“Who put the bop
In the bop shoo bop shoo bop?
Who put the dip
In the dip da dip da dip?
Who was that man?
I’d like to shake his hand
He made my baby
Fall in love with me (yeah!!)” ~ from the Barry Mann and Gerry Goffin song, “Who Put the Bomp” (1961)

Dips and spreads get the speed award in the appetizer department, for preparing as well as for how quickly they disappear. Other awards they could receive include best road trip food and food kids like the most – even when vegetables are involved.

Since this is the season when homegrown herbs are at their best, we decided to make a dip that would highlight them in a way that is fun and delicious. Cream cheese, or a cream cheese replacement such as Tofutti (pictured), as a base has less fat than a dip that includes mayonnaise and sour cream, and whips up very nicely.

NOTE: When replacing fresh herbs with dried herbs, generally 1 teaspoon dried is the equivalent to 1 tablespoon fresh because the flavor becomes concentrated when the water is removed in the drying process.

Creamy Chive Flower Spread or Dip

Serves 8 (2 tablespoons each)
Time: 5 minutes

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese or cream cheese replacement
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
3 chive blossoms (in full bloom)
⅛ teaspoon dried ground chipotle pepper (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped canned artichoke hearts

Remove the petals from the chive blossoms and discard green portions.

Beat the cream cheese or cream cheese replacement with the lemon juice until fluffy. Fold in remaining ingredients, including the chive blossom petals.

If you wish to thin this spread to make a dip, simply stir in additional lemon juice before folding in herbs to reach desired consistency.

In addition to a mild onion flavor, the chive blossoms provide a beautiful lavender tint that make this pretty on crackers and as a celery stuffer for appetizers. The flat bread in the photo is from Back to Nature.

“It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.” ~ Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton, poet and novelist (1803 – 1873)

Dark and stormy, indeed! There is no reason good enough to go running out for a bag of potato chips when the weather is like what we’ve had this week, not even an intense craving; but isn’t it a perfect time to try making homemade potato chips?

There is no need for the hassle (or fat) of the deep fryer for these chips, and we leave the skin on to keep the most nutrition. Making just one or two servings at a time creates its own portion control, which is a really, really good thing with these because we were quite disappointed when the last one disappeared.

Baked Potato Chips

Serves 1
Time: 5 minutes active + 15 minutes in the oven

1 small Idaho potato
Vegetable oil to brush or spray
Salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425° F and brush or spray a standard baking sheet with oil.

Scrub the potato thoroughly, dry, and slice into ⅛-inch thick chips. Place on the baking sheet in a single layer, then spray or brush with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, if you wish. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes, until the chips are browned and crispy.

NOTE: Most ovens do not heat in a perfectly even way. At about 12 minutes, check the chips and remove any that may be already crispy, then return the rest to the oven to continue baking.

Serve as soon as they are cool enough to handle. The Tahini Goddess Dip in the photo was made from the recipe on page 120 in the Mosaic Meals cookbook.

“Come oh come ye tea-thirsty restless ones – the kettle boils, bubbles and sings, musically” ~ Rabindranath Tagore, Indian poet and Nobel Prize winner for literature (1861-1941)

This weekend marks the first of the season’s summer weather parties and we sure are ready for them. For those who wish to avoid sweetened drinks or alcohol, however, the options seem to be limited to iced water, coffee, or tea. If we’re lucky, a slice of lemon will hang on the edge.

Enter sparkling water, full of bubbles and totally without sugar or other sweeteners.

Sparkling Water is simply water that has had pressurized carbon dioxide passed through it so that the bubbles become trapped in the liquid. Note that Club Soda is similar, however also contains a type of sodium to give it a slightly salty flavor.

For this version of Fizzy Tea, we used Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Tea because of how well the gentle spearmint, chamomile, and lemon grass flavors combine with the fruit. Green tea or black tea are also good options, especially if using a flavored sparkling water.

Fizzy Tea

Serves 2
Time: 5 minutes active + chilling time

1 cup boiling water
4 Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Tea bags
2 cups berries or fruit slices (fresh or frozen)
1 cup ice
1 cup sparkling water, chilled
Mint sprigs for garnish

Pour boiling water over the tea bags in a teapot or measuring cup. Allow to steep for 30 minutes, then remove the tea bags and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours.

When ready to serve, divide fruit and ice between 12-ounce glasses. Pour the tea over the fruit and ice, then fill the glass with the sparkling water. Garnish with sprigs of mint leaves and serve immediately.

Hint: This is a lovely treat that uses up fruit salad left over from the party, just when we’re ready to put our feet up and relax!

The word “tostada” is Spanish for “toasted.” The tostada dish we are familiar with, however, is usually made with a corn tortilla that has been deep fried until it becomes a rigid disk.

Many grocery stores carry prepared tostada shells, and they provide an opportunity to make this delicious dish in less than 5 minutes. However, that speed comes at the expense of a fresh flavor that we feel makes it worth the little bit of extra effort. We also know that preparing the shells in the oven helps us to minimize the fat and control the type of fat used.

By adding rich and creamy avocado to the Corny Salsa Fresca from last Friday’s post, this dish doesn’t even hint at the need for the cheese that is typically included. Why would you want to cover up the gorgeous colors of these fresh vegetables, anyway?

Tostada Colorido

Serves 3
Time: 20 minutes

1 cup Corny Salsa Fresca
1 medium avocada
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 ½ cups (15-ounce can) refried beans
6 corn tortillas
vegetable or canola oil to brush or spray

To prepare tortillas in oven: Preheat oven to 400° F. Meanwhile, brush or spray one side of each tortilla very lightly with vegetable or canola oil. Place on baking sheets, oiled side down, then brush or spray the top sides with a little additional oil. Bake for 6 minutes, then turn the tortillas over and bake for 3 more minutes.

Meanwhile, warm the refried beans, covered, in the microwave oven or in a small saucepan, until soft and easy to spread. They do not need to be hot, but can be if that is your preference.

Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. Use the pit to start a tree or discard it. Remove the avocado flesh from the shell and cut into ½-inch cubes. Add it to the Corny Salsa Fresca and toss gently to combine without mashing the avocado.

Once the shells have cooled enough to handle, spread about 3 tablespoons of the refried beans onto one tostada shell, covering up to ½ inch from the edge.Top the refried beans with ⅓ cup lettuce, and top that with 3 tablespoons of the Corny Salsa Fresca. Repeat with remaining shells.

Serve while the beans are still warm or at room temperature. This dish is delightful served as a nutritious snack, or makes a nice alternative to a casserole for a hot meal. And how else will you have an incredibly healthy supper on the table in 20 minutes?

“Then plough deep while sluggards sleep, and you shall have corn to sell and to keep.” ~ Benjamin Franklin, American statesman, inventor, and writer (1706 – 1790)

More years ago than we care to count, sister Cathy came home from college with a recipe for Quick Corn Relish in hand. This condiment had quickly become one of her favorites and we still have a copy of it in the old “snips” album from our pre-internet days.

Fast forward to this week: When picking up a few things from the local Trader Joe’s store, I noticed a jar of tomato-less Corn Salsa on the shelf. Reading the label, it reminded me of Cathy’s favorite corn relish: corn, peppers, sugar, vinegar, and salt.

The 70’s version was made with dried onion and canned corn with peppers mixed in. It was absolutely quick that way, but if people want canned salsa, it is easy enough to buy off the shelf now that we’re in the 21st century. We figured we could do better, however, using fresh or frozen ingredients and replacing the vinegar with lime juice. Only 5 minutes more time than the old version and we’ve capitalized on the fresh corn’s sweetness so that we don’t need to add the sugar that is in the jarred variety.

Making salsa is a lot like making soup. The ingredients can vary according to taste and the quantity is not something that needs to be measured with the precision of a rocket scientist. Salsa is more about the joy than anything else. Because this one is entirely raw, be sure the corn you use is as fresh as possible and has tiny kernels – otherwise they will be too chewy, in which case it is better to make the salsa from frozen corn.

Corny Salsa Fresca

Makes 1 pint
Time: 15 minutes

1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels (thawed)
¼ cup finely chopped onion
¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
¼ cup finely chopped pablano chili pepper
2 tablespoons lime juice
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Toss everything together and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes prior to serving.

Corn salsa is great with tortilla chips or on burgers, but come back this coming Meatless Monday (May 23) and see how we’ll be using it to decorate our supper.