Spiced Pumpkin Cream Cheese

This spiced pumpkin cream cheese takes all of ten minutes to make and is the perfect topping for your morning bagel or toast. Every bite tastes like you are eating pumpkin pie. Ezra Pound Cake also suggested serving it as a dip with crackers or pretzels, saying that it really shines when paired with some salt.

Source: Ezra Pound Cake

You Will Need:

• 1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened (Microwave for 15 seconds.)
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, homemade or canned
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Here We Go:

• In a medium mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, pumpkin and sugar until smooth with wooden spoon or electric mixer
• Add the pumpkin pie spice and vanilla
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour

Makes 1 1/2 cups
Happy Feasting!

Feta & Sun-dried Tomato Dip

This four ingredient dip is perfect with pretzel chips or crackers and is a great quick appetizer option when you are crunched for time but still want to impress your guests. The feta and sun-dried tomatoes give this creamy dip a very rich flavor that makes it seem like you have spent hours in the kitchen instead of five minutes. I would make this at least a few hours in advance to give the flavors time to blend. I made this the morning that we were having some friends over and it was even better when we had the leftover dip the next day.

Source: Real Simple July 2011

You Will Need:

• 4 oz feta, crumbled
• 1 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
• Salt & pepper to taste

Here We Go:

• In a bowl, mash together feta, greek yogurt and olive oil
• Mix in sun-dried tomatoes
• Season with salt and pepper and chill before serving

Makes 1 1/2 cups
Happy Feasting!

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Leave it to a significant other (men more than likely) to casually forget to tell you something. Something that might be as important as "Oh yeah, so we have this party to go to tonight and I said that we would bring an appetizer".

 

Key word = we

 

Well, most women know that we actually means you. Now, I know that there are some lucky ladies out there who have significant others who are wonderful cooks (you are very lucky)! I, on the other hand, was left to fend for myself. I wanted to make something that was relatively quick and was sure to be a crowd pleaser. I had remembered seeing a Spinach and Artichoke recipe on one of my favorite blogs, In Good Taste , and it seemed like a pretty solid appetizer with rave reviews. This dip definitely did not disappoint. I served it alongside Fritos Scoops and Pita Chips which seemed to be a success since there was nothing left to bring home!

You Will Need:

• 8 oz reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
• 8 oz fat-free cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup far-free or reduced-fat sour cream
• 1 15-oz can artichoke hearts, rinsed and roughly quartered
• 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained of excess moisture
• 1/2 cup parmigiana reggiano cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Here We Go:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
• Combine first six ingredients by hand using a wooden spoon or spatula
• Add 1/4 cup of parmigiana cheese and spread dip into a baking dish (I used 8x8)
• Top with the rest of the parmigiana
• Bake 40-45 minutes or until cheese on top is brown and bubbly
• Serve with crackers, french bread, Fritos Scoops or Pita Chips

Happy Feasting!

Cowboy Caviar

It was seventy degrees on Friday night and we were headed over to a friends' house to grill out and enjoy the amazing weather. I wanted to bring an appetizer that was representative of the weather and the first thing that came to mind was cowboy caviar. I'm sure most of you have heard of this tried and true delicious dip and it is so simple that it can be done in a matter of minutes.

You Will Need:

• 1 15 oz can of black beans, drained
• 1 15 oz can of corn, drained
• 2 large plum tomatoes, diced
• 1 large avocado, diced
• 1/2 sweet onion, diced
• Lime juice from 1 lime
• 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Here We Go:

• Mix together red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt , pepper, lime juice and garlic power in a small bowl, set aside
• Mix together black beans, corn, tomatoes, onion, avocado
• Pour liquid mixture over vegetables and toss
• Chill before serving
• Serve with Tostitos Scoops or Frtios Scoops