Double Dip: Baby Greens and White Bean Dip

Let's face it: sometimes a delicious, creamy dip makes all the difference when trying to eat your raw veggies. But what if that dip already had veggies in it? I'd call that brilliant! As a bonus, this dip just happens to be dairy-free, perfect for sharing with anyone who might need to avoid it. With beans for a boost of protein, and heart-healthy olive oil as well, go ahead—keep dipping!

Baby Greens and White Bean Dip

Ingredients:
Extra-virgin olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic, sliced lengthwise (remove "sprout" in center if starting to turn green)
5 oz. baby spinach, baby kale, baby Swiss chard, or a combination
1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Red wine vinegar (or fresh lemon juice, if you have it)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, gently sautee garlic in a few Tablespoons of oil until fragrant, then add beans and stir to coat and warm through, absorbing the garlicky oil. Add greens in batches and wilt, seasoning sparingly with salt and pepper with each batch, until all the greens are cooked (at this point, you actually have a nice little side dish of greens and beans - keep that in your back pocket for another time!). Let the mixture cool.

In a blender or food processor, blend greens and beans with a few more Tablespoons of olive oil, a splash or two of vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. The dip should be creamy, but still retain some texture. Serve with veggie sticks, pita chips, or use as a spread on sandwiches!

Notes: Adapted from this recipe, which is extremely delicious in its own right :-)

>o<

Lost in Translation: Lyonnaise Garlic and Chive Dip

Foods often acquire funny names based on their appearance, sometimes silly, sometimes merely descriptive—and while those names pass into acceptance in their native tongue, they are often hard to swallow when you need to explain them in a different language. In the Lyon region of France, there is a traditional (and extremely delicious) cheese mixture called cervelles de canut, which has the unfortunate and rather gruesome translation of "silk-worker's brains". What probably started as a tasteless joke has now been memorialized for all time. The reference shouldn't stop you from making this dish, however, which is great as a snack or an easy appetizer, and comes together in just a few minutes. And if you're still feeling bothered by that name? Don't worry—it's all in your head ;-)

Garlic and Chive Dip

Ingredients:
15 oz. whole-milk ricotta cheese
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup finely chopped chives (or scallions)
2-3 teaspoons champagne vinegar
2-3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Grate or finely mince garlic into a medium bowl, then add ricotta and mix. Drizzle in about two teaspoons of vinegar, add the chives and stir again until combined—the consistency should be thick but spreadable. Season with salt and pepper, then add a few Tablespoons of oil. Mix until everything is incorporated, then taste and adjust seasonings, oil and vinegar to your liking. Serve with raw veggies or crusty bread. Store any unused portion in an airtight container in the fridge; give it a quick stir before serving again as the dip will separate a bit as it sits.

Notes: My simplified version of cervelles is adapted heavily from Rachel Khoo and Dorie Greenspan's excellent recipes. Red wine vinegar is traditional, but I found the champagne vinegar to be delicious, and of course fresh lemon juice would be wonderful, too. Don't be too concerned with exact quantities or measuring the liquid ingredients precisely—just eyeball and adjust as you go!

>o<

Recipe Roundup: The Final Countdown

Thanksgiving is just days away, and chances are you have your menu planned and ingredients stocked for the big day. And yet, maybe you'd like just a few more items on offer to round out the meal and ensure all your guests have something they can enjoy. Of course, these add-ons better be quick, easy, and absolutely scrumptious, too!

Cheese and Dates: You can't go wrong with two ingredients, especially when they pair as well as these do. I personally love an aged cheddar with the dates, but any cheese will be perfect. Vegetarian/Gluten-Free

Salami and Cream Cheese: Another two-ingredient wonder - just keep the components stashed in the fridge, and you're moments away from making as few or as many as you need! Gluten-Free

Catalan Spinach: Amazingly simple and unbelievably fast, but also bursting with great flavor. This dish can be whipped up while the turkey rests and the other sides are reheating in the oven. Vegetarian/Vegan/Gluten-Free

Cranberry-Orange Sauce: Easily made in advance and stashed in the fridge in anticipation of the big day. Any leftover sauce can be reheated and spooned over store-bought ice cream or pound cake for a stress-free dessert. Vegetarian/Vegan/Gluten-Free (if using Cointreau, water, or juice for the liquid)

Individual Pumpkin Custards: A make-ahead treat that stores and transports easily, already portioned and ready to eat! Vegetarian/Gluten-Free

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There's an App for That: Salami and Cream Cheese Appetizers

When I was little, my mother used to take slices of cream cheese and swaddle them lovingly in blankets of salami, arranging them neatly on a plate as she went. The resulting tidbits made a fantastic snack, and I know I enjoyed quite a few myself in the process! Unfortunately, when something is so simple, it's often easily forgotten—certainly, I don't think I've ever made them in the ensuing (ahem) decades. Thankfully, I was reminded of this fantastic combination very recently, and knew they would be just as welcome in this digital age as they were all those years ago:

Salami and Cream Cheese Appetizers

Ingredients:
Sliced salami, preferably nitrate/nitrite-free (local, if available!)
Cream cheese, softened

Dollop a small amount of cream cheese in the center of each slice of salami (my slices were only two inches across, so a 1/2 teaspoonful was enough). Fold salami over cream cheese and repeat until you have as many as you need!

Notes: My store happened to have cream cheese mixed with scallions, and this worked very well. Other good additions to the cream cheese would be finely chopped chives, olives, or cornichons. For more contrast with the rich, salty salami, add some finely chopped dried figs, walnuts, and a pinch of cinnamon to your cream cheese.

>o<

Recipe Roundup: Nibbles and Bits

Whether you're putting out a huge spread for the big game, hosting a cocktail party, or just having a few friends over for drinks, make sure you have a few tasty morsels on hand to round out the rest of your menu!

The Union Square Cafe's Bar Nuts: You can't go wrong with this little nibble—easy to make, and even easier to eat, these will please your guests to no end (or at least until the end of the evening).

Cheddar Buttons: Who says you can't make your own cheesy crackers? Customize these by using your favorite cheese, and add herbs and spices to suit your palate (pepper jack would be a great cheese option here).

Cheese and Dates: Simple, yet effective. Again, the choice of cheese is yours—or make several kinds if you can't decide. Try using dried figs or apricots in addition to dates as well.

Pistachio Bars: Don't forget dessert! Use your favorite roasted, salted nuts in place of the pistachios, or a combination of nuts for even more flavor. Either way, the salty-sweet combination is sure to be a (dare I say it?) touchdown!

>o<

Just One More Thing: Cheese and Date Cocktail Nibbles

It's been a busy year: you've worked hard, the holidays have been hectic, and all you want to do now is relax. Still, you may yet have more guests to feed, more family to entertain, and possibly another party or two before the year is out—and the thought of making just one more thing is enough to tip you over the edge! But I'm here to help, with a simple, quick, and very tasty little nibble that can be thrown together in no time:

Cheese and Date Cocktail Nibbles

Ingredients:
Cheese
Dates (pitted)

Slice cheese into pieces roughly the length and width of your dates, and about 1/4 inch thick. Skewer a date onto a toothpick, followed by a piece of cheese. Repeat until you have as many as you need, or until you run out of cheese and dates :-)

Notes: You can certainly stuff the cheese inside the dates by slicing the dates open along one side, and even add a pecan or walnut half as well. Use your favorite cheese for these, or try a variety—a good extra sharp cheddar goes extremely well with the sticky sweetness of the dates. If you don't like dates, use another kind of dried fruit like apricots or plums.

>o<

Go Nuts: The Union Square Cafe's Bar Nuts

I think almost every celebrity chef has their own version of the Union Square Cafe's bar nuts. In fact, I've been making my own adaptation of Ina Garten's version for many years, and they've always been quite a hit. But I realized it was finally time to take a step back and try the original recipe - no interpretations, no substitutions, just the real deal as printed in the Cafe's own cookbook:

Belly up.

The Union Square Cafe's Bar Nuts

Ingredients:
1 1/4 lbs. mixed, unsalted nuts (about 20 oz.)
1 Tablespoon butter, melted
2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Spread nuts evenly on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl, then add the nuts as soon as they come out of the oven and toss to coat. Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes: I think I would have liked a little more butter and rosemary, and maybe a bit less salt. However, I'll have to reserve judgement until I visit the Cafe and try these straight from the source :-) You can certainly use a single type of nut instead of a mix—pecans and cashews work extremely well with the other flavors here.

>o<

Cute as a Button: Cheddar Buttons

For years, I made a recipe for Peabody Cheddar Wafers I found in the November, 2000 issue of Yankee Magazine. The process involved cutting the butter into the flour mixture, resulting in crackers that tasted like cheesy pie crust—and there was nothing wrong with that! But lately, I was looking for something a bit different, and started to research recipes for Cheddar Pennies. The basic ingredients were identical in all the recipes I found, with the option to add extras like cayenne pepper, paprika, dry mustard or even fresh herbs. The method used to make them is similar to that of making cookies, and the result is a smooth dough with great cheese flavor. Needless to say, this mouse is hooked—and since mine are quite a bit larger than pennies, I had to choose a more suitable name for them ;-)

No sewing required.

Cheddar Buttons

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 lb. (8 oz.) extra sharp cheddar, finely grated
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground paprika

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl, cream butter and paprika together until smooth, then blend in cheese. Mix in flour until fully combined and a smooth dough forms (you may need to use your hands toward the end). Separate the dough into halves, then halves again, etc., until you have 32 pieces of dough. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten between your hands until the buttons are about a 1/4 inch thick. Place buttons on a lined baking sheet as you go, then prick each button twice in an "X" pattern using a fork. Bake for about 15-17 minutes, or until the edges are crisp and golden.

Notes: This is a great little nibble for cocktails, or to go with soups and stews (or even by themselves when no one is looking). I was impatient and put my buttons in the oven right away, but you can chill them in the fridge first for about 15 minutes to obtain cleaner edges and a flakier texture. The dough can also be patted into a disc, wrapped, chilled, then rolled and cut into shapes. Alternately, roll dough into logs, wrap, chill, and slice before baking.

>o<