Eat Like a Rabbit

We are busy travelers. Paul's parents are even busier travelers. My parents used to be busy travelers. We find it very hard to justify purchasing gadgets and souvenirs; spending money on things that will eventually be put away because they do not fit the house decor any more or because we have purchased something even better that deserves that special spot in our home. That is why we advocate purchasing kitchen gear and food-related items on vacation trips.

For an all-girls mini party, I needed a simple mid-afternoon snack to be more of the main dish for a small group. I already had some crackers made of a variety of seeds--flax, poppy, sesame,etc. The crackers have a great and unique flavor. I simply wanted something to add to them. I then selected a plain, but well seasoned hummus and a medium salsa as dips.

Firstly, I guess I lied. I said I would never make mashed potatoes another way after having the Garlic and Rosemary ones. However, I made these mashed potatoes for a pot luck and know that most people like creamy, skinless potatoes with basic flavors. Secondly, I started this recipe using the Barefoot Contessa's "limited time availability" recipe on foodnetwork.tv. (As an FYI, this recipe is only published around the time a show airs due to legal reasons.) However, when I tasted her product, I was disappointed and chose to edit it my way.

This is one of our favorite recipes from "The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet". It allows for much creativity and lets Paul and I make differing concoctions according to our tastes.