Thursday, February 9, 2012

Making Apple Dip Out of Nothing at All

An ode to Air Supply ... in dessert form.

I am an 80s girl, through and through.  Needless to say, when I learned that 80s popstar duo Air Supply would be playing at the casino just across the Oklahoma border, I jumped at the chance to go.


So last weekend, my friends Bethany and Elizabeth and I drove the forty five minute to the WinStar, checked in, and got dolled up for the concert.  (And by "dolled up," I mean Elizabeth put on her best t-shirt and I slapped a little mascara on my lashes.)  We played penny slots, ate some cheese fries, got hopped up on free diet soda, and then made our way into the "event room."

The band only drew a few hundred people, but those people were PUMPED.  I've never seen such a frisky bunch of middle-aged women.  To be honest, I'm surprised everyone remained fully clothed throughout the concert.

It was awesome.  I mean AWESOME.  They played all their hits, encouraged people to sing along, and even strolled through the crowd. (If we're still being honest, Russell Hitchcock had a look of raw fear in his eyes as his bodyguard forged a path through the screaming, lunging throng.  Poor guy.)  The best part was the back-up band.  They couldn't have been more than twenty-five ... Air Supply had peaked and faded before they were even born.  But they put on a brave face, acting like those soft rock ballads were genuinely cool.



After the show, we played the slots for another few minutes and then headed toward our hotel room.  Lo and behold, as we were passing through the hotel bar, we saw Russell Hitchcock (and the extremely talented youngster on lead guitar) trying their best to order cocktails despite the rush of photo-seekers.

I felt guilty bothering them ... but there was no way I was passing up an opportunity to get a picture with Air Supply.  Or at least half of Air Supply.



This week's recipe is an homage to the most rockin' Australian pop duo ever.  It's sweet, nutty, and super-cheesy, but also incredibly delicious.  As an added bonus, I made it out of stuff I just happened to have in my fridge and cupboard ... so you could say I made apple dip out of nothing at all!


Creamy Apple Dip

8 oz. mascarpone cheese**
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cardamom

Optional:

1/2 c. chopped craisins or raisins
1/2 c. chopped pecans or walnuts


** If you can't find mascarpone cheese, you could substitute cream cheese (or even reduced fat or fat free cream cheese).  I prefer the mascarpone because it has a silkier texture.

Blend first six ingredients in a medium bowl with a hand mixer.  Stir in craisins and nuts, if you're using them.  Serve with sliced apples and/or pears.



~~~~~~

Wendy is the author of the Mysteries a la Mode. Visit her on the web or on Facebook. She also writes the Pet Boutique Mysteries under the name Annie Knox; you can follow Annie on Facebook, too!

7 comments:

  1. "We played penny slots, ate some cheese fries, got hopped up on free diet soda"

    Hmmmm...

    Now I am wondering what your evening would have been like had you seen them in the 80's???

    pre-concert activities?
    pre-concert food?
    and of course what pre-concert beverages???

    But then it crossed my mind what your evening will be like when you see them in another 30 years???

    Will penny slots be only a fond memory then?

    I LOVED this post!
    Dave

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  2. Aw, thanks Dave! If I'd seen the band in 1982, I would have been 12 ... so I probably would have had cheese fries, put on some lip gloss, pinned my hair up with a herringbone ribbon barrette, pegged my jeans, and gotten hopped up on old-fashioned Coca Cola. (Or Tab ... I loved Tab.)

    In another 30 years, I plan to be living in a retirement community a la The Villages ... so I'll don hot pink "lounge wear", get my hair set at the beauty parlor, enjoy an egg salad sandwich and a cup of coffee for lunch, then take my trusty golf cart to a matinee "virtual concert", and then take a nap. Sounds awesome to me!

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  3. I graduated from high school in 1985, so I found this post to be especially funny.

    When the bowl is empty, I can hear it now, "I'm all out of dip, I'm so lost without you"

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  4. What fun, Wendy! Some things just stay with us, don't they? It sounds like you and your friends had a blast.

    Your apple dip sounds yummy! A great way to get kids to eat their fruit.

    ~ Krista

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  5. I'm also thinking that this stuff would awesome spread on a toasted bagel. Will try and report back. :)

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  6. What a fun night out! I'm laughing at everyone's comments too.

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