Video and Recipes: Easy Dips and Cool Appetizers

From Denny: While the weather is still warm we can have an end of summer party or two. Here are some simple popular recipes for just such a gathering of you and your friends! Listed are BBQ Chicken Quesadillas, Fresh Crab Dip and Avocado Dip and Torilla Chips and for your vegetarian friends: Vegetable Fritters. There is a little something to please everyone! This man really knows how to cook easy, simple and divine!

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* If you don't have a mandolin, just use your box grater like for making coleslaw or shredding your favorite cheese! These look divine as he has a dip for them. They don't have any flour in them and are a quick cook for a warm appetizer.

Vegetable fritters

From: Chef Curtis Stone

Makes: 12

INGREDIENTS

• 1 russet potato, peeled
• 1 carrot, peeled
• 1 zucchini, ends trimmed
• 1 onion, halved and very thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 large eggs
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 bunch fresh dill, leaves coarsely chopped (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)

DIRECTIONS

Using a mandoline or julienne peeler, cut the potato, carrot, and zucchini lengthwise into long spaghetti-like strips.

Toss the potato, carrot, zucchini, onion, and 2 teaspoons of salt in a medium bowl.

Let the vegetable mixture stand for 10 minutes, or until the salt has drawn out some of the moisture from the vegetables.

Place the vegetables in a colander to drain the excess moisture then squeeze the vegetables between your hands to exude as much moisture as possible.

Using a fork, beat the eggs and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl to blend well.

Add the vegetables and stir to coat with the egg.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil in a large heavy sauté pan over medium-high heat.

Working in batches and using about 1/4 cup of the vegetable-egg mixture for each, spoon the vegetable-egg mixture into the pan forming thin patties that are about 3-inches in diameter.

Fry for 4 minutes on each side, or until the fritters are golden and crisp on the outside.

Using a metal spatula, transfer the fritters to paper towels to absorb any excess oil.

Meanwhile, stir the sour cream and dill in a small bowl to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place the fritters on a platter and serve with the sour cream-dill sauce.

***

Another fast preparation, a minute or two on each side of the tortilla to warm the chicken, melt the cheese and brown the tortilla and another awesome warm appetizer that is a big hit!

Barbeque chicken quesadillas

From: Chef Curtis Stone

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

• Four 10-inch-diameter flour tortillas
• 2 cups (about 8 ounces) coarsely shredded roasted chicken
• 2 cups (about 6 ounces) grated Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 jalapeno, finely chopped
• Salt
• 1/4 cup barbeque sauce

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 250F.

Arrange the tortillas on a work surface. Divide the chicken, cheese, cilantro, and jalapeno among the tortillas, scattering the ingredients over half of each tortilla.

Sprinkle with salt and drizzle a tablespoon of barbecue sauce over each.

Fold the uncovered half of each tortilla over the filling to form a half moon shape.

Heat a large flat griddle pan over medium heat.

Place 2 quesadillas on the griddle.

Cook for about 3 minutes on each side, or until the tortillas are crisp and golden and the cheese has melted.

Transfer the quesadillas to a baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven.

Repeat with the remaining 2 quesadillas.

Cut the quesadillas into wedges and serve.

***

This looked simply beautiful. What is better is it's simplicity, all because they are the freshest ingredients!

Fresh crab and avocado dip with crispy tortilla chips

From: Chef Curtis Stone

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

• 4 firm but ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup fresh crabmeat
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
• 1 red jalapeno, finely chopped
• Canola oil, for deep frying
• 12 fresh corn tortillas, cut into 8 wedges each
• Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Mash the avocados, sour cream, 3 tablespoons of the lime juice, and the chives in a large bowl.

Season the avocado mixture with salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon the mixture into a clear glass serving bowl, forming an even layer and smoothing the top.

Squeeze the crabmeat gently to remove any excess liquid.

Gently mix the crabmeat, mayonnaise, sliced basil, jalapeno, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of lime juice in another bowl.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon the crab mixture over the avocado mixture, forming a second even layer and smoothing the top.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Heat 3 inches of oil in a wok or deep skillet over medium-high heat.

Working in batches, add the tortilla wedges and fry, stirring often so that they cook evenly on both sides, for about 3 minutes or until they are crisp and golden brown.

Using a slotted spoon or mesh strainer, transfer the corn chips to paper towels to drain any excess oil.

While the chips are still hot, sprinkle them lightly with salt.

Garnish the dip with basil leaves and serve with the tortilla chips.

Recipe: Gertie's Loving Peanut Butter Chocolate Kiss Cookies

From Denny: These little lovelies are great for a make and take event or after school snacks. Awww, come on, so what if the kids are grown up or you don't even have kids, make them anyway and indulge with a tall glass of milk or a cup of steaming hot coffee or tea. They are worth every bite! :)

There is a sweet story that goes along with these cookies from the family of the lady who made them: Harvey Hittner of Decatur, who said his mother, Gertrude, "put love in her cookies, " including this peanut butter variety. "My mother was known all over New York as the greatest cookie maker, " he said. Just before she died, she had baked her peanut butter cookies. "We put a batch in the freezer and ate them sparingly over the next year. Every time we tasted one, we felt Mom smiling down on us."

From: Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Hands on time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Serves: 45

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine or butter, room temperature

1 cup chunky or crunchy peanut butter

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

About 45 jumbo semisweet chocolate morsels

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, cream the margarine, peanut butter and sugar until very light. Add the egg and beat well. Add the flour and baking soda and beat just to combine. Form the dough into 1-inch balls and place 1 inch apart on baking sheets. Gently flatten each ball with the tines of a fork pressed in one direction and then across at 90 degrees to make a checkered pattern. Place one chocolate chip in the middle of each cookie.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes until the cookies are golden on the edges (not browned).

Notes:

These cookies freeze extremely well. Bake a double batch and store some in your freezer for whenever you want to share a little love.

Nutrition:

Per cookie: 101 calories (percent of calories from fat, 54), 2 grams protein, 10 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 6 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 6 milligrams cholesterol, 71 milligrams sodium.

Video and Recipe: Fried Peach Pies

From Denny: Here's a Southern food favorite: fried peach pies! This chef shares the secret to light and crispy sweet delights!

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Classic fried peach pies

From: Chef Scott Peacock

Makes: 24 pies

INGREDIENTS

Pies

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1⁄4 cup lard
• 3 cups unbleached all-purposeflour
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 8 to 12 tbsp. ice water
• Peach-fig filling
• Peanut oil for deep-fat frying
• Sugar

Peach filling

• 3 cups ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

Dough

1. Place butter and lard in the freezer for 10 minutes.

2. Place flour, salt and the 1 teaspoon sugar on a large cutting board. Mix them with your fingers to blend. Place cold butter and lard on flour mixture. Use a pastry scraper or large kitchen knife to roughly cut butter and lard into the flour mixture. (Some butter and lard will be finely cut in, and some will be in 1⁄2- to 3⁄4-inch pieces.)

3. Working quickly, gather the flour mixture in a mound. Use your fingers to shape a lengthwise trench through center. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the ice water along the length of the trench. With upturned fingers toss and fluff together flour mixture and water. Repeat to reshape, sprinkle ice water, and toss and fluff. After incorporating 8 tablespoons of ice water, dough should begin to clump. If necessary, repeat to add more water.

4. Gather rough dough with a pastry scraper. Working quickly, use the heel of your hand to smear (push away) egg-size pieces of dough, one at a time. Regather dough and repeat process.

5. Gather dough in mound. Wrap in a double-thickness of plastic wrap. Press with palms of hands to flatten. Refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

6. On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled dough about 1⁄2-inch thick. Brush excess flour from surface of dough. Fold dough in thirds, brushing flour off the underside of dough as it is folded over. Lightly press layers together with a rolling pin. Wrap dough in plastic. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

7. On lightly floured surface, roll out cold dough to an even 1⁄8-inch thickness. With 3-inch round cutter, cut 24 circles, rerolling dough as needed. (If dough becomes warm, transfer to baking sheet and refrigerate about 5 minutes.)

8. Spoon a generous teaspoonful of filling on center of each circle. Lightly moisten dough edges. Fold in half, pinching edges to seal. Refrigerate sealed pies until ready to fry.

Peach filling

Mix together the sugar, cornstarch, salt and nutmeg. Sprinkle over the diced peaches and toss. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the peaches soften and the sauce thickens. Stir in lemon juice. Cool completely before using.

Optional: Sweet potato filling (can be substituted for peach filling)

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. On foil-lined baking sheet bake two medium-size sweet potatoes for 1-1/2 hours or until very soft. Meanwhile, remove stems and half dried figs (to equal 1/4 cup, packed). Place in small saucepan; barely cover with water. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, about 15 minutes until softened. Cool slightly, drain, and finely chop. Stir in 1 tablespoon honey; set aside. Remove potatoes from oven and cool slightly. Peel potatoes. In a large bowl mash potato flesh until smooth. Mix in 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1-1/2 teaspoons packed brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg. Stir figs into sweet potato mixture. Cool completely before filling pies.

Cooking

1. Fill a very deep 10-inch cast-iron skillet half full with oil. Heat over medium heat to 365 degrees Fahrenheit. Fry pies, a few at a time, about 3 minutes, until golden brown, turning as needed to cook evenly.

2. Drain on cooling racks.

3. Cool slightly; roll in sugar.

Serve warm or at room temperature

Video: Singer Bill Withers Pranks USC Football Team

From Denny: This is from ESPN of all places. When do I watch sports? Rarely. But, as I was crossing the room in the house my husband had on ESPN and they were profiling the Southern California team, the Trojans, and a favorite musician was there talking to them: Bill Withers. It's also inspirational.

Turns out he was invited there by the head coach to pull a prank on the team. It's really cute and funny. As Bill Withers said to the team, "You've been punked!" And they all cracked up laughing.

Beautiful Angel Photo, Quote, Healing Poem Link

Psalm 91:11 - And He will give His Angels charge over you to guard you in all your ways.

Yesterday I wrote:

From Denny: Since this particular poem was a hard write, and I'm a bit emotionally tired and saturated to say the least, here's the link to my latest poem over at The Social Poets, called Rock, My Children. Found some awesome art photos over at flickr to illustrate it!

Rock, My Children is about how to deal with loss. Never planned on writing about these experiences but lately there has been so much news about people encountering terrible loss in their lives. And, here it is the 911 anniversary, a tough day for so many folks all over the world.

When I was fishing around for inspiration I found Robin's blog Naked in Eden and some of those word phrases sprinkled throughout one of her posts just struck me right (like "abyss of emotion") and before I knew it the poem was forming in my head. Went to flickr first before writing it down as the poem was still a lot of raw emotions swirling and I needed some visual anchors.

Rock, My Children deals with loss, disappointment, and looking to the future for understanding Life's Plan. When you ask the question, you receive the answer though it may take fifteen years like it did in my case.

Received an incredibly awesome comment from fellow spiritual blogger Robin from Naked in Eden after I sent her the link to show her how she had inspired me to write the poem. Just skip on past the poem to read what she has to say it's that great! I've been grinning silly all day - and behind in my posting - since she posted that loving comment...

Rock, My Children, go here.