Summer is in full swing and lush, juicy berries are at their prime! This yummy dip is creamy, refreshing, and the perfect blend of sweet and tart. Plus, this recipe is my favorite kind: EASY, easy, easy! You can make it in under five minutes.

I love entertaining and I’m always looking for the perfect appetizer for guests to snack on. The inspiration for this recipe came after my dear neighbor graced me with an abundant bowl of fresh red raspberries from her patch. I knew I wanted to create a delicious cracker and fruit appetizer dip for summer parties.

When I heard about the Triscuit Summer Snackoff, presented by Martha Stewart, I couldn’t wait to tackle the challenge! It’s a contest where consumers are challenged to use Martha Stewart’s select seasonal ingredient, paired with a Triscuit, to make a delicious snack. Then you share photos of your creation on TriscuitSummerSnackoff.com to be entered for a chance to win a trip to New York City to meet Martha Stewart! There are lots of other fun prizes as well.

Check back bi-weekly to learn about new challenges and ingredients.

Lucky for me, Martha’s first select seasonal ingredient happens to be mixed berries!

Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese, softened
zest of one orange
1 abundant cup of mixed berries (I suggest raspberries and blackberries)
2 TB sugar
chopped pecans
Triscuit crackers for dipping

First, let the cream cheese soften at room temperature until it’s nice and smooth. Put it in your mixer along with the orange zest. You can also use an electric hand mixer. Cream them together for about one minute.

Once the zest is nicely blended into the cream cheese, add your berries and sugar to the mixer and mix for an additional 1-2 minutes until berries are incorporated an you get a nice pink color. Of course you need to taste it…to make sure it’s safe, right?

The harmonious flavors of tart and sweet will sing a berry beautiful symphony in your mouth. Okay, that’s berry cheesy, but how could I resist?

Transfer the mixture to a bowl, then top with chopped pecans for a nice textural component. Serve with Triscuit crackers for a satisfying sweet and salty combo. It also pairs nicely with orange and apple slices.

Admittedly, this batch never made it to the party…we pretty much devoured it in one sitting! Here’s the quick and easy recipe:

Creamy, Dreamy Berry Dip

Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 abundant cup of mixed berries (blackberries and raspberries recommended)
zest of one orange
2 TB sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

Place softened cream cheese and orange zest in a mixer (or use an electric hand mixer) and mix for one minute until combined. Next, add the berries and sugar and mix for an additional 1-2 minutes until berries are well-incorporated and the mixture turns pink. Transfer to a serving dish and top with chopped pecans and fresh berries.

So, if you’re ready to take the Triscuit Summer Snackoff challenge, and possibly win a trip to meet the one and only Martha Stewart in NYC (!!!), head over here and check out the seasonal ingredient and get cookin’!