Choose Your Adventure...

Remember those great "Choose Your Adventure" stories from the 80's? I loved those books as a kid. I also adore recipes that are flexible that way, and this one is; my friend Jamie made this for my bridal shower (back in 1995), and we've made it countless times since. It shares a name with a yummy dessert, but this Mississippi Sin is a savory (and delicious) appetizer.

Go forth and create!

Jamie's Mississippi Sin Dip

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1 - 8 oz. brick of softened cream cheese

1.5 c. sour cream

1/2 c. chopped, cooked ham

1 can chopped green chilis (mild, medium or hot - your choice)

1/3 c. chopped green onions

1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Round loaf of sourdough or french bread

Additional bread, crackers, etc. to serve

Set the bread round aside, and combine all other ingredients in a bowl. To prep bread, slice the top off of the loaf, and hollow out the inside to make a bread bowl (leave 1/2-inch edge). Cut up remaining bread "insides" for serving. Next, fill the bread-bowl with dip, replace top, wrap in foil and bake at 350-degrees F for 1 hour.

* You can go with "light" on the sour cream and cream cheese, but don't go non-fat. Just don't do it. Non-fat cream cheese and cheese are just wrong; they are alien-like substances that should not be ingested. Ever.

** If you double the recipe (a good plan), you can bake the extra 1/2 of the dip in a covered casserole to refill the bread bowl with during your event.

*** Instead of ham, chilis and green onions, I've tried these variations with success:

• Artichoke hearts, green onions, garlic (fresh tomatoes stirred in when taken out to serve)
• Smoked salmon, minced fresh jalapeno, and replace cheddar with white cheddar
• Chopped chicken, red onion, jalapeno, replace cheddar with jack cheese (cilantro and mango stirred in at the end)
• Chopped up (cooked) Shrimp Scampi (frozen-box from Costco), plus fresh chives tossed in at the end.
• Feel free to add whatever you think would be tasty!

Tasty Shrimp, and nearly perfect Vanilla Cake

Karen and I had her favorite Bonefish Grill appetizer last week, and it was pretty good. It wasn't as tasty as when it was a regular on their menu, she said, but I tracked down the recipe so we could make it (tastier) at home. I also found an excellent — not-too-sweet, moist and light, vanilla cake recipe this week that I used for my birthday cupcakes. Yum!
Saucy Shrimp appetizer (or dinner - great with a Rocket salad!)

1/2 c. rough-chopped sun-dried tomatoes (dry, rehydrated are best)
1/4 c. lemon juice
Juice of 2 fresh-squeezed limes
1/4 c. fresh chopped or pressed garlic
1/2 c. white wine (optional)
5 Tbs. sugar (or agave syrup)
1 c. whole milk or half-and-half (the recipe calls for heavy cream, but not tried it that way yet)
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. red pepper (or to taste, optional)
2 Tbs. unsalted butter cut in small pieces (the recipe calls for 1/4 pound of butter, but... yikes)
1 1/4 pounds small gulf shrimp, peeled and deveined (50/60 count optimal)
24 (or more, to taste) kalamata olives
Olive oil for pan
3/4 c. crumbled feta cheese
Italian Parsley for garnish

To make lime garlic sauce, place sun-dried tomatoes, lemon juice, lime juice, garlic, wine, sugar, salt, and white pepper in saucepan. Place on medium heat and reduce by half. Add half-and-half or milk, reducing mixture until thick and bubbly. On medium to low heat, slowly add butter until incorporated. Keep warm.

To prepare shrimp, pour a little olive oil into saute pan, coating entire surface. Saute shrimp and olives together until shrimp are tender; remove from heat. Add 2 cups lime tomato garlic sauce. Stir the sauce in with shrimp thoroughly; do not put back on heat. Pour all ingredients onto a large round serving platter. Top with feta crumbled evenly over dish, and garnish with parsley. Yield: 4-6 servings. Source: Bonefish Grill


Simple White Cake (adapted from Allrecipes.com)

1 c. organic sugar
1 cube butter (softened)
2 eggs
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. flour
1 3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x9 inch pan or line muffin tins with paper liners.

Use your Kitchenaid to cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add and mix well. Last, add the milk and blend to make a smooth batter. Scoop batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 30-40 minutes, or 20-25 minutes for cupcakes. Frost and enjoy!