Rae Udy

RECIPES: Cowboy Caviar, Jalapeno Spread, Date Crescent Rolls

By Rae Udy

Getting together with friends and family is all part of the fun on New Year’s Eve and nutritious, festive appetizers are perfect foods to have on hand for guests to munch on during the party.
Sneak in your lucky black-eyed peas with Cowboy Caviar. Serve surrounded by baked corn chips for a vegan low-fat and protein packed dip. One cup cooked black-eyed peas contain 12 grams protein and has no cholesterol. These nutritious legumes are also a good source of calcium and iron.
Low-fat cream cheese combine with tofu and hot peppers in Jalapeno Spread to add fire and spice to the festivities. Serve this dip warm with whole grain crackers and hearty chips or spread on warm tortillas.
Date Crescent Rolls add a sweet touch to the New Year’s celebrations. These look difficult to make but really are a snap when using vegetarian-friendly refrigerated crescent rolls. These little bites look elegant when arranged on a platter at the buffet table. Wishing you a Happy New Year in 2006.

COWBOY CAVIAR
2 fifteen ounce cans black-eyed peas
1 large tomato, cut into pea-size pieces
¼ (one-quarter) cup finely chopped green onions with tops
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped fine
Salt and pepper to taste
Rinse and drain black-eye peas. Place in a bowl and add all remaining ingredients. Toss gently to mix. Cover tightly and chill overnight. When ready to serve, transfer to a serving dish and serve with tortilla chips, crackers or warm tortillas. Yields three cups dip.

JALAPENO SPREAD
1 eight ounce package low fat cream cheese
1 eight ounce package soft tofu, drained
¼ (one-quarter) cup chopped jalapeno slices
1 small red pepper, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ (one-half) teaspoon cumin powder
Place cream cheese and tofu in a food processor or blender and mix on low speed until smooth. Add jalapeno slices, red pepper and spices. Process until blended. Pour into a small microwave safe bowl. Cover and chill for four hours or overnight. When ready to serve, remove cover and heat in microwave on High for one or two minutes until warm. Serve as a spread for crackers, warm tortillas, or sandwiches. Yields two cups.

DATE CRESCENT ROLLS
1 eight-ounce package chopped and pitted dates
1 cup orange juice
¾ (three-quarter) cup quick-cooking oatmeal
½ (one-half) teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 packages of crescent rolls (found in dairy case), eight rolls each
1 egg white, lightly beaten
Combine dates and orange juice in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until simmering while stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer five minutes or until very thick, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in oatmeal and cinnamon. Set aside to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Remove cardboard from rolls and place dough on cookie sheet. Spread filling over dough to within one-half inch of edges. Carefully slice dough along cut lines. Roll up from the wide ends to tips and curve slightly to form crescents. Place on lightly oiled cookie sheets. Brush each roll with egg white. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool two minutes. Place on tray and serve warm or cold. Yields 16 crescents.