Holy cow.
What a whirlwind. We’ve been in November for 9 days. And it’s been nuts.
Let’s just look at this empirically, shall we? With the start of November, first there was the take down of Halloween. Halloween has just gotten too spooky. Seriously people, enough already with the blood and goo and violent paraphernalia. We are not the real life Walking Dead and I do imagine if a live zombie came lumbering and grumbling your way, you might poop yourself and run (it’s always a good time for an oxymoron or two). So what’s with the increasingly growing gore of Halloween?
Growing up, my mom and I would visit local craft shops set up in parking lots and fields and ogle at all the cute pumpkin, scarecrow, turkey, and charming broomsticky things representing the start of the autumn season. Somehow, that innocence seems to have been forgotten. Nowadays, we’ve gone straight from this growing grossness of a spooky, dead-loving holiday to – wait for it – Christmas?
It was August 30th when I saw my first sign of Christmas. Rob and I were in Costco and they had just displayed their wrapping ribbon. We stopped, looked at the ribbon, looked at each other, and with a slight head shake (and most possible eye roll), kept walking. The day before Halloween, we saw our first Christmas commercial. However after discussing it (yes, we discuss these things), we decided it didn’t officially count because the real commercial showing Christmas is upon us is the one with the Hershey Kisses bells ringing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” Yes, I am coining that as the official sign of Christmas – Hershey’s Chocolate, you’re welcome. Anywho, despite my love, adoration, borderline slight obsession with Christmas (our house blows up into a reindeer, elk, and moose bedazzled wonderland), it’s frankly not yet time.
While the commercial world tries to build up this monstrosity of constant technology, and gimme, gimme, gimme attitudes, and desensitizes children from the innocence of these holidays – clearly, the teacher in me has a bone to pick – I am determined to not let November fly by in a disingenuous prelude to Christmas.
Also, in between good riddance-ing Halloween, avoiding a premature Christmas celebration, and fitting in the best historical foodie celebration our nation celebrates, there was probably one of the most stressful, surprising, amazing, horrible, and memorable elections our nation has probably ever seen.
Over the last few years, our national hard drive has been doused with water, sparking shards of entitlement and division and teaching blame-to-everyone-else-rather-than-accountability across our land. So this morning, after turning off the tv around 1:45am and then still staying up way too late with anxiety and anticipation, I roused myself to full awareness around 4am to a historical headline.
And despite anyone’s political affiliation, I think most can agree that this election pushed the giant reset button on that national hard drive (and finally those horrible commercials can stop).
So, taking slow steps through this significant day, I mindfully look at my little home adorned with the peaceful signs of the season: pumpkins made from old draperies found in a southern mountain store in NC, red maple leaf placemats, and my personal favorite, antique 14-carat gold rimmed, hand-painted dessert plates adorned with turkeys, pheasants, and mallards. They are all now in their showcased place, ready for their 43,830 minutes of fame (that’s total minutes in November, and math is cool).
By golly, all of this calls for a damn good dish.
While we are just starting to wake up to a morning chill here in North Florida, I feel the need to plunge head first into everything autumnal, even if it means I need to turn my air conditioning down to a sweater-wearing degree. It’s also the season for entertaining, and my mind is racing with great ideas for great food with great people – no matter what the celebration.
Like this Artichoke White Bean Dip. It’s simple, it’s easy and it is oh-so-good. Hardly an indulgence, it’s not as dairy-filled as many artichoke dips tend to be. Being dip-worthy, spread-worthy, put-on-a-sandwich-or-mix-with-tuna-fish-worthy, this has become a new standard for easy, crowd-pleasing recipes.
So in between tonight’s news reports claiming disbelief at what just politically happened, and the constant Pier 1 Christmas commercials, make this dip and serve it to a friend or two (with a cocktail, of course). Its warmth and depth will comfort you with Autumn, helping bring the season back to the heart of what it is meant to be.
Enjoy it.
Warm Artichoke White Bean Dip
makes about 28 oz, enough for a whole crowd (or one hungry night)
- 9 oz (usually 1 box) thawed, cooked artichoke hearts
- 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ tsp fresh thyme leaves
- ¼ c apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp half and half
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- s&p
- olive oil, for drizzling
- shredded cheddar cheese to top *optional
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a food processor, mix all above ingredients except for the olive oil. Make sure everything is well incorporated and taste for seasoning. When mixed, pour into an oven-proof baking dish (a ceramic pie dish works well). Drizzle with a bit of olive oil (and cheese, if using), and put in oven until the top is browned and the mixture is hot throughout.
Serve with crudités, bread, pitas, crackers, or simply a spoon (save the spoon for home-alone times, not so much entertaining).
Enjoy!
42 Potatoes 