My Favorite Clam Dip

My Favorite Clam Dip

Ingredients:

1 large, 24-ounce round loaf of crusty old bread (but NOT moldy bread), non-sliced
2 8-ounce packages Philadelphia brand cream cheese set at room temperature
3 7-ounce cans clams, drained with juice reserved
2 Tbsp white onion, finely chopped
2 tsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp hot sauce (e.g., Tabasco), or to taste
Sea salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste

Utilizing a sharpened knife, remove a slice from the top of the loaf of bread and set aside. Hollow out the loaf, leaving a shell 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick. Rip into and tear the removed bread into 1-inch cubes.

In a large bowl, severely beat the cream cheese until smooth. Stir in clams, 1/4 cup of the reserved liquid, the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, onion hot pepper sauce, and the salt and pepper.

Center the hollowed out loaf on a piece of aluminum foil sufficiently sized to wrap into it and pour the clam mixture into the loaf. Cover with the reserved slice of bread and wrap in the aluminum foil.

Bake in a 250F oven for 3 hours. Serve on a large serving platter surrounded by the bread you ripped into a tore from the inside of the loaf, along with some raw vegetables if you like (e.g., baby carrots, miniaturized corn, celery, etc).

Once empty, the bread shell can be cut up, ripped into or torn apart and devoured veraciously.

Serves up 8 to 12 hungry farmer boys and/or farmer girls.

Guacamole a la Mode

Guacamole a la Mode

Ingredients:

2 or 3 ripe avocados, peeled and mashed
1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
2 to 3 canned Serrano chilies, chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Place in a serving bowl, cover tightly and refrigerate if not serving immediately. Serve with tortilla chips for dipping.

Serves 6 to 8 as a side dish.

Artichoke Dip 060610

Artichoke Dip

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup Heinz chili sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
dash of cayenne pepper
This is a sauce for dipping artichoke leaves in, but also works well for some other vegetables, such as carrot and celery sticks.

Combine mayonnaise and Heinz chili sauce, adjusting quantities until a pretty pink color is attained, approximately a 50-50 ratio. Add seasonings to taste. Use sauce to dip the meaty ends of the artichoke leaves before eating.

Spinach Artichoke Cheese Dip 030510

2 1/2 cups fresh baby spinach, shredded
1 teaspoon butter or olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 pkg. cream cheese
1 1/2 cups chopped artichoke hearts
1 cup shredded provolone cheese
1 roasted red pepper (garnish)
salt and pepper, to taste
paprika (optional)
lemon juice or lemon pepper (optional)

In a skillet, sauté minced garlic 3-4 minutes over medium heat. Do not brown. Add washed shreds of baby spinach and sauté only until wilted but still a bright green (about 2 minutes) stirring to cook evenly. Remove pan from heat and stir in ricotta cheese and cream cheese, mixing well. Add artichoke hearts. Use artichoke hearts from a jar, drained well, or frozen if available; if using fresh artichoke hearts, steam until tender before using. Stir in salt and pepper to taste.

Spread mixture in a shallow baking dish and sprinkle with a thin layer of shredded provolone cheese. Garnish with a light sprinkling of paprika across the center for decoration.

Set baking dish on the center shelf of the oven and set oven to broil. Bake until cheese has melted and top is bubbly with lightly browned edges. Remove and allow to cool. Garnish center with a roasted red pepper cut into slices to resemble a flower for contrast.

Serve with sliced chips, vegetables, crackers, toasted crusty bread rounds or fingers.

Variation: Sprinkle with lemon pepper and/or lemon juice before adding the layer of cheese.

Artichoke Dip

12 oz canned marinated artichoke hearts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 Tbs chopped fresh tarragon, or 1 Tbs dried
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and place in a 3-cup ovenproof baking dish or casserole. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until heated through, about 30 minutes. Serve with raw vegetables, chips, or crackers. Makes about 2 cups.