White Bean-Tahini Dip with Toasted Pitas

Note: I was sent a Labell Board to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

Cutting boards are a staple of any kitchen. They (of course) are used to cut, chop, mince, and dice vegetables, fruits, and protein for meals, but I love to also use them for presentation. There are some cutting boards, like this one from Planches Labell, that need to be shown off!

Labell boards are made from premium Canadian recovered/recycled hardwoods and are produced with the highest production standards. With the new abilities in wood manufacturing Planches Labell has the capacity to take this raw material, otherwise disposed of, and turn it into culinary works of art. Offerings include Rustic Tree-Cut Serving Platters, Paddle Boards, Utility Boards and Butcher Blocks.

To show off this beauty, I decided to make a White Bean-Tahini Dip inspired by a recipe I found on Food Network. This dip is very similar to hummus but uses cannellini beans instead of chickpeas. The added spices of cumin, za’atar, chile powder and garlic powder really amp up the flavor! (Za’atar, specifically the blend I used, is a combination of sumac, thyme, sesame, and salt.)

Ingredients:

Toasted Pita Chips:

  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons za’atar
  • 1 teaspoon chile powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 4 pitas
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

White-Bean Tahini Dip:

  • 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained with liquid reserved
  • 1/2 cup tahini paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon of reserved spices
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • minced chives, for garnish

Other:

  • Baby carrots
  • Broccoli florets
  • Cut celery
  • Grape Tomatoes

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Spiced Apple Two Bite Tarts

I love fall treats, but I can’t really justify making a whole apple pie for just my boyfriend and I; we would be eating it for days! So I love that this month’s Cooking Light had a recipe for mini spiced apple two bite tarts that I can also share with friends. I adapted the recipe slightly, adding some more fall spices. I also didn’t have any 1% milk on hand so I substituted heavy cream. I also topped mine with mascarpone instead of crème fraîche because I thought it would taste great with these tarts.

These are really easy to make; the most difficult part (a.k.a. most time consuming) is dicing the apples. But you definitely want to cut them nice and small so that they fit in the tarts. You also need a mini cupcake tin for this, but you can adapt it to make normal cupcake sized ones if you wanted, just increase the baking time.

Ingredients:

CRUST

  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
  • 1/3 cup very finely chopped toasted pecans
  • Baking spray with flour

FILLING

  • 2 cups finely diced peeled Granny Smith apple (~4 apples)
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1/4 cup mascarpone

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Butternut Squash Agnolotti with Toasted Hazelnut Cream Sauce

What is it about nuts that go so wonderfully with pumpkin and butternut squash dishes? Walnuts, pecans, and hazelnuts just pair so nicely with the flavors of squash. When I first received Buitoni’s Butternut Squash Agnolotti, I knew I wanted to make a hazelnut cream sauce with it. Hazelnuts, like most nuts, taste significantly better when toasted. I have no idea why this is, but I feel the need to always heat nuts for a little while to increase the flavor.
Ingredients:
  • 1 package of Buitoni’s Butternut Squash Agnolotti
  • 1/2 cup hazelnuts, blanched
  • 1 stick of butter
  • 1/4 cup sweet vermouth
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • a pinch each of ginger, allspice, and nutmeg (1/8 teaspoon or less)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Sage leaves, for garnish

Continue reading Butternut Squash Agnolotti with Toasted Hazelnut Cream Sauce

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