Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Green Herb Dip

Perfect Pairing: Personalized Memory Cookbooks

You never need to buy, nor will you want to buy, store-bought dips after making this Green Herb Dip.  High praise, I know.  This fresh dip was another addition to the menu for the outdoor concert at Ravinia.  The Perfect Pairing for this recipe is very close to my heart.  I think any cook will love this idea, but more on that later.

I found the recipe in my favorite chef’s cookbook, Barefoot Contessa at Home.  Ina Garten, or The Barefoot Contessa, is something else.  Her recipes are classic, use great ingredients and are tried and true.  I even find myself using her lingo…. “How easy was that?”.  I do question her instruction of always using the “nice” or “good” version of something.  I am totally on board with using a “nice” olive oil or a “good” balsamic vinegar but sometimes I think a jar of cinnamon is a jar of cinnamon.  Now, if I am ever in Saigon I may pick up some very special Saigon cinnamon and it could change my life. 

This dip could not be easier.  You just throw everything in a food processor and whir it up.  Ina suggests using a mixer with a paddle attachment but I like the food processor because you only have to give the herbs a rough chop and it does the rest of the work for you.  I adapted the recipe to use more dill because I love that flavor.  Next time I will add some fresh lemon zest.  I used the light version of the ingredients and it tasted great.  We had it with fresh crudités like pepper strips, carrots, cucumber, and grape tomatoes.  It would be great with chips, crackers or as a spread on a sandwich.  I believe we both dipped our Parmesan Biscuit Sandwiches in this as well.

This is the best picture I have of the dip.  Ignore all plastic containers please!  Ina would not be proud of my serving display.


The perfect pairing for this dip is a Personalized Memory Cookbook.  A lot of home cooks have stacks and stacks of cookbooks stored away in cupboards, closets and on top of the refrigerator.  In the age of internet many of us search for recipes online and neglect these wonderful books.  This Perfect Pairing changes that mentality, it makes you want to pull them out and page through them when you are looking for that perfect recipe.


My lovely mom started giving these Memory Cookbooks to me and my siblings for Christmas about five years ago.  Each year she buys 4 identical cookbooks and creates a memory page to be added to the front of the book.  She includes photos of momentous or memorable occasions throughout the year and writes a short blurb with the descriptions.  She covers the memory page with a laminating sheet to protect it from smudges, spills or splatters.  I LOVE this gift!  Every time I open one of these cookbooks I glance through the photos and am reminded of the great times I have had with friends and family.    It is such a thoughtful gift, no big surprise because my mom is the best mom out there!  Hands down!


Green Herb Dip

Ingredients:
·         8 oz room temperature cream cheese
·         ½ cup sour cream
·         ½ cup mayonnaise
·         4 green onions, white and green parts, chopped
·         2 Tb. Fresh parsley, chopped
·         2 Tb. Fresh dill, chopped
·         1 tsp. kosher salt
·         1 tsp. ground black pepper

Directions:
Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until combined.  Serve with fresh veggies, chips, crackers or pretzels.

5 comments:

  1. Oh my gosh, I can't wait to try this recipe. I just told Ryan last weekend that I need to find a recipe for my own veggie dip. I never care for store-bought. And what a fabulous gift from your mom! She's a keeper! ;)

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  2. I have made this three times in a week! Perfect for having around for veggie/chip dip, a yummy snack for the boat and something to pull out for surprise visitors. My kids all LOVE it. Best dip ever. Will make year-round.

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