Swiss Chard & Artichoke Dip

Don't be fooled by the name, this stuff is awesome!  I started getting a CSA box recently and have had to really push outside of my comfort zone to find new ways to use up all the interesting veggies.  This is a delicious variation on Spinach and Artichoke dip, and was the perfect dish to take to a recent Moms Night Out with my girlfriends.

Ingredients
1/4c olive oil
1c onion, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch Swiss chard, leaves & stalks separated and each chopped into small pieces
1 14oz can artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed, and chopped into small pieces
4oz chive & onion cream cheese spread (or plain cream cheese)
1/2c plain yogurt
1/4c mayo (I used Miracle Whip since it was all I had on hand)
1 1/2c Pecorino Romano, finely shredded
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions
Saute onion and chard stalks in olive oil until soft and onion is translucent.  Add garlic and cook a minute or two more.  Add chard leaves and artichoke hearts, then cover and cook until soft (remove lid if there is too much moisture).  Add remaining ingredients and cook until soft and thick (10-15 minutes).  Serve with crackers or bread and enjoy!

Source
In My Kitchen Garden

Notes
I topped a burger with this for lunch yesterday and it was so yummy!!!  Might try it as an out of the ordinary nacho topping too!!!

Spicy Pumpkin Pinwheels

I love these!  They are so tasty and cute, I'm pretty sure these will become one of my staples for my annual Halloween party.

Ingredients

1 package jalapeno cheddar wraps

cream cheese

green chile dip

cilantro leaves

toothpicks cut in half

Directions

Mix cream cheese and green chile dip to desired consistency and taste.  I didn't really measure but it looked to be about a 2:1 dip to cream cheese ratio.  Spread on wraps, roll up, and slice.  Place a leaf of cilantro on top of each slice and secure with half a toothpick to create the stem.

Source

Adapted from Little Family Fun

Notes

Green chile dip is probably a regional dip, but if you are looking for a similar taste you can try mixing canned green chile into sour cream.

*Edited 9/30/11 to add: I'm linking up to CreateLive's pumpkin recipe linky!

Crab Fondue

The theme this month for my cooking club was fondue. I was afraid everyone would be bringing a sweet dish, so I decided to try a savory one. This was pretty good, but it tasted a bit tangy. I think I put too much lemon in it, and also I probably should have used regular mayonnaise instead of Miracle Whip. I think with these changes it would be fantastic.

Ingredients
18 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 c mayonnaise
1 tsp mustard
2 tbsp powdered sugar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1-2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1/2 c white wine
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
3/4lb lump crab meat, fresh or canned
1/4 c chives, chopped
day old french bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
pears, sliced

Directions
Mix all ingredients and place in an electric fondue pot or double broiler on medium-low heat, except bread and pears. Stir continuously until everything is melted and well combined. Serve with bread and pear slices.

Notes
I don't have a double broiler, so I boiled water in a saucepan, and placed the ingredients in a metal bowl placed over the boiling water.

Source
Adapted from Simply Recipes