Layered Roasted Red Pepper Spread

Although my Mom hardly ever cooks anymore, she still loves to cut out recipes from magazines.  Here's one she sent me, just in time for the holidays.

prep time 15 min
total time 1 hr 15 min
makes 1-1/2 cups spread or 12 servings

Ingredients


1/4 cup roasted red peppers
 5 pitted black olives, chopped
1 tub (12 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese
1/4 cup lightly packed fresh basil
 1 clove garlic, peeled
 2 Tbsp. PLANTERS Sliced Almonds,
 toasted RITZ Crackers

Directions

CUT star shape from 1 pepper, using 1/2-inch cookie cutter; set aside. Chop pepper trimmings and remaining peppers; combine with olives.

USE pulsing action to blend cream cheese spread, basil and garlic in blender until smooth. Wash cream cheese tub; line with plastic wrap, with ends extending over side of tub.

SPOON 1/2 cup cream cheese mixture into tub; top with olive mixture and remaining cream cheese mixture. Press firmly into cup with back of spoon.

REFRIGERATE 1 hour. Unmold cheese spread onto plate; discard plastic wrap. Top cheese spread with nuts and pepper star. Serve with crackers.

Recipe & Photo Kraft Foods

Zucchini Rice With Red Pepper, Onions And Lemon Balm

This big guy rendered a tomato zucchini casserole for eight over the 4th of July and recently we had this delightful rice with sauteed scallops.  What more can you ask for? Well, another meal for four and a wonderful cold paella for an evening on the lake!

I was horrified a couple of days ago to find the butt end of this zucchini sitting in my vegetable drawer.  I hate to throw stuff out, particularly when it is home grown, so that evening I pulled out some scallops and decided to accompany them with a zucchini rice and whatever else I could think of.  Also in the fridge, half of a red pepper, still crisp from who knows when.  Of course, the Lemon Balm is one of the most successful herbs I've grown this summer so that also had to do double duty.

Finally my refrigerator is back to normal from when we entertained guests over the holiday weekend .  I feel so productive, although I still need to work on some of the leftover frozen hamburger rolls that we didn't eat on the 4th of July!

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped zucchini

1/2 chopped red bell pepper

1 small red tomato

1/2 onion

1 TB olive oil

1 TB butter

1 cup Basmati Rice

1/2 cube chicken bouillon

1 1/2 cups water

 2 TB Lemon Balm chopped fine

Pine nuts

Salt and Pepper

Pine nuts, optional*

Directions

Coat the pan with the olive oil and butter.  Add zucchini, red pepper and onion and sautee until al dente. Add chopped tomato and cook for one minute.  You really want to render some pulp here to color and flavor the rice.   Pour the rice, add the water and bouillon cube, salt and bring to a boil.  Add the lemon balm and cover.  Cook rice until done. Correct for salt and pepper. Sprinkle some freshly grated Parmesan Cheese and pine nuts , cover and let sit for about 5 minutes.  Serve with Sauteed Scallops in butter.

*don't add pine nuts if you are planning to use the leftovers for Picnic Paella