January 2023

Feta Dip

OK so it’s cold and winter and boo, right? Well, lucky us for living in the future, we probably have fresh herbs available at the store. OR, we are able to grow them indoors. OR, we have a reserve of dried herbs! (Or if you’re really lucky like me, you live in the American Southwest and have a year-round herb garden.) And it’s citrus season.

This herbed feta dip is fresh and bright and perfect for snackies or parties. Don’t let the weather get you down- it’s on its way out! Have a party celebrating this new year! I’m actually putting this out in January so you can perfect it for your Imbolg party. It’s chock full of dairy so perfect if you’re a “Wheel of the Year” kinda witch.

Ingredients:

1 cup sour cream

1 cup feta crumbles

1 tsp fresh or ½ tsp dried oregano to attract wealth

½ tsp fresh or ¼ tsp dried thyme to attract prosperity

½ tsp fresh or ¼ tsp dried marjoram to bring in joy

½ tsp minced or crushed garlic to add health

1 tsp to 1 Tbs lemon juice to add SUNSHINE BAYBEEEEE

Salt and pepper to taste

Cucumber and smoked paprika if you’re fancy

Make this the day before you want to eat it- the flavors will meld so much more thoroughly! It’s still good if you eat it right after you make it but it’s just amazing if you wait.

Mix all the ingredients together with a big fork. If your feta isn’t precrumbled, cut it into small cubes and then use a couple forks to mash it up.

For an extra layer of texture and freshness, dice up some cucumber (about a half cup) and sprinkle it with salt, and leave it in a colander for about an hour. This removes some of the water in the cucumber. That can water down the dip. Salting helps pull the water out so you only get the nice fresh crunch. After an hour-ish, rinse it and gently wring it out in a paper towel I put a couple layers of paper towel in a dishcloth and wring it in that) and add it to the mix! If you try this, add the salt *after* you do this and taste it- the cucumber will add some salt, and feta is pretty salty as well.

I like to garnish it with a sprinkle of smoked paprika overtop. It adds just a hint of smoky sweet (barely), and adds a nice pop of color. I eat this with toasted feta or fresh vegetables (bell peppers, carrots, jicama, etc). It *will* give you The Breath though, so be ready with some mints or something afterward.