CityMama™ tag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-32184 2012-01-16T12:12:06-08:00 Award-winning blogger Stefania Pomponi Butler brings you a lively mix of food, family, and fun. Dig in to family-friendly recipes your kids will eat dotted with humorous and poignant parenting stories centering on raising decent human beings in a media-intense world. TypePad Party fare: Greek-Style 9-Layer Dip tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341c933a53ef0162ffaee829970d 2012-01-16T12:12:06-08:00 2012-01-24T13:51:19-08:00 One of my favorite things to do is to take classic recipes and add my own variation. I made this delicious layered dip for a Golden Globes party last night—it's... CityMama™ <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.luminate.com/widget/c13fdaeff8/"></script><p><a style="display: inline;" href="http://citymama.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c933a53ef0162ffaee687970d-pi"><img class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a00d8341c933a53ef0162ffaee687970d" title="7-layer dip" src="http://citymama.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c933a53ef0162ffaee687970d-320wi" alt="7-layer dip" /></a><br />One of my favorite things to do is to take classic recipes and add my own variation. I made this delicious layered dip for a Golden Globes party last night—it's my twist on a Mexican 7-layered dip. Not that 7-layered dip needs any improvement... It's perfect for awards season or football season. Don't you love this time of year?</p> <p>The dip reminds me of Greek moussaka. It has all those rich and warm flavors without being a total gut-bomb. It's easiest to serve by setting the pan out with a spoon and let people serve portions onto their plates that they can then scoop up with pita chips.</p> <p>The only thing you need to cook is the lamb mixture (see below). I made the tzatziki as well (you'll need about 3 cups-worth, my recipe is<a href="http://citymama.typepad.com/cityfood/2006/12/marinated_butte.html" target="_self"> here</a>), but you could purchase that as well—I know Trader Joe's carries it. I used 93% lean ground beef non-fat yogurt in the tzatziki and I also used non-fat feta to keep the dip a little lighter.</p> <h3>GREEK-STYLE 9-LAYER DIP</h3> <p>Ingredients:</p> <ul> <li>2 lbs of seasoned, cooked ground lamb/beef (recipe below), warmed</li> <li>2 containers of plain hummus</li> <li>about 3 cups of tzaziki (cucumbers, yogurt, garlic)</li> <li>a sprinkling of chopped tomatoes (I used a prepared pico de gallo mixture)</li> <li>1 cup of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained</li> <li>a good handful of pitted kalamata olives, sliced in half</li> <li>half a small red onion, finely minced</li> <li>1-1 1/2 cups of crumbled feta</li> <li>a handful of fresh mint chiffonade (sliced) for garnish</li> <li>a drizzle of fruity olive oil (optional)</li> </ul> <p>Pita chips for serving</p> <p>Layer in this order (using a 9 x 13 inch pan). The lamb is the first ingredient in the pan, topped in the following order, ending with a drizzle of olive oil if desired:</p> <p>lamb</p> <p>hummus (spread carefully, it doesn't have to reach the edges of pan)</p> <p>tzaziki</p> <p>chopped tomatoes</p> <p>garbanzo beans (sprinkled over evenly)</p> <p>olives (scatter over)</p> <p>onion</p> <p>feta (sprinkled over evenly)</p> <p>mint to garnish</p> <p>olive oil if desired (use best quality and use a light touch)</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>SEASONED LAMB MIXTURE</p> <ul> <li>one pound <strong>each</strong> ground lamb and ground beef (you could use all lamb, too)</li> <li>a touch of olive oil</li> <li>2 tsps ground cinnamon</li> <li>1/4 tsp nutmeg</li> <li>1/4 tsp clove</li> <li>1 teaspoon cumin</li> <li>1 tsp dried oregano</li> <li>salt and pepper to taste</li> </ul> <p>Saute the ground meats and all seasonings over medium-high heat in a drizzle of olive oil until browned and cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm until ready to assemble dip (or reheat before assembling).</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p></div> http://www.citymama.com/2012/01/party-fare-greek-style-9-layer-dip.html Cook Your CSA: Crustless Spinach Quiche tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341c933a53ef0162fef59524970d 2012-01-03T12:44:32-08:00 2012-01-03T12:44:32-08:00 This is what we made for dear lunch guests visiting us from Italy today. It used up two week's-worth of CSA spinach. I served it with a black-eyed pea salad... CityMama™

Crustless quiche

This is what we made for dear lunch guests visiting us from Italy today. It used up two week's-worth of CSA spinach. I served it with a black-eyed pea salad on the side, but a green salad would have been fine, too.

CRUSTLESS SPINACH QUICHE

Ingredients:

  • 2 bunches of fresh spinach, triple-washed and drained
  • 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • one small onion, chopped
  • olive oil
  • a splash of white wine (if you like, and I do!)
  • 5 eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 cup of half and half
  • a dash of nutmeg
  • 2 cups of shredded light 3-cheese mixture (Trader Joe's)
  • sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350º. Grease a 9 x 9 (or similar-sized) baking pan.

Drizzle some olive oil in a pan and sauté garlic and onion over medium heat until onions are soft and start to turn golden brown. Add spinach and when it's wilted in the pan, splash in a glug or two of white wine. Cook for about a minute, season with salt and pepper, and remove from heat to cool slightly.

In a large mixing bowl, combine beaten eggs, half and half, nutmeg, cheese, salt and pepper. Add in cooled spinach mixture.

Pour into greased pan and bake for 30-40 minutes until quiche is puffy and eggs are set.

 

 http://www.citymama.com/2012/01/cook-your-csa-crustless-spinach-quiche.html Starting a new workout routine in 2012? tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341c933a53ef01675fdeb38d970b 2012-01-02T16:35:17-08:00 2012-01-02T16:35:17-08:00 Here's some inspiration (not just workout, but, I dare say, fashion as well), Jamie Lee Curtis and John Travolta-style. My eyes. They don't know where to look. CityMama™

Here's some inspiration (not just workout, but, I dare say, fashion as well), Jamie Lee Curtis and John Travolta-style. My eyes. They don't know where to look.