CRUDITES WITH SPINACH DIP IN PUMPKIN CONTAINERS

FOR THE CRUDITES:
celery
carrots
bell peppers
jicama
radishes
green onions
FOR THE DIP:
1/2 cup roughly chopped parsley
1 bunch green onions; trimmed and sliced (include 1/2-inch of the dark green stalks)
1 cup roughly chopped spinach
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tbsp lemon juice (plus more if needed)
dash Worcestershire sauce
garlic salt (to taste)
ground white pepper (to taste)
TO SERVE:
1 large pumpkin
1 small pumpkin

Trim vegetables; place in refrigerator to chill.

TO MAKE THE DIP:
In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, place parsley, green onion, and spinach; process until finely minced. Add mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt, and white pepper. Process until smooth. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice, if needed. Chill. (Makes about 2 cups)

Cut off top third of each pumpkin. Remove seeds and stringy fibers. Refrigerate until needed.

FOR THE PRESENTATION:
Arrange chilled and trimmed vegetables in larger pumpkin. If you don't have enough vegetables to fill pumpkin; use fresh parsley as a filler. Place dip in smaller pumpkin; serve.

ADVANCE PREPARATION:
Vegetables can be trimmed and placed in airtight containers and stored in refrigerator for 2 days. They can be arranged in pumpkin 2 hours before serving and stored in refrigerator. Place cold water in a spray bottle and spritz vegetables with cold water before serving. Dip can be prepared 3 days in advance and stored in airtight container in refrigerator.

Adapted from source: Brad Herald, October 27, 1994