Almost every year on Thanksgiving, without fail, I put out a spread – usually a cheese plate with crackers and a rotating dip or two – that my family eats, enjoys and fills up on before the turkey is even out of the oven.

Of course, each year, without fail, we still load our plates with stuffing, sweet potatoes, whole wheat dinner rolls and butternut squash (I swear, we’re not all obese).

So this year, I went a little lighter on the appetizers when planning the Thanksgiving menu. I set out a few cheeses, crackers and a dip that Lydia made when I visited her perfect pantry in October.

Herbed Cheese Spread

What You Need:

8 oz whipped butter
16 oz cream cheese
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp each dried basil, dill weed, black pepper, thyme

How-To:

Blend all ingredients together in a food processor fitted with metal blade. Transfer to a bowl or container, and let sit in the refrigerator for two hours or more before serving, to allow the flavors to combine.