More then Guacamole!!

It's been so long since I've posted, that I feel like a traitor to my blog! Since school has been out and my little angels have been at home with me 24/7, I don't have as much time to blog as I did. And honestly, I've been enjoying the downtime with my girls. But, I did turn out this new recipe tonight and I thought it a shame not to share!

I don't have a picture yet, but I'll try and get one up. This one is a good one for people who like guacamole but their spouses, partners, kids or friends won't eat it. It's more then guacamole!

MORE THEN GUACAMOLE =0)

2 tsps minced garlic

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp chopped onion

3 Plum Tomatoes or 6 or so grape tomatoes (or throw some of each in there if ya like)

2 tbspns or so of crumbled feta

3 to 4 Avocados

1/4 cup sour cream OR Greek Yogurt

1 tbsp mayo

1/2 packet of Knorr's Vegetable Seasoning

juice from half a lemon

Saute the first 4 ingredients in a skillet. I saute'ed them until they were nice and tender -you do what you like.

Spoon avocado butter from your avocados and mash it - then add the next 4 ingredients. Stir well, and then add spoonfuls of the tomato mixture you sauteed earlier. I added half, and then used the other half in a delicious Caesar Salad. Mix it all up and voila, you have a fantastic guacamole different from any other!

Add more vegetable seasoning if you like, or more mayo/sour cream/ this is an easy recipe to doctor to your liking!

*My 7 year old was just horrified at the avocado as I was preparing this dip. She couldn't believe anyone would eat that! As I continued to mix and stir, she started to get interested and after her first taste - she asked if it could be for lunch. haha!

Warm Spinach, Artichoke and Roasted Red Pepper Dip

Warm Spinach, Artichoke and Roasted Red Pepper Dip

1 tbsp canola oil

1 medium onion finely chopped (a/b 1 1/2 cups)

3 cloves of garlic chopped

1 (9 oz) pckg artichoke hearts, rinsed, and dried

1 (10 oz) pckg frozen chopped spinach defrosted and squeezed of all liquid

1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

2 tbsp mayo

4 oz reduced fat cream cheese

2 oz (about 1/2 cup) mozzarella cheese

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

1 or 2 Roasted red peppers

Preheat oven to 375.

Saute the onions in the canola oil. When they are tender and translucent, add the garlic. Saute and then remove from heat.

If using fresh red peppers, go ahead and cut, deseed and place them meat side down on a cookie sheet. Brush tops with olive oil. Broil them until the skin is blistered and then put them immediately in a tupperware or bowl that you can seal completely. Let them cool and then peel the skins off. If using jarred, then just add them and all the remaining ingredients into a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add cooled onion and garlic next.

Transfer mixture into an 8 inch dish or 9 inch pie plate that has been lightly greased. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through. Serve with pita wedges or crudites.

SPINACH AND CHEESE STUFFED MUSHROOMS

Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

2 packs of fresh whole mushrooms (I used baby portabella and just regular ole mushrooms, the baby portabella ones were better)

10 oz chopped frozen spinach thawed and drained well

3 tbsp butter

1/4 cup chopped onions

Crumbled Feta

Grated swiss cheese or a pack of shredded Italian Cheese (that’s what I used for these)

Grated Parmesan

Pull the stems out of the mushrooms so that the cap makes a bowl. I did it with a tiny melon scoop but they aren’t hard to remove at all. Put them stems in a food processor and chop them really small.
In a pan, saute the onions in butter until they are soft and then add the spinach and chopped mushroom stems. When it’s good and heated, add the grated swiss or Italian cheese blend. You may need to salt this mixture to taste.

Lay the mushroom caps out upside down on a well greased cookie sheet and stuff them with the spinach mixture.

Top them with a little crumbled feta and then sprinkle parmesan over that. Bake it at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes and you have a delicious appetizer that looks gourmet!

Enjoy!