3 Easy 5-minute Dips

If you’re having people over for the big game, or even if you’re watching with immediate family, or heck, if you’re watching the game by yourself, you know that you want dips and chips and other finger food at your side. Here’s some easy dips for you to indulge:

Blue Cheese Dip: Not much to this crucial Buffalo wing condiment.

1/4 pound blue cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon white vinegar
Salt to taste

Put the blue cheese in a bowl and mash with a fork until a paste forms. Whisk in the remaining ingredients until you have a smooth sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Hummus: If you need a break from the guac (an unlikely scenario, but still) this is basically just a can of chickpeas with a few other odds and ends.

1 (16-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (optional)

Add chickpeas into the bowl of a food processor, along with lemon juice, garlic, and 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning if you want an extra kick. Begin to purée the mixture, slowly adding the olive oil through the feed tube of the food processor until an emulsion, or creamy consistency, forms. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spicy, Melty Cheese Dip: We’re into recipes with minimal labor and huge pay-off. This couldn’t epitomize that lazyman philosophy more—in fact, it’s not even a recipe technically.

1 cup Cheddar (from the block or Velveeta)
1 tablespoon salsa
2 or 3 tablespoons milk

Just microwave a the cheese with the salsa for 30 seconds, then stir in the milk. Done!

Source:http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/3-easy-5-minute-dips-581337/print/

Honey-Soy Broiled Salmon

Ingredients:

• 1 scallion, minced
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 pound center-cut salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 4 portions
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Procedures:

1. Whisk scallion, soy sauce, vinegar, honey and ginger in a medium bowl until the honey is dissolved.
2. Place salmon in a sealable plastic bag, add 3 tablespoons of the sauce and refrigerate; let marinate for 15 minutes.
3. Reserve the remaining sauce.
4. Preheat broiler. Line a small baking pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. Transfer the salmon to the pan, skinned-side down. (Discard the marinade).
5. Broil the salmon 4 to 6 inches from the heat source until cooked through, 6 to 10 minutes.
6. Drizzle with the reserved sauce and garnish with sesame seeds.
7. Serve

Source: http://www.cooking.com/Recipes-and-More/recipes/Honey-Soy-Broiled-Salmon-recipe-9743.aspx

Spicy Chicken Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice or long-grain white rice (10 to 11 ounces)
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons finely grated orange peel
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 small red onion, halved, thinly sliced Large pinch of dried crushed red pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken cutlets, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
• 1 8-ounce package stringless sugar snap peas

Procedures:

1. Cook rice according to package directions. Cover to keep warm; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, whisk juice, soy sauce, and cornstarch in medium bowl until cornstarch dissolves. Mix in orange peel.
3. Heat oil in large wok or nonstick skillet over high heat. Add onion and crushed red pepper. Stir-fry 30 seconds.
4. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add to wok and stir-fry until onion is crisp-tender and chicken is just cooked through, about 4 minutes.
5. Add sugar snap peas and juice mixture. Toss until sauce thickens and comes to boil and peas are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Serve with rice.

Source: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spicy-Orange-Chicken-Stir-Fry-353398

Ginger Garlic Green Beans

Ingredients:

• 1 pound green beans, trimmed
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon grated peeled ginger
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar (not seasoned)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted

Procedures:

1. Cook beans in a 6-quart pot of boiling well-salted water, uncovered, until just tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Drain in a colander, then plunge into an ice bath to stop cooking. Drain beans and pat dry.
2. Meanwhile, mince and mash garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt, then stir together with soy sauce, ginger, vinegar, and oils in a large bowl.
3. Add beans and toss.
4. Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Source: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Ginger-Garlic-Green-Beans-354956

Corn on the Cob with Butter

Ingredients:

• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 7 ounces feta, finely crumbled (1 1/2 cups)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped mint
• 8 large ears of corn, shucked, each cob cut crosswise into 4 pieces

Procedures:

1. Stir together butter, feta, mint, and a rounded 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl.
2. Cook corn in a large pot of boiling water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.
3. Transfer with tongs to butter mixture and toss until well coated.
4. Serve

Garlic and Cheese Crostini

Ingredients:

• 24 (1/3-inch-thick) baguette slices (from a baguette at least)
• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
• 3/4 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano (preferably imported)
• 5 large garlic cloves, minced
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Procedures:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
2. Arrange bread slices in 1 layer on a large baking sheet and brush tops with 3 tablespoons oil.
3. Stir together remaining tablespoon oil, cheese, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle each slice with about 1 teaspoon cheese mixture, mounding it slightly.
4. Bake until topping just starts to melt, 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and kosher salt to taste.
5. Serve warm.

Source: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Garlic-and-Cheese-Crostini-355471

Crock Pot Chicken Cordon Bleu

Ingredients:

• 6 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 6 pieces thinly sliced ham
• Swiss cheese, shredded or sliced
• 1 can Cream of Chicken or Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 1 box of Stove Top Stuffing
• 1 stick of butter, melted

Procedures:

1. Combine stuffing mix with melted butter and soup.
2. Spray the bottom of the crock pot with cooking spray to keep chicken from sticking.
3. Place chicken on the bottom, then top with ham, Swiss cheese, and stuffing-butter-soup mix.
4. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.
5. Serve.

Source: http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/crock-pot-chicken-cordon-bleu-recipe-562570/