We’re on Day 3 of our entertaining theme for this week and the next party recipe comes from Great Party Fondues, a new cookbook from Peggy Fallon. This very adult dip is made with jalapeno jack cheese, beer, and tequila, and is a mouthful of flavor. Serve it in a fondue pot or a miniature Crock Pot, and offer tortilla chips, pita chips, celery, and pepper strips as dunkers.

Making a good cheese fondue requires some attention to detail. The cheese should be at room temperature before adding to the hot liquid, and stirring should be kept to a minimum, otherwise the sauce will be stringy. In addition, cheese sauces have a tendency to separate, leaving you with lumpy cheese in a soupy liquid. In her book Cookwise, Shirley Corriher gives a few tips on working with a cheese sauce.

• Starch helps to keep the sauce from curdling. (This recipe has cornstarch to help with that.)
• Stirring should be kept to a minimum, and only after removing from heat.
• If the sauce becomes stringy, stir in a little lemon juice or dry white wine while heating over low heat until the sauce is smooth again.

I have one copy of Great Party Fondues to give away, courtesy of Wiley. You’ll get my review copy, very gently used, just leave a comment telling us about your favorite fondue. Please make sure your email address is correct so I can contact you if you are the lucky winner. The book can be shipped to United States, Canada, and APO/FPO addresses. The contest closes at midnight EST on Thursday January 15, 2009, and Random.org will select the winner. Look for the announcement of the winner in this post soon after.

UPDATE: Congratulation to Carol, comment #13, you are the winner of the book!

Other Fondue Recipes

Jalapeno Jack Fondue

Makes about 4 cups.

Equipment

box grater
large bowl
6-quart pot
ceramic or cast iron fondue pot with a tea light (or electric or a miniature Crock Pot)

Ingredients

2 pounds (~900 g) jalapeno jack cheese, grated, at room temperature
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 (12-ounce/355 ml) bottles of beer, preferably Mexican (Corona is good.)
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional if you want a milder sauce)
1/3 cup (78 ml) tequila

DUNKERS
tortilla chips
pita chips
celery sticks
pepper strips

Preparation

1. Grate the cheese into the large bowl, then toss with the cornstarch. Set aside.

2. Stir the beer, garlic, and cayenne pepper in the pot over medium heat until the beer is heated and bubbles around the edges.

3. Reduce the heat to low and add the cheese 1/2 cup at a time, allowing it to melt completely between each addition. Lightly stir each time.

4. When all the cheese is melted, add the tequila and stir. Cook for 1 minute longer.

5. Transfer to the fondue pot and light the tea light. Serve immediately.

References

Cookwise, by Shirley Corriher

************************************************************

Source: adapted from Great Party Fondues, by Peggy Fallon

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

And continuing the entertaining theme, we move on to dips, a key ingredient for any good party. I confess that I grew up on grocery store French onion dip, and boy did I eat my share of it. In fact a really good French onion dip such as this one and a few wavy potato chips could set me back weeks on my diet.

Party recipe #2 this week comes from Great Party Dips, a new cookbook from Peggy Fallon. Dips are a must for any party, and this book has tasty recipes for all kinds of dips and dunkers, giving you plenty of variety to choose from. This caramelized onion dip is creamy, rich, and full of flavor and is a great make ahead for parties as it can sit in the refrigerator for up to two days. At the minimum, let it rest for four hours to give the onion flavors time to permeate the sour cream mixture. The dip is easy to make, but caramelizing the onions properly takes some time, so plan for that.

I have one copy of this handy cookbook to give away, courtesy of Wiley. You’ll get my review copy, very gently used, just leave a comment telling us about your favorite party dip. Please make sure your email address is correct so I can contact you if you are the lucky winner. The book can be shipped to United States, Canada, and APO/FPO addresses. The contest closes at midnight EST on Wednesday January 14, 2009, and Random.org will select the winner. Look for the announcement of the winner in this post soon after.

UPDATE: Congratulations to KimL, comment #20, the winner of the cookbook!

Other Party Dips From This Blog

CARAMELIZED ONION DIP

Makes about 1-1/2 cups.

Equipment

large heavy skillet with lid
medium bowl
hand mixer (or wooden spoon)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large onions, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (I used white.)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 cup (227 g) sour cream (I used light.)
4 ounces (113 g) cream cheese, at room temperature (I used light.)

Preparation

1. In the heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Stir in the onions, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Cover the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes.

2. Remove the lid and raise the heat to medium. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

3. In the medium bowl, combine the sour cream and the cream cheese. Beat until smooth. Stir in the cooked onions will all the juices.

4. Transfer to a serving bowl and cover. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 2 days.

5. To serve, stir again and allow the dip to stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Variations

Substitute Greek yogurt for the cream cheese. The end result will not be as thick, but will still be rich with flavor.

More Party Dip Recipes From Around the Blogs

Pinch My Salt – Smoked Tuna Dip

Simply Recipes – Eggplant Dip (Baba Ghanouj)

Cook & Eat – Tasty Veggie Dips

White on Rice Couple – Baked Brie Dip with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Thyme

************************************************************

Source: adapted from Great Party Dips, by Peggy Fallon

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

Creamy with a kick is what comes to mind when I dip tortillas or lavash into this salsa.

The September Daring Bakers challenge required the members to make both lavash and a dip or other condiment to serve with it, and considering our abundance of tomatillos and jalapeños coupled with my utter devotion to avocados, the choice was an easy one. I wanted to make it a little spicier than the previous version to help balance the rich creaminess of the avocado, so we roasted four of our homegrown jalapeños with the intent that we could use them all if necessary, but three seemed to be just right.

It comes together pretty quickly, and I had a batch ready in time for appetizers on a week night. Michael enjoyed it so much he had it for breakfast the next morning, spread all over an omelet and topped with mixed cheeses.

This recipe makes about four cups of salsa.

More Recipes You Might Like

More Tomatillo and Avocado Recipes From Around the Blogs

Cafe Lynnlu – Three Salsas

We Are Never Full – Shredded Chicken Sopes with Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa

What’s Cooking? – Pasta Gone Green

Karina’s Kitchen – Joey’s Kicked Up Rockin Guacamole

Equipment

large skillet, lined with foil (for easy clean up)
blender

Ingredients

8 medium tomatillos
3 or 4 red jalapeños
2 avocados, cut into chunks
large handful of cilantro, leaves and stems
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (optional)
salt, to taste

Preparation

1. Place the halved tomatillos and the whole garlic clove in the large skillet lined with foil. Set the skillet over medium heat and and dry roast for about 3 to 4 minutes per side. The tomatillos should be soft and blotchy and the garlic will be browned. Transfer the roasted tomatillos and garlic to the blender.

2. Dry roast the jalapeños in the skillet, until the skin blisters. Remove the the heat and slice down the middle, removing the seeds and membrane. Add to the blender along with the avocado chunks and cilantro. Blend until you have a smooth consistency. Taste and add lime juice if desired and blend again. Pour into a serving bowl.

3. Rinse the chopped onion and stir into the salsa. Add salt to taste and serve. Makes about 4 cups of salsa.

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

We didn’t expect our tomatillo plants to grow as large as they did, and Michael was downright skeptical when I brought them home.

M: “What kind of tomato is this?”

A: “It’s a tomatillo, not a tomato, and we’re going to try growing some this year.”

M: “What do you use them for?”

A: “Good Mexican salsa.”

M: “Whatever you want, Sweet Pea.” Thankfully he enjoys Mexican food and he’s very flexible about my garden and kitchen experiments.

Unknown to me at the time, I needed at least two tomatillos planted close to each other so they could cross-pollinate, and luckily the small pot I purchased had two plants in it, so we were set. I put them in the row alongside the grape tomatoes and then watched and waited.

They grew pretty quickly and it seems like they shot up to about nine feet (~3 meters) tall overnight. The blossoms showed up in July and seemed to hang around forever before we finally saw some little fruits sprouting. I checked it every day, watching for ripened tomatillos.

The fruits are ready when they fill the husk, and the fruit is harvested while still green. If it’s yellow, the fruit has started losing it’s tart flavor. You can preserve the tomatillos whole, just toss them into a large freezer bag. If freezer space is at a premium, you can slice them before freezing, though the fruits will lose some of their nutrients this way.

We’re doing a little bit of everything with these beauties: making fresh salsa, canning salsa, and freezing some whole for the winter. The flavor is bright and Michael and the boys thoroughly enjoy this fresh, easy salsa from Rick Bayless. It’s great as an appetizer with tortilla chips and arepas (though not Mexican) or spooned over tacos and fajitas.

This is my contribution to Grow Your Own, a blogging event that celebrates the dishes we create from foods we’ve grown, raised, foraged, or hunted ourselves. Our host for this round is Denise of Chez Us, and the deadline for posts is September 30. Make sure you visit Chez Us for more information on how to participate in this round, and also check out the Grow Your Own page for more information about the event.

Other Recipes You Might Like

More Tomatillo Recipes From Around the Blogs

Kalyn’s Kitchen – Tomatillo and Black Bean Salsa with Avocado, Lime, and Cilantro

What Did You Eat? – Chicken and Tomatillo Stew

The Kitchen Sink – Grilled Tomatillo and Corn Salad

A Veggie Venture – Guacamole with Tomatillos

Equipment

large skillet lined with foil (for easy cleanup)
blender

Ingredients

4 medium (about 8 ounces/227 g total), tomatillos, husked, rinsed and halved
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 – 2 jalapeño chilies, stemmed and roughly chopped
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 small white onion, finely chopped
salt to taste

Preparation

1. Place the halved tomatillos and the whole garlic clove in the large skillet lined with foil. Set the skillet over medium heat and and dry roast for about 3 to 4 minutes per side. The tomatillos should be soft and blotchy and the garlic will be browned.

2. Transfer the roasted tomatillos and garlic to the blender. Add the jalapenos and cilantro. Blend until you have a smooth consistency. Pour into a serving bowl.

3. Rinse the chopped onion and stir into the salsa. Add salt to taste and serve.

References

http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/tomatillos.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomatillo

http://whatscookingamerica.net/tomatillos.htm

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/tips/summer/preserving_tomatillos.html

************************************************************

Source: adapted from Rick Bayless

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

I wish I could come home after picking up the kids from school and have time to cook a nice meal. I long for a calm, zen-like cooking experience each day, but instead I find myself chasing after my sons who prefer to run amok, trying to keep them from raiding the refrigerator and the pantry even though I fed them a snack as soon as we got home. We had to put locks on to keep the Three Amigos from eating us out of house and home. Yesterday’s meal was supposed to happen on Monday, but the events of the day and the constant distractions left me disorganized and frustrated at dinner time and I pulled out some leftover pasta sauce and boiled some spaghetti. Now there’s nothing wrong with that, and in fact spaghetti with tomato sauce and/or meatballs is Michael’s favorite meal, but I had a grilling recipe up my sleeve for Cinco de Mayo which I had to grudgingly postpone.

I thought I could start some of the prep for dinner on Tuesday morning, but Monday night we remembered Top Gun, our three-year-old, had a project due for school the next day and I needed to finish some prep work on that before we could do it in the morning. So Tuesday morning was spent cutting photos and pasting them memory-book style onto a piece of paper describing his favorite things, and then we wrote our story about Spike’s visit (Spike is the class mascot, a stuffed kangaroo) and pasted more pictures onto that story.

After dropping the boys off at school I did a little dance in my head thinking our toddler would go down for his afternoon nap and I could do all my prep work, but that was optimistic on my part. For the second day in a row he refused to take a nap and I ended up with a cranky toddler for the afternoon. I hope he doesn’t give up naps early like his oldest brother!

Michael was late getting off work and the boys demanded my total attention for the rest of the day, so I finally tossed a burger and some dogs on the grill for them and saved the fish tacos for a quiet dinner just for the two of us after we got the Three Amigos to bed! We grilled in the dark, talking about our day and the refrigerator that isn’t working and debated whether to repair or replace. Mundane conversation, perhaps, but relaxing nonetheless, and it was time we had to ourselves. Michael said he loved the tacos and the salsa, and the cold beer with a lime wedge tasted pretty good after a busy day.

P.S. Don’t forget about the Grilled Pizzas & Piadinas cookbook give away! Visit the original post to enter. The deadline is Sunday May 11 at 6 pm EST.

GRILLED FISH TACOS WITH MANGO-AVOCADO SALSA

Equipment

grill
grill wok or skillet (Thanks for the Christmas present, Mom & Dad!), coated with cooking spray
medium bowl or a one gallon plastic zip bag
3 medium serving bowls
liquid measuring cup

Ingredients

3 mahi mahi fillets, cut into chunks
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

SLAW
2 cups red cabbage, sliced thin
5 or 6 green onions, sliced thin
1/4 cup light sour cream
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

SALSA
1 mango, cut into small chunks
1 avocado, cut into small chunks
1 jalapeño, finely diced
1 red onion, finely diced
3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
2 limes, juiced

THE EXTRAS
tortillas, corn or flour
1 red pepper, sliced thin
Monterrey jack cheese, shredded

Preparation

1. Preheat the grill.

2. FISH: Stir together the spices and toss with the fish in the bowl or the zipper bag. Set aside.

3. SLAW: In the serving bowl, toss together the sliced cabbage and onions. Measure the cider vinegar in the measuring cup and add the sour cream and salt. Stir until thoroughly mixed, then pour over the cabbage and onions, and stir until the vegetables are evenly coated.

4. SALSA: In the serving bowl, toss together the mango, avocado, jalapeño, onion, and cilantro. Squeeze the limes over the bowl and stir gently.

5. GRILL: Pour the spiced fish into the lightly greased grill skillet/wok and cook over medium heat for about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally for even cooking. Fish should be slightly firm and opaque when finished.

6. SERVE: Layer your tacos in this order: Slaw, red peppers, fish, salsa, cheese. Enjoy with a cold Corona and lime.

Do you like this recipe? Here are a few others you might like!

Mango-Lime Ice (Nieve de Mango con Limon)

Frozen Mango Dessert

Sangria for Cinco de Mayo

Key Lime Pie

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

We first tried this dip over the holidays and really liked the flavor, and I now keep a jar of roasted peppers on hand specifically to make this dip on short notice. It’s a good dip for parties, Bunco, or brunch and it pairs well with crackers or crudités. The base is sour cream, but the flavor comes from the garlic, peppers, and the balsamic vinegar reduction. In fifteen minutes you can have this prepared and then toss it into the refrigerator to let the flavors marry. It’s a good make-ahead dip because the flavor gets better as it sits, just give it a good stir before serving.

You can use dried basil if you can’t find any fresh, just toss it in with the peppers and oil while cooking, but I prefer the flavor of the fresh basil.

Equipment

8-inch skillet
medium plastic bowl with lid

Ingredients

2 roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 cup light sour cream
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil, or 1 teaspoon dried (see variations)
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. In the skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and add the garlic, stirring for about 30 seconds.

2. Add the chopped peppers and cook for about 1 minute, then add the balsamic vinegar and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until dry, about 12 minutes.

3. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Stir in the sour cream and basil and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.

Variations

Instead of using jarred peppers, you can roast your own. Roast the peppers over a gas flame or under the broiler until charred all over. Put them in a plastic bag and let steam for 20 minutes. Remove the skins, cores, and seeds. Pat the peppers dry and chop.

To use dried basil, cook it with the peppers and vinegar.

******************************************************

Source: adapted from Food & Wine

I have a relatively small collection of fundraiser cookbooks. One is from my grandmother’s church, two are from hospital auxiliary groups, two are from elementary schools, two are from overseas women’s groups, and one is from a law firm that donated the proceeds to charity. I would really like to have more fundraiser cookbooks, because these books are treasure troves of all the great regular kinds of foods that people eat. The recipes are contributed by moms and grandmothers—veterans of the kitchen who know what it’s like to try and put a meal together while juggling kids, job, and everything else. So when I go hunting for a recipe, I almost always start with these because there’s a good chance that I’ll find what I’m looking for, or at least something very similar.

Today’s recipe is a good variation on the layered bean dip. It’s called “Walking Tostada” and it’s from the ClearGourmet fundaiser cookbook, submitted by Lana Crist and Elsbeth Simon. This dip is great for parties, poker or Bunco night, or just whenever the mood strikes.

Equipment

9 x 13-inch glass dish

Ingredients

1 (28 oz) can refried beans (I use black refried beans.)
1 pkg powdered taco mix
8 oz sour cream
2 jars marinated artichoke hearts
1 (2.25 oz) can sliced black olives
2 green onions, chopped
16 oz grated cheddar cheese
8 oz chopped tomatoes
shredded lettuce
guacamole (optional)
1 can green chilies (optional)
corn chips or tortilla chips for dipping

Preparation

1. Mix together the refried beans and the taco mix. Spread in the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch glass dish.

2. Add layers of ingredients in the following order: sour cream, artichoke hearts, black olives, green onions, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, and lettuce. Garnish with guacamole and green chilies if desired.

3. Serve with corn chips or tortilla chips.

Variations

I often use cilantro leaves instead of the lettuce for an extra bit of flavor.

I prefer to put the tomatoes on top for some nice color. I also remove the seeds and juices so that the dish keeps a little longer, which is helpful if you prepare this several hours in advance.

You can also use about 8 oz of a chunky salsa instead of tomatoes if you want a different flavor.

You can cut the recipe in half and serve it in a glass pie plate.

If you do not keep taco mix on hand, you can make your own using the following recipe.

Taco Seasoning Mix

1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground oregano
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Put all spices in a bowl and stir until combined. Makes the equivalent of one pouch taco seasoning mix.

*******************************************************

Source: ClearGourmet; the variations are from Andrea Meyers

I first fell in love with guacamole when I lived in Bogotá, Colombia. There was a restaurant just down the street from my apartment called Aqui en Santa Fe, a small place with a cute red door. Their specialty was arepas, and I would order the aguacate arepa with queso mounded on top. It was heaven! I’ve been hooked on guacamole ever since, and I based my recipe on the guacamoles that I enjoyed in Colombia (which are not spicy like their Tex Mex cousins). This one is chunky, with a good lime flavor.

Equipment

sharp knife
medium bowl
fork

Ingredients

2 avocados, I like Hass
1 lime
handful of cilantro leaves, snipped from the stem
2 green onions, finely sliced (green part only)

Preparation

Cut open the avocados and remove the pits. Cut into chunks and scoop out the meat. Put in a medium bowl. Squeeze lime juice over the chunks and add cilantro and green onions. Stir with a fork, leaving some chunks of avocado. Serve with tortilla chips or on arepas or pita.