![Creamy Herb Dip with Crudités]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Jun 17, 2016 | Appetizers & Snacks, Entertaining
I love a good party dip- and a good party! No matter where you are in the world, it seems, you need a good snack/appetizer/pre-meal munchie to go with the food and warm up the guests as they arrive. During Ramadan, however, the schedule is a little bit different. Do you really think about party foods, dips with chips or crackers or are you really just trying to get actual food on the table?
I think if you’re having guests over who will stay a little longer than just for the main Iftar meal, you’ll want to give people something to munch on with drinks, especially if they stay into the night.
Since it’s summer, why not pick the freshest herbs from your grocer, farmers market or your own garden and add lots of them to a cream-based dip and serve it up with some wonderful, light oven baked lentil crackers and raw veggies, or crudités?
I use herbs like fresh chives, cilantro, basil, parsley, dill, oregano- whatever I have that is growing nicely and super fresh and beautiful- it’s going into this dip! It’s best to pick in the morning, by the way, when plants are nice and fresh with morning dew.
I do about half yogurt and half sour cream, a pinch of salt and pepper and all the fresh herbs (about 2-4 heaping tablespoons).
Raw veggies can be anything you like and/or have on hand. I like Persian cucumbers, colorful carrots and even pretty lettuce leaves that are good for scooping the dip.
For a healthy, crunchy cracker, I’m now using the new Lentil Crackers with Sea Salt, Rosemary Herb or Cracked Pepper- all by Saffron Road as a part of their new line of healthy snacks.
As they say, they’re “dense in protein, high in fiber, and low in fat”– and I can taste that. They’re also gluten-free and part of the Non-GMO project, which I’m certainly passionate about supporting in all of our foods.
One last note- if this doesn’t suit your lifestyle needs for Iftar, bookmark this recipe or save it on Pinterest for a great, all-natural and wholesome snack recipe for an Eid party.
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[yumprint-recipe id=’97’] ![Smoked Salmon Dip]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Feb 3, 2016 | Appetizers & Snacks
I don’t know what it is about winter and salmon but it seems like every cold season I start to crave that flavor of fresh Alaskan Sockeye in parchment with dill and butter or those great smoked Norwegian salmon pieces on toast, with dill, of course. But this winter, I decided to try testing a dip to make for some upcoming parties. I just happen to be watching endless episodes of Barefoot Contessa when I saw Ina Garten making a smoked salmon dip that looked delicious, although I had few tweaks in mind when trying it on my own. I had never really watched Ina cook on her show before, but now I know why everyone loves her!
You only need a few ingredients to make the dip- and you may already have them on hand. Be sure to use fresh dill rather than dried- it makes a huge difference.
You’ll need sour cream, cream cheese, salt, black pepper, smoked salmon and cucumber. I also would add a bit of heavy whipping cream or half and half- just about 1-2 tablespoons- if you want the dip to be slightly thinner.
I just happen to spot these:
However, since writing this post, an update is that the chips are no longer available, so I suggest using the Baked Lentil crackers instead, which are available at local Whole Foods Markets. I must say that I was really, really impressed. The flavor is great and since they’re baked, it’s a healthy option.
They can also hold up to a thick dip like this one, so they’re really nice scoops. I’d say that’s perfect for the upcoming Super Bowl parties many people are planning and who wants chips that crack and break- it’s annoying.
Everything gets mixed up pretty easily. If you have one, use a stand mixer to combine the cream cheese and sour cream then gently fold in the salmon and dill and spices. Add the heavy cream and use a wire whisk to incorporate, if you’re adding this. I like to add diced cucumber (without any seeds) for added crunch and texture, but it’s optional.
Whether you’re serving a crowd or just want to have a snack at home with family, this is definitely a crowd pleaser, even for people who think they wouldn’t like salmon…
[yumprint-recipe id=’89’]