Two-Ingredient Cream Cheese Dip

Original Recipe HERE

Possibly the easiest dip ever.  I didn't make this with the brand and flavor that the recipe used...there was no need to make a special trip just for that.  I got a "caramelized onion & balsamic" jelly from the grocery store and figured it was close enough.  The dip was very good, although a little sweet - which would be easily remedied by using a more savory jelly (or just using a relish like the recipe called for).  

Really, you can't go wrong here.  Even a fruit preserve + cream cheese = tasty, especially if scooped with something like graham crackers.  And now this post is going off on a tangent and it'll take longer to read it than make the actual dip, so I will wrap it up.

Ingredients

2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, at room temperature [I used Neufchatel]

1 jar (10 oz) pepper and onion relish

Directions

(1) In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy.

(2) Stir in the relish until thoroughly combined.

Kid Participation: Run mixer.

Cranberry & Horseradish Relish

This recipe was given to me by my brother with the title of "Mrs. Stamberg's Cranberry Relish."  I have no idea who that is, so my apologies for removing her name from the recipe here.  But I have no way of authenticating or verifying who this mystery woman is, so better safe than sorry.  Also, maybe someone will tack my name onto it from now on and pass it along, and I can take credit...  Would that technically be plagarism?

The original recipe said this makes 1.5 pints, but I didn't measure the final product.  Surprisingly, even my kids ate their portion of this.  And all the adults at Christmas dinner really liked it.  I was told that the horseradish "threatens to overpower the other flavors but backs off at the last second."  We served it with a spiral ham.

 

Ingredients

2 cups whole raw cranberries, washed

1 small onion

3/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons white horseradish from a jar [I used one]

Directions

(1) Grind the raw berries and onion together, preferably with a meat grinder ir food processor, until texture is still slightly crunchy and coarse.

(2) Add everything else and mix.  Put in a plastic container and freeze.

(3) Early on the morning of the day it will be served, move it from freezer to refrigerator compartment to thaw.  The relish will be thick, creamy, pink, and with some icy slivers left.

Kid Participation:

* Push buttons on food processor (or grinding meat grinder like in the Olden Days)

* Mix everything together