Shrapnel Dip

YIELD: SERVES 6-8 AS AN APPETIZER

Note: Good quality canned corn is key here! I've found the Green Giant blend of white and yellow corn kernels are crisp and sweet and delicious. All canned corn is not created equal. The same goes with Italian dressing. I used Kraft Zesty, based on recommendation. It was tasty but ultimately, use a dressing you like to eat normally because the taste will come through. You can see by the ingredient list that the quantities are really adaptable based on your preferences. The key is to chop everything up in to small, bite-sized pieces so none of the ingredients overwhelm the others.

INGREDIENTS 
1 can white beans, such as navy or Great Northern
1 can black beans
1 can corn (see note above)
1-2 avocados, diced
1/4-1/2 cup red pepper, diced
1-2 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2-3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
1/3 cup Italian dressing (see note above), plus more if needed
Squeeze of fresh lime (about 1/2 tablespoon or so from half of a large lime)
Salt and pepper to taste
White, blue or yellow corn/tortilla chips for serving

DIRECTIONS 
Drain the beans and corn together in a colander. Give them a quick rinse and let them drain really well so no extra liquid makes its way into the dip. You can use a salad spinner to get rid of excess liquid or lay them out on a double layer of paper towels and blot dry. Add them to a large bowl. Toss in the avocados, red pepper, tomatoes, red onion and cilantro. Mix. Pour the dressing over the top of the salad and using a large spoon or spatula, fold the ingredients and dressing together until everything is evenly coated. Squeeze the lime juice over the top. Gently mix. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately with chips. Store leftovers in the refrigerator. If making in advance, wait to chop and stir in the avocados until right before serving.

Knorr spinach dip

INGREDIENTS 
1 box (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, cooked, cooled and squeezed dry
1 container (16 oz.) sour cream*
1 cup Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise
1 package Knorr® Vegetable recipe mix
1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts, drained and chopped (optional)
3 green onions, chopped (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients and chill about 2 hours. Serve with French bread like bread or crackers *TIP: To lighten up dip, substitute 1 container (16 oz.) nonfat plain Greek yogurt.

Chewy Pretzel Bites

YIELD: MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN PRETZEL BITES

Note: if using active dry yeast, increase the yeast to 1 tablespoon. Proof the yeast in the warm water and sugar (let it bubble and foam – maybe about 5 minutes) before adding it to the flour and salt. I often use half to 3/4 finely ground white whole wheat flour with good results - and sometimes I get crazy and use 100% whole wheat flour (always finely ground white wheat) but the bread is a bit more dense with 100% whole wheat flour. If using part or all whole wheat flour, add a few minutes to the kneading time to help develop the gluten. 

INGREDIENTS
Dough:
2 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour (see note)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1 cup (8 ounces) very warm water

Topping:
1/2 cup (4 ounces) warm water
2 tablespoons baking soda
Coarse salt (optional)
3 tablespoons butter, melted

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, place the flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Mix to just combine. Add the water and mix well, adding more flour, as needed, a bit at a time to form a soft, smooth dough that clears the sides and bottom of the bowl. Knead the dough, by hand or machine, for about 5 minutes, until it is soft, smooth and quite slack. The goal is to get a really soft dough that isn’t overly sticky. Lightly flour the dough and place it in a plastic bag; close the bag, leaving room for the dough to expand, and let it rest for 30 minutes or up to 60 minutes. Preheat your oven to 500°F. Don’t be afraid of the high heat! This is what will help those pretzels to brown up perfectly and stay soft on the inside. Prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper or lightly greasing them (I’ve learned it helps to coat the parchment paper with cooking spray). Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface, and divide it into about four strips of equal length. Allow the pieces to rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes. While the dough is resting, combine the 1/2 cup warm water and the baking soda in a liquid measuring cup (deep enough to dip the pretzel bites into). Make sure the baking soda is thoroughly dissolved. Sometimes I have a hard time getting the baking soda completely dissolved, so I just lightly stir up the mixture right before adding each pretzel. Cut each strip of dough into about 6-8 pieces, about 1 to 1 ½ inches in width. You don’t have to be completely exact, just eyeball it. Dip each pretzel bite in the baking soda solution (this will give the pretzels a nice, golden-brown color), and place them on the baking sheets. Sprinkle them lightly with coarse, kosher, or pretzel salt. Allow them to rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Bake the pretzels for 7-8 minutes or until they’re golden brown. Bake one sheet at a time – it won’t hurt the other pretzels to chill out for a little longer. Remove the pretzels from the oven, and brush them thoroughly with the melted butter. Keep brushing the butter on until you’ve used it all up; it may seem like a lot, but that’s what gives these pretzels their ethereal taste. Eat the pretzels warm, or reheat them in an oven or microwave on low heat.

Fresh Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip

INGREDIENTS
12 ounces fresh cranberries
4-5 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 cup sugar (more or less to taste)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 (8 ounces each) packages cream cheese, light or regular, softened
Crackers, for serving

DIRECTIONS
Pulse the cranberries in a food processor or blender until coarsely chopped (alternately, you can do this task by hand). Add the green onions, cilantro, jalapeno, sugar, cumin, lemon juice and salt and pulse until the ingredients are well combined and finely chopped. Transfer the mixture to a covered bowl or tupperware and refrigerate for 4 hours (or up to overnight) so the flavors have time to develop and the cranberries lose a bit of their tartness. When ready to serve, spread the cream cheese in an even layer on a serving plate or 9-inch pie dish. Top with the cranberry-jalapeno mixture, spreading evenly over the top of the cream cheese. Refrigerate for up to an hour before serving. Serve with crackers or tortilla chips.

7 layer dip

1 can refired beans
-spread on tray/plate
2 avacodos mashed and mixed with 1/2 cup mayo and 1/2 tsp lemon juice
-spread over refried beans
taco seasoning mixed with about 1 cup sour cream
spread over avacodo
top with;
cheese
olives
green onions
tomatoes