Caprese Bruschetta with Spinach Pesto and Bacon

I'm getting into a bit of a caprese-bacon cooking rut. When I make something with flavors that work, I try and reincorporate the same flavors in another manner, often coming up with slightly similar recipes. I need to check myself. This one is for a tasty appetizer made up of a few components such as spinach pesto - a great way to use up spinach that's about to wilt, bacon, fresh mozzarella cheese, and crunchy, toasted bread. The bread, bacon, and pesto can be prepared ahead of time and assembled the day you need it.

Pesto is one of my favorite spreads to make. It's not limited to just basil, and you can use any combination of green leafy roughage (or even sun dried tomatoes or peas!) and nuts you can think of to combine, like the all-purpose cilantro pesto. You can use pesto it as a sandwich spread, a dip for vegetables or dip, with fish or meat, and of course pasta.

I added bacon because I wanted the flavor to mix with the rest of the ingredients. It's used in two ways here, both the bacon strips on top, and the grease that's spread on the bread before it is toasted. If you prefer to leave it out, substitute olive oil for the bacon grease.

Since the bread is the base, make sure you get a really good baguette. It makes a difference in flavor, and good bread always tastes even better when toasted.

So whip up these tasty treats for your next party. They'd make a good addition to football gatherings, birthdays, showers, holiday finger food spreads, or even dinner, in which case you could use larger slices of bread and turn it into a panino.

Recipe after the jump.

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Caprese Bruschetta with Spinach Pesto and Bacon
Recipe by Christina Provo

Print this recipe

A tasty appetizer with a nod to the Italian favorite and the American sandwich classic.

Top Five: Bacon, spinach, baguette, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 10
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

8 slices bacon
16 1/2 inch baguette slices (sliced on the diagonal)
1/2 cup walnuts
2 small garlic clove
4 cups baby spinach, slightly packed
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
16 thin slices of Roma tomato, from about 2 tomatoes
16 slices fresh mozzarella cheese, cut to the size of the baguette rounds

Directions -

1. Preheat oven to 425°F and position oven rack two levels from the top. In a large skillet, cook bacon until crispy; reserve two tablespoons bacon grease. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel. When somewhat cool, break each piece into fourths.


2. Brush top side of baguettes with reserved bacon grease. Place on rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, until edges begin to brown. Remove from oven.


3. In the bowl of a food processor place walnuts and garlic. Process until finely chopped. Remove lid and add spinach, oil, and salt. Continue processing until spinach is completely chopped and mixture comes together. Spoon out into bowl.


4. To assemble bruschetta, layer first with a slice of tomato and fresh mozzarella cheese. Dollop with a level tablespoon of pesto and top with two pieces of bacon. Place on platter and serve.

Caramelized Onion Latkes with Aioli

I love hashbrowns. My earliest memory of making them was during the '90s when I was 7ish. My dad often made them for weekend breakfasts, and I started making them, too. What I like about hashbrowns is that more of the potato surface is exposed to the heat, creating a great ratio of crispy potatoes to fleshy innards. It's like French fries for breakfast, and who wouldn't like that? So, as part of the recipes I created for Newman's Own by Foodbuzz Tastemaker, I had to include latkes, because "latkes" sounds better than "Homemade McDonald's Hashbrowns.

Many countries have their own version of latkes as part of their cuisine, and they're also a popular Jewish dish during Hanukkah. Besides potatoes, latkes include onion, garlic, flour and egg to bind the potatoes together. In my version, I caramelized the onions first to bring a delicious, subtle sweetness to the potatoes, and served them with an aioli sauce instead of applesauce, which is traditional.

Latkes would make a good appetizer before the meal, or a side dish. They're a bit time consuming to prepare, so you could go ahead and fry the latkes earlier on, and reheat in the oven prior to serving. Preparing the potato mixture ahead of time isn't a good idea since the potatoes "weep" and the batter gets watery. However, the aioli can be prepared a day in advance.

Recipe after the jump.

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Caramelized Onion Latkes with Aioli
by - She Runs, She Eats

Caramelized onions add a nice flavor to these traditional favorites. Topped with a quick aioli and you're all set for a light meal.

Top Five: Onions, potatoes, egg yolks, garlic, olive oil
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 55 minutes
Serves: 5

Ingredients:

4 cups onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 pounds russet potatoes, enough for 2 1/2 cups shredded potatoes
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
Canola oil, for frying

Aioli:

2 large egg yolks
3 cloves garlic, minced and pressed to a paste (doesn't need to be completely smooth)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. In a large skillet on medium-high heat melt butter and olive oil until sizzling. Add onions, salt, and sugar. Stir to coat. Let cook for 5 minutes, then lower heat to medium and continue cooking for another 20 minutes, stirring often, until onions reduce and take on a deep brown color. Make sure they aren't beginning to char. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. When somewhat cool, place on a cutting board and chop finely.


2. Meanwhile, two large bowls with just enough water to submerge potatoes. As you peel the potatoes, place them, whole, into one bowl. Grate potatoes onto a cutting board; place shreds in second bowl. Continue until you have grated all the potatoes, then let them soak for 3 minutes. Drain in a large, fine mesh sieve for 5 minutes. Place potatoes on a cotton dishtowel, roll up, and wring out as much liquid as possible. Put potatoes in a mixing bowl.


3. To the shredded potatoes, add caramelized onions, lemon juice, eggs, flour, and salt. Stir to combine. Spoon into the sieve and place over a bowl. Set aside while you prepare the aioli.


4. In a medium bowl, blend egg yolks, garlic paste, lemon juice, honey, mustard, and salt with a mixer. With mixer on medium high, slowly stream in olive oil until emulsified with egg yolks.


5. Prepare a baking sheet by placing a cooling rack on top; cover with a single layer of paper towels. Heat enough oil to coat the bottom of a large skillet over medium high heat. Lower a bit if smoking. Scoop 1/8 cup portions of potato mixture and pat onto the palm of your hands. Gently place in skillet and press out into 3-inch circles with the bottom of a spatula. Cook four at a time. Fry for two minutes; flip carefully and cook for another 2 minutes or until both sides are a deep brown. Remove to cooling rack. Repeat with remaining mixture.


6. To serve, dollop each latke with aioli.

Vegetarian Mushroom-Avocado Spring Rolls

I created a few recipes for Foodbuzz a while back, but haven't talked about them at all. It was part of a compensated feature for Foodbuzz' Tastemaker program, partnering with Newman's Own, so a few of the recipes will feature Newman's Own ingredients.

Up first, though, is my recipe for spring rolls with a lively, bright filling. The filling consists of mushrooms and avocados, two hearty ingredients to give the rolls some sticking power. There is no cooking involved, except for the peanut dipping sauce, and it comes together very easily. It would be the perfect appetizer to make for your Labor Day party. If you'd like a non-vegetarian version, try my Lentil Sprout Spring Rolls with Shrimp.

Spring rolls are simple to make, though you may not know the correct way to roll them up. Here is a step-by-step tutorial, in pictures:

Step 1:
The easiest way I've found to make the wrappers pliable enough to roll is to lightly spread the sheet with water, using a pastry brush. As the wrapper soaks in the moisture from the water, it becomes easier to wrap and stick onto itself. Lightly brushing it is the key. You don't want the wrapper to become translucent, or else it will be too flimsy to roll up easily.

Step 2:
Layer the ingredients on the bottom third of the wrapper.

>Step 3:
>Before you begin to wrap, fold both the sides over the filling to keep it from spilling out. This also helps you roll a tight, neat spring roll.

Step 4:
Begin wrapping the bottom wrapper up, folding over the ingredients and compressing with your fingers. Continue folding the roll up, tucking it into itself after each turn.

Step 5:
And you're done! If you wrapped the spring roll tightly enough so that the filling is compacted, you should be able to slice the roll in half without much of the contents spilling out. Practice makes perfect!

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Mushroom-Avocado Spring Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce
Recipe by Christina Provo

Vegetarian spring rolls with a marinate mushroom, avocado, and cucumber filling. Works well for a main course or as appetizers.

Top Five: Mushrooms, avocado, cucumber, spring roll wrappers, peanut butter
Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 0
Servings: 5-8

Ingredients:

8 ounces button mushrooms, rinsed, stems removed, and chopped (roughly 2 ½ cups)
2 ripe avocados, chopped
1 ½ cups chopped cucumber, seeds removed
1/3 cup sliced green onion
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
5 cups shredded napa cabbage
¼ pound bean sprouts
2 jalapenos, seeded, veins removed, and finely chopped
26 spring roll wrappers

Peanut Dipping Sauce:

3/4 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

Directions:

1. Toss together chopped mushrooms, avocados, cucumber, green onion in a medium bowl with cilantro, rice wine vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, sesame oil, salt, and white pepper. Cover and chill for 20 minutes.


2. In a large bowl toss cabbage, bean sprouts, and chopped jalapeno together.


3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, place vegetable broth, peanut butter, soy sauce, and ginger. Whisk together until peanut butter blends with broth into a smooth paste. Reduce heat to low and cover.


4. Fill a small bowl with water and set it near your workspace with a pastry brush. Place spring roll wrapper onto work surface. Dip pastry brush in water and brush both sides lightly with water. Let stand for 15 seconds. Dollop 1/8 cup avocado filling 1 ½ inches from bottom edge; top with ¼ cup napa cabbage mixture, spreading about 1-inch from side. Fold both sides in, then fold bottom edge up and over filling, tucking carefully. Continue to roll and tuck until rolled completely. Place on serving platter. Repeat with remaining wrappers and ingredients.


5. Serve with warm peanut sauce.

Special Notes: Wrappers with both rice flour and tapioca starch are preferable.

USA Dry Pea and Lentil Blogger Contest - Lentil Gorditas with Baja Shrimp Topping

Last year I participated in the Recipe Rivalry, sponsored by the USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council. I had a great time creating recipes and pushing the boundaries of what I could do in the kitchen, and now I have the opportunity to join in again! They contacted me, asking if I'd like to participate for this year's contest, and I said yes. So now I'm back in the kitchen cooking unique recipes with lentils, using them in ways you might not have ever thought possible. For our participation, we received a supply of lentils and some money to cover the expenses for ingredients.

For the next two weeks, May 16 through the 30th, I'll be posting four different recipes (if I get ambitious, I might just make a few more, outside of the contest). At the end of the week, I'll choose one recipe from the featured four as my final recipe, which will then be voted upon by you guys. The recipe with the most comments be the winner. The winner receives a 10-piece stainless steel cookware set from Le Creuset.

Just for participating in the contest, Le Creuset has given all the participants a lovely 2-quart stainless steel steamer set. I'm looking forward to using it throughout the challenge!

Chicago Metallic also joined in, sending a lovely winged baking sheet and cupcake liners. They have also provided a baking sheet for my readers as a prize for a giveaway, so stay tuned for that announcement.

This year's challenge has a different twist. Last year we had free reign over our recipes, but this time we were asked to create gluten-free recipes featuring lentils. I've never cooked this way before, nor do I know anyone personally who is allergic to gluten, so I had to do a little research on the subject. It may seem pretty straightforward -- stay away from wheat. But there are other none-wheat flours and ingredients that may not be processed in a wheat-free facility, thus excluding them from the list of products safe to use. For example: Cornmeal. It is gluten free, yes, but certain brands might not process the cornmeal in a wheat free facility.

I mention cornmeal because it's an ingredient in my first recipe. Cornmeal, or masa harina, is used in Mexican cooking to make tamale dough. It's also used to make gordita dough, a fried corn cake stuffed with various fillings. Instead of using just cornmeal, I also used lentil flour. Lentil flour is a great protein packed wheat flour substitute. If you're using it in baking, you'll need to make certain modifications. This recipe is pretty straightforward and doesn't require any extra purchase (besides the lentil flour).

If you don't have a gluten allergy and you can't find lentil flour, it can be replaced by all-purpose flour or another bean flour. I haven't tried it with just cornmeal. If it's too coarse, it might not work, so masa harina (found in the Mexican section of grocery stores) would be your next best option.

The dough is patted out into mini goriditas, perfect for a tapas party, appetizers, or a light dinner. They are cooked in a dry skillet until browned on both sides. They're easier to make than the fried version, and also healthier.

The other components of the recipe are shrimp, a jicama-zucchini slaw, and a mayonnaise-based dressing with salsa, lime juice, garlic, and cilantro. The flavors are vibrant, light, and fresh.

Once the gorditas are cooked, a little extra sauce is spread on the bottom, topped with the slaw and shrimp, then garnished with a cilantro leaf. The gordita itself is soft and flavorful, also very healthy as a snack by itself thanks to the protein in the lentil flour. This recipe banks off of the previous recipe I posted because I felt it would be a nice addition to this contest, once I made the mods to deglutenize the recipe.

Sticking to a gluten-free diet is certainly a challenge, and more so if you're hosting a party with guests who aren't gluten free. If you're looking for something everyone will enjoy, try out this recipe.

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lentil gorditas with baja shrimp topping
Recipe by Christina Provo

Makes around 2 dozen

Ingredients -

For the gorditas -

3/4 cup lentil flour
2/3 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 1/3 cup whole milk
1/2 cup favorite salsa, pureed if chunky
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons melted butter

For the topping -

2 1/2 cups jicama, julienned
2 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
3/4 cup mayonnaise
4-5 tablespoons favorite salsa, pureed if chunky
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 pound cooked shrimp, coarsely chopped, skins and tails removed
2 tablespoons favorite salsa, pureed if chunky
Extra cilantro for garnish

Directions -

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the lentil flour with the cornmeal, corn starch and salt. Whisk milk, salsa, eggs, and melted butter together in another bowl until combined. Pour into dry ingredients and whisk with a fork until mixture comes together. The texture will be thick and shouldn't be sticky. Set aside to rest.


2. To prepare filling, mix jicama and zucchini together. In a small bowl, blend together mayonnaise, salsa, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, and salt until smooth. Add 2/3 of the sauce to the vegetables and toss to coat.


3. In a skillet over medium heat, add shrimp and 2 tablespoons salsa to heat shrimp. Remove from heat and cover until ready to use.


4. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Lower to medium. Portion dough into balls using an 1/8 cup measuring cup. Place a few balls on a sheet of plastic wrap. With another sheet on top, press balls out into two inch circles, about 1/4 inch thick. Carefully remove from plastic wrap and place rounds in a hot skillet. Cook for 2 minutes; flip and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining dough.


5. To serve, spread a little bit of sauce on top of each gordita. Top with 2 tablespoons of the jicama-zucchini slaw. Divide shrimp evenly and place on top of slaw. Garnish with a cilantro leaf.

mushroom & walnut spread

Don't be alarmed. I didn't open a can of Fancy Feast and attempt to pass it off as food fit for human consumption. What you see here is a mushroom-walnut spread. It's a nice and light accompaniment to an array of spreads for holidays, such as the upcoming Hallmark holiday, Mother's Day. The flavors of the cilantro and tiny pinch of tarragon pair well with the portobello mushrooms and toasted walnuts. I found the recipe on a running forum and tweaked it to suit my taste.

Start off by chopping portobello mushrooms, an onion, and garlic.

The vegetables get sauteed until they begin to brown and reduce. I wanted a fond to develop, which I loosened up with a little pinot grigio so the flavor would be added back to the dip instead of remaining on the bottom of the skillet.

Let the mushroom mixture cool a little while you grind toasted walnuts.

Add the mushroom mixture, cilantro, and lemon juice and pulse until a spread is formed. It won't be entirely smooth, but you don't want it to be.

While I prepared the spread I toasted wedges of pita bread (tossed with olive oil, sea salt, and pepper) to serve alongside it.

The spread had a bright flavor, nothing standing out too prominently. I felt the taste of the mushrooms and walnuts, while not heavy, paired well together. There was a hint of tarragon (which was added to the mushrooms as they cooked) but it didn't overwhelm the flavors and tasted good with the cilantro and lemon juice. I'd definitely make this recipe again. If you're looking for a new spread to try, go ahead and make it!

As an alternative, you could probably follow the recipe and form them into patties, then cook in a skillet to make vegetarian patties. You might want to reduce the lemon juice by a tablespoon so it won't be quite as sticky when you form the patties.

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mushroom & walnut spread
Recipe by Christina Provo

ingredients -

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
16 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, coarsley chopped
1 onion, coarsley chopped
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon tarragon
black pepper
3 tablespoons chardonnay or pinot grigio
1 1/2 cups toasted walnuts
1 1/2 cups lightly packed cilantro (stems removed)
1/2 lemon, juiced
Pita chips, crackers, bread, etc

directions -

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onions and cook for three minutes. Stir in garlic, salt, tarragon, and pepper to taste. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, then raise heat slightly and cook for about 5-7 minutes more, until fond starts to develop on the bottom of skillet and mushrooms and onions start to brown. Remove from heat; pour in wine and stir to release fond.


2. Place walnuts in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add mushroom mixture, cilantro, and lemon juice. Pulse until ingredients are blended together; it won't be completely smooth. Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly.


3. Serve with pita chips or whatever you like.

Foodbuzz Tastemaker: Mexican Meatballs with Sticky Pace Picante Sauce

Thanks to Foodbuzz Tastemaker program I was given the opportunity to test out Pace's Picante sauce. I chose to use it in a sauce for Mexican style meatballs. These would be great for a party, like the Super Bowl, since they're small and appetizer appropriate. It also made the Foodbuzz Flavor of the Month, and is my entry for Foodbuzz' Pace recipe contest.

The picante sauce is like salsa, only smoother in texture to make cooking with it easier. It blends into sauces or meat better without sacrificing the taste of salsa. It also is truly mild. There may be just a faint hint of heat, but it's not in any way hot. I also felt it was a bit watery, as a puree of tomatoes would be, so you'll want to take that into consideration if you use it for cooking.

You can find Pace products at your local grocery store.

I knew I wanted to use the sauce for a Super Bowl themed recipe, since I'll be submitting it to Facebook's contest, so I just needed to come up with a good way to feature the sauce. And what better way to do that than a sticky picante sauce for meatballs! You could also use this for wings, too, because it's very versatile.

The sauce consists of equal portions of sugar, water, apple cider vinegar and the Pace picante sauce along with chili, garlic, onion powder and salt. Whisk the mixture together and cook at a continuous boil/simmer for 30 minutes until the sauce reduces by about half and takes on the consistency of a thick glaze. This is like a simple barbecue-esque Mexican-style sauce with a back note of spiciness.

For the meatballs, you take ground turkey, finely chopped onion and jalapeno, minced garlic, breadcrumbs, oregano, cumin, and salt, a packet of Goya seasoning, and an egg and mix it all together. These meatballs are light and packed with flavor. I chose to use ground turkey since it has a lighter flavor than ground beef, and is healthier.

Roll the turkey mixture into tablespoons-sized balls, cook on both sides in a skillet with olive oil, and place on a rimmed baking sheet. This can also be done ahead of time, either by mixing the turkey to portion later, or cooking the meatballs and finishing them with the sauce later.

I finish off the meatballs in the oven, covering with half the sauce and baking for 10 minutes, then flipping over and topping with the remaining sauce and cooking another 20 minutes to let the sauce saturate into the meatballs. The result is a glaze that coats the meatballs thoroughly with the flavor infusing throughout.

Alternatively, you could also finish off the meatballs by cooking in the sauce on the stove, or a crock pot if so desired.

Serve with slices of jalapeno and you're ready to party! You could also make some rice to use for a heftier meal.

If you're looking for a healthy party dish with a different flavor, here it is! The sauce is versatile and can be used in many ways, so pick up a bottle of Pace Picante and get cooking.

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Mexican Meatballs with Sticky Pace Picante Sauce
Recipe by Christina Provo

Yield: 5 appetizer portions

ingredients -

1 8 ounce jar Pace Picante Sauce
1 cup water
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
2 jalapenos, seeded, deveined, and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Additional jalapenos, sliced, for garnish

directions -

1. In a medium pot, whisk together Pace Picante sauce, water, apple cider vinegar, sugar, chili, garlic, and onion powders and salt. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce to medium and let simmer continuously for 35 minutes or until reduced by half and thickened to a glaze.


2. In a bowl, thoroughly mix ground turkey with remaining ingredients, except olive oil additional jalapenos. Using a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon, portion into level tablespoons and roll into balls.


3. Preheat oven to 375°. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with olive oil. When ready, add around 15 meatballs and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the bottoms get a nice, golden brown sear. Flip meatballs over and cook for another 30 second to 1 minute, until the bottoms are golden brown. Remove to a rimmed baking sheet and repeat with remaining meatballs.


4. When all meatballs are cooked, spoon half the sauce on top, covering as evenly as possible. Bake for 10 minutes; remove from oven and flip over. Top with remaining sauce and bake for 20 minutes. Spoon onto a serving dish, pouring juice from the sheet on top, and serve with jalapeno slices.

Split Green Pea Crab Rangoons with Sticky Ginger-Garlic Dipping Sauce

My sixth and final recipe for the Recipe Rivalry is finally here! It's been quite the experience, and I hope I've given you new and unique ways to cook with lentils and split peas that will please every palate.

Today, I present you with Split Pea Crab Rangoons. You know those awesome crunchy wontons filled with a gooey cheese filling at Chinese buffets? Now you can make them yourself, and a little healthier. The filling consists of neufchatel cream cheese, crab meat, green onions, garlic, and split peas that are cooked until tender and mashed. I went with traditional Chinese flavorings here of oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper.

It took a bit to finally figure out the petal pattern to form the rangoons. I was sort of able to figure it out from the pictures here, though I never got the hang of the one hand forming technique. Also, I decided not to brush all the edges with egg white, but dab just the middle edges where the wrapper connects in the middle to make assembly easier.

Here's a picture tutorial of how I formed the rangoons, starting with the upper left picture. Make sure you press the center firmly so the wrapper adheres together. Don't worry if the petals droop because they'll spring back up after being dropped in the oil. It's magical! I seriously had quite a bit of fun frying these edible cuties up.

Out of all the filling, I got 38 rangoons. The amount might differ based on how much filling you use. I used a tablespoon measuring spoon, but I didn't fill it all the way, aiming for about 1/2 a tablespoon to 2 teaspoons of filling. Wonton wrappers usually come 60 to a package, so you'll be set for however much you end up making.

The tray was given a quick chill in the fridge while I made the dipping sauce and heated the oil. The sauce is a super simple sticky sauce based of the sauce my mom has been making for a long time to accompany chicken. Featuring soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and fresh ginger and garlic for flavor, the sauce is boiled until reduced and thickened. The taste is incredible and goes great with the rangoons.

Frying food can be fun! When you first drop the rangoons into the hot oil, there's a bit of sizzling and bubbling going on as the petals "bloom". After 20 seconds, the rangoons begin to rise to the surface somewhat.

I opted to use a wok for the frying so the surface area would be wider and easier to remove the rangoons. Since I couldn't really keep a thermometer in to gauge the temperature of the oil, I kept an eye on the level of browning that occurred within the 50 second cooking time and adjusted the heat accordingly.

The split peas gave the filling a nice flavor without being easy to detect. Their relative neutralness gives the different ingredients a chance to come out, but they still worked together. Biting into a the crunchy outtards to the smooth filling is a treat you simply cannot deny.

Thanks for reading along during the many recipes featuring lentils! Come back tomorrow for a giveaway, and start thinking about which recipe from the six I blogged about is your favorite.

Recipe after the jump.

This recipe was created as part of my involvement with the USA Dried Peas & Lentils Recipe Rivalry. I've been blogging about recipes over the past week and a half, and now I need your help to decide which recipe I should enter into the contest! Tomorrow I'll be hosting a giveaway, courtesy of the USA Dried Pea & Lentil Council, so come back and enter. Voting begins on Thursday, June 17th. Please mark your calenders and spread the word to vote for She Runs, She Eats!

1. Lentils with Jalapeno, Cilantro, and Queso Fresco
2. Lentil Olive Salad with Fresh Mozzarella
3. Lentil Enchiladas with Homemade Ancho Chile Sauce
4. Lentil Sprout Spring Rolls with Shrimp
5. Roasted Garlic and Lentil Bechamel Sauce with Roasted Tomatoes

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Split Pea Crab Rangoons with Sticky Ginger-Garlic Dipping Sauce
Recipe by Christina Provo

Makes 30-45 rangoons

Split pea ingredients ~

1/4 cup dried split green peas
1 1/4 cup water

Crab filling ingredients ~

6 oz neufchatel cheese, room temperature
6 oz can crab meat, drained
1/4 cup finely chopped green onion
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1/2-1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 tsp coarse salt
pinch white pepper

For rangoon assembly ~

1 egg white
30-45 wonton wrappers

Dipping sauce ingredients ~

1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
2 garlic cloves, smashed

For frying ~

1 quart vegetable (4 cups)

Directions ~

1. Rinse split peas and place in a small pot. Add water, and bring to just a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a constant simmer and cover partially with a lid. Cook for 30-35 minutes or until tender. If water hasn't completely evaporated, drain. Smash into a smooth paste. Let cool.


2. Meanwhile, mix together cream cheese, drained crab meat, green onions, and garlic until blended. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Blend in cooled split pea paste; cover and set aside for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.


3. Have a baking sheet ready nearby to place formed wontons. Onto the center edges on all four sides, dab lightly with egg white (this will help the wrapper stick to itself, sealing in the filling). Dollop 1 1/2-2 teaspoons split pea and crab filling onto center of wrapper. Fold sides to create a blossom, or fold diagonally and press to adhere. Place on baking sheet and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap or a slightly damp cotton towel (this keeps the wrappers from drying out -- you don't want the towel to be wet enough to made the wrappers soggy). Repeat process until filling is used up. Place baking sheet in fridge to chill for 20 minutes.


4. In a deep pot or a wok, heat oil until it registers 350 degrees.


5. While wontons are chilling and oil is heating, place vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, and garlic in a small pot and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once sauce reaches a boil, lower to medium heat (still maintaining a rolling boil, but mixture shouldn't come close to boiling over) and continue to cook for 15 minutes to reduce sauce. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.


6. Remove baking sheet from fridge. Place a cooling wrack on a different baking sheet and line with paper towels; position near pot of oil.


7. Once oil registers 350 degrees, carefully drop in 3 rangoons at a time. Fry for 40-50 seconds, or until edges are golden brown and the rangoons lose their raw look. The overall tone will be a light-medium golden brown except for the edges. Remove using a slotted spoon and place on prepared baking sheet. (I placed the rangoons on their sides, held up in a line by another rangoon, to keep the bottoms from getting soggy.) Repeat with remaining rangoons, cooking just 3 at a time. Pay attention to how the rangoons fry, and adjust heat accordingly if they're browning too fast or too slow.

Serve with dipping sauce.

lentil olive salad with fresh mozzarella

My second recipe for the USA Dry Peas & Lentils Recipe Rivalry is a lentil and olive salad. There's a cafe in town that sells this incredibly delicious olive salad, and it always stood out in my mind because it makes the perfect snack, or light lunch, it fills you up without putting you into a food coma, and olives offer all sorts of nutrition.

In my version, I decided to replace some of the lentils with pardina lentils. If you do your lentil research (which I would suggest you doing before cooking up a batch of lentils that breaks down more than other lentils, because that's just what that type of lentil does...) you'll find that pardina lentils hold their shape incredible well after cooking, and in a salad with ingredients of substance that's exactly the kind of lentil you want, for presentation factor as well as texture.

As the lentils cooked up in water infused with herbs, onions, and garlic, I set to work chopping the olives (kalamata and green onions), onions, capers, and red onion. The simple vinaigrette consists of golden balsamic vinegar (or any other light vinegar of your preference), basil-infused olive oil, a bit of Dijon mustard, fresh tarragon, and sea salt, all poured over the olives and mixed right in the bowl. Simple enough. Once the lentils have finished cooking, I drained them and rinsed under cold water to stop them from continuing to cook, and finally added them to the olive mixture. My other special ingredient was fresh mozzarella perline, tiny little balls of fresh mozzarella, which I sliced in half. I wanted the texture contrast of the mozzarella against the lentils and olives. Toss everything together, and chill overnight.

The best part about this dish is that it makes the perfect appetizer served with baguette slices, or even inside lettuce leaves. Adding to the versatility, you could make this as a side dish to accompany fish or chicken for a summer salad on top of a bed of arugula or endive.

Seriously an incredible recipe, and I've very pleased with the outcome. In fact, I could eat this for breakfast as an omelette filling, or simply with bread!

Recipe after the jump

This recipe was created as part of my involvement with the USA Dried Peas & Lentils Recipe Rivalry. I'll be blogging about lentil recipes over the next two weeks.

1. Lentils with Jalapenos, Cilantro, and Queso Fresco

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lentil olive salad with mini fresh mozzarella balls
Recipe by Christina Provo

Makes about 4 cups

ingredients ~

1/2 cup brown pardina lentils, picked and rinsed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
10 black peppercorns
5 whole cloves
5 ounces pitted kalamata olives
1/2 cup pimento stuffed green olives
1 tablespoon capers, chopped
1/2 pound fresh mozzarella perline, sliced in half
1/2 cup diced red onion
2 tablespoons golden balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tablespoon basil infused extra virgin olive oil, or regular extra virgin olive oil and 1/4 tsp dried basil
1/2 tablespoon finely minced fresh tarragon
3/4 tsp coarse sea salt, plus extra for garnish
Baguette slices
Lettuce leaves

directions ~

1. In a medium saucepan, place lentils, onions, and garlic. Spoon oregano, thyme, red pepper, peppercorns and cloves in a tea ball or wrapped in cheesecloth and place in pot. Stir in 2 1/2 cups water and bring just to a boil; cover with lid and reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook until lentils are tender to the bite, but not mushy, about 20-25 minutes.


2. Meanwhile, slice olives into quarters, lengthwise, then chop into small pieces. Place in a medium mixing bowl. Add chopped capers, mozzarella, and onion. Drizzle golden balsamic vinegar, mustard, and olive oil on top, along with tarragon and sea salt. Mix together until olives and mozzarella are coated with dressing.


3. When lentils have finished cooking, drain through a fine-mesh sieve and run under cold water until lentils are no longer hot (this will help stop the lentils from continuing cooking). Add lentils to mixing bowl with olives and stir to combine ingredients. Transfer to a container and chill overnight, or at least for three hours.


4. Place salad in a serving bowl, or individual serving dishes, and sprinkle with coarse salt to garnish. Serve lentil and olive salad with baguette slices and lettuce leaves.

Foodbuzz FB: Caramelized Onion-Bacon Dip in Mini Bread Bowl

I can't remember when I made this one, but it was near the end and my brain was absolutely fried. My mom already helped me out with one recipe (which I'll post later) and she also helped me add up the times for everything, which was almost worse than making up the recipes!

So we kind of were all sitting around and someone decided to "brain storm" by throwing out a bunch of stupid ideas. Along the way my dad said something about a dip in bread bowls, though the exact wording sounded dumber (yes, it did, and I wish I could remember it because I first gave him sort of a Spock stare minus the Dramatic Spock Eyebrow Raise before laughing), though for a split second it all made sense and I realized that having your own dip in an edible bowl would make the perfect party appetizer. If you whip up a pot of chili, after eating the dip with crackers you can fill the bread bowls up with chili and you've got a meal!

My concern for this was that I didn't have mini bread bowls, and I most definitely did not feel like waiting around to bake bread for 2 hours. After a quick Google search I found a recipe for hamburger buns from All Recipes. The dough comes together and kneads very quickly, and the only rise is after you form the balls of dough, so really quick and perfect for my time crunch.

With that out of the way, I proceeded to make the dip. Bacon, for sure. What else? Caramelized onion. It gives it a bit of sophistication while lending a really delicious flavor to the bacon. A combination of spices, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke makes the flavor a unique and very hard to resist. For the creaminess, I used fat free cream cheese and plain yogurt. The yogurt sort of thins the mixture out while maintaining the tangy flavor. A sprinkle of sliced scallions at the end and your party, or movie night, or game night, is all set!

Recipe after jump.

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Caramelized Onion, Bacon, and Spinach Dip in Mini Bread Bowls
recipe by Christina Provo

A festive, flavorful onion dip served in individual bread bowls.

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients -

1/2 pound bacon
2 cups diced onion
1 1/4 cup chopped fresh baby spinach
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
8 ounces fat free cream cheese, cubed and at room temperature
1/4 cup plain yogurt, at room temperature
12 small dinner rolls, tops removed and reserved, the inside of the bottoms scooped out to create a 1/2-inch deep hole
1/4 cup sliced scallions
Crackers for serving

Directions -

1. In a large skillet, cook bacon on medium heat until browned and crispy. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and crumble; set aside. Remove all but 3 tablespoons bacon grease from skillet. Add diced onion, salt, and black pepper and cook for 10 minutes or until reduced and caramelized (the onions will look brown because of the bacon bits, but they shouldn't look charred or browned around the edges; adjust heat accordingly).


2. To onions, stir in chili powder, celery salt, and paprika; stir to coat onions and until the seasonings coat the bottom of skillet. Toss in spinach and stir until completely wilted. Add Worcestershire sauce with the liquid smoke, stirring up the fond from the bottom of the skillet. Reduce heat to low and stir in cream cheese until completely smooth and blended with onion mixture. Stir in yogurt and crumbled bacon.


3. Either hot or at room temperature, spoon about 2 tablespoons onion dip into hollowed out dinner rolls. Garnish with scallions and a sprinkle of paprika and top with lids. Serve immediately with crackers; alternatively, you can refrigerate until serving time.

the end to the super bowl

This post will include the remaining foods I made for the Super Bowl because I'm getting tired of posting about them.

I've been wanting to make pretzel bites for quite a while now, and what better time to finally make them than for a party where finger foods are appropriate. These ended up tasting like a super awesome pizza roll, but with a chewier bready matter with much more flavor that the boiling technique gives bread.

Anything involving the extra step of boiling might seem time consuming, but unless you're really lazy it wasn't that bad. The recipe I used says these can be frozen, once baked and cooled, up to two weeks, then reheated when needed, so they really are an excellent choice to make for an event.

My concern was that the filling would come out of the bites when boiling, and a bit of it did, though not enough to leave a void. I do want to try an alfredo-like filling next time, though in that instance I will make sure the bites are more like closed pockets.

Very delicious, the best appetizer I've ever made. I served them with a honey mustard dressing, though they tasted best without any dipping sauce thanks to the pepperoni-bell pepper-cheddar cheese filling.

Next up was a buffalo chicken dip. I've never made this before and figured it would take the spot of wings, as this would be less messy but can still be eaten with your fingers if you really want to do that. This was really delicious, and the blue cheese rounded out the heat from the hot sauce most excellently.

My disappointment with the recipe is that no one punched their way to the last portion like the blog post said. I really was looking forward to witnessing this, and I'm sure I was more upset about that than the loss of the Colts.

Finally, we have puppy chow, which really is called Crack, but the Chex marketing/PR department decided it wouldn't go over well with families. But the correlation to pet food is more than fine! Actually, the Chex website calls this "muddie buddies", so what, Teletubbies covered in dirt? Whatever. How about "peanut butter and chocolate-coated chex pieces covered with white sugar". Sometimes it's best to call it what it is.

My brother really wanted this since it wasn't made for New Year's, like it usually is. I decided to make cake balls instead, but those actually didn't come out correctly and I couldn't even get myself to eat any. For my loss.

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Recipes used ~

Country Ham and Cheddar Pretzel Bites

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Muddie Buddies -- I made 1 1/2 times the peanut butter-chocolate stuff, though I didn't increase the butter