Almost Uncle Dan's: Vegetable Dip

D2 left for the east coast on Thursday.  I have no idea how her packing went because I wasn't part of the process.  She assured me that she packed everything she needed.  I sure hope so, and it's too late now anyway.  I know what I forgot to be sure she took, but I'll save the whine for another post.

D2 will be home in a few days, and I'm certain she will want to eat white sticky rice (she stuffed herself with rice the few days she was home between trips).  Once she returns, I will need to go back to cooking food she likes:  beef teriyaki, chicken katsu, beef tomato, edamame rice, and anything made with oyster sauce.  Sigh.

When it's just me and The Help, we eat whatevers.  Maybe that's why we've had Jack In The Box multiple times in the past 2 weeks.  I am addicted to their monster tacos.  The Help cannot understand what the draw is, and I can't explain it either.  But I keep ordering the same thing.  Oh, and I MUST get an order of curly fries with the taco.  With D2, the only fast food establishment she recognizes is McD.  Nothing else, and that's why going to Jack In The Box when she isn't around seems equivalent to sneaking around behind her [her=the parents] back.  Maybe that's why the taco tastes even better.

Another naughty thing we've been doing is not eating "real" food for dinner.  We've eaten sweets and appetizers in the late afternoon and called it dinner.  Luckily, we stocked up on an assortment of chips just before D2 left on her first trip.  I like the kettle chips from Costco or the 40% reduced-fat Cape Cod chips (sometimes found at Costco).  Both go great with dip, and this copycat dip is what we've been having.  

Back in the 80s, I remember having a dip made with a supermarket seasoning packet.  It was called Uncle Dan's Southern Dip Mix, and you mixed the dry packet's contents with sour cream and mayonnaise for a totally awesome cold dip for chips or vegetables.  Its been years since I had that dip, and I haven't seen Uncle Dan's anywhere in the local supermarkets, but this is a dip which comes close to the flavor (at least what I remember about the flavor).

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Almost Uncle Dan's Southern Dip

     2/3 c sour cream

     2/3 c mayonnaise

     1/2 tsp dry dill

     1/2 tsp Beau Monde seasoning (Spice Islands)

     1 tbsp chopped green onions

     3 tsp minced fresh parsley

Combine all ingredients.  Chill to blend flavors.  Serve with chips or vegetable sticks.

Food Processor Food: Kamaboko Dip

kamaboko=Japanese pink and white steamed fishcake on a wooden board which is normally sold in plastic shrinkwrap

This past week of work went a lot better than the previous week.  Perhaps my body clock got used to waking up early.  Or perhaps my brain knew it would be a short week for the kids.

We had a student-free day on Friday.  While that might sound dandy, I'll take a day with students any day over a "planning & collaboration day" with adults.  Kids rock.

In spite of my reluctance to even try to enjoy Friday, it actually turned out well.  We got a lot done and I was pleasantly surprised at how well everyone present was so task-oriented.

Since there was hardly any traffic that morning (several other teachers were being tortured the same way), I made a small detour and picked up lunch from Asamis Kitchen.  I nonchalantly asked the counter person to add a wonton to my order.  When I bit into the wonton, I was shocked to find it was filled with some type of kamaboko dip.  I've eaten wonton with imitation crabmeat filling before, but the kamaboko dip in the wonton was a novel taste.  Kamaboko dip wonton is something I need to try on my own someday, maybe when D1 returns, since she says she likes kamaboko dip.  I have never seen D1 eat kamaboko dip.  Ever.  But she says she likes it.  Whatevers.

Anyway, while D1 was home for the holidays, she attended a party at a friend's house.  She took a container of kamaboko dip for sharing.  I had made a triple recipe of kamaboko dip since I knew my cousins would be over so there was more than enough for D1 to take to her party.  When I asked her if she liked the dip, she said she didn't have any.  She said she left the container on the patio with some intoxicated boys, and by the time she made her way back to the patio, the dip was gone.

So while I cannot verify that this dip recipe will work well as a wonton filling, I can attest that it is enjoyed as an accompaniment for chips, crackers, and/or vegetables.  I normally just serve it in a dish, but The Help thought it would be cute to pack it onto a clean kamaboko board in the shape of a kamaboko.  If you decide his idea is worth replicating, shape the kamaboko on the board, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill until ready to serve.  Remove plastic wrap just before serving.

Now you might today might be a good time to try making some kamaboko dip wonton, today being a holiday and all, but I'm a little busy today.  I'm spending the day at work, prepping for tomorrow.  I thought I would be able to get some prep done on Friday, but my time was consumed with other things.  When I thought I might have a moment of breathing room, I had to call the help desk to ask them to fix a mistake created by a colleague.  Apparently the help desk could use some help too.  The person who answered the phone was incompetent and sent me over to the wrong side for help.  When I said, "next time, make it a policy to ask which side I'm calling about before handing me off," the person who took my call said, "please be understanding because we are short staffed."  Dumbass.  My call had nothing to do with staffing!  It took over 30 minutes to get my issue resolves, 25 minutes of which were spent holding for the wrong person. 

 click on recipe title for printable recipe

Kamaboko Dip

     1 block kamaboko, cut into chunks
     2 tbsp celery, minced
     1 tbsp onion, minced
     3/4 c mayonnaise
     1/2 tsp garlic salt

Place kamaboko, celery, and onion, into work bowl of food processor.  Process until kamaboko is chopped fine.  Empty into small mixing bowl.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.  Chill at least 2 hours before serving.

Baked Crab Artichoke Dip

I had a good weekend!

I spent Friday night at a football game.  It was a big game...winner gets to go to the state playoffs, travel to Oahu to play an Oahu team.  A lot was at stake.  At first I thought our boys were too pumped up.  They seemed awfully loud and hyper, but they managed to hold it together on the field.  Now onto the next challenge.

On a whim, The Help and I decided to go to Kona on Saturday.  I wanted to get a large poster printed at Costco and pick up some chips and edamame.  A few minutes out of the driveway, The Help suggested calling the Rents to see if they wanted to tag along.  Gunfunnit!!!  They both agreed!!!  We had to turn around to get them (and wait for Kikukat Mom to get ready).

I was surprised to hear that the Rents hadn't eaten lunch.  Instead of going directly to Kona, we stopped at Tommy Bahama for lunch.  I think they make the best crab bisque.  If I had a copycat recipe, I'd make it at home.  After the cup of crab bisque, I was too full to try a dessert, but there were some neat looking items on the dessert tray.  One of the desserts was made in a pineapple, and there was a gorgeous coconut cake too.  I have a major coconut weakness.  I love anything coconut, including coconut water.

The Rents were well-behaved so we took them to Sansei for dinner.  Kikukat Dad was thrilled that he could consume alcohol without the worry of having to drive home.  After Tommy Bahama, he said he wished he ordered a martini there so he went about fulfilling that wish at Sansei.  Unfortunately, when the food came, he said he wished he ordered a beer instead.  I was shocked when he told the server to bring him a beer.  I tried to drink his martini, but I guess I'm not a fan of Tanqueray.  It smells too much like soap.

The food at Sansei, as always, was delicious.  Kikukat Dad said it was "a hundred times better than Nobu".  I like Sansei, but I don't think it's better than Nobu.  It's different, but it's definitely not a hundred times better...it's not even ten times better!  Kikukat Dad loved the calamari salad, Maui kal bi steak, and rainbow roll.  The only thing he didn't care much for was the mango crab salad hand roll.  He said there was too much grass.  Whatevers.

After eating all that good food on Saturday, I decided to kick off my slippers and stay home on Sunday for a day of tv watching.  I saw Lewis Hamilton get the checkered flag at the United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, TX (one of my favorite places).  I'm glad that Lewis won.  It makes five-straight wins.  I also watched D2's Bronco's get their horsey asses kicked by the Patriots.  The Help keeps raving about how Football Baby can sure pick the winners.

So with all my tv watching yesterday, I made sure I had something good to nosh on.  Yes, yes, I know this is mean...posting a crab recipe when someone in my house is allergic.  But I can't help it, and anyway, she wasn't around for most of the day.  The pictures show the dip being served with buttery crackers, but I enjoy this with potato chips too.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Baked Crab Artichoke Dip

     2 cans (@6 oz) crabmeat, drained well
     1 can (12-13 oz) artichoke hearts, coarsely chopped
     1/2 sweet onion, chopped fine
     4 oz shredded parmesan cheese
     1 1/2 c mayonnaise
     1/4 tsp white pepper

Combine all ingredients.  Spread in a shallow baking dish (1-2 qt).  Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until top is brown.