White Bean Dip

Ingredients

• 1 can(s) (15 to 19 ounces) white kidney (cannellini) beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/3 cup(s) plain nonfat yogurt
• 1 tablespoon(s) fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon(s) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon(s) anchovy paste
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) pepper

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Directions

1. In food processor with knife blade attached, puree beans with yogurt, lemon juice, oil, anchovy paste, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper until smooth. Spoon dip into small container with tight-fitting lid. Can be refrigerated up to 2 days.

Sweet Onion, Scallion and Chive Dip

The dip is best made at least 4 hours in advance and can easily be made the day before.

Makes about 3 cups

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons salted butter
• 1 pound sweet onions, such as Vidalia or Peruvian, cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch dice
• 1/2 cup finely chopped scallions, white and tender green parts
• 1/4 cup finely chopped chives
• 1 cup sour cream
• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

Directions:

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions just begin to turn golden. Add the scallions and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring. Remove from the heat; add the chives and mix well. Transfer the onion mixture to a bowl and set aside to cool slightly.

While the onion mixture is cooling, combine the sour cream, cream cheese and salt in a medium bowl. (These can be mixed by hand if the cream cheese is soft or in a food processor if the cream cheese is still firm.) Add the onion mixture and stir to combine. Taste and add salt, if desired. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

New Potato Salad

Ingredients

For the potatoes:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 lbs new potatoes, washed and cut in half

1/2 lb thick cut bacon, cut into 1/4" dice
3 medium Vidalia onions, cut crosswise into 1/2" slices
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 green onions (white part only), thinly sliced crosswise and skewered
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme

For the dressing:
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
3 tablespoons chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Procedure

1. Light a chimney 3/4 full of charcoal. When the charcoal is fully lit and covered in gray ash, pour coals out and arrange them on one side of the charcoal grate, keeping the other side empty. Clean and oil the grilling grate.

2. Toss potatoes with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place potatoes over the hot side of the grill, and cook until nicely browned on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. When browned, move to cool side of the grill and cover. Cooking an additional 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a paring knife. Remove the potatoes from the grill and set aside to cool.

3. Cook bacon in skillet over medium heat until crispy and fat has almost completely rendered, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon bits with a slotted spoon and add them in with the cooling potatoes. Reserve the rendered bacon fat.

4. Brush onion slices with reserved bacon fat and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook on the hot side of the grill until browned and tender, about 5-7 minutes per side. Baste with bacon fat again 1/2 way through cooking process. Remove onion slices from the grill, cut into quarters, and add them in with the potatoes and bacon bits. Add the parsley, green onions, and thyme in the with potatoes.

5. In a medium bowl whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing. Pour dressing over the potatoes and toss gently to evenly coat. Allow potato salad to sit out at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.

Dirty Potatoes

• ACTIVE: 10 MIN
• TOTAL TIME: 1 HR
• SERVINGS: 6

Ingredients

1. 2 pounds small new potatoes, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, large ones halved
2. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3. 1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Spread the potatoes on a large rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with the oil and toss to coat. Bake for about 45 minutes, until crisp and tender.
2. Meanwhile, in a mini food processor, puree the olives. Scrape the puree over the potatoes and toss well; transfer to a bowl and serve hot or at room temperature.

Caramelized Green Beans

1 lb. (actually, just a little bit more...maybe 1 1/8 lb.) fresh green beans
1/2 lb. bacon
1/2 red onion, sliced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
olive oil
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
Lots of freshly-ground pepper

Begin frying the bacon in a large skillet. Start boiling a large pot of water. Place beans in a colander and rinse them well. Then snap the ends off and snap them in half.

Prepare the sauce by mixing sugar, soy sauce, and salt in a small bowl.

Make sure your onions are sliced, garlic is pressed, and everything is ready to go.

Remove bacon from pan and drain on a paper towel. If you feel like it, you can crumble it now or wait until it's cooled off a little. Pour bacon drippings out of pan.

Now...if you want to be naughty (and who doesnt??), return a couple tablespoons of bacon drippings to the pan. Otherwise, just use some olive oil and heat pan to medium-high heat. When the pan is hot...

--Add onions and garlic. Give them a quick stir and then...

--Add beans to boiling water. Place colander in a clean sink. Boil for one minute; you're not cooking them until they're done, just blanching them to take the edge off. Meanwhile, stir the onions and garlic so they don't scorch. After one minute, drain beans in the colander in the sink.

--Once beans have been drained, add them to the onions and garlic. Stir fry 2-3 more minutes.

--Give your sauce a quick stir and then pour on top of the beans. Keep stir-frying until the beans get kind of glazy. Do this for another 2 minutes.

--Add crumbled bacon and lots of freshly-ground pepper to the beans. Keep stir frying until the sauce sticks to the beans and the bacon. Transfer to a serving dish and allow to stand a few minutes so the beans cool down a bit and the glaze thickens up a little.

Garlic-Herb Scalloped Potatoes

3 lb. red or Yukon Gold potatoes
1 small yellow onion (optional...but it adds a lot of flavor)
8-9 ounces of Garlic Herb creamy cheese like Rondele, Boursin, Alouette (available in the fancy cheese section of the grocery store). If you're in an absolute pinch either grocery store-wise or money-wise, garlic herb or chive cream cheese would work.
2 c. milk (anything but skim)
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh parsley or chives

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9x13 (or slightly smaller, non-conforming dish from Ikea) baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Wash potatoes and onion and slice into 1/8"-1/4" slices. Toss to combine. Layer 1/2 of the potatoes and onions in the bottom of the baking dish and sprinkle with some black pepper. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add flour all at once and whisk to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, making a roux. Slowly add in milk and salt. Increase heat to medium and stir constantly until sauce starts to thicken, around 3-5 minutes. You don't want it too thick, but if you dip the back of a spoon in it and run your finger through it.

Add creamy cheese and stir until cheese is melted and combined. Pour 1/2 of the mixture over the potatoes in the pan. Add remaining potatoes to the pan, sprinkle with pepper, and pour remaining sauce over potatoes. Loosely cover with aluminum foil and bake 55-60 minutes or until potatoes can easily be pierced with a fork. Sprinkle with a couple tablespoons of fresh, chopped parsley or chives and serve! Serves about 6-8.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

A serving has 147 calories, 5 g of fat, and 4 grams of fiber

2 medium-sized sweet potatoes*
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t oregano
1/2 t coriander
1 t kosher salt
1 t parsley
fresh ground pepper (about 10 turns of a pepper mill)

*you want 1lb sweet potatoes after they are peeled, sliced, etc. If you weigh them at the store make sure you have a little more than a pound to allow for the peeling, and tossing of small pieces.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet lightly with cooking spray. Don't use a silpat, or parchment, or anything like that. You want them right on the cookie sheet.

Slice your sweet potatoes into french fry shape and size. I like mine to be 1/4", or maybe a tad bit bigger. It's important that all of the pieces are evenly sized to ensure even cooking.

Put the sweet potatoes in a bowl and drizzle the olive oil over them. Use your hands to make sure each one is coated. If you've got more than a pound of sweet potatoes, add a little extra olive oil. They should all be glistening, just eyeball it.

Then sprinkle on all of the herbs and spices and continue to toss until well coated.

Place the fries on the baking sheet. It's very important that they are not touching, but can place them pretty close together.

Place cookie sheet in pre-heated oven and set the timer for 15 minutes. Don't open the oven door.

After 15 minutes take pan out of oven and flip the fries. If you try to do it one at a time it will take forever, I take a long spatula and get a bunch at a time. It's super quick. Just flip, and then make sure they're spaced out again. Be careful because at this point they're quite soft.

Put the pan in the oven and cook for another 15-20 minutes. Just keep an eye on them. They should be nice and golden brown. Crispy crunchy on the outside, and sweet and soft in the middle.

Take them out of the oven and serve immediately.

Honey-Lime Dip for Sweet Potato Fries

6oz container plain, low-fat yogurt
1 T mayo (low cal is fine)
1/2 T honey
1/2 lime
1/4 t cumin
1/8 t oregano
1 t parsley
1/2 t granulated onion
3/4 t kosher salt

Mix honey and yogurt until combined and give it a big squeeze from the lime half. Add in spices and herbs and you have a dip.