White Bean Dip

What an easy make ahead dip for parties and a nice change from the sour cream dips! The recipe is adapted from Giada De Laurentiis.

I adapted the recipe with beans seasoned with garlic, rosemary, and sage (Wegman's Tuscan Cannellini Beans). Because the beans were flavored I changed the recipe to only combine the beans (not rinsed, slightly drained), lemon juice, and 1/4 cup olive oil. I used a box of wheat crackers instead of making my pita chips as well.

This recipe can be easily adapted! Alternate flavors to use with the beans include roasted red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, extra garlic, basil, thyme, and more!

White Bean Dip and Pita Chips
Serves: 6 servings (or more depending on how polite everyone is!)

Ingredients
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt & Black Pepper
Pita Chips/Crackers

Directions
Place the beans, garlic, lemon juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, and parsley in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the bean puree to a small bowl.

5 Ingredient Saltine Toffee

Another holiday recipe update!!

Ok, 5 ingredients, how complicated could this be? (I made 3 batches by the end of the holiday season).

Quick notes:
1) Use a casserole dish instead of a cookie sheet as the edges will keep the toffee part contained when it bubbles and prevent the crackers from separating too much.
2) Line the dish with tin foil (and non stick spray) or parchment paper because the toffee gets sticky

NOTE: I have also read the recipe made with cinnamon graham crackers so I did make a batch to test this. I found it to be very similar to the saltines.

Saltine Toffee

Ingredients
1 sleeve of saltine crackers
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 cup brown sugar (dark or light)
2-3 cups chocolate chips
1-2 cups chopped nuts (pecans)

Preheat oven to 350F
Line the saltine crackers in the bottom of the pan in a single layer.
In small pot combine 2 sticks of butter and 1 cup of brown sugar. Bring it to a boil for for 2-3 minutes.
Pour over crackers. Bake for about 5 minutes (it will get all bubbly)
Microwave chocolate chips at 30 second intervals stirring between intervals. Continue until smooth. (Approx 1 1/2 - 2 minutes)
Remove and using a spatula spread the chocolate. Scatter a few handfuls of chopped nuts over the top.
Let it chill in the fridge.
Leave on counter about 10 minutes so it will be easier to slice.