Category:  Fun Foods

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Granita is a frozen Italian dessert, usually made with fresh fruit. It’s similar to sorbet. This melon granita recipe is so easy to make. The freezer does it all, even while you sleep. Enjoy this cool dessert on a hot summer day!

Active Prep Time: 5 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 4 hours or overnight
Makes: 4 half-cup servings

Ingredients:
2 cups melon cubes (cantaloup or honeydew)
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Juice from 1/2 of a lime
One small watermelon and melon scooper (for garnish)
Fresh mint sprigs (optional)

Directions:
1. In a blender, combine the melon, water, sugar and lime juice; puree until smooth.

2. Gently pour the melon mixture into a 9-inch round metal baking pan; transfer it to a freezer, uncovered.

3. Freeze the melon mixture for 4 hours or overnight.

4. After the melon mixture has become frozen, prepare the watermelon balls.

5. Using a melon scooper, form about 32 to 36 watermelon balls and place them on a plate; cover and store the watermelon balls in refrigerator.

6. Saving remaining watermelon for another use.

7. Meanwhile, place pan with frozen melon mixture on a counter.

8. Using a fork, make scrape-marks in the frozen melon mixture.

9. The scraping will create flakes – this is the “granita”.

10. Continue scraping until all the granita is made.

11. Divide the granita among 4 half-cup glass or porcelain bowls such as ramekins.

12. Place the bowls on a small, individual plates – garnish with watermelon balls and fresh mint sprigs. Serve immediately.
Text & Photograph ©2022 Nancy DeLucia Real

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This is the best hummus we’ve ever made- it’s delicate, sweet and velvety. Make this Velvety Beet Hummus in five minutes. It’s a great starter for all palates!

Prep time: 5 minutes
Makes: about 3 to 3-1/2 cups

Ingredients:
One 14-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained
1 to 2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons Tahini (this is sesame seed paste, available in Middle Eastern section of supermarkets)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons sunflower or safflower oil (or your choice of vegetable oil)
Juice from 1 to 1-1/2 limes
1 cup diced, cooked beets

Directions:
1. In a food processor, combine the garbanzo beans, garlic, Tahini, salt, olive oil, vegetable oil and lime juice.

2. Process to a paste.

3. Add the beets; process the mixture until smooth (you will see tiny specks of beet in the hummus).

4. Taste and, if needed, adjust salt and lime juice levels.

5. Transfer the hummus to a glass or porcelain serving bowl; garnish with olive oil and mint leaves. Serve with pita bread wedges, crackers or tortilla chips.

6. NOTE: This Velvety Beet Hummus can be made up to two days ahead, tightly sealed and refrigerated. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.
Text & Photograph ©2022 Nancy DeLucia Real

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Hungry while working at home but you only have a package of tortillas and some jack cheese in the fridge? Don’t fret – make this gourmet Tortilla Pizza in an instant! For more servings, just double, triple or quadruple the recipe.

Prep time: 3 to 5 minutes (includes broiling)
Serves: 1

Ingredients:
1 flour or corn tortilla (I used a six-inch corn tortilla)
1/4 to 1/3 cup mixed, shredded Jack Cheese & Mozzarella Cheese
Add a fav topping such as sliced olives, salami or prosciutto bits  (I added marinated sun-dried tomato pieces)

Directions:
1. Place the tortilla on a baking sheet (no parchment paper or it will burn underneath broiler).

2. Spread cheese over top of tortilla; top with fav topping.

3. Place the baking sheet on a rack positioned six inches from top oven broiler grill.

4. Turn on oven at “BROIL” setting.

5. Broil the tortilla pizza for 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese has melted and turned light golden brown. NOTE: Stand watch to prevent charring.

6. Enjoy the Tortilla Pizza alone or make more for your friends and/or family!
Text & Photograph ©2022 Nancy DeLucia Real

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Macha Salsa or Salsa Macha has its origins in the state of Veracruz, Mexico. It is a crunchy, nutty chile oil made with a variety of dried chiles, nuts, garlic, fried in oil and chopped. You can tweak it to your taste.

Spice up the holidays with this exquisite salsa that is served as a condiment. Spoon it over meats, fish, chicken, veggies, frittatas. I’ve been known to eat it by the spoonfuls.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Inactive prep time: 10 minutes
Makes: About 1-1/2 cups

Ingredients:
2 guajillo peppers (dried)
3 ancho peppers  (dried)
3 to 4 dried chile de arbol peppers (use 3 if you want a milder salsa)
1/4 cup unsalted, roasted peanuts
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1-1/2 cups high-quality vegetable oil (preferably, organic canals, sunflower or safflower oil)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Salt, to taste (start with 1/2 teaspoon; taste and adjust level when salsa is finished)

Directions:
1. Remove seeds and stems from the guajillo, ancho peppers and chiles de arbol.

2. Using shears, cut them into small bits (1/4-inch pieces); set aside.

3. Place the peanuts, garlic and the oil in a 6 to 8-quart saucepot (this will prevent splatters). Alternatively, use a 12-inch skillet.

4. Heat the oil, peanuts and garlic to medium-high.

5. Fry the ingredients until garlic is light brown (not dark brown).

6. Immediately remove saucepot or skillet from heat; stir in the dried pepper pieces.

7. Let the mixture cool for 8 to 10 minutes.

8. After 8 to 10 minutes, stir in the vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Taste and adjust salt level, if needed.

9. Pour the mixture into a glass blender or glass food processor. DO NOT USE PLASTIC AS IT WILL PERMANENTLY STAIN.

10. Pulse-blend the mixture to achieve a crunchy, crumbly salsa – DO NOT OVERPROCESS; DO NOT PUREE.

11. Pour the salsa into a GLASS JAR WITH A COVER (mason jars work well). Tightly seal and refrigerate the salsa up to 6 weeks.
Text & Photograph ©2021 Nancy DeLucia Real

NOTE: THIS CBD HEMP RECIPE IS FOR ADULTS 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER.

IF YOU WANT TO SERVE THIS RECIPE TO UNDERAGE INDIVIDUALS, PLEASE OMIT THE KICKBACK FULL SPECTRUM TINCTURE®.

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Here’s an appetizer that’s guaranteed to make Dad “chill” on Fathers’ Day!

Prep time: 30 minutes
Makes: 15 servings

For the Shells:
One 1.9 ounce package – fully baked Athens Phyllo Shells® (available on Instacart)

For the Salsa:
4 ripe plum tomatoes
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1/3 cup corn kernels
Juice from 1/2 lime
1/4 cup minced cilantro leaves
salt, to taste
2 pumps Kickback® Full Spectrum CBD Tincture.

For the Avocado Filling:
1 large Haas avocado (very ripe)
Juice from 1 lime
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt, to taste
2 pumps Kickback® Full Spectrum CBD Tincture
1 small food storage bag (Ziploc® brand)

Directions:
1. In a glass or porcelain bowl, stir all the salsa ingredients together.

2. Taste for seating and set aside, covered.

3. Meanwhile, in a food processor, stir all the avocado ingredients together.

4. If avocado does not puree well, stir in a little more olive oil until it becomes slightly creamy.

5. Spoon the avocado cream into a corner of a small plastic food storage bag.

6. With the bag open, gently push the avocado cream as far as it can go into the corner.

7. Using scissors, cut off a 1/4-inch tip.

8. Place all the phyllo shells on a serving platter.

9. Holding bag tightly, pipe the avocado cream into half of the phyllo shells (you may have some cream left over).

10. Fill the remaining half of the phyllo shells with the salsa (you may have some salsa left over).

11. Serve immediately or cover with aluminum foil and store in refrigerator up to 30 minutes before serving.
NOTE: If you want more “chill” for Dad to relax, add 1/2 pump extra to each the salsa and to the avocado filling.
Text & Photograph ©2021 Nancy DeLucia Real