Recipes

Warm Cranberry Spread (+Game Day Treats!)

February 4, 2017February 4, 2017 Organic GloryLeave a comment

Wow. I did not intend to disappear for an entire freaking month. It’s like the holidays ate me up and spit me out at the end of January with a backlog of winter recipes to share and a bunch of travel on the horizon. Last night, we got back from a trip to Florida visiting my family in Sarasota, and in 10 days I’m jetting to D.C. to present at a conference while Mark heads down to New York City for an audition. I literally cannot believe I have to get on a plane again a week from Monday. This comes right on the heels of a two-day, weekend-long professional training for women interested in running for public office (with a lunch break on Saturday to attend the Boston Women’s March in Boston) the weekend right before we left town for vacation. It was a whirlwind two days and I’m so honored to have been accepted to the program, but WHEW! Mama’s tired. And the training continues one weekend per month until June, when all 50 of the women in the program graduate. Interested to learn more? Visit EmergeMA.com.

Today, I’m sharing a yummy homemade warm dip that is perfect for your Super Bowl party! I can tell lots of you have been watching the playoffs big-time, because my website traffic these days is almost 90% for this Brown Sugar Kielbasa in the Slow Cooker and my super-simple Traditional Shepherd’s Pie — both great game-day options. And you know who I’m rooting for! #GoPats!!

I made this on New Year’s Day for a big family gathering we hosted with my in-laws and all of Georgia’s cousins. It goes great with a side platter of pita or crackers, as well as sliced apples. Here, I used lingonberry sauce, because I had almost a whole jar left over from Christmas dinner when I served it alongside Swedish meatballs and mashed potatoes. Any berry sauce or preserve you like, particularly whole berry, would work well. I always buy the Ikea lingonberry sauce, which has whole berries in it, and I think that makes all the difference. I also mixed in some red pepper jelly to give it a hint of heat — which I LOVE! — but you could omit it if you really don’t want the kick. I will say, though, that my spice-intolerant husband liked this, and he can’t take any heat at all.

Warm Cranberry Dip

INGREDIENTS

1 package (8 oz.) of cream cheese, softened
1 cup whole berry cranberry or lingonberry sauce
1 TBSP red pepper jelly
a of grated cheese such as pepperjack, white cheddar or parmesan
assorted crackers or toasted bread slices for serving

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350. In a small bowl, mix thoroughly the berry sauce and hot pepper jelly.

In a baking dish or pie plate, spread the cream cheese evenly in one layer in an ungreased baking dish or pie plate. Sprinkle evenly with the grated cheese of your choice and then top with the berry-pepper mixture.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until the berries are just starting to bubble and the edges of the cream cheese are only beginning to brown.

And that’s not all! If you’re looking for more recipe ideas for your Super Bowl party, I’ve got a TON.

Chicken Chili

chilli1

Sweet Hot Chicken Wings

Slow Cooker Ribs

Pulled Pork Sliders

Pulled Chicken Chili

Homemade Salsa

Pillsbury Crescent Sausage Rolls

Meatball Pizza

VEGETARIAN IDEAS

Healthy Baked French Fries

Crispy Kale Chips

Vegan Spinach & Artichoke Dip

Meat-free Shepherd’s Pie

Baked Egg Noodles with Cheese

Pesto Flatbread

Soy Chorizo Chili

Fried Tofu Triangles with Peanut Sesame Dipping Sauce

Vegetarian Stuffed Shells

We are taking it easy Super Bowl Sunday instead of having, or going to, a party. We need the time to unpack and get ready for the workweek. If you’re hosting or attending a game day bash, have fun and stay safe! And Go Pats!!!

Uncategorized

Merry Christmas (+leftover ideas!)

December 24, 2015January 29, 2016 Organic Glory2 Comments

To quote Georgia, “SANTA IS COMING!!” We started getting ready for the big day at our house by watching Christmas movies all day, finishing our wrapping, going to church at night, having dinner as a family and then making some of the food we’ll have tomorrow when relatives join us to celebrate.

Georgia_Christmas

We are sticking to the same menu we’ve had for the past few years, except that we are making turkey instead of spiral ham, and (sniffle) we’re omitting anything Italian like stuffed shells or lasagna. My mom is making the turkey, stuffing and gravy, with applesauce on the side, and then I’ll be making Corn Casserole, Swedish Meatballs with cream sauce and Lingonberry on the side (thanks Ikea!), and my in-laws are bringing potatoes. My brother and his girlfriend are making Stuffed Mushrooms and a salad, as well as apple pie cookies with vanilla ice cream. Finally, I’m making a Peppermint Ice Cream freezer cake (recipe coming shortly), and Mark is making his go-to appetizer, Pillsbury Crescent Sausage Rolls. I’m sure we’ll have lots of other snacks around, too.

I’m pretty ready to relax with my family after going through two rounds of toddler illness recently, from that barking cough every kid seems to have caught, to the (blessedly brief) stomach bug that hit us last weekend. Better last week than on Christmas Day, I guess!

While prepping for our holiday cooking, I decided to throw together a savory dip using leftover ingredients and a couple pantry staples this afternoon, and it came out great so I wanted to share. It’s perfect for the day after Christmas, a New Year’s Eve party, or just relaxing on New Year’s Day.

CARAMELIZED ONION DIP

Ingredients

2 onions, sliced thin
2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP brown sugar
1 container plain Greek yogurt such as Chobani (~7 oz.)
A little less than 1 cup applesauce
1 garlic clove, minced

Directions

In a sauté pan, melt the butter over medium then add the onions and brown sugar and cook until caramelized. Reserve about 1/4 cup.

In a blender, combine the applesauce, yogurt and the rest of the onions and mix until smooth. Add the minced garlic and give one last pulse. Taste, and add more garlic if you feel it’s needed.

Serve warm or cold with chips, crudités or French fries, adding the reserved onion on top for guests to mix in as they dip. I also added a little bit of salt upon taste-tasting.

True confession: I dropped the applesauce in the measuring cup onto the floor as I was trying to carry it to the blender, so this was made with the kind of applesauce you find in toddler snack pouches (organic still, of course 😉 ). It made me think, though, that you could make this dip with lots of different types of leftover fruit sauces, chutneys or relish. Pump up the garlic if you like, too!

From my house to yours, I hope you have a wonderful, restful, peaceful, and relaxing holiday. Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Thanks to Chobani for partnering with us to inspire this post. Find more fun recipe ideas featuring Chobani Greek Yogurt here!

Caramel Apple Dip (EASY!)

October 21, 2015October 21, 2015 Organic GloryLeave a comment

A few weeks ago, we went to the 1st birthday party of a close high school friend’s baby girl. Her mom had made the most delicious dip for sliced apples, and adults and kids alike were gobbling it up. When I asked her for the recipe (as Georgia kept digging into it!), she said it had just three ingredients that sound gross when you list them out separately, but tasted perfect when combined together. They are cream cheese, caramel sauce and granola. Weird, right?

But just like she said, it comes together magically. Thanks, Judi!

I love how fast this is to make, and how easy it is to find these ingredients. It tastes like a caramel apple that you’d buy at the orchard after a full day of apple picking! And the best part is that, for $10 in ingredients, you can feed a gigantic crowd of people, because a little bit of this goes a LONG way when served alongside fruit and crackers. I had friends over Monday night and made it, and six of us polished off half the pan; my co-workers took care of the rest when I brought it to work today!.

You can buy any brand of cream cheese, granola or caramel sauce. I picked up Trader Joe’s cream cheese and caramel and Bear Naked granola at the Roche Bros. downtown because TJ’s didn’t have any normal flavors of granola left. This can easily be made with a nut-free or gluten-free version if you so desire.

Caramel Apple Dip

INGREDIENTS

1 container whipped plain cream cheese (full or low fat, your preference)
1 jar of caramel dip (such as T. Marzetti) or sauce, like you’d find near the ice cream cones and toppings
about two cups of granola, any flavor you like
sliced apples and/or simple crackers to eat alongside

DIRECTIONS

In a pie plate or large bowl, layer the whipped cream cheese, caramel sauce (softening for 1 minute in the microwave if necessary) and granola evenly and serve at room temperature with sliced apples, cut large enough to scoop out the dip. Enjoy with a dozen friends!

This pairs especially well with cheese on an appetizer spread. Just like that slightly odd New England tradition of eating slices of cheddar with apple pie, right? What I especially like about this is how it doesn’t melt, congeal, separate, or otherwise morph into something inedible or gross-looking when left out at a party for a couple hours. You can also make it a day ahead, refrigerate, and it’s ready to go as soon as you are.

See our recent apple picking adventures here, and stay tuned for an apple crisp recipe coming soon. And for another easy fall recipe, be sure to check out my brown sugar kielbasa in the slow cooker! It’s perfect for Sundays spent watching the game with family and friends.

I’m signing off to get those darn wisdom teeth out tomorrow, so wish me luck and I’ll be back soon! XOXO

Recipes

Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip

January 30, 2013 Organic Glory9 Comments

I have a great salsa recipe coming soon for Super Bowl Sunday (not that I’m watching, with the Pats out)…but first I have to share this great vegan recipe for Warm Spinach & Artichoke Dip by Chloe Coscarelli. You all know how much I love Chef Chloe, and she’s got another winner here. I devour Spinach & Artichoke Dip, but if you’re like me and you have issues with the heavy, cheesy nature of the traditional recipe, I think you’ll find this agrees with you a lot more. Watch the video & check out the recipe below!

Warm Vegan Spinach-Artichoke Dip

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional
5 ounces baby spinach
1 14-ounce package soft tofu, drained
1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
14 ounces of canned, marinated, or frozen artichoke hearts, drained
Bread or tortilla chips for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 1-quart baking dish.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat and saute the onions until soft. Add the garlic and red pepper and cook for a few more minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Then, add the spinach.

Let the mixture cook, stirring gently, until the spinach is wilted.

In a food processor, blend the silken tofu, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, basil, salt, and pepper until smooth. Add the artichokes and spinach mixture, and pulse about 15 times. Transfer to your prepared baking dish.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.

Let cool a few minutes, then serve with bread or tortilla chips. Yum!

Recipes

Lingonberry-Goat Cheese Dip

January 28, 2012January 28, 2012 Organic Glory2 Comments

This spread couldn’t be simpler. Just combine lingonberry preserves with goat cheese (ideally, Chevre with honey, which you can find at Trader Joe’s), stir until chunky and blended, and serve with whole wheat crackers. It’s a combination you might not think to create, but it makes the perfect complement to a plate of savory crackers and dips. Try it out! Your guests won’t be disappointed.

Lingonberries are traditional Swedish fare. You can find lingonberry jam at any specialty grocery store, as well as Ikea!

This would also make a great filling for stuffed French toast. You could also pre-plate this spread on toasted baguette slices for a sweet twist on bruschetta; or, you could serve it atop apple slices (with chopped walnuts?) as another fun finger food.