5 Layer Mexican Dip

This 5-Layer Mexican Dip is great for parties or Potluck's. It has a wonderful taste and is so easy to make. It can be prepared ahead of time and will feed a crowd. It is much healthier and much lighter than the regular dips (especially store bought ones) because it doesn't contain all the fatty ingredients found in most of them.

5-Layer Mexican Dip
(from Ellie Krieger)

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, preferably low-sodium, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon minced chipotle pepper in adobo
• 4 tablespoons lime juice
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon water
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups corn kernels (10-ounce box frozen corn)
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves
• 2 ripe avocados
• 4 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced (about 2 cups)
• ¼ cup thinly sliced scallion
• 1 tablespoon finely diced jalapeno pepper, optional
• ¾ cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar

1.Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until they soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.

2.Put half of the onion mixture into a food processor with the black beans, chipotle pepper, 2 tablespoons of the lime juice, cumin, water and salt. Puree until smooth. Set aside.

3.Add the corn to the skillet with the remaining onion mixture and cook for about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro leaves.

4.In a small bowl mash the avocado with the remaining lime juice. In a medium bowl toss together the tomatoes, scallion and jalapeno, if using. Season tomato mixture with salt and pepper, to taste.

5.Spread the black bean dip into the bottom of an 8 by 8 glass baking or serving dish. Top with the corn mixture, spreading it out to form a single layer over the beans, repeat with the avocado, then the tomatoes. Top with cheese. Serve with baked chips.

Pasta and fried Zucchini Salad

Are you bored with your usual pasta salad recipes or looking for a fresh new idea? Try this pasta salad from Yotam Ottolenghi.
It is a light salad, perfect for the spring and summer. The pasta is combined with Zucchini, Edamame and an unusual combination of herbs.
Tossed with only a little olive oil and garnished with fresh and juicy Mozzarella this salad makes a great addition to a barbecue or a light lunch.

Pasta and Fried Zucchini Salad

 from Yotam Ottolenghi

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup vegetable oil (I used  less )
• 3 medium zucchini, cut in 1/4 inch slices
• 1 1/2 T. red wine vinegar
• 3/4 cup frozen edamame
• 2 cups basil, coarsely shredded
• 1/4 cup parsley leaves
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 9 oz. strozzapreti or penne pasta
• grated zest of one lemon
• 1 1/2 T. small capers
• 7 oz. fresh mozzarella, torn into chunks

Cooking Directions:

1. Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. Fry the zucchini in batches in the vegetable oil over medium heat until brown on each side (about 3 minutes per side). Remove to a paper towel to drain and then mix with the vinegar.
3. Blanch the edamame for 3 minutes in boiling water. Drain and rinse with cold water.  
4. Combine half the basil, all of the parsley and the olive oil in a food processor, adding salt and pepper to taste. Process until smooth. Make sure it is salty enough.
5. Combine the pasta, zucchini with vinegar, edamame, basil sauce, lemon zest, capers and mozzarella. Stir in the remaining basil and serve.

The perfekt dunking Hazelnut Biscuit

One of my favorite cookies of all times right after this one is this Hazelnut Cookie. It is a crispy and crunchy cookie filled with whole hazelnuts as well as hazelnut pieces. It is perfect for dunking into your coffee or milk! Even though I have a hazelnut allergy, I can't resist these cookies. The dough is very crumbly and for this reason I like to put  it on foil and press it carefully into a log. Then I put it in the fridge for 30 minutes and after that I cut the dough into slices. If the cookies break apart while you form them just press them back together.


The perfect dunking Hazelnut Cookie
(from britishlarder)

Ingredients

• 125 g unsalted butter at room temperature
• 300 g light brown sugar
• 1 large free range egg
• 1tsp of vanilla essence or the seeds of one vanilla pod
• 350 g plain flour
• 1tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 200 g hazelnuts, lightly crushed

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line two baking trays with parchment paper or use non-stick baking trays.


2. Place the soft butter and sugar in a the bowl of a mixer and cream until light and fluffy with the paddle attachment. If you are using vanilla seeds cream them with the sugar and butter.


3. Add the egg and whip until creamy, if you are using vanilla essence add it with the egg to the butter mixture.


4. Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda over the creamed butter mixture and add the lightly crushed hazelnuts, mix in gently, do not over work the biscuit dough.


5. Make even size balls, I use a teaspoon as a guide for the size.


6. Space the biscuits on the prepared baking trays leaving at least 5 cm gaps, this allows the cookies to expand and bake evenly (in the winter I press the balls down slightly as the dough will be cold and stiff this will encourage them to spread evenly), bake the biscuits in the preheated oven for 12 - 15 minutes. Transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store the biscuits in a air tight container for up to one week. 
(makes about 50)