Week 24: Bread Dipping Oil

Recipe:  Bread Dipping Oil

From:  Whoopin' Up Something with Gramma Pat (Submitted by: Anne L.)

Category:  Appetizers

Rating:  It was okay!  We really didn't like the balsamic vinegar in it; it tasted too much like balsamic vinaigrette.  We like balsamic vinaigrette on our salad, but not to dip bread in.  I would make it again with the cheese and spices, but would skip the vinegar.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

5 cloves of garlic

2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon crushed oregano

salt pepper

Directions:

1. Chop garlic and mix all together; salt and pepper to taste.  Dip bread and enjoy!

Week 22: Roasted Eggplant Dip

Recipe:  Roasted Eggplant Dip

From:  The Top 100 Recipes for a Healthy Lunchbox (Nicola Graimes)

Category: Appetizers

Rating:  It was okay.  It was a fun spicy dip for carrots and other veggies.  I probably wouldn't make it again, but you never know.

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant

2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon light tahini

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

juice of 1/2 lemon

salt

freshly ground black pepper


Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees.  Prick the eggplant all over with a fork then place in a roasting pan.  Roast about 40 minutes until the inside of the eggplant is very soft.
2. Leave to cool slightly then halve the eggplant lengthwise and scoop out the flesh with a spoon into a food processor or blender.  Add garlic, tahini, spices, olive oil and lemon juice.  Process until smooth and creamy.  Season to taste.

Here is the dip with a carrot in it!  I didn't have food processor or blender (still don't), so I'm guessing it would have been a little smoother with one of those.