By Meg Hodson
The holidays are in full swing. I have got a jam-packed schedule from now until we leave on vacation a few days before Christmas. Between the kids and those last few days of school and the various holiday get togethers we have to attend, it's fun, but a little hectic.
You will probably find the need for a quick, homemade appetizer like the one I have created here. I love dips, but wanted to put a spin on the traditional spinach dips. Although this dip does have a lot of ingredients, preparation is straightforward and easy.
I also decided to serve it with dippers that were a little different from the quintessential baguette or crackers. I love parties and I love good food, but sometimes at these get togethers, you are bombarded with a lot of BREAD. I love bread, but man, I can fill up pretty easily when it's part of every appetizer. So I subbed Old London Melba Toasts. Trust me, these are not the melba toasts you might remember. They are so good!
I chose to pair my dip with their roasted garlic snack rounds. I love the hearty, toasted flavor of them. They are high in fiber, minerals, and are darn delicious. It's a nice option for those that want to steer clear of corn, soy, oats, and other common ingredients in crackers and bread. Plus, with only 60 calories per serving, I won't feel as guilty piling extra dip onto my toast.
Swiss Kale Dip
Ingredients:
- 1 package cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded (or finely diced) swiss cheese
- 1 cup kale (frozen or slightly blanced)
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 can of diced green chilis
- 1/4 sweet onion, finely diced
- 2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. granulated garlic
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. parsley
- 1 tbl. white wine vinegar
- Whisk cream cheese in medium size bowl (or in your Kitchen Aid mixer) until very smooth. Add all remaining ingredients and blend well. Heat in microwave for one minute, then stir. Repeat process until cheese is melted. You can also heat in an oven safe dish at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, stirring often.
