The Best Beer Cheese Dip (for soft pretzels )

This is an amazing dip, but DO NOT USE pre-shredded cheese. Shred cheese before you start to make the dip. It will make it go much easier. I also recommend bringing ingredients to room temperature. I used cold half and half and cold beer and cold cheese -- so it took a lot longer to make this all come together into a smooth dip.

 

3 Tbsp butter

3 Tbsp flour 

3/4 cup half and half

2/3 cup Yuengling Black and Tan beer (save the extra for drinking)

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 heaping tsp dijon mustard

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp kosher salt

10 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese (recommend Cabot Seriously Sharp white cheddar)

 

Instructions
1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add flour and whisk. 

2. Slowly add the half and half and whisk until slightly thickens. 

3.Add the beer and bring to a slow simmer. 

4. Add the other ingredients and stir until well-mixed.

5. Now add the shredded cheese a little at a time until it is all added. Stir vigorously until cheese is fully melted and the dip is smooth and creamy. This may take a few minutes.

6. Remove from heat and serve warm with homemade pretzels. It will thicken when it cools.

Leftovers can be reheated on the stove or microwave. Eat it up within a week.

Chimichurri

1 small bunch flat leaf parsley (about 1 cup), finely chopped 

3 large cloves garlic, minced (adjust if you want less garlic flavor)

1 Fresno chili, small dice

1 tsp dried oregano or 1 Tbsp fresh oregano 

2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar 

1/2 cup good olive oil

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl at least 15 minutes before eating. Make sure all ingredients are submerged in olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Make up to 24 hours before eating. The sooner you eat it, the fresher it tastes. No need to refrigerate unless storing longer than 24 hours. Bring to room temperature if you refrigerate it.

Use as a condiment for meats, especially grilled steak/beef, but also good on any meat or fish or as a topping for a Buddha bowl or as a dressing for pasta or rice. 

This isn’t spicy, but if you want some spicy hot flavors, add a few pinches of red pepper flakes or some cayenne pepper. Do not chop in a food processor. Hand chop/dice all ingredients for best results.

Masoor Dal (Curry Red Lentil Stew)

Very flavorful and spicy, I tried this for the first time with red lentils I found in the bulk department of the grocery store. Don't substitute other lentils for this as the red lentils cook up creamy and are much smaller in size than regular green or brown lentils. They also look amazing with the rich colors you get from making your own curry spice blend. The sweet potatoes add a touch of sweetness and nice rich orange/red color as well.

If you don't like spicy hot, cut back on the chili pepper by at least half if not more.This is a wonderful dish to make on a cold, rainy or snowy day. It only takes about 30 minutes to make and less than 5 minutes of prep time. As the onions and sweet potatoes are cooking, measure out the spices in a small dish so you can just add them all at once. Breathe in the aromas from cooking the spices. I'm convinced even that will make you feel healthy! :)

2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
3 cups (about 12-15 oz) small dice sweet potatoes, peeled (I used organic garnet)
1 Tbsp (heaping) minced fresh ginger
2 large cloves minced garlic
1 Thai red chili OR 1 1/2 tsp ground Thai Chili pepper or cayenne pepper
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp ground corriander
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground turmeric (can use fresh if you want, finely diced)
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp Penzey's Sweet Curry powder
1/2 tsp Penzey's Hot Curry powder
A pinch of both ground cloves and ground cinnamon
1 cup canned diced tomatoes or 2 plum tomatoes diced
1 1/2 cups red lentils, rinsed well
4 cups liquid (chicken, vegetable broth or water)
1 tsp salt
Lemon juice (about 2-3 tsp)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
shredded unsweetened coconut
Mango-ginger chutney

In a large pot, melt oil and saute' onion, sweet potato, ginger and garlic until onion is soft and a bit caramelized (about 5 minutes). Add the mustard and cumin seeds and saute' until fragrant and mustard seeds start to pop. Add the rest of the spices and saute and blend until a nice color appears and you can smell the deliciousness coming from the pan. Be sure not to burn spices, so stir frequently to coat the sweet potato and onions.

Add the tomatoes and scrap any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Then add the liquid and the lentils. Stir well and bring to a boil. Turn to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 20 minutes. You can also cover it, but lift cover several times to stir and to make sure the lentils don't stick to the bottom of the pan. Keep an eye on it, as it will thicken. Add salt to taste (I added about 1 tsp). Continue to cook until stew is thick and lentils are soft. It will take about 25-30 minutes total. Cover it and turn off heat once it is thick and lentils are soft to keep it warm. Mash up the potatoes and lentils a bit if they are a little chunky to make this more of an amalgamated dish.

Serve with a sprinkle of cilantro, coconut and a small spoonful of chutney on the side. You can eat this with warm naan, basmati rice or without any additional starch. It can be served as a main dish or as a side dish to any meat or fish you might want with it. Very flavorful and spicy. If you don't like spicy hot, cut back on the chili pepper by at least half if not more.

Makes 4 dinner sized servings. Each serving is about 480 calories. If you serve as a side dish, this will serve 8 at 240 calories.It is loaded with potassium, fiber, protein, vitamin A and iron. You can cut down on fat by using half the coconut oil and trimming 30 calories per serving.

Note: You can also stir in 1/2 cup of coconut milk at the end to make it more creamy. I didn't do this, but I might try it that way next time.

Mexican Street Corn Salad with Yogurt-Lime Dressing

4 cobs of sweet corn
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
Salt and pepper
1 medium red bell pepper
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup crumbled Mexican cheese (such as cotija or queso fresco), divided

Dressing
5 oz zero fat Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp Hellman's mayonnaise
1 small clove garlic, pressed
1 tsp honey
1 Tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp smokey paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees and place corn in oven with husks on. Roast about 20 minutes or until corn is soft, but still firm. Cool corn while you chop the ingredients for the rest of the salad. Cut corn off husks and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle with lime juice and salt and pepper. Add the red bell pepper, onion, black beans, cilantro and 3/4 cup of the Mexican cheese.

Mix all of the dressing ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Taste to adjust seasoning. If you want it more spicy, add additional cayenne pepper - if less spicy is your thing, don't add it at all.

Gently toss all of the salad ingredients together, pouring the dressing on top to incorporate. Top with 1/4 cup of additional cheese and refrigerate until ready to serve. This salad gets better as it blends and I like it cold, but it can be served at room temperature right away.

Eat as a side dish with enchiladas or tacos or just dig in and eat it as a "dip" with tortilla chips. This stuff is addicting!

NOTE: You can grill the corn, slightly charring it instead of roasting it in the oven. This will give the corn a smokey flavor and it will be a bit crispy.

NOTE: If you can't find Mexican cheese, you can substitute Feta cheese instead. Mexican cheese is much milder and has less salty flavor.

Black Bean 7-layer Dip

This is a great appetizer or even works as a light meal on a Sunday night. We've been making this dip for years, but I finally decided to put it on here because it's just that good!

1 or 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

2-4 Tbsp. salsa (add extra hot sauce to make it spicier)

1/2 cup - 1 cup sour cream

1-2 cups Guacamole (use homemade without tomato)

1 cup Mexican cheese blend, shredded

1/2 cup - 1 cup chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup black olives, sliced

3 green onions, sliced, including green tops

Mix salsa with black beans and spread on a large flat plate. Spread sour cream on top of black beans leaving a small edge of black beans showing. Next, layer on the guacamole, leaving a slight amount of sour cream showing.

Sprinkle on the cheese to cover everything below. Then top with tomatoes, olives and green onions in layers. 

Serve immediately with tortilla chips or you can cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. This tastes best when served the same day because the guacamole will turn brown. However, it still tastes good the next day (even though it might be a little watery).

This dip is so versatile and many substitutions (or additions) can be made to this. It's a great party dip and fun to bring to a party when asked to bring something to share.

Enjoy!

Quick and Easy Queso Dip

While the recipe posted below is good, here's a better recipe I used: https://www.thecookierookie.com/easy-restaurant-style-white-queso/

I modified it by using shredded "queso cheese" from Walmart instead of American cheese, pepperjack cheese instead of the mozzarella cheese, fresh jalapenos instead of canned ones, cayenne pepper instead of chili powder, and added hot sauce (of your choice) to make it spicy. Must use an iron skillet to make this and DO NOT let it boil. Boiling it will result in a grainy texture.

The recipe below is okay, but found it to be grainy.

2 Tbsp butter

1/2-1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
2 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (90,000 SHU is best)
1 cup half and half (or milk -- but half and half is better)
8 ounces pepper jack cheese*, shredded

Melt butter in a pan and saute' pepper. Whisk in flour, salt and cayenne pepper until incorporated. Stir in half and half and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add cheese and stir well to melt.

Serve warm -- will thicken as it cools. Delicious as a dip or over a burrito. Delicious as a dip for breadsticks or pizza crust.

*Can use any shredded cheese.

Caramel Apple Dip

A favorite and better than the stuff you buy in the stores. Just don't eat too much or it will defeat the purpose of eating a healthy apple!

1 (8 oz) block of cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping

Soften cream cheese in the microwave. Add brown sugar and vanilla and stir until fluffy. Drizzle caramel topping over the top and stir gently just to incorporate. Serve with sliced apples.

Gorgonzola Sour Cream Sauce (for buffalo chicken)

1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola
1/2 - 1  tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. celery seeds
Salt & Pepper

Mix together in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Make ahead and refrigerate so flavors can meld. Use this sauce with buffalo chicken or wings.

I make this to top chicken breasts that I marinade in my homemade buffalo sauce, pound breasts to fit on a sandwich. Grill for about 9-10 minutes. Serve on a toasted bun with extra wing sauce, sliced fresh tomatoes and if you're really daring top chicken with Boar's Head Marbled Blue Monterey Jack cheese (I think they discontinued making this. So sad!) melted on top to give it an extra blue cheese flavor.

It's all about the layers of flavors!

Hummus a la Smooth and Creamy

The secret to smooth hummus is the baking soda. Don't leave this out. While this method of making hummus is more time-consuming, it is worth the extra effort if you love smooth hummus like you buy in the stores. Use quality ingredients since it takes so much time and don't worry if measurements aren't exact because this is a very forgiving recipe!

1 cup dried chickpeas
2 tsp. baking soda (divided)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (divided) - about 2-3 lemons
4 medium cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup ice cold water
2/3 cup tahini
1/2 tsp to 1 tsp. ground cumin
Olive oil

Soak chickpeas in a bowl with 1 tsp. of baking soda and cold water - about 2 inches above the chickpeas. Soak overnight (8-12 hours), then drain and rinse.

Place chickpeas in a saucepan with cold water 2 inches above the chickpeas and 1 tsp. baking soda. Bring to a boil and turn to low and partially cover with a lid (don't cover completely or you'll have a mess). Simmer for 30-45 minutes until peas are tender and falling apart. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, put 1/3 cup of lemon juice, whole garlic cloves and salt into a food processor and process until the garlic is broken up. Let it sit or mellow out for 10 minutes. Strain the lemon juice (using a fine mess strainer) and get as much juice out as possible. Throw away the solid garlic or save for another use.

Rinse all solid pieces of garlic out of the food processor and put the lemon-garlic juice back into the food processor, along with tahini. With the food processor running, add ice cold water a tablespoon at a time until it is smooth, pale and thick, scraping down the sides at least once. Add the cooked chickpeas and cumin and run the processor for about 4 minutes or more until the hummus is smooth, creamy and thick. Scrape down the sides about every minute. If hummus is too thick, taste it and if it needs more lemon, add a little bit of lemon juice at a time to get it to the consistency you like. Add more salt if needed and cumin to your taste.

Place the hummus in a 4 cup bowl or larger and cover with plastic wrap. Hummus might be very warm and tastes better if it is cold and allowed to rest so flavors can develop.

To serve, generously drizzle olive oil on top. You can sprinkle with hot smoked paprika, ground cayenne for a spicier version, parsley, pine nuts, a good pesto sauce, sundried tomatoes or just about anything you like.

Serve with pita chips, pita bread, raw veggies or flatbread. Makes about 4 cups.

Smokey Blue Cheese Ball

2-8 oz. softened cream cheese
4 oz. Danish Blue Cheese, softened
4 oz. Smokey cheddar or Swiss cheese, grated
1/4 c. finely minced or grated white onion
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
chopped pecans, walnuts or parsley

Mix all ingredients except the pecans, walnuts or parsley together until well-blended. Mixture will be quite soft. Put in refrigerator until you can handle it and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap until firm. Before serving, roll in nuts or parsley and allow to come to room temperature for optimum flavor. Serve with wheat crackers.

Make ahead and refrigerate for up to a week before serving. This cheese ball will easily last for 2 weeks, but it is unlikely it will last that long.

Variation on Recipe: Mix 1/2 cup of chopped pimento-stuffed green olives into the cheese ball at Christmas to make it red and green!

Another Variation: Use extra sharp cheddar cheese in place of the smoked cheddar or Swiss cheese for a less-smokey flavor.

Pecan-Crusted Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

With only an hour to think up and make dinner, I wanted something fun and fast, but not filled with fat or fried food. So I made up this recipe and it was pretty tasty!

1- 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
3/4 c. flour
1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
Salt and pepper (about 1 tsp each)
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. buttermilk (or milk)
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1 1/2 c. panko bread crumbs
1 c. chopped pecans
Vegetable spray

Cut chicken into long strips (I cut the breast in half crosswise and then made strips). Set aside. In 3 large bowls (pie pan size) set up your breading station. In the first bowl, put the flour, salt, pepper and fresh rosemary and mix well. In the second bowl, put the two eggs, buttermilk and dijon mustard and stir until well blended. In the third bowl, mix the panko bread crumbs and pecans.

Heat oven to 450 degrees. On a large baking dish, place a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the pan. Spray the paper well with vegetable spray. Now, start making your chicken fingers. Make a few pieces at a time. First dip and coat in flour, then in the egg mixture and finally in the pecan-panko mixture. Be sure to cover it completely. Place on parchment paper so that each "finger" has room to move (in other words, don't crowd the chicken). Use a second baking sheet if needed. After all the chicken is made (you may need to add more panko and pecans, depending upon how well it covers), spray the top of the chicken with the vegetable spray and bake for about 15 minutes or until chicken begins to brown.

Turn chicken and bake another 5-7 minutes until chicken is brown and juices run clear. Serve with honey-mustard dipping sauce (recipe below).

Honey-Mustard Dipping Sauce
1/3 c. Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
1/3 c. raw honey
1 1/2 Tbsp. Hellman's mayo
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Serve in a small bowl and dip your chicken fingers. I think this sauce is finger-lickin' good! :)

Ranch Seasoning Mix

This is the dry buttermilk to use. You can find it in the baking aisle of your grocery store.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon fresh parsley flakes or 2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp fresh chives or 1/2 tsp dried chives

1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon fresh dill or 1/4 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp teaspoon onion powder
1/4 tsp dried mustard
1/8 tsp paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried onion flakes
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup dry buttermilk (optional) - use only if you want a buttermilk flavor, like for a ranch salad dressing.

Directions:  Mix all ingredients except the fresh herbs (if using dried herbs, you can add those to the rest).  Store in an airtight container such as a mason jar.

Contains no gluten or artificial ingredients. It may taste less salty than the store-brand version, but you can always add your own salt.

For Ranch Dip: Add fresh herbs and dried ingredients to one cup of sour cream. You can also use this for any recipe that calls for ranch seasoning. It's absolutely better than any store-bought Ranch dip seasoning mix.

For Ranch Salad Dressing: Add fresh herbs and dry ingredients to 1 cup of mayonnaise and 1 cup sour cream. To thin, use milk or cream.

For my recipe using real buttermilk for a Ranch Salad Dressing, use this recipe instead.

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Tastes just like a jalapeno popper!

8 oz package of cream cheese, brought to room temperature
1/2 c. Hellman's mayonnaise
1/2  c. shredded Mexican blend cheese
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese, Divided
2 Tbsp. canned diced green chilies
2 fresh jalapeno peppers (or 2 Tbsp. from can of sliced jalapenos), chopped
1/2 c. Panko breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, mix cream cheese, Mayo, Mexican cheese, 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese, diced chilies, and jalapeno peppers until smooth. Put into an ungreased glass pie pan. Mix the other 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese, Panko, and melted butter until all ingredients are covered in butter. Put on top of the cheese dip. Bake for 20 minutes or until top is brown and crispy. Serve with corn tortilla chips, bagel chips, or crackers.

Cheesy Beer Sauce

1/4 c. butter
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 c. flour
6 oz. beer (bock) - divided
14 1/2 oz. can chicken broth
12 oz. extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/3 c. half and half
1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

Melt butter in a heavy 1 1/2 qt. saucepan. Add garlic and cook about 1 minute (do not overcook or brown). Add flour a little at a time to incorporate into the flour. Allow flour to brown slightly (golden, not brown). Add 3 oz. beer and incorporate to make a thick paste. Add chicken broth a little at a time and whisk to make a smooth sauce. Bring to a slow boil. Add cheese a little at a time and whisk in to melt, making sure the heat is on low. Make sure the sauce is smooth and silky. Add half and half, Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard. Add remaining beer to make to the consistency desired. For a thin sauce, add the entire amount. Allow the sauce to simmer on very low heat for at least 15 minutes or up to an hour, stirring occasionally. If you want a thinner sauce, add more liquid, but to keep it thick, do not rely on evaporation to thicken it up.

Serve as a sauce over fries, chili, chips, or as a dipper for veggies or pretzels. Can also be served as a beer-cheese soup and serve with popcorn!

Homemade Guacamole

You can prepare this tableside and eat right away, or make ahead and let the flavors blend. Either way -- it tastes as good as it looks and smells!

2 -3 large ripe avocados, mashed
1/2 large tomato, seeded and chopped (about 1/2 cup) (optional -- leave out)
2 green onions, chopped (including greens)
1 large or 2 small jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped
1 large clove of garlic, pressed
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1/2 lime
salt & pepper to taste

Mix all together in a glass or plastic bowl -- cover so that plastic touches the entire top of the guacamole to keep it from browning. Blend for at least 1 hour before serving to marry all the flavors.

Serve with tortilla chips or as a topping for your favorite Mexican food!

Adjust flavors and ingredients as desired. You can leave the tomato out or use chopped red onion instead of green onions. You can use different hot peppers or try leaving in a few seeds and ribs for extra heat. Just make sure the avocados are ripe, but not over-ripe.

Betty Stone's Dilly Dip

This recipe came from Betty Stone (my nephews' and niece's - Caleb, Josiah and Abigail - grandma). It is a good veggie dip and beats all those mixes out on the market today!

1 c. Hellmann's mayonnaise
1 c. sour cream
4 oz. (1/4 c) small curd cottage cheese (I usually add a little more)
1 Tbsp. dried onion flakes
1 Tbsp. dried parsley
1 Tbsp. dried dill
1 tsp. seasoning salt (use less if dipping chips or crackers)

Mix and refrigerate overnight. Great for fresh veggies and crackers.

Makes 2 1/2 cups.

Baba Ghanouj (or Ghanoush) Egglplant Dip

This is a great alternative to hummus -- fewer calories and very healthy!

1.5 pound whole eggplant
1-2 cloves of garlic (start with one)
1-2 Tbsp. lemon juice (freshly squeezed) - can add more to taste
2-3 Tbsp. tahini - again, can add more to taste
1 Tbsp. olive oil + extra for baking eggplant
1 tsp. salt and a few grinds of pepper (or to taste)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
small bunch of flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and dry eggplant. Cover lightly with olive oil and poke eggplant with a small knife or fork several times. Place eggplant on foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes until it is soft when poked with a knife. Remove from oven and allow to cool. You can also grill the eggplant to give it a smoky taste. When cooled, the eggplant should deflate and be flat.

Cut open the eggplant and scoop out the flesh, taking out any big chunks of seeds and place flesh into a colander and allow to drain for about 10 minutes. Removing the excess liquid removes most of the bitter flavor.

In a food processor, mix the eggplant flesh with the remaining ingredients, except parsley. Pulse a few times to make it smooth like hummus. Taste and adjust to your own taste and liking. Fold in parsley.

Sprinkle with ground sumac and toasted pinenuts or chili powder and garnish with a little extra olive oil before serving with pita chips, pita bread, or raw veggies. You can also spice it up a bit by adding crushed red pepper (cayenne). For a delicious, refreshing flavor, garnish with fresh mint instead of parsley.

This will keep up to 2 weeks in your refrigerator. I make it a day in advance to allow all the flavors to meld.

My (tried and true) Hummus

1 15-16 oz can chick peas, drained (save at least 1/4 cup of liquid for recipe)

1/4 c. tahini sesame paste (be sure to mix first)

3 small cloves or 1 large clove of garlic

3-4 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice (juice of 1 medium lemon)

1/4 c. olive oil

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

1-2 tsp. honey or agave (start small and add more)

liquid from draining chick peas (start small and add more as needed)

Combine all the ingredients except olive oil and chick pea liquid into a food processor or Vitamix. (If using a Vitamix, you will need to add liquid from can to make it mix). Process until smooth. Add olive oil slowly while the food processor/Vitamix is running. Scrape down sides taste to see if more honey is needed and adjust spices. Add enough chick pea liquid to make it smooth but not runny. The Vitamix will make the hummus a lot creamier - almost fluffy.

Transfer to a glass bowl, cover, and refrigerate to allow flavors to blend and consistency to firm up a bit. Drizzle olive oil on top to serve or place other "add-ins" on top such as pesto basil, red peppers finely chopped, pine nuts,etc. Eat with homemade pita chips, warm pita bread wedges or fresh veggies.

Pita Chips

Cut 3 pieces of pita bread (WW and White both work) into 1/8 pieces. If they are thick, separate, but otherwise leave them together. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet so that they are not stacked. Brush lightly with olive oil on one side, turn over and brush on the other side. Sprinkle with granulated garlic and  kosher salt on side that is facing up. Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes. Watch closely or they will burn. Turn over after 6 minutes if top is browning and bottom is not. Serve warm with the hummus.

Favorite Holiday Appetizers

Here's a simple one made famous by my mom!

Nelda Stefan's Garlic Cheese Dip
1 jar Old English cheese spread
1 pkg. Philly cream cheese, softened
2 small cloves of garlic, sliced in quarters
0-2 Tbsp. whipping cream or whole milk

Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Leave out the cream or milk for a thicker dip or add more cream or milk depending upon the consistency you want. Can add more or less garlic cloves depending upon personal taste. Start light and build. Serve with crackers, potato chips, or fresh veggies (broccoli is my favorite!)

You can also mix together in a bowl, skip the milk and make into a cheese log and serve on crackers

Hot Crab Dip
1 8-oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sour cream
2 Tbsp. green onions, sliced (including the greens)
1 (6 oz) can crab meat, drained
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp granulated garlic or garlic powder
1 Tbsp. half-and-half
1 tsp, freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 tsp. fresh-ground pepper
Opt: Dash of hot sauce
1/2 c. toasted sliced almonds

Combine all ingredients except the almonds and mix well. Spread into a pie pan or shallow 1 qt. casserole dish; sprinkle with almonds. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until bubbly and heated through. Serve with crackers. Makes 2 cups. Delish!

Crab dip is on the wooden hot plate in the pie plate.