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Cheesy, slightly spicy, delicious Artichoke Dip

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Every Spring I get overly excited about eating artichokes. These slightly intimidating vegetables are just so good and really not too difficult to make! I’m always doing things like steaming, grilling, or roasting my artichokes. But, when hosting a party where people aren’t easily able to eat and dispose of the artichoke leaves, a great way to introduce this tasty vegetable to the table is by creating this cheesy, slightly spicy, and very delicious artichoke dip!

This post is in partnership with Imperfect Produce. All opinions are my own. Imperfect Produce is a delivery company that sources “ugly” produce straight from the farm and delivers it to your door at 30-50% less than grocery store prices. 

artichoke dip

Artichoke Dip

I have been making this recipe for years, but this was the first time to try it with fresh artichokes. This recipe can be made with several fresh artichokes by steaming the artichokes, removing leaves until you just have the artichoke heart, and adding some lemon juice and salt to them. It takes about 15 fresh artichokes to make this dish. I often opt to create it with two cans of artichoke hearts which is what the recipe calls for. If you prefer to do it with fresh artichokes then don’t waste the outer leaves, dip them in your favorite sauce and have a snack! Toss your artichoke hearts in the juice of one large lemon and 2 teaspoons of kosher salt.

Ingredients: 

  • 2 cans of artichoke hearts packed in water, drained, and chopped
  • 2 boxes of cream cheese
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • red pepper flakes to taste (I use about 1 tsp)
  • salt to taste ( I use about 1 tsp)
  • 1 cup parmesan (half for in the mixture, half to top)

Directions: 

  1. Mix the chopped artichoke hearts, cream cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, red pepper flakes, and 1/2 cup of parmesan with a hand mixer until well incorporated.
  2. Transfer to an oven safe dish and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for twenty minutes or until heated through.
  3. Top with parmesan cheese and put back in oven for about five minutes or until cheese has browned slightly.
  4. Serve with chips, crackers, or vegetables!
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A Well Crafted Pantry

Corned Beef and Cabbage Hand Pies

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I recently discovered that corned beef and cabbage isn’t actually Irish, but it certainly is a traditional dish at my St. Patrick’s Day celebrations! I look forward to it each year. This year I decided an appetizer twist on this classic St. Patty’s Day meal was necessary.

Corned Beef and Cabbage Hand Pies

This recipe makes 24 three-inch hand pies. However, if you have a large piece of corned beef you could easily add more pie dough to your plans and make more!

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 lb corned beef roast
  • 1/4 a head of cabbage thinly sliced
  • 1/2 medium-sized yellow onion thinly sliced
  • 4 nine-inch rounds of pie dough (I did pre-made but you could absolutely make your own!)
  • 1 egg
  • Olive oil, salt, & pepper

Corned beef takes a long time to make. However, it’s delicious and completely worth it! Follow the directions that come on your corned beef roast. I used my crockpot and cooked the roast on low for 8 hours. My directions will begin after the corned beef is cooked. You could absolutely pick up corned beef at a deli and make this dish!

Pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees F.

Directions:

  1. Sauté your cabbage and onion in a saucepan over medium heat until slightly translucent and browned.
  2. Dice your cooked corned beef and mix into the cabbage and onion mixture.
  3. Cut circles from your pie dough using a cookie cutter or glass.
  4. Using a rolling pin, roll out your circles of dough just a bit.
  5. Pile the corned beef and cabbage mixture in the center of a pie dough round. Top with another round of pie dough and crimp the edges to seal. Continue until all pie dough is used.
  6. Put on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Cut small slots into the top of each pie to let steam out.
  7. Crack your egg into a small dish and add a tablespoon of cold water. Whisk the egg until it makes an egg wash. Using a pastry brush or your fingers, brush egg wash onto each pie.
  8. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 10-12 minutes or until browned.
  9. Serve with mustard or a delicious Russian dressing.

Do you have St. Patrick’s Day plans? Share below!

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Bangers and Mash Bites

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Often when having friends and family over for traditional holidays, I try to stick to tradition while giving it my own spin. St. Patrick’s Day is a perfect opportunity to give a spin to the more traditional dishes. Bangers and Mash is a favorite Irish dish with mashed potatoes, pork sausage, and a wonderful onion brown gravy. I wanted to make an appetizer that would give that same flavorful punch in a bite! These Bangers and Mash Bites take some effort, but they are completely worth it!

Bangers and Mash Bites

You can really get creative with this idea and do a version of potato skins or even a version of Irish Nachos. But, I love how these little potatoes look so interesting and pack a lot of favor in a single bite. This recipe makes approximately 24 bites depending on the size of your potatoes. I did have leftover filling.

Ingredients:

  • 24-28 mini potatoes (a few extra helps in case you make a mistake while hollowing them out.)
  • 2 tablespoon Irish butter
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 links of good quality pork sausage. I used a smoked sausage.
  • 1 packet of brown gravy + 1.5 cups water
  • 1/2 medium-sized yellow onion diced
  • 1/2 cup of shredded Irish cheddar (more for garnish)
  • Parsley to garnish

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.

  1. Wash your potatoes and take out any eyes you see. Put in a pot of salted water to boil.
  2. Be careful to not over-cook your potatoes. They are done when you can easily poke a fork into them, but are overdone if the mash under the weight of the fork. Strain and rinse in ice cold water. This will make them cool enough to work with.
  3. Cut a small sliver off the bottom and top of each potato. This way they will stand up and you’ll be able to easily access the inner potato.
  4. Using a melon baller or small spoon, carefully scoop out the insides of the potato. Don’t throw the innards out! That will be your “Mash.” Put all the filling in a bowl. Place the hollowed put potatoes in a lightly greased baking dish.
  5. Make your mash by adding the cream and butter to the mixture of potato and mashing it with a fork. Set aside.
  6. Dice your sausage and onion and fry in a pan over medium heat. Stir so it doesn’t stick or get too brown. Once cooked through (the sausage and onions will be slightly browned and will smell awesome) you’ll add in the packet of brown gravy mix and water. Stir and let thicken.
  7. Mix in the mashed potatoes until all is incorporated.
  8. Scoop the mixture into each potato. You may have some filling left over.
  9. Place potatoes in the oven for 15 minutes. Pull out, top with cheese, and put back into the oven for another 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and slightly browned.
  10. Serve warm!

What’s your favorite St.Patty’s Day dish? Comment below!

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