Sherri, Author at Splash of Sherri

Amazing 1 – 2 – 3 Hummus!

Posted on June 7, 2014 by Sherri

In 2014 there was a hummus shortage! The humble hummus, an irresistible Mediterranean dip made with chickpeas, tahini, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and salt got its 15 minutes of fame. Thankfully, that’s been over for quite some time (10 years to be exact!) That’s when I wrote this post. Today I went back to update my recipe and when I read it, was so surprised it was written 10 years ago, where has the time gone? Since then, I’ve made so much hummus and topped it with a variety of delicious things I list later on in the post, so read on!

It’s really easy to make and once you do, you’ll never buy store bought again. You basically put everything into a food processor and let it do it’s job. I even tried my hand at baking pita bread which came out really good. There is a restaurant I love that bakes delicious whole wheat pita and it’s the perfect match for my hummus!

Today, I made what I call 1 – 2 – 3 hummus because I used canned chickpeas. Traditionally it’s made by using dried chickpeas, but that takes too long so I went with canned. If you plan ahead and have the time, definitely use dried. This recipe is so easy and delicious on its own, but I’ve also started to top my hummus with a variety of toppings. When I was in Israel a few years ago I found the best part of hummus is the toppings! One of my favorites there was a hummus topped with roasted eggplant. It was amazing! Here are some other ideas you might like: whole seasoned chickpeas, matbucha, Israeli salad, olives, harissa, roasted garlic, a drizzle of olive oil, fresh herbs, a sprinkle of zaatar, sundried tomatoes, everything bagel seasoning, or one of my new favorites, matbucha from NY Shuk that I bought at Whole Foods – it’s amazing! Today I served it with olive tapenade, and it was the perfect compliment to my creamy hummus! However you top it, or don’t top it, dip in and Enjoy!

Total Cooking Time: 15 minutes Yield: 4 1/2 cups hummus or 20 1/4 cup servings

2 cans chickpeas drained and rinsed
1 cup tahini
1/4 cup water (more or less depending on how thick you like it)
juice from 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves minced (more or less according to taste)
1 teaspoons salt (more if you like)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

In the bowl of a food processor, add 2 cans of drained and rinsed chickpeas, tahini, 1/4 cup water, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and cumin. Process for 20 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and pulse again for 20 seconds. If it’s not thin enough, add a little more water and pulse a few times until blended. I like it very creamy so I’ll let the processor run until the desired texture. Keep in mind it will thicken once in the fridge but you can always thin it out with a little water if you need to. I hope you try it!

Follow me on Instagram!

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Sherri

Hey everyone, just got an account on Instagram. Follow me to get updates on my daily food finds and up to date info when I have a new post!

Fruit Bowl

Posted on May 31, 2014 by Sherri

When I have a dinner party, I like to cook and prepare everything myself. If someone wants to bring something I’m happiest with wine and fruit. I think that’s a great hostess helper. So I suppose for me Sangria would be a bonus! You know, fruit in the wine! Many years ago I invited a family for dinner and when asked what they could bring I said “how about fruit?” What a surprise when they showed up with a tremendous bowl filled with a small can of fruit cocktail in the wee bottom. When she handed it to me she said, “I’m not really a good cook!” I thought that was the funniest thing I had ever heard.

So how do you make a nice presentation when serving fruit? Well if you’re truly not a cook and find the whole thing overwhelming, buy three different color grapes and put them side by side in a nice bowl or glass pie dish with the green grapes in the center. Another way is to make a fruit salad with different color fruits of various textures and sizes. Then you can put it in a pretty bowl and mix it all together. Just make sure the bowl size is appropriate to the amount of fruit you plan on using. However, I have never been big on the fruit salad; I prefer to separate the fruit by like kind. I think presentation wise it looks really pretty that way, and I like the idea of being able to select whichever fruit you like the best.

My sister Francine makes a beautiful fruit tray. People often ask her to bring that when she is invited to their home. One of her tricks is the type of tray she uses. It’s a large Lucite tray with divided removable containers that sit on top. It makes it easy to put the similar quantities in each container making for a nice balanced fruit platter. For my first anniversary she bought me one as a gift and I use it often and think of her every time I do.

What can you do if you don’t have a beautiful tray to serve it on? First, cut your fruit in similar shapes and sizes. Use a large shallow bowl and place like fruit together. Then disperse the fruit so that no two same colors are sitting next to one another. It’s a simple idea yet look how beautiful it is! If you like to serve yogurt or cream cheese dip you can place that right in the middle. Enjoy!

In Honor of Friday… A Rice Krispie Treat is Born!

Posted on May 30, 2014 by Sherri

Several years ago I was a group leader at a day camp in Long Island, New York. Every Friday was bring your counselors a treat day. Friday morning you would see all the group leaders emerging from their cars carrying boxes of doughnuts, or big bags filled with something special from the local bakery. It was something we did to say thank you for all of your hard work and remind us that the weekend was coming! The first couple of weeks I did the same thing. I would stop early in the morning with my boys complaining in the backseat that we had to leave earlier then usual.

Then one Thursday night I was really stressed at the thought of stopping by Dunkin’ Donuts in the morning. When you work at the camp your children don’t take the bus, they go with you in your car. So before and after camp, I was the bus driver for my 2 boys and at that time they were 3 and 7 years old. It was tough enough to get them out of the house let alone early to stop at a bakery. Even though it was summer and camp, it was still my job and I had to be there on time. And yes, I could have picked it up the day before but that’s not me. I like things fresh, fresh, fresh!

So that Thursday night I looked through my house to see what I had on hand… Rice Krispies, marshmallows, and butter – yippee… that’s how a Rice Krispie treat was born – I was saved! I added extra marshmallows, coated them with m&ms on top and voila – a delicious treat. I have to admit I was a little nervous bringing in my pan of something homemade. What would they think? Would it be as good as a doughnut? Would they think I was cheap? It was Better than I had expected! They went crazy over them and were gone by lunch time. I should mention our lunchtime was 10:40 and we called it brunch! The weeks that followed included homemade cookies, cupcakes, and brownies. Over the years, I had some great counselors, but that first year, was special. Maybe because the camp was all new to me, maybe because it was summer, or that I have two boys, but I really loved those girls. They worked tirelessly, and were devoted to the children in our group. Here they are below, three beauties inside and out – Deanna, Stephanie and Amanda.

Anyway, I got such rave reviews from the girls every Friday that the counselors in the bunk next door asked their group leader why she didn’t bake for them. I often found them sneaking into my bunk for a treat! This began the friendly competition to see who would top who with the best baked goods. It was so much fun for us and our counselors. Word spread through the camp and there were more group leaders bringing in brownies than doughnuts! I guess one person really can make a difference in the world!

Fast forward 12 years and my youngest son is now a sophomore in high school. Last night was the end of the year baseball banquet and the JV team was in charge of bringing in dessert for everyone. I planned on making cupcakes, which I did and will post in a couple of days. At the last minute a couple of people cancelled and I thought we might need an extra dessert. I looked in my house to see what I had on hand… Rice Krispies, marshmallows, butter, melting chocolate, sea salt, vanilla, and mini m&m’s… that’s how a Rice Krispie treat in 2014 is born – I was saved!

8 cups Kelloggs’s Rice Krispies cereal
6 cups marshmallows (I like to use mini’s but whatever you have on hand will be fine)
1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons good vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon pink sea salt

For the topping
2 1/2 cups good quality chocolate melts (I use Merkens, or Ghirardelli)
1 cup dark chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli double chocolate chips)
1 bag mini m&m’s (or other candy you might like)

Line a 14 x 11 x 2 – inch cake pan with wax paper and lightly coat with cooking spray. Set aside. You could use a 12 x 9 if that’s all you have. The treats will just be thicker.

In a large pot melt the butter over low heat. Once the butter has melted add the salt, vanilla and marshmallows and stir until melted, stirring as needed. Remove from the heat and add Kellogg’s Rice Krispies cereal stirring gently until well coated.

Pour it into the prepared pan and either use a buttered spatula or your hands to evenly press the mixture into the pan.

While it is cooling, now is the time to melt the chocolate. I use the microwave method when I need something quick and easy. I pour the chocolate melts and chips into a glass bowl and put it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time on medium power, stirring after each time. It took about 1 minute and 30 seconds for most of the chocolate to melt. With my recipe, since I’m combining both chips and candy melts, you don’t want it to melt the chocolate all the way you need to temper it a little bit. That means bringing it back to temperature slowly. So on your last check from the microwave, when there are still some bits of whole pieces of chocolate, it’s time to take it out. The warmth of the chocolate will melt the rest of it. I like a combination because I like the texture of the candy melt for this, but the added dark chocolate taste of the chip.

Pour the chocolate evenly over the rice mixture. With an offset spatula or spoon, spread the melted chocolate evenly over the pan. Let it sit for about 5 minutes then sprinkle the m&m’s over the top. Use as many or as little as you like. I used about 3/4 of a bag on this batch. A smaller pan will require less.

Let cool completely. When cool, lift it out of the pan with the wax paper. I like to spray a sharp knife so that I get a nice smooth cut and then I cut into 2″ squares. This recipe makes about 30 treats. Enjoy!

My name is Maya and I like it Just Fine

Posted on May 28, 2014 by Sherri

When I met Maya Angelou in Barnes and Noble on 86th street in NYC in 1996, she was standing in front of me on line. My son was 18 months old and holding a little board book that he loved entitled Corduroy’s Birthday. It was the first book he selected for himself. At that time, Sesame Street was our number one favorite program. As I stood there, trying to come up with something profound to say to this amazing Poet, Teacher and Inspiring Writer, all I could think of was the Name Song she sang on Sesame Street. There was one line that stuck in my head and played over and over until I mustered the courage to say something to her. If you know me, you know I sang the verse! “my name is Maya and I like it just fine” to which she smiled and said “it is a very catchy song you know.” I did know!

I had just finished reading I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings about a year prior so I could have mentioned that. I could have said something I heard her say on the Oprah Show changed my life. Instead, this was the first thing that popped into my mind. I told her that and she said, “I am glad to leave an impression on the young and hope by hearing that song they are happy with themselves. Everyone should be proud of their name, who they are and where they come from.” I stood there in awe. I was glad this is what I chose to say.

My blog is a cooking blog. It is also my journey in life as a Brooklyn girl to a Florida girl back to NY and landing in Ohio. It is a blog that I hope when you read it, makes you want to come back and hear what I have to say. Along the way I will share things I love, and don’t love whether it is cooking related or not. I will also share things that have changed my life in hope that it will touch you in some way. Today I share with you someone whose words impacted my life.

“I am a Woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal Woman, that’s me.”

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.”

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”

“My great hope is to laugh as much as I cry; to get my work done and try to love somebody and have the courage to accept the love in return.”

“Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.”

“I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back.”

“We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.”

“You are the sum total of everything you’ve ever seen, heard, eaten, smelled, been told, forgot – it’s all there. Everything influences each of us, and because of that I try to make sure that my experiences are positive.”

“One isn’t necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can’t be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest.”

“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.”

“Nothing can dim the light which shines from within.”

“When people show you who they are believe them – the first time.”

~ Maya Angelou

I am posting this to honor the life of Maya Angelou, may you rest in peace.