Onion Dip

Posted by: Annie

Oh dip, how I could eat it for every meal. One of my favorite dips has always been French Onion, but I confess - I have always made it from those delicious little Lipton powder packs and mixed with a container of sour cream. This homemade version of onion dip is a delicious and easy replacement, and is a perfect option for any upcoming Super Bowl parties!!

What you will need:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups onions, diced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook approximately 20 minutes until caramelized. Remove from heat, and allow onions to cool completely. In a large bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic powder, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix in cooled onions. Chill for at least one hour for best flavor.

Serve with your favorite pita chips, pretzels, or veggies!

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Source: Alton Brown

Goat Cheese and Prosciutto Pizza with Fig Jam and Arugula

Posted by: Maggie

It just took me about 7 hours to write the name of this post, because I couldn't figure out how to properly stuff all the goodness of this pizza into the title.  

Therefore, this is going to be a short post, with none of my usual rambling.

I will just leave you with this:

Goat cheese, good.
Jam, good.
Prosciutto, gooooood.

Here's what you'll need:

For the crust: (Makes a lot of dough, you'll use 1/4 of it for this recipe) 

1 teaspoon active dry yeast
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the toppings:

Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
5-6 tablespoons fig jam or preserves (I found this in the fancy cheese section, not in the jam section)
2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
1 ounce prosciutto, torn (about 2 slices)
Kosher salt, to taste
1 handful of arugula (I have man hands, so let's call this one LARGE handful)

To make the crust, sprinkle the yeast over 1 1/2 cups warm (not lukewarm) water. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flour and salt. Turn the mixer on low speed, and slowly drizzle in the olive oil, until it is combined with the flour. Next, slowly pour in the yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined.

Coat a large mixing bowl with olive oil, and transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and transfer to the fridge to rise for at least 24 hours.

When it's time to assemble your pizza, divide the dough into 4 equal portions, and stick 3 portions back in the fridge for another time. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees while you're at it. Rub a small baking sheet with olive oil. Stretch your dough out into an awkward hybrid of an oval/rectangle, and place it on the baking sheet. Lightly drizzle the dough with olive oil. Next, smear the fig preserves on, followed by the goat cheese, prosciutto, and a light sprinkling of kosher salt.

Bake in preheated oven to 10-12 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Let stand for a few minutes before slicing, and top with arugula immediately before serving.

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Source: crust recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman, and toppings are from yours truly, but they really aren't a unique concept.

Pepperoni Pizza Dip

Posted by: Maggie

Does anyone else out there only care about the Super Bowl for the commercials and the food? Good, me too. This year, I tried valiantly to get into football, only to lose interest 3 weeks into the season. You may remember that I even joined a fantasy football league, only to get fed up with my players' inability to run around for a few hours without injuring themselves. Lame. 

I think one of the big reasons I've always wanted to like it is because some of my favorite movies and television shows involve football - The Blind Side, Remember the Titans, Varsity Blues, and Friday Night Lights to name a few. I've determined that if professional football was shot in slow motion and set to dramatic music I would be super into it. I love Hollywood-generated football. Just not the real kind.

I know the Super Bowl is still almost 2 weeks away, but I wanted to post this recipe far enough advance for you to include it on your game-day menu. This spinach dip recipe used to be my favorite appetizer on the blog until I made this recipe. It is absolutely delicious, and super quick to whip up.

Here's what you'll need:

12 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Generous pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup pizza sauce
Pepperoni slices, halved (I didn't measure these, just eyeball how much you want)
3 scallions, green parts thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a mixer, combine cream cheese with spices. Evenly spread mixture in the bottom of a pie plate, and top with half of the mozzarella. Top mozzarella with the pizza sauce, and then layer on the remaining mozzarella.

Top with pepperoni slices and scallions, and bake for 15-20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, and serve with toasted baguette slices or crackers.

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Source: Adapted from Salad in a Jar