Fun sides/appetizers

I love trying out new side dishes and things that make good appetizers! The other night I tried both of these recipes for the first time, found in the Family Fun magazine.

Mexican "Sushi" Bites
Made to look like sushi, these make a great appetizer! Especially here in Idaho where you can't find real sushi, they were a fun way to present tortilla wraps.

Ingredients
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup salsa, plus more for dipping
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1 Table spoon lime juice
8 (8-inch flour tortillas)
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1) In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, salsa, chili powder, and salt. In a separate small bowl, lightly sprinkle the avocado with the lime juice to prevent browning.

2) Trim each tortilla to make a roughly 61/2 inch square. Spread 3 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture on a tortilla. Arrange the spinach over the cream cheese (I also added a layer of sliced turkey lunch meat, too!), then top them with a row each of red pepper, yellow pepper, and avocado. Roll the tortilla up tightly and wrap in plastic wrap. Repeat for the remaining tortillas. Refrigerate the rolls for at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours.

3) Right before serving, slice the rolls crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces and spoon extra salsa into a bowl for dipping.

Serves 10 to 12 (or more!!)

Mango, Jicama, & Cucumber Salad
This makes a delicious side dish to any Mexican style meal.

Ingredients
2 ripe mangos
1 medium jicama
1 medium English cucumber
1/4 cup lime juice
Zest from 1 lime
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup canola oil
Salt to taste

1) Peel the mango, jicama, and cucumber. Cut them into bite-size pieces and place them in a large bowl.

2) Combine the lime juice, zest, and honey in a blender. Run the blender at low speed and slowly drizzle in the canola oil until the dressing is slightly thickened, then add salt to taste

3) Pour the vinaigrette over the mango mixture and toss to coat.

Serves 8