Enjoy Chef Janet's delicious Dips, Vinaigrette and Pesto recipes.

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Moroccan Butternut Squash Dip

Make sure to garnish the dip with pistachios only at the last minute so they stay nice and crunchy. Orange blossom water can be found at Middle Eastern stores.(Global foods)

1 tbsp olive oil
½ cup  water
2 lb (1 kg) butternut squash, sliced in half lengthwise, seeds removed
¼ tsp  cinnamon
¼ tsp  cardamom
¼ tsp  chili flakes( or cayenne)
¼ tsp  dried ginger
½ tsp  dried coriander
¼ cup  orange blossom water
½ cup mascarpone cheese* (vegan use soft tofu)
Salt to taste
¼ cup shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

2. In a glass baking dish add olive oil and water. Place squash halves cut-side down. Roast in oven for 1 hour or until a knife easily slices through squash.

3. Let cool, with a large spoon scoop flesh out from skin and place in food processor.

4. Add cinnamon, cardamom, chili flakes, ginger, coriander, orange blossom water and mascarpone. Process until smooth and salt to taste.

5. Place in serving bowl and garnish with chopped pistachios.

Asparagus Vinaigrette - Serves 4

1 pounds fresh asparagus -- trimmed, peel the bottom half of stem
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground Parmesan

Steam asparagus spears until tender; drain and place on serving platter.
In small jar with tight-fitting lid, shake together the oil, lemon juice, mustard, pepper and salt.
When ready to serve (can be served warm or at room temperature), pour vinaigrette evenly over asparagus, sprinkle with parmesan and garnish with cherry tomato halves.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

1 lb. boneless chicken breasts
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 pkg. frozen chopped spinach
1 can artichoke hearts ,drained
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/4 grated Parmesan Cheese
1 tbsp fresh basil, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 1/4 c. low fat yoghurt
salt, pepper to taste

Pesto
Pesto comes from the Italian word pestare, meaning to pound or bruise. Although most of us think of basil, you can take a handful of herbs (cilantro, mint, parsley, etc.), some nuts and some garlic, grind them and you have a pesto. I make a big batch and freeze in small jars to pull out in winter. Add it to sauce, pizza, or butter to add some fresh taste. Mixed with fresh, chopped tomatoes on crusty bread, it makes a great Bruschetta.

Basil Pesto

4 large cloves of garlic
2 cups of washed and dried basil
1/3 cup of good virgin olive oil
½ cup of pine nuts lightly toasted (be careful)
½ tsp. salt and pepper

I don’t add parmesan cheese at this point in case I’m cooking for vegans.