Super Fast, Super Easy Dip

I made this one day when we had company and I forgot to pick up a dip. Add other ingredients that you may have on hand to change it up a bit!

• One jar Green Mountain Salsa, mild
  
• One can of black beans, drained
  
• 1/4 tsp ground chipolte seasoning
  
• Optional, cooked or canned corn

Serve with your favorite dipping chips—told you it was easy!!

Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

Here's a recipe that Mom & Dad developed (a.k.a. Betty & John). We serve this as an appetizer, but it makes a wonderful entree, too. Enjoy!

• 4 portabella mushrooms, rinsed, patted dry, stems removed
• 1/2 medium onion diced
• 1/2 green pepper, diced
• 6 oz sausage (Italian, 1/2 sweet, 1/2 hot)
• Mushroom stems, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1-10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 3-4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
• 2-4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a baking dish or cookie tray with olive oil; brush mushroom caps with olive oil, too. Place mushrooms in baking dish, cap side down.

Saute onion, green pepper, sausage, mushroom stems and garlic until veggies are tender and sausage is fully cooked. Add spinach and feta cheese and cook until heated through.

Stuff mushroom caps with filling and sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes until mushroom is tender and cheese is melted.

Any leftover stuffing is great in omelets, scrambled eggs or can be frozen and used for the next batch of mushrooms. Enjoy!

Shrimp Pate

A family favorite that we served this past summer, here by request:

¼ cup cold water 1 envelope unflavored gelatin 1 can undiluted tomato soup 3-3 oz packages cream cheese

¾ cup chopped celery ½ cup chopped onion 1 cup mayonnaise 2-6 oz cans shrimp*, drained

Soften gelatin in cold water and set aside. Heat soup, add cream cheese and stir until cheese melts (if lumpy, use hand mixer to mix until smooth). Add Gelatin to soup/cheese mixture and let stand to cool. When cool, add onion, mayo and celery. Stir well.

Lightly butter or oil 4 oz ramekins or a 1-quart Jell-O mold. Starting and ending with the soup mixture, layer soup, shrimp, soup in ramekins or Jell-O mold. Chill until firm. If using a Jell-O mold, turn out onto a lettuce lined plate. Serve garnished with parsley or green onions along with crackers or French bread.

* you can substitute frozen popcorn or salad shrimp; just defrost and drain before using

1/4 cup olive oil
1/8 cup raspberry vinegar (or 1 tblsp Raspberry jam and 1/8 cup white vinegar)
1/8 cup dijon mustard
1/4 cup dark maple syrup (you can substitute with sugar-free maple syrup)
1 tsp minced garlic
freshly ground pepper to taste
pinch of salt

Lettuce (spring mix, romaine or mix of your choice)
1/2 cup feta or blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (sliced almonds or chopped pecans)
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Mix the first seven ingredients in a salad dressing shaker or jar & combine well. Add dressing to salad greens, cheese, nuts and cranberries before serving. Enjoy!!

If you came to visit between late June and October last year, chances are you noticed or met the two university students who came from Ukraine to live and work for us. Not only did they keep the Colonial House neater and cleaner than ever, they merged into our lives and hearts. They became surrogate sisters to Alexis, daughters to Kim and Jeff, friends to staff and extended family alike. They are back this summer and the recipe below was made for us and it is one of our favorite soup recipes. Enjoy!

1 chicken breast, bone in 5-6 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1/4 wedge of green cabbage, thinly sliced 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
½ medium carrot, grated on smallest grate 1 medium tomato, halved and thinly sliced
1 cup sour cream 1-2 tsp ground fennel seed, to taste
Vegetable oil Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium-sized saucepan, cover chicken with water and bring to a boil. Boil until tender and completely cooked. Remove chicken from broth and allow to cool. Remove skin and bones and cut meat into bite-sized chunks; set aside. Add potatoes to chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cook potatoes until almost done and add chopped cabbage. Reduce heat and allow to simmer.
In saute pan, heat small amount of vegetable oil. Add onions and saute slowly to golden brown. Add grated carrot and continue to saute. When cooked, add sour cream and stir thoroughly. Gradually add this mixture to the pan of potatoes and cabbage. Thin with additional chicken stock if soup is too thick. Add ground fennel seed, salt and pepper to taste. CAUTION: Do not boil; sour cream will curdle!

l peck mussels, rinsed
3 shallots diced fine
2 sticks celery, diced fine
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt freshly ground black pepper
Bring all the above ingredients to a boil, dump in mussels-steam till mussels open.
Drain and cool.
Marinade l C. white wine
1/2 C. cider vinegar
1 1/2 C. olive oil
2 Tb. finely diced shallot
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tb. fresh dill chopped
2 Tb. fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp. salt freshly ground black pepper
l Tb. fresh lemon juice
Add cleaned mussels to marinade.
Best if done at least 24 hours before serving.

Minted Melon Balls

12 servings
Alice Hill
2 Qt. or 8 cups of fresh melon balls (use watermelon, persian, cantalopes, honeydew).
Use melonballer or dice the fruit into 1" sq

Wine Marinate:
1/2 c. fresh mint leaves.
3 tsp. essence or grated lime rind.
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. fresh lime juice
2 c. white table wine.
Crush the mint leaves and add to marinade.
Stir, let stand 1/2 hour.
Strain over melon balls and chill for several hours.
Serve garnished with fresh mint leaves in pretty glass or dish.
Great as an appetizer or simple summer dessert.
*Instead of straining the marinate, you may put it in a cheesecloth and leave with the fruit to chill.
Best if chilled 8 hours or more.

Serves 6 (8 if no one wants seconds!)

A neighbor in PA gave us this recipe after serving it on New Year’s Eve (hence the name)during our neighborhood Progressive Dinner. We can never get enough of it - it is the only salad Jeff will eat daily, if offered. When we ask what we can bring to family dinners, we are told to bring “that salad”. We tend to throw it together about 15 minutes before leaving for the dinner. To make this quickly, use un-toasted almonds, packaged shredded Swiss cheese and skip cutting the tomatoes in half. If you prefer not to eat bacon, substitute with bacon bits.

Ingredients:
2 bags/containers Spring Mix
2 cups tomatoes (chopped or grape/cherry sliced in half)

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
2/3 cups toasted slivered or sliced almonds

1/2 cup parmesan cheese
8 slices bacon (cooked and crumbled)

1 cup Caesar croutons

Dressing: Mix together in a container with a lid and chill. Shake well before serving
3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
1/2 tsp of pepper (freshly ground is lovely

In a large salad bowl place the Spring Mix lettuce (washed and dried). Layer the remaining ingredients on top of the lettuce. Chill until ready to serve. Just before serving, pour on the salad dressing and toss the salad to mix the ingredients evenly.

N.Y. Times C.B.
12-15 servings
l.Envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 c. cold water
1/2 c. boiling water
1/2 c. Mayonaise
1 T lemon juice
1 T grated onion
1/2 tsp. tabasco
1/4 tsp paprika
1 tsp. salt
2 c. canned salmon, drained & chopped (or we generally use salmon saved from our salmon stock)
1 T chopped capers
1/2 c. heavy cream
3 c. cottage cheese
Soften gelatin in the cold water;
add the boiling water and stir until dissolved.
Cool.
Add the mayo, lemon juice, onion, tabasco, paprika & salt.
Mix well & chill to consistancy of unbeaten egg white.
Add the salmon & capers & beat well.
Whip the cream and fold into salmon mixture.
Turn into oiled dish and(top with cheese*).
Chill until set.
Leave cheese off of top until serving time and use as a garnish.
Can be done 1-2 days ahead.
Keeps well 5 days.
We have served this as an appetizer for our Thanksgiving dinner.

1 1/2 C spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 C minced scallions
8 oz. crumbled feta
1/2 C grated cheddar
1/2 C cottage cheese
2 eggs
1/8 tsp white pepper
1 tsp lemon juice
2 sheets frozen puff pastry (DO NOT THAW until filling is done)
4 Tbl butter

Squeeze spinach in a cloth to remove excess moisture. Heat butter in skillet-sauté scallions about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add spinach, cheeses, eggs, pepper, lemon juice. Mix well, refrigerate. Place puff pastry on buttered baking tray or parchment lined pan. Let sit a few minutes-brush pastry with butter. Spread the filling mixture over sheet evenly. Place other sheet over top, press edges of sheets together. Make vents in top with a knife. Brush with egg, bake 25-30 minutes in a 450 deg oven, till puffed and golden. 12 servings

Stuffed Mushrooms with Clams and Cream Cheese