Crackers & Dip - a great appetizer for a holiday get-together!

Around the holidays, it is inevitable that I will make my spinach dip at least once.  Several years ago I made these cheesy crackers and they were hit.  They do take some time and as it happened, I hadn't made them since.  Feeling ambitious this year I decided to make them again and once again they were a huge hit.


Cheesy Spinach Dip

Ingredients:
2 250g cream cheese bricks, cubed
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Asiago cheese
1/3 onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp thyme
2 300g package chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained
salt to taste

Directions:

1. Spray a medium-sized saucepan with cooking spray.  Combine cream cheese and milk over medium heat, stirring frequently to melt the cream cheese (adjust heat as necessary).

2. When the cream cheese is almost melted, add the onion, garlic powder, paprika and thyme; stir to combine. When the cream cheese is completely melted, add spinach, Parmesan and Asiago cheeses.  Stir to combine.  As the mixture starts to bubble, lower the heat.  Continue to heat through, about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn't stick to the bottom.

3. At this point you can transfer it to a serving dish and serve it warm with various crackers.  If you are making it ahead, transfer it to an oven-proof dish (like corning ware) with a lid.  Let it cool before refrigerating until you need it.  To reheat, place in oven with lid at 350F for 20-30 minutes, or until heated through.  Stir and serve.

This yummy and cheesy spinach dip can easily be halved for smaller crowds!

Tex-Mex Cheese Crisps

Ingredients:
1-3/4 cups flour
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (chilled) butter, chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
200 g cheddar cheese, grated (about 1.5 cups - but weight to be precise!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 415F. Line two baking trays with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.

2. Sift the flour, chilli powder, garlic powder, paprika and salt into a large bowl.  Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.

3. Add the egg and cheese and stir until the mixture comes together.  Turn onto a lightly floured surface and gather together into a ball.  Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

3. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to 3 mm (1/8") thickness.  Cut into shapes with a 6 cm cookie cutter (for Christmas I used candy canes and Christmas trees!).

4. Place on the trays, allowing room for spreading.  Bake for 12 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown.  Leave on the trays for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Source: Ultimate Kitchen Companion

I call these crackers because they are crunchy, but they are also biscuit-like in that they are so flaky.  These were a huge hit again this year - people couldn't get enough (with and without the spinach dip!)

Chicken Enchiladas & Apple Crisp

Many, many years ago I was at my friend's apartment and she made this recipe.  I absolutely loved and saved it.  I've made it several times over the years.  Every once in awhile I have a craving for it and tonight was one of those nights.  It's also a bonus that everyone in my house loves it!  There's always leftover for lunch the next day too.

Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped

2-4 tbsp butter

4-6 chicken breasts, chopped

1 - 1-1/2 cups salsa

1 pkg (125g) cream cheese

2 cups grated cheese (I like a mixture of cheddar, mozzarella and asiago)

6 large flour tortillas

Directions:

1. Chop chicken into cubes and fry on stove in butter until it is no longer pink. Remove from pan and set aside in a bowl.

2. Cook and stir onion in butter over medium heat for 2-3 minus until softened.  Stir in cooked onion, about 2/3 cup salsa, and cream cheese.  Cook until thoroughly heated.

3. Stir in 1 cup grated cheese.

4. Spoon about 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture in the centre of each tortilla.  Roll and place seam side down in large (13x9") baking dish.  Top with remaining salsa and cheddar cheese.

5. Bake in preheated 350F oven for 15 minutes.

Cooking the chicken cubes.

Adding in the salsa and cream cheese.

Snapping a picture just before I chow down!

Saving some leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

And now onto dessert - my favourite part of any meal!

Apple Crisp

The great thing about this recipe, is that you can make a large batch and portion it out to freeze.  If you are expecting a large crowd, put this in a large dish and make one portion.  But if you want to have some on hand to give to family or friends or save for another day, then you can do that as well.

Today I made this into 3-8x8" serving dishes.  One went to our neighbour, the other is being frozen for a work function and the last one is the dessert tonight.  My apple crisp recipes have evolved over the years, but this time the crumble part is true to a Barefoot Contessa recipe.

Ingredients:
10 apples, peeled, cored and sliced (fairly thinly)
1/2 cup sugar
the juice of one lemon

2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

For the topping:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 light brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup cold unsalted butter, diced


Directions:

1. If you are making a large dish, grease a 9x14" dish.  If you are making smaller portions, grease 3 8x8" dishes.

2. Peel, core and cut the apples into slices.  Combine the apples, lemon juice, sugar and spices.  Pour into the dish.  (I actually like to divide the apples into the three dishes and then squeeze the lemon juice over top.  I then mix the rest of the ingredients and evenly sprinkle it over each dish and toss.)

3. For the topping: Combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, butter in the bowl of stand mixer with the paddle attachment.  Mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is small.  Scatter evenly over the apples.

4. If you are baking immediately, bake in a preheated 350F oven for 45 minutes, until the top is brown and the apples are bubbly.  Serve warm.  (Consider putting a sheet pan underneath for overflow if your dish is really full.)  If you are freezing, cover in foil and write the instructions on top.  Place in the freezer.  If you are baking one large dish, you will probably have to increase the baking time to 60 minutes.

5. Baking from frozen?  Thaw and bake uncovered at 350F for 45 minutes.

Prepping the apples in their foil dishes.

Check out the delicious crumble topping.

The apple crisp all bubbly and brown!

"It's so yummy mommy!"

And of course, we have to add Birthday Cake Oreo Ice Cream on top!

Visiting a Friend with Baby #2

We are off to visit my oldest friend who just had a new baby.  We are so excited to meet her newest member.  Although I can't relate to having two, I can only imagine how exhausting it is to entertain guests when you have two under two running around.  That is why I am bringing lunch and dessert for our visit.

Both recipes that I chose come together pretty easily, but they need time to sit so they have to be made well in advance.  For lunch I made macaroni and cheese (the overnight edition) and for desert this lovely tart that I've been dying to make forever.

Overnight Mac & Cheese

Ingredients: 
4 cups whole milk
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
1/8 cup butter, diced into small cubes
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated  (I like to mix the cheese that I use: this time I used medium orange cheddar and an aged white cheddar)
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Grease a 13x9" baking dish.  Spread half the pasta in the bottom of the dish.  Sprinkle with half of the cheese, dot with half of butter and sprinkle with half the salt.  Repeat the layers with the remaining pasta, remaining cheese, butter and salt.

2. Pour milk evenly over pasta, cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for about 24 hours.

3. Bake, covered with foil at 350F for 45-60 minutes.  Remove the foil during the final 15 minutes to allow the top to brown and get crispy.  (Sometimes I sprinkle some Parmesan cheese over the top when I remove the foil.)


Caramel-Swirl Double Chocolate Tart

Almond crust, cooling

Ingredients:

Crust:
2-1/4 cups almonds
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/3 cup butter, melted and cooled

Filling:
6 oz white chocolate, finely chopped
8 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup 35% whipping cream, divided

Dark chocolate filling

Caramel Sauce:
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup 35% whipping cream
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/2 tbsp butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

Crust:
2. In a food processor, process the almonds, sugar and flour until the nuts are finely ground.  Pour in butter; process (or mix) until thoroughly moistened.  Pat nut mixture into the bottom of a 10" pie plate.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the crust is lightly coloured.  Cool on rack.

White chocolate filling

Filling:

Caramel sauce simmering

3. Meanwhile place white chocolate in a bowl and dark chocolate in another bowl.  Bring cream to a boil in saucepan over medium heat.  Pour 1/3 cup of hot cream over white chocolate; pour remaining 2/3 cup hot cream over dark chocolate.  Whisk white chocolate mixture until smooth and the chocolate is melted.  Repeat with dark chocolate.  Let each cool for 10 minutes.  (At this point you can start making the caramel sauce in the same saucepan.)
4. Pour dark chocolate over cooled crust, spreading evenly.  Pour white chocolate over dark chocolate, tilting pan to evenly distribute.

Caramel Sauce:
5. In a saucepan combine all ingredients and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Drizzle caramel sauce over white chocolate in decorative pattern.
7.  Refrigerate for at least 8 hours.  Store in the refrigerator.

Assembled product without
the caramel sauce.

Ready to be refrigerated for 8 hours.