When you have a naughty 3-year-old in the house who loves to get attention by pushing everyone’s buttons, you have to be careful about what kind of explanations you give for potentially dangerous things around the house. When you install a bidet, do you SHOW him the little lever that will allow him to shoot streams of water across the bathroom? Or do you just ignore it completely and hope he never tries it? Obviously, we made the wrong choice. Last week, on the morning of my daughter Valentine’s birthday, she woke up to dozens of balloons and streamers filling her room, a tradition we have for every birthday in our family. He waited until she went off to school and within an hour, Edison had used scissors to pop every single one of them. Then he opened up her brand new Barbie that she had just received, ruining all the stickers. After swearing that I was going to lock him in his room (just like Harry Potter) for the duration of the Harry Potter themed birthday party later that afternoon, he collapsed into a 3 hour nap. He woke up 20 minutes before a dozen 7-year-olds were scheduled to arrive, apologized, then used scissors to cut Val’s Halloween costume into a tiny million pieces. (WHY have I not locked up all the scissors in my house??) Then one of the dads dropping off his daughter asked, “Did you know there is water in the hall? And Edison is all wet?” Welp. Turns out our toilet is situated such that when you turn on the bidet with the door open, it will shoot water ALL THE WAY across the house, reaching the piano and window across the sitting room, dousing the whole entryway. You can’t make this stuff up guys. After lots of screaming and mayhem, and much toweling of furniture, we asked him, what happened? And he said, “I didn’t know what to do.” Well of course he didn’t. We never showed him what a bidet is. Note to self: Next time, inform the hellions about what the shiny new button is, AND how to turn it off! Sheesh. I hope your November is starting off a little less wet and be-scissored than mine. In any case, there is still Cranberry Jalapeño Dip in this world, so there is hope for the future. Thanksgiving is coming you guys! It’s the most wonderful time of year! I’m SO excited! The dip is basically like a cranberry salsa that is poured over fluffy whipped cream cheese. Some people actually call it Cranberry Salsa. The crunchy, spicy, sweet-tartness of the cranberries and jalapeño peppers pair perfectly with the smooth creaminess of the whipped cream cheese. Definitely a match made in heaven! Look at those guilty faces. This dip is a classic that’s been around holiday parties for years and years. You are starting to see watered down versions of it pop up in stores, I know they have it at Costco. But I’m TELLING YOU, there is no comparison to making it at home. It’s incredibly simple to make, and the flavors are so much more fresh and inviting. You and everyone else will be able to tell the difference. Normally this dip is made with cilantro, but I decided to take my own spin on it with fresh mint, lime, and jalapeño! I love this twist. We’re also adding a hint of cinnamon and cardamom, which lends an especially-holiday-forward flavor, balanced perfectly by the (not-too-spicy) jalapeño. I have notes in the recipe for how to make this recipe both ways: if you choose to use cilantro and spice with cumin, your dip will feel a little more savory. If you choose mint and cinnamon, it will feel a little more sweet. Try both! I absolutely love it either way. It’s one of those unstoppable appetizers. You know, once you start, you just can’t stop. I apologize in advance for ruining your Thanksgiving dinner!
Can you freeze cranberry jalapeño cream cheese dip?
I think I would rather just eat leftover dip for every meal until it’s gone instead of freezing. What? You don’t want to eat your weight in cream cheese? I guess we can still be friends.
crackers (like Ritz, Club, or Wheat Thins) pita chips (For a super fun twist, try Stacy’s Cinnamon Pita Chips! Not if you’re doing the cilantro version of the dip though.) pretzels or pretzel crisps toasted baguette slices apple slices, celery sticks, or any other fruit or veggie that you think would pair well This dip would actually be an amazing condiment to add to your traditional Thanksgiving or Christmas plate. It’s very similar to my absolute favorite Fresh Cranberry-Orange Sauce, which is just cranberries blended with a whole orange, plus sugar. It’s SUCH a refreshing bite of tart on a plate full of carbs and turkey. Add it to a sandwich. Can you imagine your T-day leftovers sandwich with THIS amazingness? Yum.
This creamy dip is also a great make-ahead option for the holidays (or really any time – the flavor really gets better after several hours sitting together). Make the cranberry salsa recipe and store in the fridge. The day of, follow the remaining instructions for the whipped cream cheese and pouring the salsa over the top, and you’re all set! You can also let the completely prepared dip (with salsa on top) sit in the fridge for a couple hours before your event. Pull it out about 30 minutes in advance so it’s not rock hard and again, just pour off any extra liquid as needed. Seriously though, don’t freeze this stuff. The texture of cream cheese changes after freezing, turning it grainy and just no good! Cranberry jalapeño salsa will fare better in the freezer and can be frozen by itself if you must. But the cranberries, jalapeños, green onion, and mint will all become wilted. In other words, not as crisp or fresh, and just a little bit sad. Save your tears and eat it for breakfast instead! Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram
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