Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 07:04 AM
In my humble opinion, one of the big reasons that New Years’ Resolutions fall by the wayside in about three weeks time is football. Yup. Blame it on football. Americans are obsessed and we are in playoff season. And playoff season (especially when you live about 10 minutes from the New England Patriots home stadium) is all about football parties.
Even when I got together with my gym girlfriends this past Saturday night (all women – no husbands), we watched the game. My friend Hazel, who was born and raised in Ireland, and is now busy working Mom to two athletic boys, offered to host a little get together, since her lucky husband was headed to the big game. While many of us had more than one football party (seriously, it’s like the holidays all over again), we all made some time to get over to Hazel’s that night. I think we were dying to see what we all looked like with real clothes and make-up on! After all, we typically only see each other after rolling out of bed at 5:00 am. Hazel pronounced her house a “ponytail-free zone.”
Hazel’s spread included both indulgent and “healthy” foods.
But her double tomato bruschetta was the big winner that night.
Double Tomato Bruschetta (from Allrecipes.com)
Ingredients
- 6 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped (NuVal score of 96)
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil (NuVal score of 56 for Delallo Sun-Dried tomatoes in olive oil and herbs)
- 3 cloves minced garlic (NuVal score of 91)
- 1/4 cup olive oil (NuVal score of 11)
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (Not scored)
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, stems removed (NuVal score of 100)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (NuVal score of 1)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (Not scored)
- 1 French baguette (The baguette that you can buy at the fresh bakery at Hy-Vee supermarkets scores a 21)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (Kraft finely shredded mozzarella, NuVal score of 23)
Directions
- Preheat the oven on broiler setting.
- In a large bowl, combine the roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.
- Cut the baguette into 3/4-inch slices. On a baking sheet, arrange the baguette slices in a single layer. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly brown.
- Divide the tomato mixture evenly over the baguette slices. Top the slices with mozzarella cheese.
Broil for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
Hazel’s Tip: I always ask the ladies at the bakery to slice the baguette for me that way you get nice uniform pieces.
I loved these little appetizers! Much smaller than a piece of pizza. One or two was enough – and then I tried to stick mostly with veggies and hummus. And I had brought my famous Avocado Salsa – so of course, a few scoops of that. All with a nice glass of red wine and some great conversation with the girls. One of my favorite parts of the night was when we all shared stories of our sightings of the New England Patriots players. Living so close to where they practice and play games, we do bump into them from time to time. My big story was that I sat behind Tedy Bruschi on a train at Thomas the Tank Engine.
And now, we have another football weekend!
Question of the Day
Do you make food for the big football games? What’s on the menu this weekend?
And Another Question of the Day
Do you ever bump into any sports celebrities? What’s your story?
Posted by: Melissa
Posted in: appetizers
Tags: bruschetta, football parties, recipes for football
Friday, December 9, 2011 at 07:19 AM
Spinach dip. It’s one of the most popular appetizers at holiday gatherings. For years, my aunt has brought the hollowed out pumpernickel bread filled with her onion-y, tasty spinach dip. It’s always a big hit.
But how much mayonaise is in that dip? One has to wonder.
Last weekend, we went to our first of several holiday parties and I wanted to bring something for the appetizer table. As you’ve heard me say before, I’ve never found a Martha Stewart recipe that I didn’t like. So I turned to my latest issue for inspiration.
She has a whole section on Healthy Living.
And she had a Spinach-Avocado dip that calls for avocado and Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise.
I just had to try it.
Ingredients
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (NuVal score of 96)
1 Tablespoon minced garlic (NuVal score of 91)
10 ounces spinach, rinsed well (NuVal score of 100) (**A note on the spinach: the recipe says that baby spinach can be used, but regular spinach will provide more texture and fiber.)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 medium-ripe Hass avocados, chilled (NuVal score of 89)
1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt (NuVal score of 93 for Chobani plain)
1 Tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
12 ounces sugar snap peas (NuVal score of 96)
9 small slices pumpernickel bread, cut into triangles (NuVal score of 32 for Rubschlager pumpernickel cocktail bread)
Directions
- Heat oil in large non-stick skillet. (Note: Interestingly, this recipe did not have oil in the ingredients list. I checked twice! So, I just used about 1 1/2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil – NuVal score of 11). Cook shallots and garlic, stirring often, until tender about 4 minutes.
- Add spinach and 3/4 teaspoon salt.
- Cook, covered, until wilted, about 4 minutes.
Uncover. Cook until liquid evaporates, about 7 minutes. Refrigerate until cooled, about 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, puree avocadoes, yogurt, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor until smooth.
Season with pepper. Finely chop spinach mixture. Stir in avocado puree. Serve with snap peas and bread for dipping.
This dip was so good! Everyone seemed to like it. And one of the best things about it was that I knew it was a “healthy” option on the appetizer table. So instead of choosing some other not-so-healthy things, I kept going back for more sugar snap peas and spinach dip.
This recipe definitely gets a “You gotta try this!” from A Better Bag of Groceries.
Have a fun, festive weekend everybody!
Posted by: Melissa
Posted in: appetizers, Martha Stewart Living
Tags: appetizers, Martha Stewart Living
Monday, February 7, 2011 at 07:32 AM
Do you all like my occasional party posts? I love to share some good decorating and recipe ideas. Last weekend, my husband and I hosted a baby shower for his sister Christine.
Christine and Her Life-Long Best Friend Peggy
Christine is a frequent commenter here on A Better Bag of Groceries, she has written several guest posts and she is having her first baby at the beginning of March. My husband’s family is very geographically diverse – everyone lives in different states.
Carol, Christine, Lisa and My Husband, Andy
Our state is sort of in the middle, and I am a big fan of my sister-in-law Christine, so we offered to host.
This party had a number of challenges, including:
- We just moved into our new house 4 months ago. Bare walls everywhere. Window treatments needed.
- A rather large and scattered guest list. Invitations were sent to 39 people in 11 different states! Our final headcount was 21 – a perfect number.
- A budget. We tried to keep costs down wherever we could.
- Weather. Snow-storm after snow-storm hit our area. We were so lucky to have a clear day for the shower.
- A socially-conscious mom-to-be. Read on to see how we reduced waste, recycled and made some special donations in her honor.
So, how did we tackle all these party challenges? Well, offering to host the party definitely gave us some incentive to get some more unpacking and decorating done! We were super-busy the entire month of January, trying to get most of those last boxes unpacked and making most of our rooms look lived-in. Thank goodness for Target, HomeGoods and Kohl’s! They have been great for adding color and character to some of our spaces.
Still, I did not want to rush into things. I wasn’t about to go out and buy a ton of art work and window treatments. I neede to take time to choose. So, I improvised. I bought baby clothes as my gift to Christine and used them as decorations!
Baby Clothes as Window Treatments!
My husband and I hung them everywhere!
On the fireplace…
In the dining room…
We even hung this gift from my mother-in-law above the dessert table.
So, I really did not buy any decorations that would just be tossed out in the trash. Everything was re-usable.
We asked guests to share some Motherly Advice with Christine…
and hang it on a clothesline, in keeping with our “laundry” theme.
Not only did Christine go home with all sorts of advice…
but she also went home with all those Shabby Chic green clothes pins, just perfect for hanging gentle newborn clothes in her laundry room!
Instead of a shower cake, we chose cupcakes to match our shower invitation.
The Bakery Boutique was a bit of a drive from our house on the morning of the shower, but we chose them for a very special reason. My sister-in-law Christine was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) three years ago. The Bakery Boutique gives a portion of their proceeds to raise funds for MS research.
When we found the Bakery Boutique, we knew they were the one for our party!
Christine is a very giving person. For the past three Christmases, instead of exchanging gifts, we have organized a family charitable donation and Christine has been instrumental in coordinating the efforts of four families who are geographically dispersed. We’ve given to The Heifer Project, Food Banks in each other’s communities, and this year, to Troops Organizations. So, it only seemed fitting that we not spend a lot of money on elaborate party favors and that we make some sort of a donation to a charitable organization instead. (This was actually my mother’s brain-child – way to go, Mom!)
So, we made tiny favors…
with Snow Caps inside (fitting, given the weather we’ve had!) and a little sticker on top.
The nice thing was everyone was able to help put these together the night before the shower. We put them in a basket and announced our charitable donation – to Cradles to Crayons, an organization that gives children from 0 – 12 the basic necessities of life.
With all that taken care of, we focused in on the food. For sanity’s sake, we had the main course catered. A local restaurant, Mangia Bene, does an incredible, authentic, fresh Italian menu and I was pleasantly surprised when Claudio and Carolyn agreed to plan a menu with me for under $10 per person! We modified their Fettucini alla Bandiera (chicken, spinach, sundried tomatoes and olive oil) for our guests. Knowing that we would have some people balancing plates on a coffee table or a lap, we changed the fettucini to penne (no cutting or twirling required) and asked that the chicken be sliced small. We also served Claudio’s famous Eggplant Parmiggiana (he incorporates Italian ham into it, yum!), a mesclun salad and bread.
With the main course covered, I could spend some energy on appetizers.
Eileen had brought me this great dish (and a diagram!) with a hummus suggestion. I plated three different hummuses, topped them with diced English cucumber, cherry tomatoes and cilantro. On the sides are Stacey’s Naked Chips (NuVal score 24) and Blue Chips.
Veggies and dip are a must at every party.
And crackers and cheese, of course…
But the real hit at this party were two appetizers that I served hot:
- Roasted Red Pepper Bruschetta
- Goat Cheese and Olive Spread
First, I give you the recipe for the goat cheese and olive spread. I clipped it out of The Boston Globe (I think) about a million years ago, stuck it in my recipe box, and never made it until now.
I’m not sure why I waited so long. It was sooooo good! And very easy. I’ll repeat the ingredients and directions here, in case you can’t read this recipe that my husband scanned.
Goat Cheese and Black Olive Spread
2 logs (10 oz each) soft plain goat cheese, crumbled (NuVal score of 23 for Alouette)
1/4 cup pitted kalamata or oil-cured black olives, coarsely chopped (NuVal score of 11 for Gaea pitted kalamata olives)
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 Tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
I sprayed the baking dish with non-stick spray.
Layer the goat cheese, olives, rosemary and oregano.
Bake for 25 – 30 minutes.
Serve with pita chips, bread, whatever you wish.
The second appetizer was a little more labor intensive, but it was worth the effort.
Roasted Red Pepper Bruschetta (makes 28 appetizers)
1 (12 oz) jar roasted red peppers, drained well and finely chopped (NuVal score of 57 for Delallo Roasted Red Peppers in Water)
1/2 cup finely chopped plum tomato (NuVal score of 96)
1/4 cup finely chopped purple onion (NuVal score of 93)
2 T. balsamic vinegar
2 T. olive oil (NuVal score of 11)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp finely ground pepper
Dash of sugar
1 baguette, cut into 28 slices
1/4 cup, olive oil
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (President Regular and Fat Free Feta both score a 26 – that’s why I always buy regular!)
salt & pepper
Directions
Combine first 3 ingredients in a bowl. Combine vinegar, 2 T olive oil, salt, pepper and sugar; pour over pepper mixture. Toss. Cover & chill until ready to serve.
Arrange baguette slices on a large ungreased baking sheet. Brush or drizzle slices with 1/4 cup of oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 400 for 4 minutes or until barely toasted.
Spoon about 1 Tablespoon of pepper mixture onto each toast; top with crumbled feta. Broil 5 1/2″ from heat for three minutes or until bubbly and barely browned. Serve warm.
Note: Be careful not to put too much of the liquid onto the toasts or they will get soggy!
Well, this is a very long post, so thanks for hanging in there. Let’s just say that a great time was had by all. We went through 8 of the 10 bottles of wine we had on hand! These shower ladies had a merry time!
And Christine got her very special day!
Posted by: Melissa
Posted in: appetizers, Baby Shower
Tags: Baby Shower
Wednesday, December 15, 2010 at 08:12 AM
This past weekend, my husband and I were invited to one of our favorite parties of the Christmas Season – Bob and CJ’s Holiday Cocktail Party. Why is it such a great party? Well, for many reasons. I love it because everyone dresses up – and that is so rare these days. I love it because CJ is am amazing decorator and I always love seeing her beautiful greenery and gorgeous tree. I love it because it is a true cocktail party and CJ serves amazing Festive Martinis. I love it because the party goes until 3 am (seriously!) But most of all, I love it because it’s a party with friends and neighbors of many years. In fact, for us, it was kind of a homecoming, since we recently moved away from Bob and CJ’s neighborhood.
I wanted to bring something extra special to add to CJ’s bountiful appetizer table:
So when Tina Haupert came into the office last week for our NuVal State of the “Union” meeting, I asked her what to make. Of course, she had a great idea right away. She emailed me the recipe later that afternoon and I made it right off my Blackberry!
This recipe is from The Comfort Table. Tina made it as well for her sister’s party that night.
Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature (NuVal score of 20 for Kraft Philadelphia Original)
One 9-ounce package artichoke hearts (drained jarred or canned, cooked fresh, or frozen, but not marinated) (NuVal score of 99 for Birds Eye frozen Deluxe)
1 cup steamed spinach (1 pound raw or one 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed), well drained (NuVal score of 100 for Food Club Frozen Chopped Spinach)
1/2 cup mayonnaise (NuVal score of 7for Helmann’s Lowfat Mayonnaise)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (NuVal score of 23for Belgioioso 100% Natural Parmesan)
2 garlic cloves (NuVal score of 91)
6 large fresh basil leaves (NuVal score of 100)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (NuVal score of 23for Sargento Shredded Part Skim Mozzarella)
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish. (I used non-stick cooking spray).
In a food processor, combine the cream cheese, artichoke hearts, spinach, mayo, Parmesan, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper. (I used my stick blender and mixed this in a mixing bowl.)
Halfway through this recipe, I realized that I forgot to buy the basil leaves (my sister called me while I was in the grocery store, so I got a little distracted). So, I used dried basil instead.
It worked out fine!
Spoon into the baking dish. Top with the mozzarella.
Bake until bubbling and the top is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
Serve with crackers, tortilla chips, or toasted rustic bread.
Yield: 4 servings
As always, Tina’s recommendation was a great one and this recipe is a keeper! I love how green it was – perfect for the holiday season!
Yesterday’s Giveaway Winner
Congratulations to Commenter #44 Linda! You’ve won the Flatout Bread Giveaway. Thanks to all who entered. I loved reading your comments about how you’re all “flat out” at this time of year. I highly recommend my Pilates Holiday Mix for a little de-stressing. Hang in there!
Posted by: Melissa
Posted in: appetizers
Tags: appetizers, Artichoke Dip, Cocktail party
Wednesday, May 12, 2010 at 07:05 AM
For me, Mother’s Day ends the season of indoor, “get out the china” kind of entertaining and marks the beginning of the casual, outdoor party season. From now until September, it’s all about getting together in friends’ and neighbors’ backyards, firing up the grill, and serving meals on paper plates. Stock up on the propane, bug spray and sunblock. Summer Party season – here we come!
My momtaught me to always bring something to a party. So even if it’s just a bunch of mom’s gathering for a couple of cocktails on my neighbor’s deck, I never come empty-handed. And in my neighborhood, those invitations can come quite last minute. As in it’s now 5 o’clock – want to come over at 6 for happy hour? The answer is ‘Yes!!” and I need to quickly whip something up. For those occasions, I make White Bean and Basil Dip. As long as I keep a can or two of cannellini beans in the cupboard and a basil plant growing outside, I have the ingredients I need to pull this recipe together lickety-split.
I have been making this recipe for years. I got it from Dining with the Duchess, a Weight Watchers cookbook published in 1998.
Sarah’s White Bean and Basil Dip is found on page 203. I have mine ear-marked.
Ingredients:
One 19-ounce can white beans, rinsed and drained (NuVal score of 57 for Goya)
1/3 cup coarsely chopped basil (NuVal score: 100)
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil (NuVal score: 11)
1 large garlic clove, minced (NuVal score: 91)
1/2 teaspoon salt
In a blender or food processor, combine all the ingredients; puree. Let stand at room temperature, covered, until the flavors are blended, 2-3 hours.
If you look closely at my measuring, you will see that I fudged the amounts a bit. That’s because instead of a 19 ounce can of cannellini beans, I only had two 14.5 ounce cans of Goya beans in the pantry. So, I added a little extra of the other ingredients as well. To me, that is what makes cooking fun: playing around with tastes, ingredients and measurements until you get it just right. Also, instead of a food processor (mine is tiny and it pretty much stinks), I put everyting in a bowl and used my stick blender. Oh, how I love my stick blender!!
So my tip for today is to get thyself to a supermarket and stock up on some cannellini beans, lemon juice, olive oil and a nice Kosher salt. Plant some basil in your yard and you will be all set for all those last minute invitations.
Question of the Day
What’s your favorite last minute dish to bring to summer parties?
Yesterday’s GiveAway
Congratulations to Commenter #13, Stephanie! You’ve won cookies, chocolate and a NuVal t-shirt. Please send me an email at abetterbagofgroceries@gmail.com and let me know your mailing address. Thanks to all who entered.
Posted by: Melissa
Posted in: appetizers
Tags: white bean basil dip
