Hey everyone!
As promised I am going to do a quick re-cap of Sunday night’s Dinner Party Menu:
Up first:
My Aunt’s Spinach Dip
I have been using my Aunt’s recipe for years. It is fabulous:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup and 1/3 cup frozen, thawed, chopped, and drained spinach (or one 10 oz. package frozen spinach)
- 1 Cup Mayonaise
- 1 Cup sour cream
- 3 Green onions chopped
- 1 Package of dry vegetable Soup Mix
Directions: Mix everything together and chill for 2 hours! Serve with Pumpernickle bread and/or veggies.
How I would make this recipe healthier:
- Use low-fat mayo and sour cream
- Use a reduced sodium vegetable soup mix
Up second:
Cheryl’s Spinach Cheesy Pasta Casserole
I didn’t put cheese on my half since I don’t eat dairy much anymore:
Pure deliciousness.
This pasta was really good, even without ANY cheese!
How I would make this recipe healthier next time:
- Use whole wheat or Spelt pasta
- Reduce the Olive Oil to 1/8th cup (1/4 c. was unnecessary)
- Reduce or eliminate cheese
- Double the spinach (I loved the spinach in this recipe and found myself wishing there was more of it!)
Up next:
Ok, I admit I really messed up this recipe! Since I was in a rush, I just threw all the ingredients into my KitchenAid Mixer with the dough blade on and mixed. Do not do this! As we all know with making bread, it requires a careful attention to the order of ingredients and the mixing. Instead of fluffy rolls, I got dense biscuits. It was nothing a little butter couldn’t fit though. :) I guess it could have been worse for my first (rushed) attempt at making rolls! Next!
I used Yellow Tail Shiraz and marinated it in the fridge overnight.
Instead of cooking it for 45 mins in the oven, I slow cooked it in my slow cooker for 6 hours on low. It has a wonderful Shiraz flavour infused taste. I used green onions instead of a regular onion and it was a nice touch. I also skipped the celery (didn’t have any) and I used frozen thawed garlic instead of garlic powder.
And last but certainly not least, the Show Stopper:
Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
This cake was a show stopper for sure. I heard ‘Martha Stewart’ uttered several times. :) I used about 1/2 cup of raisins, but I would double that next time. I also used about 3/4 cup walnuts in the cake and sprinkled the top with more.
How I would try to make this cake healthier:
- Reduce the sugar from 2 cups to 1-1.5 cups??
- Recude oil to 1/2 to 3/4 cup, substitute with either applesauce and/or pumpkin??
- Reduce the eggs from 4 to 3??
Next time I am going to experiment with this recipe a bit to see if I can make it healthier while still tasting amazing.
Although, maybe it is better left untouched. It is sheer delight.
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“Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”
Abraham Lincoln
Hey Ange!! I got the lara bar you sent me today!! The poor card went through the war to get to me (see my blog, LOL). I can’t wait to try it!! Thanks again for being so sweet and sending me one. And I may not comment every day but I’m here reading everyday!! Love you blog!!
Melissa
http://ahappyandhealthylife.blogspot.com/
Um, can I have dinner at your house?? All of that looks amazing, your guests were so lucky to have a hostess like you! :)
I am sooo disappointed in Oprah. I did not see the show today, but I’ve seen all the hype about her weight gain. Obviously she doesn’t truly “get it” because (1) she continually yo-yos her weight, and (2) she is focused on her looks, not her health. I HATE what she said about having nothing if her clothes don’t fit. That is the brainwash that is poisining our minds today, and it hurts to see someone as influential as Oprah say that.
9 in ’09 is a really cool idea! I’ve got to think of some things, I think a 5k is definitely on my list!
great post! i love your 9 goals. and i agree about oprah — and i think her last comment about the clothes fitting is sad! she is OPRAH, after all. it is not a good message to send to america’s kids and teens, many of whom are (directly or indirectly) influenced by her show.
i do want her to get healthier and i agree with some of the things she said (about exercise, about making herself a priority and planning ahead) but the end was sad.
which is the may 10 marathon? i will be doing one on may 3rd. yay!
Lots of comments:
1. my mom used to make that dip and I LOVE it!! I don’t what it is about it but its so delicious :)
2. All your dinner party food looks amazing, I really want to have more dinner parties but it’s just hard in my current apt its hard. I can’t wait to buy a house this year!
3. I must make that pork tenderloin.
4. I think Oprah will do great again loosing weight but who knows if she’ll keep it off knowing her track record. She has all the resource in the world open to her so theres really no reason for her not to. I also hate diets, I hate listening to my aunts talk about their latest diet and then 4 months later they gain it all back, they ask me how I did it, yet no one seems to really listen…oh well.
5. LOVE the 9 new things for ’09!! I think I need to add that too!
6. the lace dress is from Banana Repulic and on sale right now!! I actually bought and returned it twice since the first time I bought it ebcuase I kept getting better discounts hehe! And your so sweet thank you! Not like your not majoly pretty too!
Another great post! Thanks for taking the time to show us an array of interesting things every day!
Wowza!! I would love to be a guest at one of your dinner parties, Angela – you’re a top-notch host and cook!! :-D
love the recipes and all the goods! everything looks great!
i do like that 9 in 9 challenge idea.. its worth me looking at for myself! :)
wow, everything looks terrific!
Wow fantastic ideas for my next lunch with my friends.
Bye from Italy by
Cakeitaly.com – A taste of Italian sweets
I just made a fabulous spinach-asparagus dip that I put in bread bowl! There’s something about the bread bowl that made it extra special for me, haha. I loved it!
Your 9 in ’09 sound fabulous! Starting an online bakery sounds like a great idea to me!
This might get a little personal :P but do you find that since you stopped eating/drinking dairy foods that its helped with digestion? I used to get bloated really easily and I could never figure out why… as soon as I cut out dairy I noticed a huge improvement in my digestive system. I also noticed that my skin started to look much healthier and I haven’t broken out at all. My sister noticed all of these things in herself when she cut out dairy too! Just wondering if you had any similar experiences!
Good idea on the plan meals daily.
When you learn to install hardwood in your home, you will get the best butt/back/ leg workout you have ever had. The past 2 days I’ve laid 4 rooms of hardwood as a gift to my mother. It looks great! I am so tired and sore.. LOL!
Online bakery and a cookbook?
You are the hardest working gal that I know!!
I watched that Oprah today. I really liked what she had to say. I LOVE “What are you really hungry for.” That really rung true to me. I think she is just plugging Bob Greene, but she really means she’s getting back on the healthy eating diet – in general. And I think what she means about that fame and fortune when you have nothing is to put the fame in perspective. She’s not saying it doesn’t matter, but even for someone as famous as she is, she still struggles with her self.
Thanks for the shout out hun! Those are 8 AWESOME things for the new year! Can’t wait to see what number 9 is!!!
www.modbehav.com
Hey girl, I think I found a healthier version for an artichoke dip.. not quite spinach dip but it does have spinach in it!
Check it out: http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/9709?section=
I decided to make it for my (Italien ) parents in law. Wish me luck
Hi Angela! First off your a goddess of health thank you thank you thank you!!
being such a goddess of such foods you probably know of this already but veganaise is a delish substitute for mayo. It’s vegan and so tasty! If you haven’t had it you must try it!