Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

I'm the queen of parties, I like to have a party for every occasion, Christmas, Halloween, birthdays, summer, Easter...pretty much anytime really haha and it also gives me an excuse to bake and make some fun and exciting goodies for guests! This time round was my sons Easter party so lots of 3 year olds to cater for and of course the parents!
My cookies are famous amongst my friends and I keep re inventing them with new flavours but I wanted something fun for the party and it came to me...well while looking through the Internet for ideas....Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip...it couldn't be more perfect and served with Easter shape cookies.
The only thing I noticed that I wasn't keen on was most of them were just cream cheese with sugar and some chocolate chips which is really not like cookie dough at all, so I came up with my own and wow was it a hit, it is like eating the cookie dough before you put it in the oven but without the egg...perfect! You can thank me later :))

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

2/3 cup butter softened
1/2 cup soft brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 mascarpone
1 3/4 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips

Add the butter and sugar into a bowl and mix until light and fluffy
Add the vanilla extract and mascarpone and mix well

Add the flour, bicarb, salt and mix until the dough starts to form together then add the chocolate chips and knead in

And your away...

I personally like it exactly like cookie dough but If you want it more dip like and softer, feel free to add more mascarpone until you get the desired consistency :)

Butternut Squash and Tahini Dip with Cardamom and Coriander Seed Flat Breads

Anytime I get an opportunity to try something a little different I go for it...especially with my three year old, I thoroughly embrace him eating all different flavours and foods! As you know this weekend I went for a middle eastern theme and yesterday was no exeption. I wanted something nice and easy for lunch but a little different from a plain sandwich or roll and when I saw this recipe in yotam ottolenghis Jerusalem I knew I had to make it....well I wasn't disappointed at all, neither was my son. The flavours of this dip are incredible and so warming and inviting that it is very difficult to not eat all of it unless you have enormous will power hahaha but with it being fairly healthy, why not eat it all :)) I served it with my fragrant cardamom and coriander seed flatbreads and a salad :)

Butternut Squash and Tahini Dip

1/2-1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks (net weight 450g)
2 tbsp olive oil
1-2 tsp ground cinnamon
salt to taste
35g tahini paste
60g Greek yoghurt
1 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
Large handful of flaked almonds- toasted in a pan
maple syrup to drizzle

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Spread the squash out on a medium-sized baking tray, pour over the olive oil and sprinkle on the cinnamon and salt. Mix well and roast for about 40 minutes or until soft , stirring once during the cooking. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Transfer the cooled squash to the bowl of a food processor, along with the tahini, yoghurt and garlic. pulse so that everything is combined into a coarse paste – you don't want it too smooth (you can also do this by hand using a fork or masher).

To serve, spread the butternut tahini dip and sprinkle with toasted almonds and a drizzle of maple syrup

(Recipe adapted from a yotam ottelenghi recipe)

Serve with some aromatic flat breads

Cardamom and Coriander Seed Flat Breads

250g strong wholemeal bread flour

5g salt

20ml olive oil

160ml water

6 cardamom pods-seeds removed and crushed in a pestle and mortar

1/2 tsp coriander seeds-crushed or you can use ground

Add the flour, salt and spices to a bowl and then add the olive oil and water and mix to form a dough.

Turn out on to a lightly floured work top and knead for about 5 minutes

Place in the bowl and cover with cling film and leave to rest for 30 minutes

Divide the dough into 6 pieces

Heat a large frying pan (no oil needed) and roll out the first ball so it is very flat. Cook in the frying pan for a minute on each side...or until golden on each side.

Remove from the pan and place on a plate and cover with a tea towel or cling film to stop from drying out

Great as a wrap, dipping bread, smothering a delicious dip on or as an aromatic chapati to accompany a curry :)