Forget Fritos, Cheetos and Doritos! Author and chef Claudia McQuillan shows how to make homemade chips and dips -- perfect for any party. Seven-Layer Chunky Guacamole Dip Ingredients: 4 avocados
1 diced onion
Couple of cloves of minced garlic
A squeeze of fresh lime juice
Handful of sliced green onions
Couple of diced tomatoes
Pinch of sea salt
Splash of hot sauce
2 Tbs. aged tequila (or a splash of lemon juice)
Couple of leaves of cilantro, sliced (if so desired)
Black olives or red peppers (your choice)
1/4 lb. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Sour cream (amount will vary according to size of each layer -- your choice)
1/4 lb. American cheese
Roasted red peppers, black olives or green peppers (amount of your choice -- enough to make a layer)
Preparation: Slice the avocados into halves and spoon into a bowl. Tip: To prevent avocados from turning brown, save the pits and bury them back into the guacamole. The pits keep the guacamole from oxidizing and changing color. Add the diced onion, cloves of minced garlic, squeeze of lime juice, handful of sliced green onions, couple of diced tomatoes, pinch of sea salt, splash of hot sauce, 2 tablespoons of aged tequila (or splash of lemon juice if so desired) and a couple of sliced leaves of cilantro into the bowl with the avocado and stir well. Start the layering process with a layer of the guacamole mix in the bottom of a huge bowl (a glass cake bowl was used on-air). The order of the ingredients is your call; on-air the shredded Monterey Jack cheese was added for the next layer. Be sure the layers are even. Add a layer of sour cream, followed by another layer of the guacamole mixture. American cheese is next, followed by a layer of roasted red peppers, black olives or green peppers (your choice to add color, texture and taste). Add another layer of sour cream, followed by more cheese, and top with sliced green onions. Homemade Lemon-and-Thyme Chips Ingredients: Fresh lemon juice
Butter
Extra-virgin olive oil
Fresh thyme
Cracked black pepper
Pinch of sea salt
Fresh pita bread
Preparation: Combine the lemon juice, butter, extra-virgin olive oil, fresh thyme, pepper and a pinch of salt into a bowl. The amount of ingredients will be determined by how many chips you want to make. Slice the pita bread into 16 equal parts (figure A) and place the pieces on a cookie sheet lined with baking parchment, which will help to keep the pieces from burning. Use a pastry brush to lightly coat the chips with the lemon-thyme mixture. Bake at a low heat of 325 degrees until the chips are crisp.
RESOURCES :
Chips and Dips: More Than 50 Terrific Recipes
Model: 0811812715
Author: Claudia McQuillan
(June 1997)
Chronicle Publishing Company
Website: www.chroniclebooks.com
GUESTS :
Claudia McQuillan
Chef / Cookbook Author
For information on McQuillan's book, see Resources, below.
E-mail: claudiamcq@aol.com
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