Another great recipe from Hungry Girl – these egg rolls browned perfectly in the oven and are just like the real deal. I even ate them with the chopsticks!

I used mushrooms in place of the shrimp as suggested to make the recipe vegetarian. Since I used more than 1/2 c. chopped mushrooms and added in some extra bean sprouts, I filled 8 egg roll wrappers instead of 6.

I had high hopes for this spread, but it did not live up to it’s potential. I made it the night before, so the flavors would have a chance to meld, but that didn’t happen. Since I was taking this to a party directly from work, I didn’t have a chance to taste it until I was in the host’s home. I added more salt at her house, but there wasn’t much else I could do at that point. Here it is, served on a mini whole wheat pita from Trader Joe’s:

1 c. dry white beans, soaked overnight and then cooked
1 T olive oil
2 T lemon juice
1 t minced garlic
2 T chopped fresh parsley
1/3 c. chopped walnuts, toasted
Salt

Mix beans, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic in a food processor and blend until desired consistency. Place mixture in a small bowl, and stir in parsley and walnuts. Add salt to taste.

-Adapted from Epicurious

On a positive note, the guests certainly were treated to many other wonderful appetizers, including this one: Belgian Endive topped with cream cheese, smoked salmon, and dill.

I absolutely loved the flavor of these fritters with fresh scallion and mint. These would make a great summer appetizer. Next time I will use feta cheese, since I think the flavor will fit better with the other ingredients. Also, I will be sure to grease the cookie sheet more thoroughly since the fritters got a little stuck. When zucchini season really starts, you should see these again.

2 c. shredded zucchini
1 t sea salt
1/3 c. whole wheat flour
2/3 c. reduced fat cheddar cheese
1/4 c. diced scallion
1/4 c. chopped fresh mint
1 egg

Toss zucchini and salt in a colander, and leave to drain for 1 hour. Mix drained zucchini, flour, cheese, scallion, mint, and egg in a large bowl. Form into balls, and place on a cookie sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes.

-Adapted from Gourmet

These carrots are served at a popular restaurant in Connecticut, but with this recipe you can enjoy them at home. Of course, you can make them as spicy as you wish! This particular batch was made without parsley. You can serve them with an antipasto, but I like them best tossed into a green salad.

1 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into 4″ sticks
1 c. white vinegar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 t salt
1/4 c. chopped parsley
Horseradish to taste
Olive oil to taste

Bring vinegar, brown sugar, and salt to a boil. Pour over carrots and marinate for 3 hours or more. Drain liquid and add chopped parsley, horseradish and olive oil to coat.

Deviled eggs are a great way to use leftover hardboiled colored Easter eggs (which you’ve kept in the refrigerator!) My sister made these eggs very simply, mixing the yolks with mayonnaise, salt, and pepper. The final product was dusted with paprika.

Since I enjoyed the leeks in Rose’s Ultimate Vegetable Casserole, I decided to try this appetizer recipe that also uses leeks. I made some modifications based on what I had on hand, and it came out very well. It stuck to the bottom of the pan though, so next time I will grease it more thoroughly and perhaps use butter as the original recipe suggests.

A special thanks to the folks at Oikos who sent me coupons for their Greek yogurt, which I used in this recipe. A product review is coming up at the end of the week!

3 T olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 leeks, washed well and thinly sliced
1 c. whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
5 ounces Greek yogurt
1 c. grated Romano cheese
1 (9 oz.) package spinach, sauteed and chopped
1/4 c. chopped fresh dill
3 large eggs, beaten

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 6 minutes. Add the leeks, season with more salt and the pepper, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325°F. Generously coat an 8-inch round nonstick springform pan with cooking spray. Sift together the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl; set aside. Combine the yogurt, cheese, onion-and-leek mixture, spinach, and dill in a large bowl. Add the eggs and stir to combine. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir in the flour mixture and season with more salt and pepper. Pour into the prepared pan, gently tapping the sides to level the top. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown and set in the center, about 10 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes before unmolding.

-Adapted from Epicurious.com

After a long day of reading magazines on the beach, this guacamole hit the spot! My sister Kelly was chef for the afternoon, and she left the evidence on my camera ‘for the blog’.

Gathering the Ingredients

The Final Product

I brought these spinach bites to my cooking club as well, but they also lacked any strong flavor. The recipe overall has potential though, and next time I would use a much sharper cheese to see if that makes a difference.

1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 c. cheddar cheese
1/2 c. breadcrumbs
1 t Italian seasoning
1 T mustard
2 eggs, well beaten

Mix ingredients and form into balls. Place on a cookie sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375F for 10-15 minutes.