Yogurt Dip with Fresh Tarragon & Chive Blossoms

Hello friends!
I whipped up this dip for tonight's "2nd Suppers at Miss Jolie's" dinner party. This month I wanted to keep it really simple. I started by yesterday going to the East Bank Farmer's Market in SE Portland. I aimed to design tonight's menu around my fresh seasonal purchases. I spent $40 and came home with: garlic chive chevre, 2 bunches baby carrots, 1 florence fennel, 4 leeks, 1 bunch green garlic, 1 bunch spinach, 1 bag of salad mix, 1 bag of basil, 1 bunch beets, 1 bunch raab. Then I added what was fresh from my own garden: lacinato ("dinosaur") kale, tarragon, mauve chives, bronze fennel, and flowers-calendula, violets, marigolds & roses.

The resulting menu

• Crackers with Chevre & Violets
• Flower Salad with Baby Greens, Raw Beets & Toasted Pecans
• Spring Panzanella with Peas, Kale & Spinach
• Roasted Baby Carrots, Leeks & Fennel with Yogurt Herb Dip
  
• Sautee of Raab & Green Garlic with Italian Tofu "Sausage"
• And to keep it simple, I picked up pre-made dessert from Trader Joe's!
  

I love this simple to make & beautiful looking dip for it's freshness and many layers of flavor.

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann



1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 sprig fresh tarragon
small handful of mauve chives with blossoms
sea salt & black pepper

Mix yogurt, mayo and mustard. Chop half of the tarragon and mix in the dip. Reserve the remainder of tarragon for garnish. Remove blossoms from chives and reserve for garnish. Chop chives and add to dip. Stir dip. Garnish with tarragon, chives & chive blossoms. Serve with crackers, raw or roasted veggies, or really anything you want...

Beet Dip

Beet Dip
Recipe from Vegetarian Times Magazine
www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/8591

Dear Friends,
I made this beet dip for the March edition of "2nd Friday Suppers at Miss Jolie's" and it was a hit! Bright pink color and such an unexpected delicious taste. Creamy, satisfying and you'd never guess the main ingredients were raw beets and raw spinach. For the party, I served it with homemade toasted pita chips and the leftovers were great with "trader joe's organic corn chip dippers." I will make this recipe again and again! Oh yeah, and I doubled this recipe to make enough for my party.

Enjoy,
Miss Jolie Ann

1/2 lb red beets (1 large), peeled and coarsely chopped
1 large scallion, chopped
1/4 cup (packed) chopped fresh spinach
8 oz cream cheese
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp snipped chives

1. In bowl of a food processor, pulse beets, scallion, and spinach until finely chopped.
2. Add cream cheese, lemon juice and slat. Process until well blended, leaving some texture in dip. Transfer to bowl, and stir in chives.