Good Eats: Rich sauces, dips dress up parties
By Marcia Poole | Posted: Wednesday, December 24, 2008
It's not the potato that loads on the calories; it's all the rich stuff you pile on top.
I heard that piece of wisdom over and over during adolescence when I first considered the possibility that what passed the lips showed up on the hips.
Dressings and sauces, dips and spreads figured into a crowd of tempting toppers that called for restraint. The warnings of excess, however, only made these showy foods more alluring.
During the holidays, especially New Year's, rich sauces, dips and spreads make the rounds. They run the gamut from luscious made-from-scratch embellishments to convenience products that need little more than a microwave zap. Let's look at a couple.
At the luscious and labor-intensive end is Roasted Red Pepper Bearnaise Sauce; sumptuous, buttery and not light on calories. Think of the possibilities for enhancing poultry, steak and vegetables. I can see this sauce upstaging practically everything else on the holiday table.
At the opposite and no-fuss end is good old Velveeta in yet another version: Velveeta Bowls, a line of ready-to-heat dips in 13-ounce plastic containers. I noticed the product in the refrigerated convenience food case at the supermarket. The serving suggestion was illustrated as a single tortilla chip scooping up the cheesy dip.
The bearnaise would be lovely, but the Velveeta dip could hold its own in terms of appeal in Siouxland. Since its launch by Kraft in 1928, the pasteurized processed product has been an everyday staple and a holiday star of main dishes, sauces and dips, including classic Hot Broccoli Dip.
Kraft first advertised the convenience product as "cheese food," noting it was "practically magic...the way Velveeta melts." The company's kitchen savvy and marketing muscle wooed consumers to the cheesy block and then taught them how Velveeta could fit right into most any occasion.
A vintage print ad shows a young girl happily whipping up a stove-top creation: "It's child's play to make a rich, cheese-flavored sauce with Velveeta." The young cook appears to be preparing the sauce for lobster of all things.
The Velveeta launch came more than a decade after Kraft introduced its "revolutionary" five-pound loaf of pasteurized blended processed cheese, packaged in wooden boxes. There was no rind, and hence, no waste. The product was included in rations for WWI soldiers and Kraft credits it with changing the nation's eating habits.
For decades, Velveeta has roundly been declared dclass by food critics. But it remains a solid principal in our collective comfort food vocabulary, especially among young and picky eaters. A friend insists you can't make an authentic grilled cheese sandwich without Velveeta. And how many Siouxlanders turn to Velveeta for much-requested family hot dishes, especially macaroni and cheese?
As for those party foods: Hot Broccoli Dip shows up in the traditional hollowed-out bread loaf. Bread that's removed is cut into bite-sized pieces, toasted for dipping and then served along with fresh veggie pieces.
Chopped sauteed veggies blend into the mix of melted Velveeta, chopped broccoli and crushed rosemary leaves. A few drops of hot pepper sauce rev up the engine for an enduring favorite.
The recipe calls for frozen broccoli which usually contains more bunches and less stalk than fresh broccoli, according to Iowa State University Extension. Bunches are denser in nutrients than stalks. That means frozen broccoli actually has more beta-carotene by weight than fresh. "However, frozen contains higher amounts of sodium, thus if you are watching your sodium intake fresh broccoli is your choice," says ISU Extension.
If you're up for the higher-end sauce, enjoy the foray into bearnaise. Food writer Jane Horn describes bearnaise as the "zesty version of Hollandaise sauce." But while bearnaise may be prepared much like Hollandaise, the all-important egg yolk mixture is flavored with tarragon, vinegar, wine and shallots. Butter is essential to both sauces.
Here are those recipes for holiday party time. Red peppers add color to each of them.
Roasted Red Pepper Bearnaise Sauce
2 tablespoons butter, softened
One-quarter cup shallots, minced
One-quarter cup white wine
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh tarragon, chopped
3 egg yolks
2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
6 tablespoons butter, melted and hot
One-half cup roasted red pepper, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
In a heavy skillet, melt the two tablespoons softened butter over medium heat. Add shallots, white wine, white wine vinegar and tarragon; bring to simmer. Continue to simmer, reducing liquid to one tablespoon; set aside.
In a blender, combine egg yolks, water, and lemon juice; blend on high for one minutes. With blender still running, pour hot butter in a slow, steady stream, until mixture thickens. Add reserved shallot and white wine reduction and red pepper; puree until smooth.
Return sauce to saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for five minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately. Makes 1.5 cups. Store the sauce in refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat to serve. This sauce pairs well with poultry, steak and vegetables. Source: America's Dairy Farmers
Hot Broccoli Dip
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
One to 1.5 pound round sourdough bread loaf
One-half cup finely chopped celery
One-half cup chopped red pepper
One-quarter cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons Parkay Margarine
1 pound Velveeta, cubed
One 10-ounce package Birds Eye chopped broccoli, thawed, drained
One-quarter teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed
Few drops hot pepper sauce
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut slice from top of bread loaf; remove center leaving one-inch shell. Cut removed bread into bite-sized pieces. Cover shell with top. Place on cookie sheet with bread pieces; bake 15 minutes. Cook celery, peppers and onions in margarine; add process cheese spread; stir over low heat until melted.
Stir in remaining ingredients; heat thoroughly, stirring constantly. Spoon into bread loaf; serve hot with toasted bread pieces and vegetable dippers. Makes six to eight servings. Source: Kraft
Baked Spinach Artichoke Yogurt Dip
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 (8-ounce) container low-fat plain yogurt
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
One-quarter cup green onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons red pepper, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all ingredients except red pepper and mix well. Pour mixture into one-quart casserole dish or nine-inch pie plate. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with red peppers. Makes eight servings. Serve with baked pita chips, crackers or tortilla chips. Source: Midwest Dairy Association
I heard that piece of wisdom over and over during adolescence when I first considered the possibility that what passed the lips showed up on the hips.
Dressings and sauces, dips and spreads figured into a crowd of tempting toppers that called for restraint. The warnings of excess, however, only made these showy foods more alluring.
During the holidays, especially New Year's, rich sauces, dips and spreads make the rounds. They run the gamut from luscious made-from-scratch embellishments to convenience products that need little more than a microwave zap. Let's look at a couple.
At the luscious and labor-intensive end is Roasted Red Pepper Bearnaise Sauce; sumptuous, buttery and not light on calories. Think of the possibilities for enhancing poultry, steak and vegetables. I can see this sauce upstaging practically everything else on the holiday table.
At the opposite and no-fuss end is good old Velveeta in yet another version: Velveeta Bowls, a line of ready-to-heat dips in 13-ounce plastic containers. I noticed the product in the refrigerated convenience food case at the supermarket. The serving suggestion was illustrated as a single tortilla chip scooping up the cheesy dip.
The bearnaise would be lovely, but the Velveeta dip could hold its own in terms of appeal in Siouxland. Since its launch by Kraft in 1928, the pasteurized processed product has been an everyday staple and a holiday star of main dishes, sauces and dips, including classic Hot Broccoli Dip.
Kraft first advertised the convenience product as "cheese food," noting it was "practically magic...the way Velveeta melts." The company's kitchen savvy and marketing muscle wooed consumers to the cheesy block and then taught them how Velveeta could fit right into most any occasion.
A vintage print ad shows a young girl happily whipping up a stove-top creation: "It's child's play to make a rich, cheese-flavored sauce with Velveeta." The young cook appears to be preparing the sauce for lobster of all things.
The Velveeta launch came more than a decade after Kraft introduced its "revolutionary" five-pound loaf of pasteurized blended processed cheese, packaged in wooden boxes. There was no rind, and hence, no waste. The product was included in rations for WWI soldiers and Kraft credits it with changing the nation's eating habits.
For decades, Velveeta has roundly been declared dclass by food critics. But it remains a solid principal in our collective comfort food vocabulary, especially among young and picky eaters. A friend insists you can't make an authentic grilled cheese sandwich without Velveeta. And how many Siouxlanders turn to Velveeta for much-requested family hot dishes, especially macaroni and cheese?
As for those party foods: Hot Broccoli Dip shows up in the traditional hollowed-out bread loaf. Bread that's removed is cut into bite-sized pieces, toasted for dipping and then served along with fresh veggie pieces.
Chopped sauteed veggies blend into the mix of melted Velveeta, chopped broccoli and crushed rosemary leaves. A few drops of hot pepper sauce rev up the engine for an enduring favorite.
The recipe calls for frozen broccoli which usually contains more bunches and less stalk than fresh broccoli, according to Iowa State University Extension. Bunches are denser in nutrients than stalks. That means frozen broccoli actually has more beta-carotene by weight than fresh. "However, frozen contains higher amounts of sodium, thus if you are watching your sodium intake fresh broccoli is your choice," says ISU Extension.
If you're up for the higher-end sauce, enjoy the foray into bearnaise. Food writer Jane Horn describes bearnaise as the "zesty version of Hollandaise sauce." But while bearnaise may be prepared much like Hollandaise, the all-important egg yolk mixture is flavored with tarragon, vinegar, wine and shallots. Butter is essential to both sauces.
Here are those recipes for holiday party time. Red peppers add color to each of them.
Roasted Red Pepper Bearnaise Sauce
2 tablespoons butter, softened
One-quarter cup shallots, minced
One-quarter cup white wine
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh tarragon, chopped
3 egg yolks
2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
6 tablespoons butter, melted and hot
One-half cup roasted red pepper, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
In a heavy skillet, melt the two tablespoons softened butter over medium heat. Add shallots, white wine, white wine vinegar and tarragon; bring to simmer. Continue to simmer, reducing liquid to one tablespoon; set aside.
In a blender, combine egg yolks, water, and lemon juice; blend on high for one minutes. With blender still running, pour hot butter in a slow, steady stream, until mixture thickens. Add reserved shallot and white wine reduction and red pepper; puree until smooth.
Return sauce to saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for five minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately. Makes 1.5 cups. Store the sauce in refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat to serve. This sauce pairs well with poultry, steak and vegetables. Source: America's Dairy Farmers
Hot Broccoli Dip
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
One to 1.5 pound round sourdough bread loaf
One-half cup finely chopped celery
One-half cup chopped red pepper
One-quarter cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons Parkay Margarine
1 pound Velveeta, cubed
One 10-ounce package Birds Eye chopped broccoli, thawed, drained
One-quarter teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed
Few drops hot pepper sauce
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut slice from top of bread loaf; remove center leaving one-inch shell. Cut removed bread into bite-sized pieces. Cover shell with top. Place on cookie sheet with bread pieces; bake 15 minutes. Cook celery, peppers and onions in margarine; add process cheese spread; stir over low heat until melted.
Stir in remaining ingredients; heat thoroughly, stirring constantly. Spoon into bread loaf; serve hot with toasted bread pieces and vegetable dippers. Makes six to eight servings. Source: Kraft
Baked Spinach Artichoke Yogurt Dip
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 (8-ounce) container low-fat plain yogurt
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
One-quarter cup green onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons red pepper, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all ingredients except red pepper and mix well. Pour mixture into one-quart casserole dish or nine-inch pie plate. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with red peppers. Makes eight servings. Serve with baked pita chips, crackers or tortilla chips. Source: Midwest Dairy Association
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