Festive Cranberry Dip Food

SEVEN-LAYER CRANBERRY COBB DIP

Steps:

• Special equipment: a 2-quart trifle bowl
• Adjust two oven racks to the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and the bread on another baking sheet. Bake the walnuts until golden and toasted, about 10 minutes. Bake the bread until lightly golden brown and crispy, 10 to 12 minutes. Set both aside to cool completely. Finely chop 2 cups of the walnuts and set aside.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, parsley, scallions, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Put the chicken in a food processor along with 1 cup of the sour cream mixture, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Process until the mixture is a chunky puree. Transfer to another medium bowl and set aside.
• Rinse out the food processor, and add the toasted bread, 2 cups of the unchopped walnuts, the mustard and 1 teaspoon salt. Process until the mixture resembles a chunky puree. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the oil and 2 tablespoons water through the feed tube. Continue to process until smooth.
• To assemble the dip, make an even layer of the chicken salad in the bottom of a 2-quart trifle bowl. Then top with even layers of the following: the walnut mixture, chopped celery stalks, blue cheese, the reserved finely chopped walnuts, the remaining sour cream-herb sauce and then the cranberries. Sprinkle with the celery leaves. Serve right away, or cover and refrigerate up to 8 hours or overnight. Serve with crackers.

CRANBERRY CREAM CHEESE DIP

Steps:

• Chop cranberries in a food processor or by hand. Transfer to a bowl.
• Add sugar, green onion, cilantro, jalapeno pepper, lemon juice, cumin, and salt to cranberries; mix well. Cover and store in the refrigerator until cranberries have lost some of their bitter taste, about 4 hours.
• Place cream cheese bricks on a plate and pour cranberry mixture over top. Serve immediately.

CRANBERRY CHEESE HOLIDAY DIP

Steps:

• Combine cranberries, sugar, onion, horseradish, and salt in a saucepan.
• Stir constantly and bring to a boil.
• Chill for at least 1 hour.
• Place cream cheese on a platter. Spoon cranberry mixture over the top.
• Serve with crackers. May be made up to 3 days ahead.

FESTIVE CRANBERRY DIP

Steps:

• Beat cream cheese and cranberry sauce with mixer until well blended. Gently stir in COOL WHIP; cover.
• Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

CRANBERRY DIP

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine cranberries with sugar in a 2 quart baking dish with a lid, stirring well to coat all the berries. Bake in the preheated oven, covered, for about 30 minutes, until the cranberries pop and release their liquid.
• Remove from oven and stir in the apricot jam and pecans. Refrigerate overnight to blend the flavors. To serve, allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature, and pour dip over the block of cream cheese on a serving dish. Serve with buttery round crackers or small pretzels.

FESTIVE CRANBERRY AND DATE BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Line 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl.
• Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl to blend well.
• Beat in eggs 1 at a time.
• Mix in orange zest, vanilla, ginger and nutmeg.
• Beat in flour mixture just until blended.
• Stir in cranberries, dates and pistachios (dough will be sticky).
• Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface.
• Gather dough together; divide in half.
• Roll each half into 15-inch-long log (about 1 1/4 inches wide).
• Carefully transfer logs to 1 prepared baking sheet, spacing 3 inches apart.
• Bake logs until almost firm to touch but still pale, about 30 minutes.
• Cool logs on baking sheet 10 minutes.
• Maintain oven temperature.
• Carefully transfer logs still on parchment paper to cutting board.
• Using serrated knife and gentle sawing motion, cut logs crosswise into generous 1/2-inch-thick slices.
• Place slices, one cut side down, on remaining 2 prepared sheets.
• Bake until firm and pale golden, about 10 minutes per side.
• Transfer cookies to racks and cool.
• Stir chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water until smooth.
• Remove from over water.
• Using tines of fork, drizzle chocolate over biscotti or, alternatively, dip half of biscotti in the melted chocolate.
• Let stand until chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.