The Stuff of Christmas

     Today I introduced the song “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” to Bryan for the first time.  He thought the song was ridiculous.  He’s probably right.  It doesn’t exactly scream Christmas, but there is a certain childlike charm to it, all the same.  Our conversations inevitably turned toward the childlike joy that can surround the gift-giving of Christmas, probably spurred on, in part by the fact that I was also wrapping the last of our Christmas gifts.  While there’s plenty of conversation to be had about the, ahem, commercialism and overemphasis on well, just stuff that accompanies Christmas, Bryan made an observation on the joy of a child opening gifts on Christmas.  He noted that children seem to have so much more excitement surrounding the receiving of gifts, more or less because they are not able to obtain those gifts by their own means.  
     In light of the true spirit of the season of Christmas, I think of the impact that God’s gift to us-- grace, mercy, salvation-- can have on our lives.  A gift that we cannot and do not have the means to obtain on our own, nor can we fully grasp without the gentle leading of the Holy Spirit.  It’s a rather simple, almost obvious observation to make about this time of year.  Yet, I can’t help but be aware of how the simplicity of the message can get crowded out by all the extra stuff.  And I’m not talking, this time, about the materialism of the actual gifts. I’m talking about the cookie baking. The Christmas tree decorating. The driving-around-and-looking-at-Christmas-lights.  The Christmas card sending. The Christmas carol singing. Yep, I’m guilty on all accounts.  I love me some good ol' Christmas traditions, and it will probably continue to get worse as Anika gets older.  (sorry Bryan!)  But, these things mean nothing-- seriously, absolutely, positively nothing, if not for the joy, the shepard-quaking, heavenly host-singing joy of our dear Saviour’s birth.  At the risk of trying to over spiritualize cookie baking, I see through the midst of all of this stuff  to the heart of a people who try to emulate that joy in as much merriment as they can possibly produce (or mass produce) through the traditions and events of the season.  Because it should, and often does, lift one’s soul to higher heights, right into the heavenlies, to think of Jesus, at birth, was already, perfectly, irrevocably, our Lord. And we respond sometimes in the best way we know how--with our stuff.    

Queso Dip that puts Velveeta to Shame

I remember having a queso dip years ago at a super bowl party that was outta this world.  I never did try to replicate the recipe, and since making a move toward more real, traditional foods, wasn’t sure how I would replicate it without Velveeta.  Velveeta, in case you’re not aware, is NOT real food.  Sorry.  Here’s a recipe that has real food in it.  I can’t take credit for this recipe-- Food Renegade is the brains behind this wonderful concoction.  However, I did tweak it a bit to more closely match the queso dip I remember many super bowls ago.  My version may not be the most authentically Tex-mex dish, but hey, this is how we Midwesterners do things! ;)

1 egg yolk

1 Tbsp. arrowroot powder (if you’re scratching your head, wondering what the heck arrowroot powder is, don’t freak out, corn starch works too. Arrowroot is preferable though)

1 Tbsp. milk

1 C. cream (again, if you’re wondering, dang, I don’t have any cream, first of all, don’t freak out about it being fatty, and bad for you--it’s not! But, I subbed an additional cup of milk...whole milk is preferable..)

1 C. milk

8 oz. grated cheddar cheese

4 oz. cream cheese (optional)

2 C. salsa

½ lb-1 lb ground sausage (I used mild breakfast sausage, cause I’m a spice wimp.)

salt & chipotle chili powder to taste

1.) Brown sausage in a pan. Set aside for later on in the recipe.

2.) Mix egg yolk, arrowroot powder, and 1Tbsp. milk until smooth.  This helps create the Velveeta-effect.

3.) Next, pour cream and milk into a saucepan and warm over medium heat. Gently stir in the thickener and continue stirring until the cream starts to thicken.

3.) Once your sauce begins to thicken, add in the grated cheddar cheese and small spoonfuls of the cream cheese.. Lower heat to medium low, then continue stirring until the cheese melts and you have a deliciously creamy sauce.

4.) Next, add salsa, sausage, and salt and chili powder and stir to mix well.  That’s it. You’re Welcome. :)

I wish I had a picture of this, because that seems to make me a more legit blogger, but, how about a picture of a cute baby instead?

                                          Like this queso dip, I could just eat those cheeks right up! :)

This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays and Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways 

Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip

With December well underway, ‘tis the season for holiday get togethers and with it, the holiday food.  Here’s a recipe for a dip that comes together easily, and the best part—real ingredients that you can pronounce.  If I’m about one thing when it comes to food and nutrition, it’s that I prefer my food real, with recognizable ingredients, as close to their whole form as possible.  This recipe fits the bill pretty closely.  Thanks to allrecipes.com for this recipe:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained ( I usually just use fresh chopped spinach, and eyeball it—usually more than ½ cup makes it into the dip when I make it)
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a small baking dish.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, garlic, basil, garlic salt, salt and pepper. Gently stir in artichoke hearts and spinach.
3. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake in the preheated oven 25 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned.  Serve with pita or corn chips, or as is, with a spoon ;)

One of the reasons I like this dip, aside from the fact that it’s ridiculously good, is the use of spinach.  Greens are a good thing, especially for their calcium content, but what I really like is the fact that the spinach in this recipe gets cooked. What?! Yep, I like my spinach cooked.  There’s a compound in spinach called oxalic acid that binds to the calcium, making it hard for us to absorb.  Unless you lightly cook it, then the oxalic acid gets neutralized, and you get to reap the benefits of the calcium and other goodies.  One of these days, I’ll have to let you in on my green smoothie methods that make use of cooked spinach.  Stay tuned for another crazy good dip coming soon!

This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays and Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways