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Warm Artichoke Dip

South Beach Diet Version

Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese

½ cup mayonnaise

½ cup 1 percent milk

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Blend cream cheese, mayonnaise, milk, cheese, garlic, and hot pepper sauce in a food processor until smooth.  Add artichokes and pulse until well combined but still chunky.

Transfer to a microwave-safe serving dish.  Microwave on medium heat until heated through, turning once or twice, about 5 minutes.  Stir in lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve with assorted crackers.  Makes 12 (1/4 cup) servings

Spinach Bacon Walnut Salad

Ingredients (Salad):

1 bag spinach

8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

¼ cup chopped walnuts

1 ripe mango, sliced into bite-sized pieces

Croutons (optional)

Ingredients (Dressing):

1 small red onion

2/3 cups sugar

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon celery seed

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

1/3 cup vinegar

1 cup oil

Mix the dressing ingredients in a blender.  To prepare the salad combine spinach, bacon, walnuts and mango.  Serve dressing with salad.  Yields 6-8 servings.

Julie’s Mizzou Muffuletta

If you have a food processor, process all ingredients for a few seconds, being careful not to process too finely.  Tapenade should be diced and not smooth. If you do not have a food processor, finely mince the olives, peppers and garlic, and then combine with all the other ingredients, mixing well.

Cut bread in half horizontally.  Spread bottom half of bread with tapenade then layer on meats alternating with cheeses, add final

Ingredients:

For the Olive Tapenade Salad Recipe:

1 cup pitted black olives

1 cup pimento stuffed green olives

1 tablespoon capers (optional)

1 small jar pepperoncini, drained (small salad peppers)

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon lemon juice

¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

For the Sandwich:

1 round loaf herb cheese foccia bread

¼ pound large pepperoni, thinly sliced

¼ pound ham, thinly sliced

¼ pound hard Genoa salami, thinly sliced

¼ pound Mozzarella cheese, sliced

¼ pound Provolone cheese, sliced

1 cup of the above Olive Tapenade Salad

tapenade on top.  Cover with top half of bread.  (Note:  Ideally, the sandwich should be tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in the refrigerator for 8 hours or more with weight on top (such as a 12 pack of beer in the carton) to enable juices to soak into bread.  Cut in pie slices to serve.

-- Julie Chatman, Columbia, Missouri

Sour Chocolate Chip Brownies

Ingredients:

½ cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 egg

1cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup unsweetened cocoa

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Butter a 13 X 9 inch pan.  Cream butter and brown sugar in large bowl until blended.  Add egg, sour cream and vanilla; beat until light.  Add cocoa, baking soda and salt; beat until smooth.  Blend in flour until well mixed.  Stir in chocolate chips; spread batter evenly in prepared pan.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until center springs back when touched.  Cool in pan on wire rack.  Sift powdered sugar over the top.  Cut into bars.