Tammy Kelly
Bring in the New Year with your “bubble” of friends and family with some delicious and mostly healthy Holiday appetizers. Your guests will scoop up these tasty starters to give you energy to make to the ball drop!!
Kale and Asiago Brussels Sprouts Dip
4 cups brussels sprouts, chopped
2 cups kale chopped
1 cup asiago cheese, grated
½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon each salt and pepper
8 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
½ large onion, finely chopped
For Serving, assorted cracker crisps, tortilla chips, assorted vegetables
Bring a large pot of slightly salted water to a boil. Remove the ends of brussels sprouts and chop each thinly until you have about 4 cups worth. Chop kale finely. Boil brussels sprouts and kale for 2-3 minutes then drain.
12 ounces of whole wheat bread, torn into 1-inch pieces (about 8 cups)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place spinach in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly over the sink to remove as much as liquid as possible. Combine the squeezed spinach and artichoke hearts on a medium bowl.
Cook tomatoes, oil, garlic, crushed red pepper and lemon zest in a small skillet over low heat, stirring often, until fragrant and the garlic is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the spinach mixture.
Whisk milk and eggs in a large bowl. Add the spinach mixture, feta, and bread. Toss gently until the bread absorbs the milk mixture. Spoon the mixture into a 13 x 9 inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Let stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.
1 tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard
1 ½ teaspoons local honey
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spread the pecans on a baking tray. Toast them lightly golden and fragrant, about 5 to 10 minutes, tossing them once or twice to make sure they bake evenly. Remove the tray from the oven and set them aside to cool.
Pull the kale leaves off from the tough stems and discard the stems. Chop the kale into small bite-sized pieces. Transfer the kale to a big salad bowl. Sprinkle a small pinch of kosher salt over the kale and knead into the kale, leaves will become darker and more fragrant.