Appetizers

Jenny's Potato Pancakes

Ingredients:
3 large Idaho or Yukon potatoes (about 2 pounds)
1 large sweet onion
1 cup matzo meal, medium grain
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1/4 cup olive oil

GARNISH:
Low-fat sour cream
Fresh applesauce

Instructions:
1. Peel and grate the potatoes and onion by hand or in a food processor and put them in a large bowl. (If you grate the potatoes ahead of time, make sure to soak them in water to keep them from turning color, then drain and squeeze when ready to use.)

2. Add the matzo meal and the egg. Sprinkle in the salt and blend everything together until the onions and potatoes are coated with the egg and matzo meal. Let stand for 5 minutes.

3. Wash your hands, then roll a ball of dough just big enough to fit into the palm of your hand, and flatten it out with your palms to make a round cake. Repeat until you have used up all the batter.

4. Set a medium saucepan over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Lay 4 pancakes in the hot oil and cook for 1 minute on each side, until they turn golden brown. Transfer the pancakes to a paper towel to soak up any excess oil. Repeat, adding more olive oil to the pan, until all pancakes are cooked. Serve with sour cream and a side of fresh applesauce.

Nutritional Information:

Per serving (8 servings):
246 calories
8 g total fat (1 g sat)
27 mg cholesterol
39 g carbohydrate
5 g protein
3 g fiber

Wendy's Eggplant-Walnut Pate

8 Servings

Patés are usually made from high-fat meats and liver. They can be delicious and elegant, but not so nutritious. This vegetarian version is still elegant, filled with flavor, but nutritious at the same time. Try it on whole grain crackers.

Ingredients:
1 large eggplant
1 cup walnut pieces
2 teaspoons fresh gingerroot, peeled, grated, and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, mashed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Salt and hot pepper sauce to taste

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Pierce the eggplant with a fork in several places and bake until very soft, about 45 minutes.

2. While the eggplant is baking, grind the walnuts in a food processor until very fine, and set aside.

3. Remove the eggplant from oven, slash to let steam escape, drain off any liquid, and scrape the pulp into a food processor with the gingerroot, garlic, and olive oil. Process until smooth.

4. Add the ground walnuts and allspice, and process until smooth.

5. Season to taste with the salt and hot pepper sauce. Spoon into a small loaf dish and chill several hours or until firm.

Nutritional Information:

Per serving:
98 calories
8 g total fat (1 g sat)
0 mg cholesterol
6 g carbohydrate
2 g protein
2 g fiber
150 mg sodium

Tara's Spinach Dip Cheese Ball

INGREDIENTS

1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (4 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 (.4 ounce) packet dry vegetable soup mix
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

In a large bowl, mix together the spinach, cream cheese, water chestnuts, vegetable soup mix, mayonnaise and Cheddar cheese until well blended. Form into a ball, and roll in chopped walnuts. If the mixture is too soft to form a ball, refrigerate for about 30 minutes to set. Wrap the cheese ball in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight to blend the flavors before serving with your favorite crackers.

Jennifer's Texas Caviar