Artichoke Dip - Amazing Stuff Here

Artichoke Dip

Inspiration from Martha Stewart recipes but completely adjusted by me, Laura Oosterom and written as such.

This dip is good with freshly chopped mushrooms and peppers. Cut them large enough to dip into this hot dish!

Ingredients:

2 cans (14 ounces each) artichoke hearts in water. Rinse, and Drain.

3/4 Cup Home Made Mayonnaise

1/2 of Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

1/2 a Freshly Squeezed Lemon (take out the seeds!)

1-2 Garlic Cloves Crushed

1 Scallion Minced

Mushrooms, Peppers and other Veggies of your choice for dipping (or rice crackers if you can have them - I can't).

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F
2. In a Food Processor put all of the ingredients in together (may also add a bit of salt and pepper to taste if you want).
3. Transfer mixture to a 1 quart baking dish. Top with Extra Parmesan Cheese if you want to and place in the oven
4. Cook for 30-35 minutes or until golden and bubbly

This dish is rich and should be consumed sparingly or used as a party dish so many people will help you to eat it! Enjoy it as it's sooooo good!!!

Peanut Sauce

To be made in a small pot to avoid a lot of dishes :)

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Water

1/3 Cup Smooth Peanut Butter (organic, peanuts only - NO ADDITIVES)

1 Small Clove of Garlic 'Minced'

1 Tbsp Honey (may substitute brown sugar)

1/8 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

1/2 tsp Soy Sauce (I leave this out as it's NOT in my diet)

3/4 tsp Lemon Juice

Salt and Pepper to taste

A Dash of Pickle Juice (put in about 1 tsp if you aren't good with dashes)

1/2 tsp Sambal Oelek (I leave this out as it's NOT in my diet - Ask your grocer where to get it)

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients in a pot, bring to a simmer mixing together with a spoon or whisk until everything is blended. Turn to a low simmer and mix for 2-5 minutes. Cool. Taste. Done!

Notes:

Peanut sauce is great as a pizza drizzle, with rice (which is NOT a part of this diet), with chicken or with any type of spring rolls! Yummy!!!

** Please note that I may include some ingredients that are not on my diet in case you can have them because it does make for a tasty addition. HOWEVER if you cannot add them in like myself just add a little more pickle juice or lemon and it turns out brilliantly!

Cesar Salad Dressing - Make Your Own

Cesar Salad Dressing

Ingredients:

1-3 Cloves of Garlic (depending on how much you like garlic - you can always add more later)

3/4 Cup of home made mayonnaise (see Mayonnaise page for recipe)

5 Anchovy fillets (again may only want to add 3 to start)

6 Tbsp of Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 tsp Dijon Mustard (may also use normal)

1 Tbsp Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Blend together all the ingredients except the salt and pepper
2. Season with salt and pepper
3. Taste . Adjust or Leave it
4. Refrigerate till ready to use

Notes - I find this dressing is very tasty on:

• Salad - As a dressing

  Chicken - As a dip

  Pizza - As either the dip or the pizza sauce itself

Home Made - Honey Mustard Sauce

Honey Mustard Sauce

Ingredients: 

1 Cup of Home Made Mayonnaise (see the Mayonnaise article for recipe)

3 Tbsp regular mustard

4 Tbsp Honey

Directions: 

Mix together and taste. Adjust for how you like the flavor to be.

NOTES - I find this sauce amazing on: 

• Salad - As a dressing
• Chicken - As a glaze or dip
• Pizza - As either the dip or glaze or the pizza sauce itself

Mayonnaise (The Real Thing)

Mayonnaise (The Real Thing)

*If you have a food processor you may double the recipe if you have a blender you can only make one batch at a time or it will not thicken properly.

Ingredients:

1 Egg

1 Cup of Oil *use vegetable oil or it will taste gross

1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice or white vinegar

1/4 tsp of dry mustard powder or regular mustard

salt and pepper to taste

a little honey (optional)

*may use a little garlic if desired

Directions:

1. In your processor put everything but the oil and blend for a few seconds

2. While machine is still running slowly begin to pour your oil in a steady stream. The key is how slowly you pour it in, should take at least 60 seconds. If you pour it too quickly you will end up with a separated mess that has no use, must be thrown out and start again.

3. Stop your machine and taste the mayo. If you like it you are done, pour it into a glass jar and store it in your fridge. If you don't like the taste add what you want: sweet = honey, sour = vinegar or lemon juice, taste = s/p or mustard. Then turn the machine on, wait till it's mixed, taste again and keep going till you're satisfied.

Mayonnaise makes delicious Honey Mustard Sauce, Cesar Dressing, tartar sauce, hollandaise sauce and can also be used as a thickening agent.

NOTES:

THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR IF YOU ARE PREGNANT, NURSING OR FEEDING TO YOUR CHILDREN AGES 1 YEAR AND UNDER:

Two things to note. First is raw eggs and the second is honey. If you have babies, are pregnant or breast feeding you will want to skip the honey (you could add a little sugar if you want but it's not in my diet) and you will want to "cook the egg."

To cook the egg: Place eggs (use 2 instead of 1) in a small saucepan filled with cold water. Bring to a boil and boil for one minute. Drain the water and put eggs in very cold water right away. Crack the eggs after a minute and use a spoon to scoop the yolks into your food processor or blender. Discard the egg whites. Follow the recipe as above but note that your mayonnaise will NOT become as thick as using raw egg would allow.