Bread, Olive Oil and Grapes

Ah, the memories of summer. When I was a child, my mother used to often interrupt our play to bring us snacks. She made bread once a week and on that day, she would slice a fresh loaf, spread it with a light brushing of olive oil and a tiny bit of salt. Then she would either slice grapes on top of it or bring the grapes to us in a small side dish.

I can't tell you what it is about this snack, but the three ingredients together are outstanding. It is a marriage of taste that explodes on your tastebuds.

To this day, I make myself this snack, even though it's never as good as my mom used to make.

But it's healthy and simple and quick. It's a wonderful taste of Italy that is sure to impress!

Garpey's Crab Dip

My brother-in-law, Gary, is a fantastic cook. If there's someone in this world who knows good food, it's Gary. Just this weekend, he made an awesome dip and everyone at the party was raving about it. Needless to say, he got many requests for the recipe, including one from me. Fair warning - it's very garlicky, so if you're not a garlic fanatic like me, then you might want to reduce the number of cloves. But this is worth a try and was a great hit!

Ingredients:

1 Package cream cheese
½ Cup of sour cream
¼ Cup of Mayonnaise
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Can of artichoke hearts chopped fine
1 Can of crab meat
½ to ¾ Cup of parmesan cheese
Dash of salt
Pinch of white pepper (I tend to add a bit more than a pinch!)
6-8 Cloves of pressed garlic
Slivered almonds-on top

Directions:

Mix cream cheese and sour cream well.
Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well
Cover the top of the dip with slivered almonds
Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit
Enjoy!

Fried Zucchini Cakes

These were simply delicious and another family favourite.

3 zucchini squash grated
1 egg
2 tbsp. milk
1 c. dry bread crumbs
Oil for frying
1/2 c. mozzarella cheese shredded
3 tbsps Italian seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper

Grate zucchini. Place in a colander and drain. After a few minutes, turn zucchini onto a clean dish cloth. Raise the four corners and squish and squeeze until no more water runs through the cloth.

Put into a bowl and add remaining ingredients. Shape into palm size cakes. Fry until golden brown. Best eaten warm but also delicious at room temperature. A good summer recipe.

Can be served with slices of fresh lemon or dip in garlic mayonaisse.

Incredible Edible Bean Dip

My family rants and raves about this dip. I get the same reaction whenever I bring it to a party. It's easy to make, easy to freeze, and always a hit.

1 14 ounce can refried beans
4 to 6 chopped green onions
1/4 cup of chopped jalapeno peppers
1 500 ml container of sour cream
1 8 ounce bar of cream cheese
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 cup grated cheddar
1/2 lb ground beef (cooked)

Soften cream cheese.
Add refried beans, sour cream, taco seasoning, jalapenos, and green onions.
Add cooked ground beef.
Mix all ingredients together and pour into pie dish.
Cover with grated cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

This dish freezes well so you can make it ahead of time!