Summer Fresh Makes Entertaining Easy

No, I am not talking about Summer Entertaining just a day after Winter Solstice, but I am instead speaking of Summer Fresh Dips. I tried their hummus, Pecorino Dip (my favourite), Artichoke and Asiago, Baba Ghanouj and Roasted Red Pepper and they are seriously full of flavour and a perfect addition to your holiday table. Grab them and dip in your veggies, crackers, and pita bread, or whip up one of their super fun Summer Fresh Appetizer Recipes they sent me!

Artichoke & Asiago Pull-Apart Bread

227g Summer Fresh Artichoke & Asiago Dip
2 ¼ cup mozzarella, shredded
2 tubes of pre-made croissant rolls

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a pie plate or coat with non-stick spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine the Summer Fresh Artichoke & Asiago Dip and half of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
3. Unroll each crescent roll. Spread the mixture evenly across the sheets.
4. Starting at the longest side, roll into a log and press the edges to seal. Cut each roll into 8 pieces (roughly 1 inch wide). Place the cut side down onto the prepared pie plate. Place the cut pieces ½ inch apart from one another as they will expand.
5. Place into the oven and bake until golden brown for about 30-40 minutes. After 30-40 minutes, remove the dish from the oven and add the rest of the cheese on top. Bake for another 10 minutes until the cheese is golden brown.

Tzatziki Beet Stacks

227g Summer Fresh Tzatziki
227g Summer Fresh Baba Ghanoush
1 lb red beets cooked, thinly sliced
1 lb yellow beets cooked, thinly sliced
1/4 cup basil, thinly sliced
1/4 dill, thinly sliced

1. Thinly slice the beets into 1/4-inch-thick medallions.
2. Using a spoon, place a tbsp of Summer Fresh Baba Ghanoush onto a serving plate.
3. Top each dollop with one slice of beet and then top each beet with a tsp of Summer Fresh Tzatziki. Repeat this until you have 3-layer stacks. Garnish with dill & basil.

Spinach Rolled Cigars 🚬

227g Summer Fresh Spinach Dip
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup ricotta cheese
5 cups fresh spinach, chopped
12 sheets of filo pastry
½ cup melted unsalted butter
1 egg

1. Take pastry sheets out of the fridge for at least 15 minutes before handling to avoid any breakage (the sheets are a lot easier to handle when they have been tempered). Place a damp kitchen towel or paper towel on top of the filo dough while not in use (this stops the dough from drying out).
2. Cook spinach on medium to low heat in a pan. Cook until all the water has evaporated. Remove from the pan and let it cool in a separate bowl.
3. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prepare an oven tray lined with parchment paper and set it aside.
4. In a bowl, place feta cheese, ricotta, spinach & Summer Fresh Spinach Dip. Mix well.
5. On a cutting board, place one sheet of filo and brush on ¼ cup melted butter – covering the whole sheet. Place the second sheet of filo on top of the first sheet and brush on the remaining melted butter. Trim each double-stacked sheet into 2″x 4″ rectangles as this will make the dough more workable and the cigars a proper size.
6. Add a spoonful of the cheese mixture (on the shorter side of the rectangle) but don’t go all the way to the edges so that the pastry sheet margins can be folded in slightly, and then roll to make little cigars.
7. Place each roll/cigar on a parchment-lined baking sheet, egg wash each, and sprinkle the mixed sesame seeds. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes at 375°F.

Dill Pickle Egg Salad Cucumber Bites

227g Summer Fresh Dill Pickle Hummus
12 hard-boiled eggs, yolks removed
1 cucumber
1 bunch of chives, thinly sliced
A pinch of smoked paprika

1. Remove egg yolks from the whites & place them into a bowl. Mix with half a container of Summer Fresh Dill Pickle Hummus.
2. Slice cucumber into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and layout on cutting board.
3. Put egg yolk mixture into a piping bag and carefully pipe the egg mixture on each cucumber round. Garnish with chives and smoked paprika.

Smoked Salmon Flatbread

227g Summer Fresh Tzatziki
1 package of flatbread crackers
2 tbsp of capers
2 tbsp of dill, chopped
1 package of smoked salmon

1. Using a spoon, spread about 1 tbsp of Summer Fresh Extra Thick Tzatziki over each cracker.
2. Layer & fold one piece of salmon to fit onto each cracker.
3. Place about 4 to 5 capers on each cracker and garnish with sprigs of dill.