Crudite Christmas Tree with Sour Cream and Chive Dip

Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 8 to 10 servings
Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 of 10): Calories 138, Total Fat 10 g, Saturated Fat 5 g, Carbohydrates 11 g, Dietary Fiber 3 g, Sugars 4 g, Protein 5 g, Cholesterol 28 mg, Sodium 454 mg
Preparation Time: 45 minutes total
Active Time: 45 minutes

Transform your holiday gathering with this stunning crudite Christmas treea vibrant, easy-to-assemble veggie masterpiece topped with a creamy sour cream and chive dip that'll have guests raving and reaching for more festive bites!

Ingredients

Dip:

6 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice plus 1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh chives
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

Crudite Tree:

Kosher salt
1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets
1 small head cauliflower, separated into florets
One 2-inch piece English cucumber, plus half-moon slices for garnish
1 orange or yellow bell pepper, cut into strips and star shapes using a small star cutter
Grape tomatoes, for decoration

Instructions

Prepare the dip: In a food processor bowl, blend together the cream cheese, sour cream, horseradish, lemon juice, lemon zest, granulated garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a good crack of black pepper until smooth and combined. Transfer this mixture to a medium bowl and gently fold in the chives and parsley. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Blanch the vegetables: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice water. Add the broccoli florets to the boiling water and blanch until they turn bright green and are crisp-tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove them with a strainer and plunge into the ice bath. Do the same with the cauliflower florets. Then drain thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels.
Assemble the tree: On a serving platter, arrange the broccoli florets in a triangular formation to form the tree shape. Place the English cucumber piece, skin side up, at the base to serve as the tree trunk, and arrange cauliflower florets on either side. Decorate the "tree" by adding grape tomatoes, cucumber slices, strips of bell pepper, and star-shaped peppers, reserving one star for the top of the tree.