Lobster and Roasted Red Pepper Dip

This is a recipe modeled after a similar one at one of the restaurants here in Richmond. It's easy enough and definitely worth making if you want to impress a party.

You will need:

3 tbsp salted butter
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 lb lobster meat
2 tablespoons finely chopped roasted red peppers
1 tsp dried dill weed
8 oz neufchatel cheese

Over medium heat melt the butter and add the garlic. Add the lobster and cook for several minutes, stirring often with a spatula, until done. Make sure to watch so the butter doesn't burn. Halfway through add the red peppers. In a blender or countertop mixer, put the neufchatel and dill weed. Take the lobster off the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes before adding to the neufchatel mixture. Blend until almost all chunks are gone. This makes about a cup, serve with pita chips or flatbread.

Brie, Apple and Hazelnut Schmear

This was the first thing people went for at the party after being given the overview of what was being served -- it also got the most feedback. I kept the hazelnuts whole to add interest but most of the guests found them too distracting but loved the rest of the dip. So if you're not a fan of crunchy things in dip or don't like hazelnuts, just leave 'em out. It'll still be good.

You need:

1 shredded granny smith apple
8 oz softened brie cheese (I just bought a "3-"4 wedge)
4 oz neufchatel cheese, softened
1 cup hazelnuts, chopped finely

Combine and serve. Easy!

Baked Garlic Dip

This is my favorite thing to serve alongside the Italian sourdough -- a creamy, garlic-ey dip that tastes a lot more fattening than it is. I read the basis of the recipe in the Herb Companion and made a few changes. For example, the original recipe calls for scallions while I chose to substitute with more garlic -- ripe garlic cloves tend to eminate a richer scent and flavor. Try baking this in a cast iron or stoneware dish so it stays hot and perfect.

Baked Garlic Dip

3 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1/2c cooked spinach
3-5 artichoke hearts, chopped
~2tsp fresh oregano, chopped finely
7 oz fage (Greek low fat yogurt, use plain regular yogurt otherwise)
3/4c light mayonnaise
1c shredded cheddar
1/4c shredded parmesean
salt to taste

Heat the mayonnaise and fage in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Preheat oven to 450. Add garlic, oregano and artichoke hearts; stir occasionally until simmering. Add cheddar and stir until melted, add spinach and salt. Pour into a baking pan or small casserole dish and sprinkle parmesean over the top. Bake for 10 minutes or until bubbling and beginning to brown. Allow several minutes to cool before serving.

Southwest Salsa

This is one of my favorite salsa recipes because it's easy, the ingredients can be found in any grocery store, and it contains enough different flavors to put plain tomato salsa to shame. I encourage everyone to use as fresh of ingredients as they can find, but the only place where it really makes a difference is in the cilantro and tomatoes. Since I can't stand tomato seeds I pit mine beforehand, but if you don't mind them it doesn't make much of a difference. Enjoy!

Southwest Black Bean Salsa:
15 oz kidney beans
15 oz black beans
15 oz fresh or canned corn
1/2c chopped onion
2 tbsp finely chopped jalapenos
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1tsp vinegar
1 chipotle pepper, very finely chopped (one can usually contains 4-5 peppers)
15 oz diced tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tbsp salt

Combine all ingredients. Allow to chill overnight. Who knew it could be this easy?!

Spinach Artichoke Dip Rediscovered

As of late, my taste for spinach has been showing itself. Aside from being delicious and bright green, this little leafy vegetable packs a real protein punch. Per 1c serving, it brings 5g of fiber (18% DV), 6g of protein, and a whopping 366% DV of Vitamin A. There's also 14% DV of Vitamin C, 20% DV of calcium, and 16% DV of iron to be reckoned with. Talk about a power vegetable!

Dr. Praeger's Spinach Pancakes got my mind going in this direction. If you can make pancakes out of it, what else can you do? I decided to start with a favorite -- Spinach Artichoke Dip. In restaurants, this dish is served literally brimming with fat; it's not unusual to see oil surrounding the sides of the serving dish. A 2 oz. serving of Don Pablo's Spinach Dip generously gives 14% DV of fat, and a mind-boggling 25% saturated fat.

One night that I was between getting prepackaged TGI Friday's spinach dip and ordering some from a restaurant, an epiphany hit me: I could either purchase the frozen stuff, brimming with preservatives and chemicals, pick it up from a restaurant soaked in grease, or avoid both pitfalls by making it myself. I Googled a few recipes to get the idea, and wound up creating my own significantly lighter version. Enjoy!

Spinach Artichoke Dip (serves 6)

1 package frozen chopped spinach
8 oz neufchatel cheese or fat-free cream cheese
1 clove garlic, chopped
4 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts (canned works as well, marinated is just better)
1/3-1/2 c grated Asiago
2 tbsp fat free sour cream
salt to taste

1. boil a saucepan of water; add block of spinach and garlic.
2. while spinach thaws and boils, drain artichoke hearts and chop into smaller pieces.
3. strain spinach and garlic, add neufchatel and artichokes. stir over medium heat until cheese starts to soften.
4. add remaining ingredients; let the dip heat to a bubble while stirring.
5. serve hot, garnish with a lemon wedge.

Nutritional Info per Serving:
8g protein, 9.6g fat, 2g fiber, 3.3g carbs, 136 calories overall.

Traditional Spinach Dip:
17g fat, 3g fiber, 12g carbs, 282 calories overall.