Welcome to Day 14 of our
25 Day Ottawa Life
Christmas Calendar.
We’ll be updating with a
new treat daily so be sure
to keep checking under the
OLM Tree to see what’s new.
And don’t forget our big Light
Up Your Ottawa Life Contest!
Do you have a holiday party coming up and are panicking over what to bring for the potluck dinner? No worries! Whether you’re a good cook or not, these simple recipes are delicious, can be whipped up in no time and require very few ingredients. They will for sure be a hit and leave your friends very impressed!
Festive Spinach Dip
This classic party favourite is easy to make, tasty and gets better the longer it sits in the fridge so you can make it the night before your potluck party and just grab it and go as you rush out the door. This recipe serves 8, but simply double or triple the measurements to make a bigger batch.
Ingredients
1 package of dry vegetable soup mix
2 cups sour cream
1 cups mayonnaise
1 package of frozen spinach
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
3 green onions
Cook spinach according to package directions, chop and set aside to cool. Once the spinach has cooled down, add it to a bowl along with the rest of the ingredients and mix until well combined. Chill the dip in the fridge overnight, or at least for a couple of hours, before serving. This dip is versatile and pairs well with chips, crackers, raw veggies, baguette slices or pita bread. With the green spinach, white cream and red bell pepper, this dip is not only delicious, but also very festive in appearance.
Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate
If you have a slow cooker and love chocolate, this is the recipe for you! The slow cooker does all the work for you, so you barely have to break a sweat. This hot chocolate recipe is warm, rich and serves up to 20 people, so it is perfect for a group gathering.
Ingredients
4 oz. un-sweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
8 cups milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Put the un-sweetened chocolate, chocolate chips and condensed milk into the slow cooker and mix until well combined. Cover and cook on High for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so until the chocolate is completely melted. Using a whisk, stir in 2 cups of milk. Gradually add the remaining 6 cups of milk as well as the vanilla extract. Cover and let cook for an additional 2 hours. When serving, set the slow cooker to Low to keep the beverage warm and have party-goers use a ladle to serve themselves.
Tortellini Skewers
These skewers are visually pleasing, festive and pack a lot of flavour with just three ingredients! Feel free to swap out the mozzarella for any other white cheese you desire like Swiss or white cheddar. This recipe makes 18 skewers, but can be easily altered to fit the size of the party.
1 package of spinach tortellini
2 pints cherry tomatoes
12 ounces mozzarella cheese, cubed
1 pack wooden skewers
Cook the tortellini according to package directions and set aside to cool. Once cool, thread one tortellini, one cherry tomato and one cube of cheese onto each skewer. Serve the skewers by themselves or along side your favourite salad dressing for dipping.
