I love trying new things, especially when it comes to dips. This sweet pea hummus surprised me on so many levels. Firstly, it’s made out of sweet peas instead of chic peas, which gives it a sweet and lovely taste. Secondly, it is super easy to make… you don’t have to soak or prep anything. In fact, it took me less time to make the dip than it did prepping the vegetables for the veggie board.
I used a Vitamix, but feel free to use a food processor instead. In fact, I think you will be happier with the texture if you like your dips a bit more chunky rather than creamy.
Another thing I love about this recipe, is its very customizable. Feel free to play with the ingredients as much as you like. I used mint for my herbs, but try it with basil or rosemary and see if you prefer those herbs more. Also, I recommend you use fresh herbs instead of dried. Unfortunately, we are going through challenging times now and my grocery store does not always have all the items I need. But that’s okay… this dip is very forgiving. I also love to use the juice of a whole lemon in my dip, but I recommend you start with a half a lemon and evaluate the taste. When it comes to peas, use the frozen variety (instead of canned) and follow package instructions on cooking them.
Recipe ingredients
Last but not least, salting this dip is the biggest thing you should consider. I did not use an entire TBSP of salt, however, I do salt my dips strongly. Although it may taste salty when I try it on its own, once you dip vegetables into it, you need some seasoning to make it stand apart from the veggie. If you are using salted crackers or chips, you can ease up on the salt. But if you are serving raw veggies, you may want to add some kick to it with more salt than usual or even a spice or two for some extra heat.
For a full video of this recipe, click below:
2 cups of sweet peas (Frozen peas are best for this recipe)
1/4th cup of olive oil
2 TBSP mint (Fresh mint is preferred but you can use dried mint if fresh is not available)
1-3 Cloves of garlic (Depending on your garlic tolerance)
Salt to taste (Be ready to use a lot if you are planning on dipping veggies into the dip. If you are using salted crackers or chips, you will need a lot less salt.)
Juice of a half a lemon
Prepare the frozen sweet peas according to package instruction.
Once the peas are prepared and cooled, put them in either a food processor or a Vitamix with a bit of olive oil, garlic and mint.
Start pulsing and add olive oil if necessary. Start salting as you are pulsing. Stop and scrape the mixture.
Periodically taste the mixture to see how much salt you need. Make it slightly salty if you are serving with veggies and less salty for crackers.
Add lemon juice. Feel free to add more lemon if you find it necessary.
Once the mixture is at the texture and taste you prefer, empty it into a dip bowl and enjoy.
If you’ve never heard of tapenade, it’s a Provençal name for a dish consisting of puréed or finely chopped olives, capers, and anchovies. Its name comes from the Provençal word for capers, tapenas.
Black Olive Tapenade Stuffed Mushrooms
What I love most about this dish is that it is easy to make, healthy, and can be used as a filling or a dip. You can also easily make it vegan (simply omit the anchovies) and still maintain the integrity of the recipe.
I was inspired to create this dish while visiting St. George, Utah and enjoying lunch at a local restaurant named Xetava. Their tapenade was served with Lavash crackers and I fell in love with it. So, when I got back home to St. Louis, my first thought was to try re-creating the recipe but adding my own twists. The beautify of tapenade is that it is very customizable and you don’t even have to have the exact measurements to make it. Just know that black olives (you can use green as well or mix the two) are going to be your main foundation. I typically start out by using a full cup of olives which I rough chop, and add ingredients little by little tasting and chopping the mixture as I go. If I’m throwing a party, I’ll add just one clove of garlic for flavor. If I’m making the tapenade for myself, to have for lunch, I can add up to three cloves of garlic… I LOVE GARLIC! I do the same with lemon juice. I can add the juice of a half a lemon if I’m making the appetizer to take to a party or add the entire lemon if I’m making it for myself. Just depends on how I’m feeling that day or who I will be serving it to.
The key to this recipe is to taste as you go. Once you hit your perfect flavor, you can finish it and serve. And don’t forget to put your own twists on this recipe. Some people add roasted peppers, sun dried tomatoes, and so much more. Don’t be afraid to try new ingredients, herbs, and seasonings. This dish allows you to customize as much as you like.
Most people use a food processor to make this. However, I just chop by hand as I go. Each time I add an ingredient, I mix it into the mixture and continue chopping. By the time I add the last ingredient, my tapenade is chopped to the consistency I want. To see all my techniques for this recipe, here’s a link to a full video.
Last but not least, I decided to omit the bread and instead, serve the tapenade in mushrooms (these mushrooms are fresh, not cooked). It makes for a filling dish that not only tastes fabulous but also good for you. If you omit the anchovies, this dish becomes vegan. If you’ve never worked with mushrooms, watch the video, which I linked above. It will show you tips on working with mushrooms.
Below is the recipe as I like to make it, but feel free to add more or less of each ingredient… if you hate anchovies, don’t use them. If you love capers, use more. Same goes for any of the ingredients listed below. As long as you are using olives as your foundation… you are good!
1 cup of black or green olives 2-3 anchovies 1/4 cup of capers Juice of 1/2 lemon 2 cloves of garlic 1/4 cup of chopped fresh basil 1/4 cup of olive oil 10-12 fresh mushrooms (peeled and cored)
Each year, my sister Anna, volunteers to host Thanksgiving and our family gathers at her home to celebrate the holiday. Anna is a wonderful hostess, I’ve said this many times. She and I are always stealing each other’s ideas and recipes. Unlike me, Anna does things very simply with a relaxed feel but always seems to WOW her guests. She never seems to stress over the details. Even the few times she’s asked me for help, Anna always seems relaxed and at ease while I’m running around stressing over pretty much everything. Nevertheless, we always seem to pull off a great party and when working together, we make a good team.
During this particular celebration, her table was simple with red placemats and a bouquet of fresh flowers. However, she added candlelight as her main decor element, creating a soft, warm, and quiet atmosphere. She used different style and height crystal candleholders which were set on mirror tiles to reflect the light. She also placed some candles in her silver candleholders on the back buffet. Last but not least, she added some votives to bring various levels of height. It looked so beautiful.
Candlelight Everywhere
This look was very minimal but definitely brought the WOW factor.
Smoked Salmon Appetizers
It’s no secret, our family is ALL ABOUT THE APPETIZERS… Anna always prepares a wonderful appetizer spread that is easy and festive. Above are the smoked salmon appetizers which she serves at practically every function. They are served on small pieces of bread, smothered in plain cream cheese and topped off with a generous slice of smoked salmon. She finishes by sprinkling green onion on top and watches them disappear off the plate in a matter of minutes.
Veggie Plate and Hummus Dip
I’m always in charge of the veggie plates and dip.
Veggie Plate and Basil Hummus
This veggie plate featured my favorite basil hummus which I make for practically EVERY occasion.
I also love bringing my beet hummus which adds a vibrant color to an otherwise boring cracker bowl.
The dinner is typically traditional with turkey, cranberry source, her famous mixed roasted vegetables, and of course, mashed potatoes. Here’s my son and my parents enjoying her delicious buffet.
Last but not least, the dessert always comes from The Smoke House Market, which is a wonderful store in Chesterfield, Missouri. It is affiliated with Annie Gunns, which is a famous steak house in St. Louis, and sells many of their freshly prepared food creations. Their pies are in HIGH DEMAND during the holidays and since my niece worked there, we always had fresh pies for Thanksgiving… with a bit of vanilla ice cream on top.
All in all, my sister does a fantastic job with Thanksgiving. And I’m alway impressed with how beautifully and seamlessly she executes this annual celebration.
I have a wonderful friend named Rachel who is obsessed with Smitten Kitchen. Rachel invited us to a fabulous bagel brunch at her home. The bagels were from a famous local bakery where they make water bagels and we were excited to finally sample a few. Rachel not only supplied the delicious bagels, but she also made several outstanding recipes from Smitten Kitchen and Dash and Bella. First, she made Baked Eggs with Spinach and Mushrooms. They turned out delicious! Secondly, she prepared a Persimmon Salad which not only tasted fabulous but was also one of the most beautiful salads I have ever seen. Rachel outdid herself and I had to share some photos as well as links to both the recipes. So, if hosting a brunch is in your future, the recipes in this post will be outstanding.
Not long ago, my beautiful friend, Gina, invited me to a creative and patriotic BBQ. Her family created an unforgettable buffet filled with delicious food and beautifully arranged table. She served fruits, vegetables, chips, dips, nuts, and so much more. It was truly unforgettable.
I love how Gina used red, white, and blue bandanas to create a patriotic feel to the party theme. The bandanas served as table runners and had different designs to bring some creative interest.
She also used baskets, melamine, crystal, glass, metal, and other dishes to make a fun eclectic look rather than making everything matchy-matchy.
Being able to use all the items you have in a creative way is one of the best skills a hostess can have. Many times, each piece has a story. I like to ask my friends how they came in possession of certain serving pieces. Sometimes they are fun stories with lots of laughs and others are just simple like “I picked it up at Homegoods or Target”.
Again, bandanas are used as napkins, tying in the decorations from the buffet. Also, her daughter made the place cards and added little fireworks images to tie in with the props they used as place card holders. Just LOVE the creativity!!
Robin’s beautiful Girls Game Night Buffet filled with a variety of food items to accommodate various dietary options.
I treat invitations to parties a lot like invitations to dance, I NEVER SAY NO! Unless we have a conflict that evening or we’re out of town, I try my best to attend, bring something delicious, and have a fabulous time. However, there are caveats. Brace yourselves, I’m about to share something crazy… I’m not a big fan of game nights… there… I said it! Most people love game nights, but I’m a bit more complicated than most people, especially if the host does not want to disclose what game we’re playing… I guess you can call me a bit of a control freak!
But recently, a friend of mine sent me an invitation to her Girls Game Night. As I always do, I asked “What can I bring?”. She asked me to bring a fruit platter and my mind was immediately at ease because at that moment I knew… FOOD WILL BE SERVED!!
Party food is my weakness, I will show up practically anywhere to partake in delicious party fare. I love seeing what hosts have put together in order to impress their guests or what menu they feel is relevant to their occasion. Yes folks, this is my passion. I especially love appetizers. You can even ask our friends. If you expect my family to come over for dinner, brace yourselves because we will clean off all your appetizer plates, my children included. I’m sure we are breaking some or even ALL the rules of being a good guest, but that’s just the way we are. We may take a few bites from your dinner buffet, but your appetizer set up will disappear! This goes the same when you come to our house for dinner. Most guests are shocked at how many appetizers we put out and truth be told, if we could JUST serve appetizers, we would! So, when I was invited to a party where I knew most of the food will be appetizers (like a game night), there was NO WAY I was going to miss out on that! Plus, Robin is one of those stealth hostesses. She never talks about entertaining, but come to one of her parties, you will be amazed at how she entertains like a pro!
Robin’s Girls Game Night was fabulous. First of all, I have to give her credit, she knew her guest list well. This all female group was sure to have some dietary restrictions. Carb free, gluten sensitivities, vegetarian, and we’re just talking about ME. But there were also guests who just wanted to eat healthy and avoid red meat. Yet again, Robin handled everything like a pro.
Here are the five tips I learned from her party.
DON’T OMIT THE CARBS! Unless you know that every person you are inviting is on a carb-free plan, don’t forget to set a few delicious carbohydrates on the buffet. They help fill people up, plus… they are delicious!
Robin’s beautiful Girls Game Night Buffet filled with a variety of food items to accommodate various dietary options.
2. CONSIDER AN INTERESTING SELECTION OF SALADS. Salad for a game night? Yes, especially when you want to keep it healthy. I’m not a big fan of just finger food on game night, simply because I hate having to clean my game board or game pieces of powdered cheese or red sauce. I’ve read on various blogs that if you can’t eat it with your fingers or a stick, the food item should not be served on game night. I disagree! Having food items which can be eaten with a fork is totally OK. In fact, it gives people the opportunity to take a break, step away from the game table and serve themselves. I loved Robin’s idea of serving pasta, cucumber, and Mediterranean style salads.
Girl’s Game Night Buffet… loved the fruit and vegetable platters. A must at any party!
3. VEGGIE + FRUIT PLATTER ARE ALWAYS WELCOMED. No matter the guest list, a fruit and vegetable platter is a must. These platters can accommodate any guest and bring beautiful color to the table.
4. CHEESE, CHEESE, CHEESE. This is another great platter to incorporate into any game night buffet. It appeals to the low-carb guest and it’s wonderful accompanied with a complementary wine, if you are planning on serving alcohol.
5. SURPRISE YOUR GUESTS WITH SOMETHING UNIQUE. There’s a significant difference between a girls game night and a super bowl party! You don’t have to think potato skins, chicken wings, pigs in a blanket, meatballs, or the many expected dishes during a sports game night. Women love to be surprised with a unique and healthy dish, something they may even try to prepare on their own in the future. Robin served salmon which paired wonderfully with the hand-crafted olive bread, salads, and vegetables. The presentation was so beautiful and the salmon disappeared! We all wanted the recipe!
If you think that vegetable platters need to be an assortment of colors, I beg to differ. I served this all white crudités at last year’s holiday party and it was a hit! Most people are so impressed to see that vegetables come in all sorts of different colors, like white asparagus. It’s one of those “surprise” elements I like to incorporate into all my parties. Alternatively, creating a colorful veggie plate with purple cauliflower or heirloom tomatoes, also gets “oohs and aahhs” from guests!
Sometimes the simplest thing can be the most beautiful on your table. That is what I love most about fruits and vegetables, they are so gorgeous and no matter how you arrange them, they WILL look beautiful. This simple vegetable platter was created by my sister for one of our parties a few weeks ago. I bought a large vegetable tray at Sam’s and I’ve used it non-stop for YEARS!! I don’t even bother putting it away, because it gets used on a regular basis. It looks great with all kinds of things, but it looks the BEST with fruits and vegetables. My sister also made sure to separate the colors, which plays a big part in presentation. But all in all, it was one of the simplest food items at our party and the most popular!
I don’t know if you heard the news, but the Kansas City Royals won the World Series!! It’s a pretty big deal in KC. In fact, they closed all the schools yesterday so that everyone can enjoy the Rally and Parade. Over half a million people attended and it was a celebration like no other! And while most of Kansas City was enjoying the parade, I decided to skip the crowds and instead, had a watch party at my house. My friend brought over delicious Dean and Deluca salads, while I created this vegetable platter. Unfortunately, no blue vegetables (Royals color)… but this Kaleidoscope of colors did the trick! The Beet and White Bean hummus was delicious. I found the recipe on Marthastewart.com and played around a little with the ingredients, which I will post at a later date. But for now, Martha’s Beet and White Bean Hummus recipe is very good!!
Who wouldn’t love a Veggie Wheel Plate at your next gathering?! You don’t need those fancy schmancy veggie bowls with the separate compartments for your vegetables, just make your own. I used different colored carrots to separate the vegetables. It was easy and beautiful.
