Weekend Snacking

If I am going to be away for the weekend, or if I will be too busy and not have time to cook, I try to make a bunch of healthy to semi-healthy food that Dave can eat without the fuss of cooking. Otherwise, he'll eat nothing but ice cream and cookies for two days straight. He's been known to make a frozen pizza or some ramen if he's desperate, but that's about the extent of his kitchen prowess.

In the top photo I made a hot onion dip. We had a bunch of elderly onions that needed using up, so I found this recipe online at chowhound.com. The dip is delicious with bread or even over veggies.

Saute 3 Vidalia onions, coarsely chopped in 2 tablespoons butter until golden brown. In a small bowl, mix 8 ounces grated sharp cheddar, 1 cup of mayo, 1 minced clove of garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce. Stir in the onions.

Bake in a buttered baking dish at 375F for 25 minutes.

A delicious topper for bread is chickpeas mixed with a bit of mayo and some salt and pepper. It's really good plain, or you can add a bit of cheese such as Asiago, and some almonds.

I love fava beans and am overjoyed when I find them at the store. I like them best with a bit of olive oil and vinegar, on top of bread.

Another really nice sandwich spread is roasted veggies. I cut up whatever veggies I have on hand. Here, it was squash, epplant and carrots. Drizzle the veggies with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a 400F oven until they are nice and soft. You will have to stir them often to ensure even cooking.

Wraps are so simple to make and store well in the fridge. They're great for lunches and road trips. Here I used cream cheese and roasted red peppers as the filling.

We love egg and pepper sandwiches, so I'll frequently make the filling ahead of time. The sandwiches are good at room temperature, so there's no reheating required.

This is a simple queso dip. The recipe is from about.com.

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup picante sauce

3 ounces of cream cheese
4 ounces shredded cheddar

dash paprika

1 can chopped green chile peppers

1/2 teaspoon salt

Saute onion in butter until tender. Add picante sauce and stir. Gradually add the cream cheese and shredded cheese. Stir in paprika, peppers and salt; continue stirring until cheese is melted. Adjust seasoning to taste. Keep warm in crockpot or chafing dish.

Happy snacking!