Lentil Salad

Donna made this delicious salad for our book club last night (6 March 2024). Everyone loved it!

Ingredients
 
1 can lentils
1 cup finely diced carrots
1/3 cup finely diced celery
1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1/4 cup minced parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
5 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp olive oil
1 Tsp kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
 
Directions

Combine and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup with Sesame and Green Onions

My friend Candy followed this recipe for a soup dinner at our book club last night: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/chinese-chicken-noodle-soup-with-sesame-and-green-onions-106192 

The chicken was tender and I loved the flavor of the broth with the fresh ginger and other ingredients. 

 
Ingredients:
 
1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into thin strips
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry Sherry
2 tablespoons oriental sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)*
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce**
4 cups chopped Napa cabbage (from 1 head)
6 green onions, thinly sliced
8 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
1 14-ounce package fresh yakisoba noodles or Chinese pan-fry noodles
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
 
Directions:
 
Stir chicken, soy sauce, Sherry, and 1 tablespoon sesame oil in medium bowl to blend. Let stand 20 minutes or refrigerate up to 2 hours.
 
Whisk garlic, tahini, ginger, sugar, vinegar, and chili sauce in small bowl.
 
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add cabbage and green onions and sauté until cabbage is tender, about 5 minutes. Add broth and bring to boil. Add chicken with marinade and tahini-garlic mixture. Reduce heat to low and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly; cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.)
 
Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain. Add to soup in pot. Stir in half of cilantro. Season soup with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro.
 

* Sold at Middle Eastern markets, natural foods stores and some supermarkets.
 
** Available at Asian markets, specialty foods stores and some supermarkets.

Instant Pot Split Pea Soup

Delicious soup that I made today for my book club for tonight. Tonight is a soup bowl party, along with discussing our book. Recipe by: https://www.bowlofdelicious.com/instant-pot-split-pea-soup-ham-bone/. See my notes below of my additions/changes.

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Time to pressurize and depressurize 25 mins
Total Time 50 mins
Servings: 8 servings
 
Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter

1 onion diced
2 ribs celery diced
2 carrots diced
1 cooked ham bone, a smoked ham hock, or 6 oz. diced deli ham (Don’t use fresh/uncooked ham)
1 lb. dry split peas sorted through and rinsed
6 cups low sodium chicken stock/broth or veggie stock, water, or a mixture
2 bay leaves
kosher salt and black pepper [don’t add salt if using a broth with salt]
chopped fresh parsley for garnish, optional                                            
 

   

Instructions
 

Turn pressure cooker to the "sauté" setting. Melt butter and sauté onion, celery, and carrots for about 5 minutes, until softened.

 

Add the split peas, chicken stock, ham bone, and the 2 bay leaves.

 
Turn off the "sauté" function.
 
Cover pressure cooker and set to manual, high pressure for 15 minutes.
 
Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10-15 minutes. Then, quick release the pressure valve.
 
If you used a ham bone or hock: remove the it from the soup and remove the ham meat that's still attached to it. Add the ham meat back into the soup.
 
Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary (see notes). Serve immediately, or store in your refrigerator for up to 1 week or freezer in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
 
My Notes:
 
I used 3 T avocado oil instead of butter.
I added 2 cloves of garlic, minced, along with the vegetables.
I added a pinch of dried thyme.

I did the natural release for 14 minutes before the quick release.

This was such an easy soup to make with the instant pot. This recipe is a keeper!

Authentic German Beer Cheese Dip Obatzda

Click on the photos for a full view.

I made this yesterday for a Sound of Music! dinner party. There was a wonderful spread of foods to include fresh-made pretzels, brats, sauerkraut, Wiener Schnitzel, Stuffed Cabbage, German potato salad, spaetzle, apple strudel, German beer, a beautiful meat and cheese board, etc.; and this dip that I made.  

This recipe is from https://ourgabledhome.com/german-beer-cheese-dip-obatzda/
 
Prep Time 10min
Total Time10min
 
Servings: 8 servings
 
Ingredients
 
8 oz brie or camembert cheese, very ripe
4 oz butter
4 oz cream cheese
1 small onion or 1 shallot
2 tsp paprika powder
1-2 T beer
Salt and pepper to taste
1 T chives, chopped
 
Instructions
 
Make sure to have all your ingredients at room temperature. That means taking the cheese, cream cheese, and butter out of the refrigerator at least one hour before you want to make this cheese spread.
 
Cut the cheese, the butter, and the cream cheese into chunks and add them to a medium bowl.
 
Begin mixing them with a fork or pastry blender.
 
Add the paprika and some salt and pepper.
 
Now add a splash of beer and mix all the ingredients well. I personally like it a bit on the chunkier, stiffer side but you can also add a bit more beer and blend everything into more of a uniform cream.
 
Transfer it to a nice serving bowl and sprinkle it with some diced chives.
 
My Notes:
 
I cut the amount of butter to just two dabs. For me, with all the cheese, I didn’t think all that butter was needed.  
 
I used a shallot, minced.

I added a t of ground caraway seeds and sweet Hungarian paprika.
 
For the beer, I used Negra Modelo Especial, which is a Munich Dunkel Lager. I used 3-4 T of beer.
 
I was a little heavy on the salt, so I added a more cream cheese.
 
I served it with pumpernickel bread at a dinner party. 
 
This was a hit.

Click on the photos for a full view.

Turkey Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups

24 Jan 2024

December 2022: My friend Amy C made this for our book club. 

This makes 16 roll ups.

Ingredients:

1 package lasagna noodles (use the kind you Boil, not the no boil ones)

1 jar tomato sauce (I used Lowes Spicy Arrabbiata sauce)

1 15-oz can fire roasted tomatoes

1 lb ground turkey

1 small container fresh baby spinach

32 oz. Ricotta cheese (I used part skim)

1 egg

~1 tsp Italian seasoning

~1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 package shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1) Boil large pot of water and cook lasagna according to package (suggest cooking in 2 batches so the noodles don't stick)

2) Mix tomato sauce and fire roasted tomatoes together

3) While lasagna is cooking brown ground turkey and drain off any excess liquid/fat then mix with a little bit of the fire roasted tomatoes

4) When lasagna is cooked, carefully coat with a bit of tomato sauce and then lay out flat to cool for a bit

5) Chiffonade (thin slice) the baby spinach

6) Mix together Ricotta, egg, Italian seasoning and garlic powder to taste

7) When cheese, egg, etc. are well mixed add in spinach and stir well to coat it all and evenly distribute

8) Coat the bottom of a ceramic baking dish with a bit of sauce

9) When lasagna noodles are cool enough to handle lay out one at a time on parchment paper and smear with cheese/spinach mix leaving about 1-2 inches at top of noodle clear, sprinkle with a bit of turkey and shredded mozzarella

10) Starting from bottom roll up the loaded lasagna noodle

11) Place upright in the baking dish, repeat

12) Lightly drizzle top and dish side of noodles with any remaining sauce

13) Cover with tinfoil 

14) Bake at 375 degrees for 30-45 minutes 

My Notes: 

I made this on 22 January 2024 (photos below).

I had a large pot to cook all of the lasagna noodles (added 2 T of salt) at one time. I rinsed them in cold water after boiling and to stop the cooking process.

For the ricotta filling, Amy's recipe calls for 32 oz. I may not have used enough, as I had a lot left over (Tony made lasagna a few days later, so that worked out well). I will either add more filling the next time or just buy a 15 oz container.  I added some parmesan cheese and mozzarella  to the mixture. Next time I'll chop the spinach. 

For the meat sauce, I sautéed 1/2 cup of chopped onion and 2 cloves chopped garlic with 1 T olive oil before adding and browning the meat. I seasoned with salt and pepper. I added Rao's marinara sauce, the fire roasted tomatoes (drained), and some hot pepper flakes.

I laid out the lasagna on top of parchment paper so that it didn't stick to the counter and added the filling and meat mixture. Instead of standing these, I laid them on the sides seam down (14 in a glass 9x13 baking pan; two in a smaller baking pan, which I wrapped tightly and froze for a future dinner). 

I baked this for 40 minutes, then uncovered and broiled for 2-3 minutes until the mozzarella cheese was bubbly. 

This came out great and my friends that were over for dinner loved it. 

The next time I will do a combination of beef and Italian sausage. 

Antipasto Platter

I made this today for an Italian dinner party. 

Adapted from:  https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/antipasto-platter/

 

Ingredients

 
1 jar (24 ounces) pepperoncini, drained
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 cups halved fresh mushrooms
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 pound provolone cheese, cubed
1 can (6 ounces) pitted ripe olives, drained
1 package (3-1/2 ounces) sliced pepperoni
1 bottle (8 ounces) Italian vinaigrette dressing
Lettuce leaves
 
Directions
 
In a large bowl, combine pepperoncini, beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, provolone cheese, olives and pepperoni. Pour vinaigrette over mixture; toss to coat.
 
Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or overnight. Arrange on a lettuce-lined platter. Serve with toothpicks.
 
My Notes:
 
The recipe I followed (and adapted) stated it serves 16. I reduced the recipe for my dinner.
 
I didn’t use garbanzo beans. I didn’t bother with the lettuce leaves.
 
I quartered the mushrooms, as they were large.
 
I added pearl mozzarella, cooked cheese tortellini, quartered artichoke hearts, sliced roasted red peppers, and sun-dried tomatoes.
 
For the pepperoncini, I sliced them in half, lengthwise, and seeded them.
 
I let chill in the refrigerator for 5.5 hours; then plated everything onto a serving dish. 

Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto (with spinach)

This is a delicious risotto that I made last night to go along with salmon that I baked in parchment paper. This was very easy to make in the Instant Pot. I adapted this recipe https://pressureluckcooking.com/instant-pot-mushroom-risotto/. See my Notes at the bottom of what I changed or added. 

 

PREP TIME 5 minutes
COOK TIME 14 minutes
TOTAL TIME 19 minutes
YIELD: 6

 

Ingredients

1 tbsp of vegetable oil
4 tbsp (1/2 stick) of salted butter, divided in half
2 large shallots, diced
24 oz (or three 8 oz packages) of Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp of crushed garlic [1 clove]
2 cups of Arborio rice (make sure you use Arborio rice for a risotto)
4.5 cups of mushroom broth (or chicken, garlic or vegetable broth – I used 4.5 tsp of Mushroom Better Than Bouillon + 4.5 cups of water)
1/2 cup of a dry white wine (white cooking wine is fine too – but if you don’t use wine, add another 1/2 cup of broth)
1 tsp of seasoned salt
1/2 tsp of black pepper
1/4 tsp of Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp of dried parsley
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp of white or black truffle oil
 
Instructions
 
Add the vegetable oil and the first 2 tbsp (1/4 stick) of butter to the Instant Pot
 
Hit “Sauté” and “Adjust” so it’s on the “More” or “High” setting and wait until the butter has melted and it bubbles.

Add the shallots and cook for about 2 minutes so it softens and just lightly browns. Then, add the garlic and sauté for another minute with the shallots. Lastly, add the mushrooms and add the other 2 tbsp (1/4 stick) of butter. Stir constantly with the shallots and garlic for another 2-3 minutes until the butter’s melted and the mushrooms brown a bit in color 
 
Next, add in the white wine and once it bubbles, let it do so for another minute so the mushrooms simmer in it as you deglaze (scrape) the bottom of the pot to make sure it’s free and clear of any veggie remnants from sautéing (NOTE: If not using wine, add in 1/2 cup of the broth now)
 
Add in the rice and mix it in with everything in the pot and let sauté for 1 minute
 
Lastly, add in the broth, seasoned salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning and dried parsley. Stir well, once again deglazing the bottom of the pot so nothing’s stuck on. (NOTE: It will look like there’s way too much liquid in the pot given how much risotto is in it, but trust me. It will be magical and perfect once cooked since Arborio rice is a major liquid absorber once cooked)
 
Secure the lid, hit “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” High Pressure for 6 minutes. Quick release when done. Once the lid comes off, stir everything together and it will immediately be the right consistency.
 
Add in the grated Parmesan cheese and truffle oil, stir until well combined and transfer to a serving dish
 
If you want more truffle oil, add more after tasting or drizzle over individual servings. 

My Notes:
 
I cut the recipe in half but kept the same cooking times. I didn't want to make the entire recipe for just the two of us, and I read that freezing risotto isn't a great idea. The texture of the risotto will change. I also read that if you freeze the risotto, you could later make Arancini di Riso (fried rice balls). I think I'll do that!

I used avocado oil instead of vegetable oil.

 
I didn’t have shallots on hand, so I just used a white onion, chopped, about 1 cup.
 
Once the lid came off, I added some truffle oil, a 1/2 teaspoon of Trader Joe’s truffle powder seasoning (kicking up that wonderful mushroom flavor), 1 cup (packed) chopped fresh spinach, and 1 tablespoon half and half.
 
I found I needed to stir in more parmesan cheese, and a little more salt.

It took four minutes to come to pressure. 

Overall, this is an excellent risotto. In fact my husband said it was the best he's ever had.

 

Tres Leches - Mexican Flan

This is one of my favorite (and super easy) desserts to make. It's always a hit at my parties, or when I bring to a friend's house.  This is a Mexican flan that's made with three types of milks.  

Adapted from: http://whatscookingamerica.net/Desserts/MexicanFlan.htm 

                                                                                                  

My notes in [ … ]

Yields: 6 servings [More like 8 - 12 servings]
Prep time: 30 min
Carmel cook time: 10 min
Flan cook time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar
Drop of lemon juice
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
Zest of one orange
2 cups whole or 2% milk [I used half and half]

5 large eggs [I used extra large]
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Heavy-bottom, high-sided saucepan
8 1/2-inch rectangular loaf pan  [I used an 8 x 8 baking dish]
Large high-sided pan (to set the loaf pan in)

Prepare Caramel - Caramelized Sugar:

In the saucepan over low to medium-low heat, combine 1 cup sugar and a drop of lemon juice (the lemon juice keeps the mixture from hardening or crystalizing). Keep it on a low heat and watch that the sugar doesn't burn. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves, about 8 to 10 minutes. Pour quickly into the pan (be very careful not to get any on you) and coat the entire bottom. Set aside. 

 

Prepare Flan:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. or 180 degrees C. Adjust oven rack to center position.

In a blender, combine evaporated milk, condensed milk, orange zest, whole or 2% milk, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt; process until smooth. Let the flan mixture sit approximately 10 to 15 minutes. After resting, remove any top foam that formed when blending the ingredients and discard. Stir the flan mixture just before pouring in your loaf baking pan.

 

Pour the prepared flan mixture into the loaf pan [you will see a lot of the grated orange zest at the bottom of the blender, so be sure to scrape all that good flavor into the pan]. 

Place the filled loaf pan into an ovenproof roasting or baking pan. If cooking custards in a metal pan, cover the bottom of the pan with a layer of newspaper to ensure an even temperature on the bottom.

Bring the water for the water bath to a light simmer on top of the stove; carefully pour hot water into the baking pan to come half-way up the sides of the loaf pan. For ease of carrying, first place the larger pan (containing the filled loaf pan) on the oven rack, then pour the boiling water into the large baking pan. It is so much easier than moving the pans with water in them.

Bake 60 to 70 minutes (depending on depth of your pan) or until set around the edges but still loose in the center. When the center of custard is just set, it will jiggle a little when shaken, that's when you can remove it from the oven (the flans will continue to set as they cool). If using a digital instant-read thermometer, insert in the centers, it should register 180 degrees F. Begin checking temperature about 10 minutes before recommended times.

Remove from oven and remove the flan pan from the water bath. Place on your counter and let cool approximately 60 minutes.

Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

To Unmold and Serve:

When ready to serve, remove from refrigerator at least 1 hour before unmolding.

Using a thin knife, separate the edge of the flan from the pan to make sure that the flan edges are not sticking to the sides of the pan.

Place a flat bottom plate on top of the pan and flip over. Let sit for about 15 minutes before removing the pan. The caramel will drip over the top and sides of the flan. Any leftover in the pan, just scrape on top of the flan.

My Notes:

Yum!! This is now one of my favorite desserts to make. Very easy to make and so delicious!! I love the hint of the orange zest.

I will prepare the flan mixture before making the caramel, as the flan mixture has to rest for about 10-15 minutes.

I typically bake this for 65 minutes. 

I keep it in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 hours; I don't let it sit for an hour before unmolding. I don't wait for 15 minutes to remove the baking pan. I just scrape out the caramel on top of the flan

This is another recipe that I make that calls for cream cheese: 

http://monicacooks.blogspot.com/2008/05/cream-cheese-flan.html

Pork, Shrimp, and Bok Choy Soup with Ginger and Garlic

Pork, Shrimp, and Bok Choy Soup with Ginger and Garlic

 

I saw several recipes recently that had bok choy, so I wanted to make some soup. I adapted from several recipes and came up with this tasty soup, which I made last night. 
 
4 to 6 Servings depending on having this for dinner or lunch.
 
Ingredients
 
1 T. avocado oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 t. ginger, minced
4 c. low salt chicken broth
1.5 c. water
5-6 whole cloves (or 2 whole star anise)
3 T. soy sauce
8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced [I prefer shitake mushrooms but didn’t have any on hand]
1 c. cooked roast pork, sliced or shredded chicken
6 large shrimp, peeled
2 small heads bok choy, chopped
2 nests of medium rice noodles (see photo below)
 
Chopped scallions for garnish
 
Directions
 
Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, stirring often, for about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for about a minute to bring out the flavors.
 
Add the chicken broth, water, cloves and soy sauce. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
 
Add the mushrooms, pork, shrimp, bok choy and noodles. Cook for about 6-8 minutes or until the noodles are tender and the shrimp cooked through.
 
When serving, top each bowl with the chopped scallions.

 

Chicken Liver Mousse

 
Chicken Liver Mousse
 
Makes 1.5 cups
 
Ingredients:
 
12 oz chicken livers, rinsed, patted dry, trimmed, and halved if large
1/4 t table salt
1/4 t pepper
2 T unsalted butter, plus 4 T cut into 4 pieces and chilled
2 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 1/4 t minced
1 shallot, minced
3 T brandy
1/4 c heavy cream
 
Directions:
 
Pat chicken livers dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Melt 2 T butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add livers and thyme sprigs to skillet and cook, without stirring, until livers are lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Flip livers, and shallot, and cook until livers are lightly browned on second side and shallot is just beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Off heat, add brandy and allow residual heat in skillet to reduce brandy to 1 T, about 1 minute. Discard thyme sprigs.
 
Process live in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. With processor running, add remaining 4 T chilled butter, 1 piece at a time, until incorporated, about 1 minute. Strain liver mixture through fine-mesh strainer into large bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liver mixture as possible; discard solids.
 
Whip heavy cream in separate large bowl until still peaks form. Fold whipped cream and minced thyme into strained liver mixture until fully incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
 
Spoon mousse into two 6-ounce ramekins and smooth tops. Press plastic wrap against surface of mousse and refrigerate until completely chilled and set, at least 1 hour or u to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Serve with crostini or crackers.
 
My Notes:
 

I made this for a cookbook club in my community. This recipe (adapted) is from the America's Test Kitchen, Boards: Stylish Spreads for Casual Gatherings.

I did not strain the mixture. I made 1 day ahead.

I used Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey, as I did not have brandy on hand.

This could use a clove of minced garlic.
 
Everyone loved this!

Mexican Street Corn Salad

I made this for a Mexican-themed dinner party at a friends house (November 2023)

Adapted from this recipe in [  ]: 

https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/mexican-street-corn-salad-esquites/

Ingredients
 
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups fresh corn or thawed frozen corn
1/2 cup mayonnaise  [I started with less mayo and added some yogurt]
1/3 cup crumbled Cotija cheese
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon lime juice  [This is about  one half of a medium lime]
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
 
[I added about a tablespoon of minced red onion]
 
Directions
 
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the corn [and garlic – I didn’t want to toss in raw garlic at the end]. Cook and stir for 8 to 10 minutes, until the corn is slightly charred.
 
Transfer the charred corn to a large bowl. Stir in the mayonnaise, cheese, cilantro, green onions, jalapeno, lime juice, garlic cloves, chili powder, salt and pepper [and minced red onion].
 
If desired, top the corn salad with any remaining cilantro and crumbled Cotija cheese. Esquites is usually served warm, not piping hot, so let the dish cool slightly before serving.

My Notes:

This came out very good. you definitely want to serve it right away. 

Artichoke Dip

There are many recipes for artichoke dip. This is mine. This makes a large batch and is perfect for parties. 

 

1 14 oz. can artichoke hearts (not in oil), drained well, and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced 
3 T. chopped onion 
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese + a little for the topping
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 4.5 oz. canned green chilies, drained
3 oz. cream cheese (not low fat), room temperature
Dash or two of hot sauce
Pepper to taste 
Dash Worcestershire sauce

Crostini for serving with the dip

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
 
Combine the dip ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.

Place in an 8x8 baking dish and top with additional mozzarella cheese. Bake for 30 minutes. It should come out nice and golden on the top. Serve with crostini.

Crostini Recipe

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

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F.

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 that are lined with parchment paper.

Bake on middle rack for about 5 until golden; then turn them over and bake the second side, about another 5 minutes. Keep an eye on this so they don’t burn.

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

Notes:

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

Olive Tapenade

This is a recipe I make all the time and it makes a large batch.

1 C. Kalamata Olives, pitted
1/2 C. Mezzetta Green Spanish olives
1 C. Black olives
1 Clove garlic, chopped
1-1/2 T. Capers, drained
1 T. Freshly chopped parsley
1-1/2 T. Olive oil
1 T. Fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste




Combine the ingredients and process in a food processor until finely chopped. Serve with garlic crostini or crackers.

Garlic Crostini

1 French baguette

Olive oil

Salt

1 whole garlic clove



Slice the baguette into 1/4 inch slices.  Lightly brush or mist both sides with olive oil. Lightly salt.

Broil for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown, keeping a close eye so the bread doesn't burn. Turn over to brown the other side. 

Once out of the oven, rub the garlic clove on the toasted bread. 

 You can make the crostini ahead of time. Allow the toast slices to cool completely before placing in a plastic container. 

Greek Salad with Cannellini Beans, Feta, and Tomatoes

 

Ingredients:
1 cucumber, peeled, and sliced thick (seeds removed)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half (I like to take seeds out)
Some thinly sliced onion
1/3 C Jarred Muffalata
1/2 C Feta cheese, crumbled
 

Dressing:
 
1 Clove garlic, minced
1 lemon, zest and juice
1 t. oregano
1 T. Red wine vinegar
1/4 C olive good olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl.

Whisk the dressing ingredients well, and pour over the salad. Toss gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes: 

I made this up, which was similar to another Greek salad I've made. This time I didn't have any Kalamata olive, so I used the Muffalata. I also added a few black olives, sliced.