cans (7 oz vs 5 oz) so I had to increase the measurements of the other ingredients. I did so by taste and texture.
 
I added some lemon juice and Dijon mustard.
 
I did not add any sweet relish. I'm not a fan of sweet relish. 

This made a very large batch and I have leftovers. I'll remember to  use the 5 oz cans the next time I make this. 

I provided mini rolls for sandwiches.

 

German Potato Salad

 

I followed this recipe but did some slight changes:  https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/83097/authentic-german-potato-salad/

 
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 40 mins
Servings: 4
 
Ingredients
 

3 cups diced peeled potatoes

4 slices bacon
1 small onion, diced
¼ cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 ½ tablespoons white sugar, or more to taste
1 teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions
 
Gather the ingredients.
 
Place potatoes in a large pot and add water to cover by at least 1 to 2 inches; bring to a boil. Cook until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes. Drain, and set aside to cool.
 

While the potatoes are cooking, place bacon in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Fry until browned and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and crumble when cool enough to handle. Leave bacon grease in the skillet.
 
Cook onion in the bacon grease over medium heat until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add vinegar, sugar, water, salt, and pepper to the pan and bring to a boil.
 

 Onions cooking in the bacon drippings

Once boiling, add potatoes, and 1/2 of the crumbled bacon. Cook until heated through, 3 to 4 minutes.
 

     

Transfer warm potato salad to a serving dish and sprinkle remaining bacon over top. Garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.

  

My Notes:

 
I made this for a large party (around 50 people) so I doubled the recipe. I could have tripled the recipe and still wouldn’t have enough. This went quickly!!!
 
I used red potatoes, skin on, and boiled them for 10 minutes. Next time, I’ll boil them for 8 minutes.
 
I used 2 T sugar, which was the right amount IMHO.

I added 2 t. of Dijon mustard. I added some chopped chives (about 1.5 T). I saw these two ingredients listed in other German potato salad recipes.

 
For the bacon (thick cut), I used a large Dutch oven since I don’t have a deep skillet. I cut the bacon into thirds and cooked them in two batches. Once cooled, I cut them into pieces instead of crumbling them. 
 
I placed the vinegar, sugar, water, salt, pepper and Dijon in a measuring cup, stirring to combine, and then poured all of it into the Dutch oven.
 
This is definitely a keeper!

Creamy Potato Salad

For my community monthly cookbook dinner, I made this tasty potato salad. This was back in March 2024. This is from the "Recipes for all the Food You Want to Eat" by Chrissy Teigen.

 

Pork Fried Rice

6 June 2022: I made fried rice for a large party (about 50-55 people).
 
I had cooked pork that I defrosted and I wanted to marinade it to add some extra flavor. I looked up Char Siu recipes (Chinese BBQ pork). I didn’t have everything on hand, so I just created my own marinade with what I had on hand. No, it’s nothing like a Char Sui marinade but it came out great. 

Fried Rice
 
1/2 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups day old cooked rice
12 oz. frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn, green beans) defrosted and drained of any liquid
5 eggs, scrambled
Cooked pork, diced
*Sesame oil
*Soy Sauce
*Teriyaki sauce
Scallions
 
*Marinade
 
A little sugar
Sesame oil
Soy sauce
Teriyaki sauce
Carolina Q’ Eastern NC Vinegar Sauce
Some minced garlic
White wine
Salt and pepper

*No measurements – I just added a little at a time until I was satisfied with the flavors.

 
A few hours before making the fried rice, combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl and pour over the chopped pork. Stir to combine and place in the refrigerator. Note that I just added some of each marinade ingredient in until I was happy with the flavor of the marinade.

In a large sauté pan, heat a little oil and cook the eggs, breaking them into small pieces as you go. Transfer the eggs to a plate and set aside.

 
Cook the onions and garlic in the pan until translucent.  Add the mixed vegetable and pork. Cook until warmed through.
 
In a large pot over medium high heat, add a little oil to coat the bottom and add the rice. Add the vegetable and pork mixture.  Add some soy sauce, teriyaki sauce and sesame oil. Stir to combine and continue sautéing the rice, stirring every 15-20 seconds or so for a few minutes, or until the rice and vegetable start to brown slightly. 
 
Add the scrambled eggs and green onions and stir to combine.  Remove from heat and serve. Since the party was at a friends house, I placed the rice in my instant pot and placed it on "Keep Warm". 
 
With the exception of about 1/2 cup of rice, it all got eaten.

20 August 2024

I made this again last night for a smaller group dinner. 

Using the recipe above, I also added some shrimp.

I purchased a pork tenderloin, which I made a marinade (again, no measurements, just by taste) and let sit overnight in the refrigerator.  

While I baked the pork (360 degrees, baked uncovered until the inside of the pork hit 140 degrees, about 35 minutes), I placed about a dozen large shrimp in the marinade for a few hours; then cooked on medium high heat with some olive oil.  Once cooled down enough to handle, I diced the shrimp.

White Bean Salad with Valencia Oranges & Celery

I made this recipe yesterday for a cookbook club dinner. Everyone in the group selected a salad from America's Test Kitchen the complete SALAD cookbook.

Serves 6
 
Ingredients
 
1/3 cup Olive oil, extra virgin
4 Garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
Table salt for steeping beans
3 (15-ounce) cans Cannellini beans or small white beans, rinsed
1/4 cup Sherry vinegar
1 Shallot
2 Valencia or navel oranges
3/4 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
 
Directions
 
Heat 1 T oil and garlic in medium saucepan over medium-high heat until just beginning to brown, about 2 minutes.
 
Add 2 cups water and 1 t salt and bring to a simmer. Off heat, add beans, cover, and let sit for 20 minutes.
 
Combine vinegar and shallot in large bowl and let sit for 20 minutes.
 
Cut away peel and pith from oranges. Holding fruit over bowl, use a paring knife to slice between membranes to release segments.
 
Drain beans and discard garlic. Add beans, oranges, celery, parsley, and remaining oil to shallot mixture and toss until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let sit until flavors meld, about 20 minutes. Serve.
 
My Notes:
 
I chopped up some of the cooked garlic into the salad.
 
This tastes even better the next day.
 
Next time I will use cilantro. Also, the 1/2 cup of parsley overwhelmed the salad.
 
Cutting between the orange segments was quite messy. I used naval oranges.

Herb Lemon White Bean Salad

I made this delicious salad for the 4th of July today.  I followed this recipe: 

https://www.fifteenspatulas.com/herb-lemon-white-bean-salad/

Ingredients

5 T extra virgin olive oil
2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic pressed
1/2 t kosher salt
1/8 t black pepper
2 15oz cans of cannellini beans rinsed and drained
1/4 c chopped parsley
1/4 c finely chopped red onion
1 T minced fresh rosemary
 
Instructions 
 
In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, salt, and black pepper.
 
Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Try to let the salad sit in the fridge for at least an hour before serving, to let the flavors meld together.

My notes: 

I made the recipe using three cans of beans and adjusted the other ingredients.

I added 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, quartered.

I minced the garlic instead of pressing it. 

I made this 5 hours in advance to allow the flavors really come together.

Rosemary Focaccia

This is a recipe from the Stanley Tucci cookbook. I made this as a trial run for my cookbook dinner for next week.

Ingredients
 
1 package dry yeast
2 ¼ teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup warm water
2 c all-purpose flour
2 c bread flour
4 t kosher salt [divided]
1 c milk
5 T oil, plus more for oiling the bowl
Leaves from one 5-inch fresh rosemary
 
Directions
 
In a measuring cup, stir the yeast, sugar and warm water. Set aside for 5 minutes.
 
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix the all-purpose and bread flours with 2 teaspoons of salt. Stir in the yeast mixture. Gradually stir in the milk and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Mix at low speed until the dough has come together and is smooth, about 5 minutes.
 
(To mix by hand: Combine the all-purpose flour, bread flour and the 2 teaspoons of salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of these dry ingredients and add the yeast mixture. Mix with a fork while adding the milk and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil to form a soft, dry dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and continue mixing it with your hands. Knead until the dough has come together and is smooth, about 8 minutes.)
 
Lightly grease a bowl with olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and drape a dish towel over the bowl. Set aside in a warm place and allow to double in size, about 2 hours.
 
Lightly grease a large baking sheet (about 9 x 15-inch). Gently punch down the dough. Place it on a baking sheet and roll it out to fit evenly on the sheet. Cover with a dish towel and the dough to rise for 20 minutes.
 
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
 
Use your fingertips to make random indentations in the dough. Drizzle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 teaspoons salt and the rosemary leaves. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before slicing and serving warm.
 
Variations
 
Before baking, top the focaccia with any combination of the following ingredients:  1/4 inch thick slices ripe plum tomatoes, 24 pitted Kalamata olives, 1/4 cup very thinly sliced red onion, 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese; 1/4 inch thick slices peeled eggplant; 1/4 inch  thick slices zucchini; 1/4 inch thick slices peppers; 1/3 cup pesto.
 
For a sweet variation on this recipe, gently 1 cup dried fruit such as raisins, cherries or blueberries, or 1 cup chocolate chips; into the rolled and risen focaccia. Brush with 3 tablespoons melted butter and bake.
  

  

  

  

My Notes
 
I mixed by hand, as I didn't have an electric mixer.

The dough more than doubled the size. Next time check at 1 hour 40 minutes.
 
I used a 10 x 15 baking sheet.
 
I used a teaspoon of kosher salt on the top.
 
I added Kalamata olives and red onions with the rosemary.  Next time I won’t slice the onions so thinly.
 
Next time I’ll check the bread in the oven at 20 minutes. I looked through the oven door and it didn’t seem baked long enough. It came out a little more than golden brown, but it came out very good.
 
I served with some olive oil for dipping.

26 June 2024:

I made this again for tonight's cookbook dinner. I added sliced cherry tomatoes along with red onion, Kalamata olives and rosemary. It came out great.

 

 

Crostini

This is an easy to use for various appetizers.

This makes about 20-22 slices.

Ingredients
1 French-bread baguette, sliced 1/4" thick
1/4 cup (or more)  extra virgin olive oil for brushing
1 Garlic clove, whole
Salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 375F
Lightly brush both sides of each side with olive oil using a pastry brush – just a thin layer of olive oil.

Place the slices in a single layer on two baking sheets. You can line with parchment paper for easy cleanup.

Bake on middle rack for about 8 to 10 minutes until golden; then turn them over and bake the second side, about the same time.  Alternatively, you can broil them for 1-2 minutes on each side. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.

Once out of the oven, rub the garlic clove on each slice and lightly sprinkle with salt on top. 

Serve at room temperature with cheese spreads, charcuterie board, pates, hummus, preserves, etc.

Notes:

The crostini can be made up to two days ahead of time as long as you keep them in an airtight container at room temperature. I prefer to make them the same day that I serve my appetizers.

I salt just one side of the crostini.

My Seared Scallops

I made seared scallops last night (10 June 2024), which I served with a side of broccoli, and a mushroom and spinach risotto.

 
Serves 1
 
Ingredients
 
5 large sea scallops
Salt and pepper
All-purpose flour

2 T  avocado oil
1 T butter
Squeeze of fresh lemon
1 T or so white wine
 
Instructions
 
Pat dry the scallops with a paper towel to remove any excess water.
 
Place the scallops onto a plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper, and then lightly coat with the flour.
 
In a skillet on medium-high heat, add the oil and butter. Once hot, add the scallops in one layer (don’t move them until ready to flip over) and cook for 90-120 seconds; flip over and cook for another 90 seconds until they are golden brown.  You don't want to overcook the scallops. the center should be translucent. 
 
Remove the scallops to a serving dish and deglaze the pan with the wine scraping any bits to get all that yummy flavor to make a sauce. Pour over the scallops and squeeze lemon over the top.
 

Service right away with your favorite sides.

Notes:

I made a delicious mushroom risotto with spinach and parmesan to go with the scallops: 

https://sunbasket.com/recipe/mushroom-risotto-with-spinach-and-parmesan

I cut the recipe in half, which still made a lot, so have leftovers. 
 
I added one clove of garlic, chopped, when I added the onions to the pan.
 
I used chicken broth instead of water.
 
I did not add any additional salt and pepper when I added the parmesan cheese at the end (missing in the instructions).
 
What I really liked about this recipe is that it calls for adding all the water (broth) at one time, rather than a traditional risotto recipe where you add the broth a little a time until it's all absorbed. 

Italian Shrimp Salad

My friend Jackie made this excellent, healthy shrimp salad for our book club evening (5 June 2024). I really loved it, so I made it for a BBQ.

The recipe is from Skinny Taste: https://www.skinnytaste.com/italian-shrimp-salad/

6 Servings (about 7 cups)
 
Ingredients
 
1 1/4 lbs cooked (peeled and deveined jumbo (16-20 count) shrimp, tails-off, halved (20 ounces total))
1 cup sliced celery
1 1/3 cups good quality mixed Italian pitted olives (such as Castelvetrano and Kalamata Olives, halved lengthwise)
1/4 cup chopped red onion
5 cloves garlic (minced)
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
juice of 2 small lemons
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
black pepper (to taste)
 
Instructions
 
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix.
 
Refrigerate a few hours or overnight to let the flavors meld.

My Notes:

The only thing I did a little differently was to cut the shrimp into chunks. 

I added some lemon zest. 

I used 4 cloves of garlic. 

I let the salad marinade in a zip lock bag for 5 hours.

Homemade Hummus

Hummus Recipe Using Dried Chickpeas

My recipe, adapted from a few other recipes found online over the last few years.

8 oz dried Chickpeas, rinsed and sorted through to pick out any bad ones
2 Garlic cloves, minced
3 Ice cubes
1/4 cup Tahini (I use the Trader Joe’s brand)
3 T Extra virgin olive oil
1 Lemon
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 t. Cumin
1/4 t. Cayenne Pepper
 
Garnishes: Cooked reserved Chickpeas, drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle of Paprika or Sumac.
 
Warm pita bread, cut into wedges and/or fresh vegetables (sliced cucumbers, red bell peppers, carrots, celery, broccoli, etc.)
 
Directions:
 
Soak the chickpeas overnight in a pot that’s filled about 2” above the chickpeas (at least 12 hours).
 
The next day, strain the chickpeas in a colander; rinse well. Add fresh water to the pot, covering 2” above the chickpeas. Bring to a boil, and then turn down the heat and let simmer for about 2 hours, until tender. (The last time I made this, I had to simmer for 2.5 hours – it just depends on the age of the dried chickpeas).
 
Rinse and cool the chickpeas (reserve about a cup of the simmered liquid).  Set aside a handful of the chickpeas to use as a garnish.
 
Remove the outer skin. This is time-consuming but this what makes the hummus super creamy. If you leave the skin on, you’ll end up with a grainy texture. When the chickpeas are simmering, some of the skins will float to the top, so you can take them out with a strainer.  
 
Place the chickpeas in a food processor along with the garlic, ice cubes, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, cumin, and cayenne pepper, and process until smooth. You may need to use a spoon to scrape down the sides. Adjust the seasonings to your taste. If it’s too thick for your liking add some of the reserved liquid.
 
Serve:
 
Place in a bowl and either serve right away; or refrigerate (covered with plastic wrap) until ready to serve.
 
When serving, top the hummus with the reserved chickpeas, a drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle of Paprika or Sumac, and the pita bread and/or vegetable.
 
Note:
 
You can use canned chickpeas, but you need to simmer them for about 20-30 minutes.  Then continue the recipe, to include removing the outer skin.

Benedictine Spread

 

My husband and I attended a Derby party (4 May 2024). 

I followed this recipe:  https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/benedictine-spread/

Prep/Total Time: 15 minutes.   

Makes 1-3/4 cups
 
Ingredients
 
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon dill weed
1 drop green food coloring, optional
3/4 cup finely chopped peeled cucumber, patted dry
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
 
Optional: Snack rye bread, pita bread wedges and assorted fresh vegetables
 
Directions
 
In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, salt, white pepper, dill and, if desired, food coloring; beat until smooth.
 
Stir in cucumber and onion.
 

Cover and refrigerate until serving. Serve with snack rye bread, pita bread wedges, or vegetables as desired.
 
My Notes: 

I doubled this recipe since there we a lot of people at the party.

I added 1 T lemon juice and a little more mayonnaise.  

I skipped the food coloring.

For the cucumber, I removed the seeds.

My husband doesn't like a lot of raw onions, so I sautéed the onions (except for 1 T) in a little olive oil just until translucent. 

I sprinkled a little bit of dill on top of the dip after placing the spread into a serving bowl.  

I served this with fresh rye bread that I quartered. You can also serve with pumpernickel or crostini.

Here's my recipe for crostini:  https://monicacooks.blogspot.com/2024/06/crostini.html