2011 Holiday Recipe Guide

2 C sour cream
1½  C cheddar cheese, chopped
8 oz cream cheese
1 tsp liquid smoke
2 tsp minced onion
½ tsp garlic salt
1 sm jar or pkg bacon bits
2 T horseradish
Mix together and top with chopped pimento and dried parsley.

Maybe you need another idea for packing fiber and vitamins into your child’s lunch. Or maybe you’re looking for a way to convince yourself to eat more fruit. Either way, making a dip (or three) to dunk your fruit in can make it a little more enticing, and a lot more fun. 
In constructing a healthful dip for fruit, the main problem lies in the base of the dip. You want something that doesn’t pile on the fat or sugar, but still is interesting enough that you want to dunk your apple wedges and strawberries in it. 
We wanted to create a creamy base that could be easily flavored. For obvious reasons, the full-fat versions of cream cheese and sour cream were out. Greek-style yogurt has a great mouth feel and creaminess, but some people find it overwhelmingly tart. So we opted to use low-fat cream cheese blended with nonfat Greek yogurt. The result is creamy and luscious and is a perfect base for flavorings. As a bonus, it’s also a great way to get calcium. 
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FRUIT DIPPERS 
Start to finish: 25 minutes 
Servings: 10 (each serving represents 2 tablespoons of each dip for a total of 6 tablespoons) 
For the base: 
2 cups nonfat plain Greek-style yogurt 
8 ounces low-fat cream cheese 
For the chocolate: 
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 
2 tablespoons honey 
Pinch cinnamon 
2 tablespoons fat-free milk 
For the citrus: 
Zest of 1/2 lemon 
Zest of 1/2 orange 
2 tablespoons honey 
2 tablespoons orange juice 
For the orchard spice: 
1 tablespoon vanilla extract 
1 teaspoon butter rum extract 
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
1/4 teaspoon dry ginger 
Pinch ground nutmeg 
Pinch ground cloves 
2 tablespoons honey 
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the yogurt and cream cheese. Process until completely smooth. Divide the mixture into 3 bowls. 
To make the chocolate dipper, in a small bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, honey, cinnamon and milk until completely smooth. Add to one of the bowls of the yogurt mixture and stir until smooth. 
To make the citrus dipper, stir both zests, the honey and orange juice into one of the remaining bowls of yogurt mixture. 
To make the orchard spice dipper, stir the vanilla, butter rum extract, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and honey into the last bowl of yogurt and cream cheese. 
Serve the dips with cut up wedges of apples, pears, peaches and berries. 
Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 130 calories; 40 calories from fat (29 percent of total calories); 5 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 15 mg cholesterol; 18 g carbohydrate; 6 g protein; 1 g fiber; 105 mg sodium.

The flesh of a ripe Hass avocado is so luxuriously buttery and creamy you know from the first bite that it’s loaded with fat. 
The great news is that it nevertheless is good for you. The fat that’s in an avocado is mostly the healthier monounsaturated kind, similar to olive and nut oils.

SWEET PEA AND
AVOCADO
GUACAMOLE 

Start to finish: 10 minutes 
Makes about 2 1/2 cups
2 cups frozen baby peas, thawed 
1 medium Hass avocado 
1 small red onion, finely chopped 
4-ounce can fire-roasted green chilies, drained 
1/4 cup lime juice 
2 garlic cloves, minced 
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste 
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 
In a food processor, combine the peas, avocado, onion, chilies, lime juice, garlic, cumin and salt. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the processor bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
Add the cilantro and pulse until just blended.

ith heavy cream and mushrooms. 
Actually, you could just stop with the heavy cream. But we’ll pretend the addition of mushrooms to this easy, comforting weeknight dinner somehow makes it virtuous.
If nothing else, relying on real, fresh ingredients will certainly be better for you than popping open a can of cream-of-anything soup. 
This recipe is ridiculously simple. Make a vinaigrette-like marinade and give some chicken breasts a bath in it for about 20 minutes. I keep the marinade simple with little more than oil, vinegar, garlic and smoked paprika, but you can add any other seasonings that excite you. 
Next, you saute some mushrooms, then add the chicken. When everything is cooked, you dump in some cream and call it dinner. 
You’re going to want to eat this with something to sop up all that sauce. Hunks of French bread would be nice, but egg noodles or rice would be great, too. 
——— 
Chicken with Smoky Mushroom Cream Sauce 
Start to finish: 30 minutes 
Servings: 4 
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided 
1 tablespoon cider vinegar 
6 cloves garlic, minced 
1 teaspoon smoked paprika 
Salt and ground black pepper 
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts 
1 pound sliced button mushrooms 
1/2 cup white wine 
1/2 cup heavy cream 
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme 
1 scallion, finely sliced 
Bread, noodles or rice, for serving 
In a large bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the vinegar, garlic, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Mix well, then set aside. 
One at a time lay each chicken breast on the cutting surface and slice across the center horizontally to create 2 thin halves. 
Add the chicken to the bowl, turn to coat, cover and set aside for 20 minutes. 
When ready to cook, in a large saute pan over medium-high, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the mushrooms and saute until browned, about 8 minutes. 
Add the chicken and any marinade in the bowl to the pan.
Brown the chicken on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Add the wine and gently shake the pan to help deglaze it. 
Reduce heat to low, then add the cream and the thyme. Stir to combine with the mushrooms. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute. 
Serve chicken and mushroom sauce over noodles, rice or bread. 
Nutrition information per serving (not including serving starch) (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 477 calories; 245 calories from fat (51 percent of total calories); 27 g fat (9 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 140 mg cholesterol; 7 g carbohydrate; 43 g protein; 0 g fiber; 184 mg sodium. 
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EDITOR’S NOTE: Food Editor J.M. Hirsch is author of the cookbook “High Flavor, Low Labor: Reinventing Weeknight Cooking.” He can be e-mailed at jhirsch@ap.org.

Katie Bradshaw, Star-Herald Staff Reporter

2 C cooked, mashed winter squash

(butternut squash works well, but other varieties may be used)

1 C shredded cheddar cheese

½ C vegetable or chicken broth

Chili powder to taste

Combine all ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave just long enough to melt the cheese. Serve with tortilla chips.

Dorothy Purviance, Morrill, NE

1 lg can peaches

2 pkg peach gelatin

1-8 oz pkg cream cheese

12 oz whipped topping

4 tab. milk

Drain fruit and heat to boiling [juice] pour over gelatin. Stir to dissolve.  Cool until partially set. Combine milk with cream cheese Beat until smooth. Stir into cooled gelatin. Mash fruit, fold cool whip into mixture[also peaches] pour into 9×13 pan.  Put in refrigerator.

Directions:
Mix mayonnaise, vinegar, lemon juice, black pepper, salt and cayenne pepper together. Refrigerate for at least eight hours before using. Brush lightly over chicken, turkey or pork during the last few minutes of grilling or smoking.

• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon roughly chopped walnuts
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 2 tablespoons Kerrygold Salted Butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 3/4 cups (5 ounces) grated Kerrygold Dubliner cheese
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 325°F.
2. Place the walnuts in a single layer on a cookie sheet and toast until lightly browned, about 5 to 10 minutes; watch carefully to prevent burning. Transfer to a small plate to cool.
3. Heat the milk in a small pot over low heat just until a bubble begins to break on the surface; remove from heat. In another small pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Just before it starts to foam, while whisking, add the flour. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture forms a smooth paste and pulls from the bottom and sides of the pot. While whisking vigorously, add the milk in a steady stream. Continue to whisk to keep the flour mixture from creating lumps. Stir until smooth and creamy. Lower the heat to simmer and cook the sauce 5 to 7 minutes. Stir from time to time.
4. Gently stir the cheese into the sauce to reach a smooth, silken consistency. Remove from the heat and add the honey and 1/4 cup of the walnuts.
5. When cool, refrigerate. Best if made one day before serving. To serve, bring the dip to room temperature or warm in a double boiler or gently in the microwave, to soften. Scatter the remaining walnuts over the top. Perfect with celery hearts, sliced fennel, endive leaves, and thin wedges of crisp apples.

Serves
Makes about 1 3/4 cups

SOURCE:
Irish Dairy Board

Ingredients

• 1/2 fresh Dole Tropical Gold Pineapple, peeled and sliced vertically
• 1 large, ripe firm Dole Banana, slice in half vertically
• 1 mango, skinned, peeled and sliced in half vertically
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup red onion, minced
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 kiwi, diced

Preparation

1. Combine pineapple, banana and mango slices with the olive oil and lime juice. Brush to coat the fruit. Place fruit on grill. Grill fruit 4 to 5 minutes each side, remove and cool slightly.
2. Roughly chop the grilled fruit, reserving juices. Combine fruit and reserved juices with the red onion, red pepper flakes and kiwi. Serve warm or room temperature. Great with grilled chicken or fish.

Serves
Makes 4 servings

Preparation Time:
10 minutes

Grill Time:
8 minutes

SOURCE:
Dole

TODD BALIMAN, KIMBALL, NE

1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 6 oz can lump crab, drained & flaked
1 cup shredded sharp good quality Cheddar cheese
1 packet Hidden Valley® Ranch Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix
3 tablespoons chopped green onions
1 teaspoon hot sauce
Toasted baguette slices
Fresh thyme, if desired

Combine all ingredients, except toast slices; mix well. Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour to allow flavors to blend. Serve with toasted baguette slices. Garnish with fresh thyme.
NOTE: Spread also can be heated in microwave for 3 to 5 minutes for a warm dip.

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