By Deirdre Imus, The Imus Ranch Cooking For Kids And Cowboys

Preparation time: 5 minutes  

Artichokes are high in fiber and virtually fat-free, but preparing them from scratch can be time-consuming.  We use chopped artichoke hearts to make this tasty dip to serve with crispy chips, stoned-wheat crackers, or hearty bread.

2 cups chopped artichoke hearts
1 cup green onion sour cream (see below)
1 cup vegan or regular mayonnaise
1 cup grated rice parmesan cheese or parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Tabasco sauce, to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine all the ingredients and serve at room temperature.

Makes 5 cups

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Green Onion Sour Cream

Preparation time: 10 minutes  Cooking time: 15 minutes

At the Ranch, we use this as a topping for Herbed Twice-Baked Potatoes (cookbook page  209) and Edward’s Oven-Roasted Potato Skins (page 212) or as a dip for raw vegetables or Imus Ranch Turquoise Buffalo Tortilla Chips (page 59). This will keep indefinitely if stored in a tightly covered glass container in the refrigerator. Do not use an aluminum container for storing this recipe because the acids in the recipe may react with the metal.

1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, rinsed and trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
½ pound firm silken tofu
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, or 1 teaspoon dried

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Spread the scallions on a sheet pan, coat them with oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast for 15 minutes. When the onions have cooked, transfer them to the container of a food processor, add the remaining ingredients, and puree until smooth. Taste and season again, if necessary, with salt and pepper.

Makes 1 ¼ cups

Reprinted with permission from the National Bestseller, The Imus Ranch:  Cooking for Kids and Cowboys by Deirdre Imus. Published by Rodale, Inc.