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Labor Day Weekend-- traditionally, this holiday is all about the end of summer. Grills are being fired up for the last time, in many parts of the country. As for me, I wear white after Labor Day. It's my Californian rebellious nature. Flip-flops are worn year-round... pretty much. I love summer. But, this one has been a total "bust". Pacific Grove (my forty-minute commute to work) has been foggy almost every single day-- well, there have been a few days of blue skies. I think I can count them on one hand. However, our home is situated in the sun belt. On the weekends, hubs and I have enjoyed glorious 70-degree afternoons on our patio.
One sunny day, in July, I had a craving for onion dip. I can't recall the last time I've…
View Full Recipe at A Feast for the Eyes Food…
%20has%20been%20foggy%20almost%20every%20single%20day--%20well,%20there%20have%20been%20a%20few%20days%20of%20blue%20skies.%20%20I%20think%20I%20can%20count%20them%20on%20one%20hand.%20%20However,%20our%20home%20is%20situated%20in%20the%20sun%20belt.%20%20On%20the%20weekends,%20hubs%20and%20I%20have%20enjoyed%20glorious%2070-degree%20afternoons%20on%20our%20patio.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EOne%20sunny%20day,%20in%20July,%20I%20had%20a%20craving%20for%20onion%20dip.%20%20I%20can't%20recall%20the%20last%20time%20I've%20eaten%20onion%20dip.%20What%20I%20do%20remember%20is%20that%20the%20recipe%20consisted%20of%20a%20packet%20of%20onion%20soup%20mix%20was%20stirred%20into%20sour%20cream.%20%20I%20don't%20stock%20that%20product,%20any%20longer.%20%20How%20hard%20could%20it%20be%20to%20make%20onion%20dip%20from%20scratch,%20I%20wondered?%20%20I%20did%20a%20bit%20of%20research%20on%20the%20internet,%20and%20decided%20to%20come%20up%20with%20my%20own%20version.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIt%20took%20a%20little%20bit%20of%20time%20to%20roast%20the%20garlic.%20%20I%20cut%20the%20top%20off%20a%20whole%20head%20of%20garlic,%20and%20drizzled%20a%20bit%20of%20olive%20oil%20over%20it.%20The%20garlic%20was%20wrapped%20in%20foil,%20and%20baked%20at%20350F%20for%20about%2045%20minutes.%20%20I%20unwrapped%20it%20and%20set%20it%20aside%20to%20cool.%20%20In%20the%20meantime,%20%20I%20sliced%20an%20onion%20very%20thin,%20and%20caramelized%20it%20in%20olive%20oil%20until%20golden%20and%20caramelized--%20about%2020%20minutes.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EOnce%20the%20roasted%20garlic%20had%20cooled%20enough,%20I%20squeezed%20out%20that%20glorious%20sweet%20garlic...then%20mashed%20it%20with%20a%20fork.%20%20NOTE:%20Try%20adding%20this%20to%20mashed%20potatoes.%20Wowza!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThe%20seasonings%20are%20simple--%20garlic%20powder,%20white%20pepper%20and%20salt.%20%20I%20took%20a%20shortcut%20and%20used%201%20Tablespoon%20of%20Susie-Q's%20Santa%20Maria%20Seasoning.%20%20I%20used%201%201/2%20cups%20Lite%20Sour%20Cream%20and%203/4%20cup%20of%20mayonnaise--%20and%20a%20squeeze%20of%20fresh%20lemon%20juice.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%20gave%20it%20a%20stir%20and%20tasted%20to%20see%20if%20I%20needed%20to%20adjust%20the%20seasonings%20to%20our%20liking.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%20then%20stirred%20in%20the%20mashed%20roasted%20garlic,%20and%20the%20caramelized%20onion.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThen,%20we%20dipped%20in.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EVERDICT:%20%20While%20it%20took%20a%20bit%20of%20%20prep%20work,%20as%20opposed%20to%20opening%20a%20packet%20of%20onion%20soup%20mix,%20the%20results%20were%20much%20better.%20%20Chips%20with%20mayo%20and%20sour%20cream%20=%20total%20guilty%20pleasure.%20%20Very%20good!%20%20However,%20there%20are%20a%20few%20notes%20on%20what%20I%20would%20do%20differently,%20next%20time.%20%20First,%20the%20onions%20should%20be%20diced.%20%20At%20first,%20it%20was%20fun%20to%20have%20a%20clump%20of%20onion%20with%20each%20bite.%20At%20the%20bottom%20of%20the%20bowl,%20there%20were%20too%20many%20onions%20that%20clumped%20together.%20%20I%20didn't%20like%20how%20that%20looked.%20%20Secondly,%20%20the%20Susie-Q%20seasoning%20should%20have%20been%20reduced%20by%20about%20half.%20%20I%20love%20this%20seasoning%20mix%20for%20our%20Santa%20Maria%20Style%20Tri-Tip.%20%20I%20felt%20it%20was%20a%20little%20too%20salty,%20though%20my%20husband%20didn't.%20%20I%20wasn't%20compensating%20for%20the%20fact%20that%20the%20chips%20are%20already%20salty,%20so%20keep%20that%20in%20mind%20while%20seasoning%20the%20mayonnaise%20and%20sour%20cream.%20%20I%20think%20a%20pinch%20of%20cayenne%20or%20paprika%20would%20be%20a%20nice%20touch,%20too.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThis%20weekend,%20we%20are%20grilling%20ribs%20again.%20%20If%20I%20can%20find%20good%20apples,%20I%20just%20might%20bake%20my%20first%20fall%20pie%20of%20the%20season.%20%20Then%20again,%20I'm%20just%20not%20100%25%20ready%20to%20let%20go%20of%20summer%20stone%20fruits.%20%20My%20part%20of%20California%20has%20a%20different%20micro-climate.%20%20If%20we're%20lucky,%20our%20blue%20skies%20and%20temps%20in%20the%2070's%20have%20been%20known%20to%20arrive%20in%20September-October.%20%20We%20shall%20see!%3C/p%3E){kind=link}