Family Chow Hall

101 Uses for Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Crackers

Alright, I guess I can’t think of 101 uses for a cute, tasty little goldfish cracker. But coming up with 11 ways to use them is not a trick at all.

I keep Pepperidge Farm Goldfish crackers in my pantry at all times. They are handy, they are yummy, they are versatile, and they are both mom-and-kid-pleasers.

I buy an extra-big box of goldfish crackers (that’s the size of 3 regular boxes) about once a month. We munch, crunch, and gobble them away.

The things I like most about Pepperidge Farm goldfish crackers:

(Believe it or not, Pepperidge Farm is not paying me for today’s post. I doubt they will ever know about it. How sad.)

So, I will make you wait no longer… Below are 10 good uses for goldfish crackers and 11 great reasons to keep them handy…

Add comment April 28th, 2006

Roasted Red Pepper Party Dip

I’ve been wanting to experiment with roasting red peppers for awhile now, and yesterday I had a little extra time on my hands, so I decided to try a little snack dip made with red pepper.

Red peppers are much sweeter than the regular green ones, so even though you have to pay more for them, they are worth it. Of course, I like green peppers also, but for different uses. No matter which color you choose, bell peppers are an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin A.

Roasting the pepper was fun - I don’t have a gas stove, and didn’t want to light my grill for this, so I turned my oven to broil and did it that way. I placed the washed, uncut pepper on a metal cake pan and placed under the broiler. Nothing happened for a few minutes, but then it began to brown. Using tongs, I turned it several times to brown/blacken the peel all over the pepper. Then I placed it in a brown paper lunch sack and folded the top down to let it steam. While waiting, I took my daughter down to her friend’s house a block away. When I got back, I carefully peeled it and discarded the skin. I split it open and scooped the seeds out. Finally I chopped it up. What I had was tiny chunks of the soft, sweet meat of my red bell pepper.

Then I had to decide exactly what to do with it. Using sour cream and some other stuff, I ended up with a dip that my husband and son finished off during supper. It really was quite yummy, comparable to spinach dip but with that mildly sweet red pepper flavor, and a bit less salty.

Roasted Red Pepper Party Dip
prep. time: 15 minutes

1 red pepper, roasted, peeled, and coarsely chopped
2 green onions, tops cut off
2 or 3 artichoke hearts from the can
1/2 c. sour cream
1/4 c. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1/4 t. garlic powder
OR 1 t. minced garlic
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
1/4 t. dried dill weed

Chop the pepper, onion, and artichoke in a chopper or finely chop by hand. In a separate bowl, cream the sour cream, cream cheese, and mayonnaise together. Add the pepper mixture and the flavoring and stir to combine it all thoroughly.

Use Kashi crackers, breadsticks, raw vegetables such as carrots, celery and cucumber, or even potato or corn chips for dipping devices.

This will make a great dip for holiday parties and potlucks. When you take something homemade and delicious to a gathering, you get a great feeling of satisfaction when you see or hear people exclaiming about how yummy it is!

Enjoy!

1 comment April 26th, 2006

Cheesy Broccoli Soup

Just a quick post today… I’m making myself a bit of cheesy broccoli soup for lunch with leftovers from last night, and thought I’d share with you.

We have leftover broccoli, which is not unusual — when you make a good dinner who wants to eat broccoli? I don’t have much hope that my dear children are going to fight over who gets to eat it for lunch.

The list of health benefits that broccoli brings you is enough to make anyone a fan, from cancer prevention and cardiovascular health to ulcer protection and stronger bones. Check out the World’s Healthiest Foods website.

So, instead of force-feeding this leftover broccoli to my youngsters, I will make a little white sauce, add a few more chopped veggies, and have myself a delicious bowl of cheesy broccoli soup for lunch.

If you aren’t lucky enough to have pre-cooked broccoli in your fridge, just boil some frozen broccoli or chop a little off of a fresh crown of the stuff.

Cheesy Broccoli Soup
makes enough for 2 or 3 bowls

1 c. or so of leftover or already cooked broccoli
1/4 c. chopped celery
1/4 c. chopped carrots
1/4 c. chopped onion
1-2 T. butter
1 T. flour
1 c. milk
2 slices American cheese
dash of pepper
(no need for salt — there’s plenty of sodium in the cheese)

First of all, the broccoli is already cooked and soft, so set it aside - you don’t have to do anything with it yet. Start by sauteing your other vegetables in butter until they are soft. You can save yourself from washing one dish by doing this right in the saucepan that you will prepare the soup in - no need to dirty a skillet unless you are some sort of sicko that actually likes washing dishes. To the soft vegetables and butter, add the flour and stir - it will make a paste. Next, SLOWLY add the milk, stirring as you go. At first this will seem to get thicker and will be very pasty and you’ll wonder if you have any nail holes in your wall to fill with it. Keep adding milk and it will turn into a lovely cream base for your soup. You can add less or more milk to your liking, but NEVER go back and add more flour, you are just begging for lumps. Finally, you can add the broccoli and cheese, and heat until the cheese is melted. Ta-Da! A delicious, homemade soup that will satisfy you without dangerously expanding your waistline.

Add comment April 25th, 2006