Homemade Labneh

2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt (not Greek style)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Arrange a double layer of cheesecloth in a strainer (or, alternatively, line a strainer with coffee filters); spoon yogurt into strainer, and place strainer over a bowl so that it rests a few inches above the bottom of the bowl. Lightly cover strainer with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 24 hours.

Remove strainer from bowl; discard whey. Spoon labneh into a bowl; stir in salt. Store in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Use your homemade labneh as a bagel or toast spread, smear it on a plate and top with any salad, or drizzle with olive oil and Aleppo pepper and serve as a dip. You can also make a delicious sesame version by stirring 2 tablespoons tahini into the finished labneh.

Serves 10 (serving size: 2 tbsp.)

calories 26

fat 1.6 g

satfat 1 g

monofat 0.4 g

polyfat 0.1 g

protein 2 g

carbohydrate 1 g

fiber 0.0 g

cholesterol 6 mg

iron 0.0 mg

sodium 110 mg

calcium 40 mg

sugars 3 g

Est. Added Sugars 0 g

Spinach Dip

4 5 ounce bag baby spinach
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
1 9 ounce box frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and chopped
1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
3 ounces gruyere cheese, shredded
3 whole wheat pitas, each cut into eighths and toasted

In a large nonstick skillet, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add the spinach, 1 bag at a time, and stir until wilted, about 3 minutes; drain. Rinse with cold water, squeeze out as much liquid as possible, then coarsely chop. Rinse the skillet.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees . In the skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; cook for 2 minutes.

Stir in the cream cheese, mashing until smooth. Stir in the spinach, artichokes, mayonnaise and two-thirds of the gruyere. Transfer to a shallow baking dish.

Finely chop 4 of the toasted pita triangles. In a small bowl, combine the chopped pita with the remaining gruyere and sprinkle over the spinach-artichoke mixture; bake until golden-brown and bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm with the remaining toasted pita triangles.

Artichoke and Egg Spread

14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

3 hard boiled eggs, chopped

1/2 tsp curry powder or to taste

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Refrigerate before serving to allow flavors to meld.

Knorr Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip

2 cloves garlic

1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts, drained and chopped

1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 package Knorr® Vegetable recipe mix

1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese [or cheddar or Swiss cheese], divided

3/4 cup Hellmann’s® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1 bag (9 oz.) baby spinach leaves [or 1 box (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, cooked, cooled and squeezed dry]

Preheat oven to 350°.  Combine all ingredients except 1/2 cup cheese. Spoon into a 2-quart casserole, then top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.  Bake for 35 minutes or until dip is hot.

Sour Cream Dip

16 oz sour cream

4 T parsley, chopped

4 T chives, chopped

1/2 t curry powder

1/2 t paprika

1/4 t salt

1/4 t salt

1 t seasoning salt

Mix all together and refrigerate for several hours to meld flavors.

Sour Cream and Onion Dip

1 teaspoon canola oil
2 cups finely chopped sweet yellow onion (about 1 onion)
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 cup canola mayonnaise
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion, garlic, and 1/8 teaspoon salt; cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 6 minutes, stirring frequently. Cool onion mixture slightly.

Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, 1 1/2 tablespoons chives, pepper, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add onion mixture; stir well. Top with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons chives.

Serving size 2 tablespoons

Calories: 67
Fat: 5.3g
Saturated fat: 1.5g
Monounsaturated fat: 2.5g
Polyunsaturated fat: 1.1g
Protein: 1g
Carbohydrate: 3.6g
Fiber: 0.5g
Cholesterol: 8mg
Iron: 0.1mg
Sodium: 139mg
Calcium: 29mg

Apple-Cheddar Fondue

1 cup cider
8 ounces yellow cheddar, shredded
8 ounces Monterey Jack, shredded
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Freshly grated or ground nutmeg
Sliced apples, for serving

In a medium saucepan, bring the cider to a simmer over medium heat. In a medium bowl, toss the cheeses with the cornstarch. Gradually stir the cheese mixture into the cider until melted and smooth. Add nutmeg to taste. Transfer to a fondue pot. Serve with sliced apples.

Serves 6

Artichoke Dip with Crispy Shallots

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for frying
2 large shallots—1 minced, 1 thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
One 9-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and drained
1/4 cup dry white wine
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese (3 ounces)
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Tabasco
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup panko
Toast points and assorted crudités, such as blanched broccoli or romanesco florets, red bell pepper strips and fennel wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 400°. In a medium skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil until shimmering. Add the minced shallot and garlic and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the artichokes and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes; let the mixture cool.

In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese with the Gruyère, parsley, lemon juice, Tabasco and 1/2 cup of the Parmigiano. Fold in the artichoke mixture and season the dip with salt and pepper. Scrape into a shallow 3-cup baking dish and smooth the surface. Sprinkle the panko and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmigiano on top. Bake for about 20 minutes, until heated through and lightly golden on top.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat 1/4 inch of olive oil until shimmering. Add the sliced shallot and fry over moderate heat, stirring, until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried shallot to paper towels to drain and cool. Sprinkle the fried shallot on top of the artichoke dip and serve with toast points and crudités.

MAKE AHEAD The unbaked dip can be refrigerated overnight; the fried shallot can be kept at room temperature. Bring the dip to room temperature before baking.

Caramelized Poblano Chile and Onion Dip

1/4 cup safflower oil
3 cups diced white onion (from 1 large onion)
3 fresh poblano chiles, seeds and ribs removed, diced (3 cups)
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, toasted and coarsely ground
Coarse salt
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes)
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
Cayenne pepper, for sprinkling
Cut-up cucumbers, jicama, and radishes, or chips, for serving

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, chiles, coriander, and 1 teaspoon salt. Saute, stirring occasionally, until onion and chiles are tender and caramelized, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely.

Stir together lime juice, cream cheese, and sour cream in a large bowl, using a rubber spatula, until smooth. Stir in onion mixture. Season with salt if necessary. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. Sprinkle with cayenne. Serve with cut-up vegetables or chips.

Hot Cheesy Spinach Dip

1 package (10 oz.) chopped spinach leaves
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup Hellmann’s® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise
1-1/2 cups cheddar cheese
1 package Knorr® Vegetable recipe mix
Medium can artichoke hearts, chopped
1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts. chopped
2 cloves garlic

Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine all ingredients except 1/2 cup cheddar cheese in medium bowl. Spoon into 2-quart casserole, then top with remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese.
Bake 35 minutes or until heated through. Serve, if desired, with toasted french baguette rounds, sliced garlic bread, corn or tortilla chips or vegetable dippers.

Spanakopita Dip: Use feta cheese instead of cheddar. Spoon into mini phyllo cups and bake 8 minutes or until filling puffs.