The Freshman Cook: Red, White & Blue Crudite' w/ Dried Herb Ranch Dip

Today’s appetizer has a holiday flair. I used the blue nacho chips, and the white dip, so I wanted red vegetables. Simple? Right? No!! I had a hard time finding the right red veggies. I know!!! I thought it would be easy. But I did find grape tomatoes, radishes, and red peppers; and I think they worked just find.

Here is what you need:

Blue Nacho Chips

Fresh Radishes

Fresh Grape Tomatoes

Fresh Red Pepper

Dried Herb Ranch Dip Recipe:

(makes 3 cups)

2 cups Sour Cream

1/2 cup Milk

1 tablespoon Buttermilk Powder

1 tablespoon dried Parsley

2 teaspoon dried Chives

1 teaspoon dried Oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried Tarragon

1 teaspoon Garlic Salt

1 teaspoon Lemon Pepper

The first thing to do is to make the Dried Herb Ranch Dip. 

It should be refrigerated for at least 2 hours before serving.

Whisk together the sour cream, milk, and buttermilk powder.

Add all the spices.

Whisk together and refrigerate for at least 2 hours

before serving. It can be kept for up to 4 days.

Cut your radishes from the greens, and wash thoroughly.

Chop the ends off of your radishes.

Then cut the radishes in half.

Now we are going to roast the red pepper.

Wash the pepper, and raise the rack in your oven to right below

the top. Set your oven to broil on high. As the pepper begins to roast,

you will hear a couple popping sounds. Check the pepper

constantly, and as it gets dark and blackens on the top, turn 

the pepper around so that another side can be roasted. When

it is roasted all the way around, remove it from the oven,

and place it in a bowl.

It should look like this.

Immediately cover the bowl with plastic. The plastic wrap

will make it easier to get the skin off of the pepper when it is time.

Let the pepper sit for about 30 minutes.

After about 30 minutes, the skin of the pepper will

release itself from the pepper.

Pull the skin off of the pepper and throw it away.

It should look clean, like this.

Cut off the top and bottom of the pepper, then

cut into quarters.

Start slicing down the pepper into small thin strips.

Chop the thin strips into about 1″ to 1 1/2″ pieces.

Put your plate together like above. 

Red, White & Blue!

Enjoy!

You could make a few changes if you would like:

Chop up the tomatoes. The chips dunked in the dip, topped with a couple 

pieces of roasted pepper & chopped tomatoes ~delicious.

Red onions would taste great, and go with the color scheme.

Plate the appetizer on a holiday plate with some red, white & blue on it.

If you are not concerned with the red, white & blue, 

add pulled chicken & shredded cheddar. It is delicious.

Thanks for joining me today. 

Tomorrow we will make southern cornbread 

to go with our roasted chicken.

See you then!