Purrfect Dips

Hosted an event on Sunday to celebrate 10 years of trapping, spay/neuter, return (TNR) for The Purrfect Catch Foundation. So proud of our volunteers, donors, and feline adopters. And, how much work this wee nonprofit has done for Homeless felines here on the San Francisco Peninsula and in the Charlotte, NC areas. Hard to believe I created this organization a decade ago!

I do love to cook and feed people. Use organic ingredients if you can. I buy my produce at my farmers market and Trader Joe's. I made three dips for chips and veggies that were a hit and received requests for the recipes so here you go...

Raw Radish Dip

8 ounces cream cheese, room temp/softened

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (I juice lemons and freeze in glass jars so I always have on hand)

1/2 teaspoon dried, organic dill weed or 1 tablespoon fresh dill

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2-3 garlic cloves

1 cup or 1 bunch scrubbed radishes

In a Cuisinart/food processor with the steel blade, blend everything except the radishes until creamy. Add the radishes and pulse until they're in small pieces. Dip will be pretty in pink. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Don't have a food processor? Use a hand mixer to blend everything and add finely chopped radishes.

Serve with tortilla chips or veggies.

Green Goddess Dip

8 ounces cream cheese, room temp/softened

1/2 cup organic mayonnaise (homemade or Safeway Organics brand)

1/2 cup sour cream

4-5 organic green onions, washed and trimmed at both ends (I use kitchen scissors to cut in chunks)

1/2-2/3 cup organic Italian/flat-leaf parsley, washed with leave plucked off. (compost stems)

1 tablespoon dried , organic dill or 3-4 tablespoons fresh

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon organic ground black pepper

Optional: 1-2 garlic cloves. You can also add some fresh basil and cilantro if you really want to channel your inner green goddess.

In a Cuisinart/food processor with the steel blade, blend everything and pulse until just blended.

Serve with assorted veggies - jicama, cucumbers, carrots, red bell peppers, blanched sugar snap and snow peas.

Southern Black-Eyed Pea Dip8 ounces cream cheese, room temp/softened

2 (15 ounce) cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained in a colander

4-5 organic green onions, washed and trimmed at both ends (I use kitchen scissors to trim and cut in chunks)

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 fresh red bell pepper, washed, seeded, and cut into chunks

1/3 cup roasted, skinned and seeded poblano peppers (I roast these on my BBQ ahead of time and skin, seed, slice and freeze in glass jars)

1 can organic diced and fire roasted tomatoes (I use Trader Joe's brand that include organic green chiles) or 1 cup washed, fresh tomatoes cut into small chunks

8 ounces of Monterey Jack cheese cut into chunks

1 teaspoon organic ancho chili powder dusted over the top before baking (Include a mad dash of dried chipotle powder for more heat and smokey flavor.)

Optional: Washed, chopped fresh cilantro to dress the top after it's baked

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a Cuisinart/food processor with the steel blade, process half the black-eyes peas, cream and Monterey Jack cheeses, fresh lime juice and salt. Add the remaining half of black-eyed peas, green onions, roasted peppers, red bell pepper, and pulse so these aren't pureed, but in small bits. Pour into a glass dish that is 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep. Dust with ancho chili and chipotle powder. Bake for 40 minutes. Let stand 15-20 minutes.

Serve with tortilla chips. 

Bon Appetite! You can follow The Purrfect Catch is on Instagram.

All the cats in the kennels in my garage on Sunday are still available for adoption, including Chloe and Bridget. Please contact me for information about adopting.