I’m sorry.  I have to apologize for putting these two recipes on my blog.  They are so good, you won’t be able to stop making them.  These two recipes may change your life like they did mine.  Every time I get a snack food craving, these are the two recipes I reach for.  Seriously.  They are amazing and incredible.

The Caramelized Onion Dip is better than the containers you buy from the grocery store.  The potato chips are so good that you cannot believe it until you try them.  They are thick and crunchy and actually taste like potatoes!  Imagine that!

By the way, if you need a new blog to check out, check out Life’s Ambrosia.  There are tons of great recipes over there with beautiful photos.

Now, a few tips.  When you are caramelizing the onions for the dip, use a low temperature.  Don’t burn the onions!  You want them to brown really slowly and get soft.  If they are cooking too quickly (you’ll know it when you see it), turn down the heat and keep stirring!

I know you don’t believe me about the microwave potato chips.  But they seriously work and get crispy!  I use a mandolin (food slicer) to get my potatoes pretty thin.  I like the chips that way. You can slice them thinner or thicker, as long as they’re uniform.  The times it takes for the chips to cook seem to vary… so, I’ll give you my approximate times, but because all microwaves (and all potatoes!) are different, keep your eyes on the chips and use your judgment.

Caramelized Onion Dip
Recipe barely adapted from Life’s Ambrosia
Makes just over 1 cup

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup onions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat.  Add the onions and garlic.  Cook for approximately 20 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are golden brown and soft.  Set the onions aside, and let cool.

Combine the rest of the  ingredients, including the cooled onions.  Refrigerate the dip for at least 30 minutes.  Longer is better because the flavours really meld together and improve.

Serve this dip with chips or cut up veggies.

Microwave Potato Chips
Recipe from Food Gal
Basically, this recipe makes as much as you’d like.  Use one potato for an individual snack… or more for more people!

Russet potatoes, scrubbed well
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher or sea salt
Cooking spray

Slice your potatoes thinly, using a mandolin, or a knife.  You want them at least 1/8″ thick or thinner.  Toss the slices in a medium sized bowl with some olive oil.

Take a large microwave-safe plate, and coat with cooking spray.  Arrange the oiled potato slices on the plate in a single layer.  Sprinkle with salt.  Microwave, uncovered, on high for 2-3 minutes (mine always take at least 3 minutes) or until some spots start to brown (or until the slices begin to look dry).  Turn the slices over (CAREFUL, the plate and potatoes are HOT!).  Continue to microwave for 2-4 minutes until the slices are crisp and brown in spots.  I actually let mine get quite brown.  They don’t taste burnt, but I also like my food well-browned and crispy!    Keep checking frequently, and rearrange the slices if necessary and take them out once they’re done.  Transfer the chips to another plate when done.  Let them cool, because they crisp up more and taste better.

The chips can be stored in an airtight container.

Get snacking!
The Hungry Teacher

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Wow!  What a busy week!  We had Science Fair in the evening at school, which meant a late, exhausting day.  But, it’s all done now, and this teacher couldn’t be happier!  Doing Science Fair with grade 3 and 4 students is hard work! 

By the way, on Tuesday night, I broke my favourite kitchen tool — my garlic press.  What a sad day.  I now have to peel and mince my garlic   until I buy a new press.  Then, when I was making my smoked salmon dip, my pepper mill (which was just a plastic one from Costco) broke and delivered a bunch of whole and half cracked peppercorns into the dip.  I managed to scoop them out, but it’s been a sad week in my kitchen.

Last night, we had our staff social with work.  We did a progressive dinner, doing appetizers at two places (including mine) and dessert at one house.  It was a lot of fun!

I had to make appetizers that could be served with minimal preparation.  I had plans the night before, which meant I had about an hour to clean my apartment from head to toe and prepare appetizers!   Plus, I had to work all day, so I didn’t have time to clean the house before people came over. 

So, I decided to make bruschetta and smoked salmon dip.  I first had smoked salmon dip at my father-in-law’s place.  It is so good!  (Actually, I wasn’t sure how much I liked it then, but when I made it for some friends, and they quickly devoured it I realized what a good dip I had!!!)

The dip is quick and easy, and perfect to make ahead.  As with most dips, it tastes better after it sits overnight.  I served it with crackers (Whole grain crackers and mini-baguette crackers), but I think bread or vegetables would also be good.  We have canned smoked salmon from when the Husband went fishing. I’m not sure how you buy smoked salmon in the store– living by the Fraser River and with the Husband’s yearly fishing trips, I’ve never bought salmon!  Canned salmon would also work in this dish.

Smoked Salmon Dip
recipe adapted from Brian Wierks

1 tub (250 g) herb-and-garlic spreadable cream cheese
1 can smoked salmon
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients together well.  Using an electric hand mixer is easy, but doing it with a spoon is satisfying.  Let chill for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

Serve with crackers, bread and/or vegetables!

Enjoy!
The Hungry Teacher

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Thursday night I was having some people over, and once again, I wanted to make a snack.  Well, you should know now, a week into our relationship, that I am partial to dips.  Especially to cheesy dips, with spinach and artichoke preferably.  Yum!!  But… it is the New Year, and people have had their share of cheesy indulgences over the past month or so.  PLUS, one of my friends coming over can’t have dairy, and I always feel so bad when I make something she can’t eat. 

So, I was looking around for some different recipes.  I came across one on www.dinnerwithjulie.com.  A word, first on the author of this blog, Julie VanRosendaal.  Julie is a cookbook author, turned blogger, still writing cookbooks as well.  When I was in university, I worked at the Starbucks in Safeway for 8 months or so.  Well, from our kiosk (which was rarely busy) I could see the small turn around stand of cookbooks that Safeway sold.  On the top shelf, they got in this one cookbook called Grazing.  I would go over and peek at it occasionally, and pine for it.  (A university student working part-time at Starbucks in Safeway cannot afford cookbooks whenever they want them!)  I am a snacker at heart!  Put a bowl of something salty in front of me, and I will eat, and eat, and probably eat some more.  My mom calls me a grazer.  So, obviously a book like Grazing is something that called out to me.  For Christmas that year, my grandma gave me $20!  PERFECT!  So, I bought the cookbook, and thus began my relationship with it. 

This book is falling apart, written in, and recently placed in a puddle on my counter, and water damaged.  BUT, I love it.  It has soooooo many good recipes in it, I can’t even begin to describe it.  I have read it so many times it is practically memorized.  You must check it out!  I looked on Amazon and there is an updated version.  I emailed Julie to ask her about it, I can keep you posted. 

Julie has also written 2 other cookbooks that I have,  One Smart Cookie and Starting Out.  Starting Out is a wonderful cookbook that I give to all new brides, or people who are learning how to cook.  Seriously, great.  Ok, I could go on for a long time about my admiration of Julie, but I’ll stop now.

So, on www.dinnerwithjulie.com I came across a recipe for Lemon Parsley Hummus.  I made it and it was amazing!

I also made homemade pita chips.  There is a local chef in the Fraser Valley, Chef Dez, who gave the recipe for the pita chips at one of his cooking classes at Limbert Mountain Farms in Agassiz.  Go,  if you can.  You get dinner, wine, dessert and a cooking demonstration.  Seriously fun!

Lemon Parsley Hummus
recipe from Dinner with Julie

1 small bunch parsley, chopped (no stems!)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 19 oz can chickpeas, drained
juice of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic
2-3 tsp sesame oil
pinch salt

Put parsley and olive oil in food processor.  Pulse until parsley is finely chopped.  Add remaining ingredients, and process until as smooth as you like it.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  I added quite a bit more salt after tasting it.  You can serve it right away, but it tastes way better a day or two later!  The garlic also gets a bit more pronounced over time, so be careful adding too much at once.  And yes, use fresh garlic.  I don’t think garlic powder will cut it here.  Serve with pita chips (recipe below).

Pita Chips
(recipe from Chef Dez)

Buy a package of pitas from the grocery store.  Make sure that they are the pita pocket kind, not the thick Greek kind.  Now, there are two ways to make them into chips, both work, and I don’t have a preference.  The first way– take out a pita, and cut it into eighths.  Separate each eighth into two chips by ripping at the seam.  The second way– take your knife and cut around the outside of the pita, so you will separate it into two halves horizontally.  Then, cut those rounds into eighths.  Put the chips on a baking sheet, smooth side up.  Brush the chips with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt.  Bake in a 450° oven for 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown.  Watch these carefully, they burn FAST (I learned that the hard way!).  Serve and enjoy!

Off to make dinner!
The Hungry Teacher

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