We made this last weekend when we got together with friends, and we were surprised out how well it turned out, especially ’cause it’s made mostly with pantry supplies (I love things that are easy to keep on hand–it seems like I’m always needing to find something to make for a party and I don’t have enough time to get to the store beforehand. And between this and the quesadillas, I now have two reasons to keep roasted red peppers on hand!). The dip’s sweeter than I would’ve expected, but it tasted great with salty crackers and the other veggies we had. This recipe comes from The New Best Recipe cookbook.

Roasted Red Pepper Spread

1 c. walnuts
12 oz. jarred raosted red peppers, drained, rinsed, and patted dry with paper towels
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
1/4 c, coarsely ground plain wheat crackers
3 T. juice from 1 large lemon
1 T. mild molasses
1 t. honey
1/2 t. ground cumin
3/4 t. salt
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

Place the walnuts in a medium skillet over medium heat and toast, shaking the pan occasionally to turn the nuts, until they are fragrant, about 5 minutes. Cool the nuts on a plate.

Process the toasted walnuts with the remaining ingredients in a food processor until smooth, about 10, one-second pulses. Transfer to a serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill until the flavors meld, at least 30 minutes (the dip can last 2 days in the fridge before serving).  Note: you can also finely chop the walnuts and peppers and mix with other ingredients, or use your blender if you don’t have a food processor.