Keeley's Super Easy Dips

Bob's Mango Avocado Salsa - ready to stir and serve

Keeley's Four-Ingredient Guacamole - scoop and enjoy

You’ve met my daughter Keeley in my kitchen on previous occasions (she made Chocolate Pretzel Chip Cookies and Pumpkin Dog Cookies). On a recent visit with the parental unit, she treated us to these quick and simple dips. Both were delicious.

The first she calls Bob’s Mango Avocado Salsa. Bob is a student in the Foods Class at the high school where Keeley teaches. The Foods Class held an Iron Chef competition and Keeley was asked to be one of judges. This salsa was one of Keeley’s favourite entries that day. And when you try it, you’ll know why. It’s so good.

The second dip is a Four-Ingredient Guacamole. Again, very easy to put together. Keeley tells me she didn’t think she liked guacamole or even avocados until tasting some guacamole earlier this year. Now she’s a fan. Just shows how our tastes and appreciation of different foods change over time. Every now and then, it’s good to try a food you’ve previously steered away from; you might be surprised.

Cuban Oregano

Keeley brought most of the ingredients with her and thought she would find the rest in mom’s pantry. Alas, I did not have the sriracha sauce or cilantro she needed. Keeley substituted a Mexican picante chili sauce for the sriracha in the guacamole. In place of the cilantro, she used Cuban oregano, which was handily growing in my kitchen. Not truly an Origanum, Cuban oregano’s Latin name is coleus amboinicus. It is used as a culinary herb in Latin America. I got my first cuttings of it years ago at course put on by Dave Hanson of Sage Garden Herbs. The soft, succulent leaves of the Cuban oregano plant have a sweet, spicy aroma and were just the right addition to the Mango Avocado Salsa. I am so proud of the way my daughters can so easily make substitutions in, tweak and create recipes. (Hey, they're better at it than Mom, but they probably already know that, too.)

Bob’s Mango Avocado Salsa

Mango prep for salsa

3 mangoes, peeled, pitted and diced

1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced

Juice of 1 lime

1 tsp cilantro or Cuban oregano, minced

Mix all ingredients together.

Serve at once with tortilla chips or refrigerate for up to 2 days.

This salsa can also be served as an accompaniment to grilled fish.

Printable Recipe for Bob's Mango Avocado Salsa

Keeley’s Four-Ingredient Guacamole

Avocado prep for guacamole

2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and mashed

1 tomato, seeded and diced

Juice of ½ lime

3 to 4 tbsp Sriracha sauce or other hot pepper sauce

Mix all ingredients together.

Serve at once with tortilla chips or refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Printable Recipe for Keeley's Four-Ingredient Guacamole

Allie: Can I help?

Tomato Lentil Soup with Parmesan-crusted BBAT

Tomato Lentil Soup with Parmesan-crusted BBAT Sandwich

Have you ever tried to recreate something you had at a restaurant? Has that ever lead you to create something that was not quite the same, but darned delicious anyway? That’s what happened to me last week.

Early in February, I took a short, basketball-related trip to Kelowna with my daughter Keeley. We had lunch at a friendly, downtown sports bar. One of those places with signed sports memorabilia covering the walls and smiling people at every table. I can’t remember the name of the place, but I know from what we ate that there was a great chef in the kitchen. My daughter and I ordered the same lunch special: tomato basil soup with a parmesan-crusted grilled cheese, bacon and avocado sandwich. It was the most memorable soup and sandwich I'd had in a long time. The MA in the Kitchen version of this became Tomato Lentil Soup with a Parmesan-crusted grilled cheese sandwich made with Brie, Bacon, Avocado and Tomato. I present them here for your enjoyment, with special thanks to the chef in Kelowna who inspired this re-creation.

For my soup, I used white lentils, but you can use any kind of lentil you want, as you will be cooking them before adding them to the soup. (Canned lentils are okay, too.) Cooked lentils are good for you: high in calcium, potassium, zinc and iron. I used canned tomatoes, which made the soup really quick and easy to prepare.

For my sandwich, I used a triple-crème goat Brie because it was in the fridge (a special treat for me from my husband). You could substitute any creamy soft cheese, but I recommend trying this one for its richness and tang. I think an aioli sauce would be great on this sandwich and will try it next time. If you try it before I do, please let us know how it worked out. Because of the extreme nature of this grilled cheese, it comes with a warning: you will need extra napkins to eat this cheesy, buttery, bacon-y sandwich and because it is very cheesy, buttery and bacon-y, it's best not to indulge in it too frequently. 

Okay, let’s start with the soup.

MA's Tomato Lentil Soup

A few things you'll need for the soup

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp garlic, minced

1 medium onion, diced

1 cup celery, diced

1 cup carrots, diced

6 cups vegetable stock

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes including juice

1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes

2 cups cooked or canned lentils*

½ tsp cayenne pepper

½ tsp turmeric

*To cook lentils: Wash 1 cup of lentils in cold water. Place in saucepan with 3 cups water and bring to boil. Boil furiously, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent sticking. Cover the saucepan, lower heat and simmer for 25 to 45 minutes or until lentils are cooked through.

Stirring in the love: an important step

In a large soup pot, sauté garlic, onions, celery and carrots in olive oil on medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent.

Add the stock, tomatoes, lentils, pepper and turmeric and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Printable Recipe for MA's Tomato Lentil Soup

MA's Parmesan-crusted BBAT 

BBAT sandwich ingredients

To make 4 sandwiches:

8 slices bread, your favorite kind

½  180 gram wheel Triple-Crème Goat Brie, cut into about 12 pieces

3 or 4 Roma tomatoes, sliced

1 avocado, cut into about 12 slices

6-8 strips bacon, cooked quite crisp

several tablespoons of mayonnaise

several tablespoons of butter

1/3 to 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, coarsely grated

Building the BBAT

To assemble each sandwich: 

• spread mayonnaise on the inside of both slices of bread
• add 3 or 4 pieces of Brie 
• add tomato slices 
• add avocado slices 
• add bacon 
• top sandwich with second slice of bread

Topping the bread with butter and Parmesan

Spread outside top slice with butter. Put Parmesan on buttered bread and pat down slightly to keep it in place.

Once you’ve built all 4 sandwiches, place them Parmesan-side down in a non-stick frying pan on medium heat. 

After a few minutes, check the Parmesan-side of the sandwiches to see if the Parmesan is crispy and well toasted. When it is, it's time to spread some butter on the top of each sandwich and add the Parmesan, patting it down on to the bread. Carefully flip over each sandwich and cook until the second side is crispy.

Get out the napkins and enjoy!

Printable Recipe for MA's Parmesan-crusted BBAT Sandwich

Time for soup