Category: Appetizers – Dips

Creamy Herb Dip

Not too spectacular but safe.

 Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup sour cream or crème fraîche
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
  • 3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 small clove garlic, finely chopped

Directions:

  1. In small bowl, stir together dip ingredients.
  2. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour to blend flavors.

Serves: 8

Source:  Taste of Australia VPWL December 2014

Christmas Tree Vegetable Platter

A broccoli and tomato “tree” with pretzel “trunk” and cauliflower “snow” are delicious dippers for a cool and creamy dip.

Creamy Herb Dip Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup sour cream or crème fraîche
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
  • 3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 small clove garlic, finely chopped

Directions:

  1. In small bowl, stir together dip ingredients.
  2. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour to blend flavors.

Serves: 8

Vegetable Platter
Do not be limited by the recommendations below, use whatever is fresh and would look pretty on this “tree”

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
  • 14 grape tomatoes
  • 1/2 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh cauliflower florets
  • 3/4 oz (about 40) pretzel sticks (from 15-oz bag)

Directions:

  1. Rinse and thoroughly dry vegetables.
  2. Trim broccoli and cauliflower floret stems.
  3. Arrange broccoli on serving platter to form tree shape and tomatoes to form garland.
  4. Arrange bell pepper to form star.
  5. Arrange cauliflower to form snow.
  6. If desired, cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.
  7. Just before serving, arrange pretzels at bottom of tree to form trunk.
  8. Serve with dip.

Source:  Taste of Australia VPWL December 2014

 

 

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Five Minute Million Dollar Dip

The Five Miniute Million Dollar Dip is only 5 ingredients and they don’t call it million dollar dip for nothing! It is so deliciously addicting and will be the biggest hit wherever it goes! (And you can have everything in your cupboard/fridge/freezer for emergencies.)

Ingredients:

  • 5 green onions chopped (in a pinch use dried onions or those great French’s crispy fried onions)
  • 8 oz cheddar cheese shredded
  • 1½ c mayonnaise
  • 1/2 c real bacon bits
  • 1/2 c slivered almonds

Directions:

  1. Add green onions, cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, bacon bits, and slivered almonds to a small bowl.
  2. Mix until combined and chill for at least 2 hours.
  3. Serve with your favorite crackers.

Serves:  Makes about 2 cups

Source: therecipecritic.com

Brie Spinach Dip

This Brie Spinach Dip will be one of the best spinach dips you’ve ever made and/or tasted!  Its rich, creamy cheesy, packed with flavor and the brie fancies it up for every party AND you can make it all ahead!  It freezes and reheats in the microwave.  If you don’t love brie then use half brie and half cream cheese or  all cream cheese. (and why are you looking at this recipe!!)  Added bonus – leftovers (there won’t be any) can be thinned with a little milk and servered over pasta.

Ingredients:

4 Tab butter
1/4 onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c all-purpose flour
2 c milk
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 c sour cream
1 10 oz. pkg. frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry in a towel (2 minutes in the microwave works) or 1 lb fresh spinach sauted and squeezed dry.
1 c (12 oz. jar) chopped roasted red peppers thoroughly drained/patted dry (optional)
1 13 oz. pkg. brie cheese, rind removed, cubed (place in freezer 1/2 hr to firm it up)
1 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese divided
3/4 c freshly grated Pepper Jack cheese divided
1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese divided

Directions: 

  1. Preheat oven to 375°.
  2. Melt butter in a 9” oven proof skillet over medium high heat (OR use any skillet and transfer dip to lightly greased 9” pie pan/dish to bake).
  3. Add onions and cook, while stirring for 3 minutes.
  4. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds.
  5. Stir in flour, and cook, while stirring, for 2 minutes.
  6. Turn heat to low and slowly stir in milk, Worcestershire sauce and all spices.
  7. Increase heat to medium high and bring to a simmer, while stirring, until thickened (but not too thick).
  8. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream until smooth.
  9. Stir in spinach and roasted peppers followed by brie, 1/2 cup mozzarella, 1/2 cup Jack cheese, and 1/4 cup Parmesan.
  10. Smooth dip into an even layer (or transfer to prepared pie pan and smooth).
  11. Top with remaining cheeses and bake 15-20 minutes or until bubbly and brie is melted.
  12. Broil until cheese is golden.
  13. Let sit at least 5 minutes then serve hot with bread, crackers, etc.

Serves: 15

Source:  CarlsbadCravings.com

Pesto Cheese Dip

Doesn’t get any easier!  And it might even be healthy.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup whole-milk ricotta
  • 1 cup cream cheese
  • 1/2 c pesto
  • cucumbers – cut is rounds
  • red bell pepper – cut in strips
  • bread sticks or pita chips

Directions:

  1. Mix the cream cheese and pesto
  2. Stir in ricotta.
  3. Serve with cucumbers, red peppers, bread sticks or pita chips.

Serves:  Makes 1-1/3 cups.

Source:  www.familycircle.com

Easy Shrimp Dip

Hot or cold –  too easy!  Vary with crab.  Hey, go for lobster!  I might try corn next time.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • 1 (4.5 ounce) can small shrimp, drained (or chopped fresh shrimp )
  • 1 (8 ounce) jar cocktail sauce

Directions:

  1. Place the cream cheese in the center of a serving platter.
  2. In a small bowl, gently blend the shrimp and cocktail sauce.
  3. Pour the mixture over the cream cheese.
  4. Refrigerate until serving.
  5. To serve hot place in heatproof dish and heat 15 minutes ant 350°. (optional)

Serves:  They say 10.  Depends on what else there is.

Source:  Kraft

Mexican Street Corn Dip

Smoky, sweet, spicy, and tangy dip version of elotes—grilled Mexican street corn slathered with creamy, cheesy, lime-scented, chili-flecked sauce. In this version, we charred the corn on the stove top, though a trip to the grill wouldn’t hurt.  Margie charred hers in the oven.  It can be made ahead and heated at the party.

Ingredients:

  • 4 Tab bacon fat (or oil if you must)
  • 8 ears fresh corn, shucked, kernels removed or 2 lbs frozen corn (about 6 cups of corn kernels)
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 c sour cream
  • 2 oz feta or cotija cheese, finely crumbled
  • 1/2 c finely sliced  greens onions (about 5)
  • 1/2 c fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and stemmed, finely chopped
  • 1 to 2 medium cloves garlic, pressed or minced on a microplane grater (about 1 to 2 teaspoons)
  • 1 fresh juice from 1 lime
  • Chili powder or hot chili flakes, to taste

Directions:.

  1. Preheat oven 350°.
  2. Heat the bacon fat in a large non-stick skillet or wok over high heat until shimmering.
  3. Add corn kernels.
  4. Season to taste with salt.
  5. Toss once or twice, and cook without moving until charred on one side, about 2 minutes.
  6. Toss corn, stir, and repeat until charred on second side, about 2 minutes longer.
  7. Continue tossing and charring until well charred all over, about 10 minutes total.  CAUTION this is very messy and the corn will sometimes jump out of the pan.
  8. Transfer 4 cups to a large bowl.
  9. Transfer 2 cups to a food processor and process until creamy/slightly chunky.
  10. Transfer to the bowl.
  11. Add mayonnaise, sour cream,cheese, scallions, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, lime juice, and chili powder.
  12. Toss to combine.
  13. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and more chili powder to taste.
  14. Place in 1 quart heat-proof dish.
  15. Bake at 350° for 30 minute, until heated through.  (although it is just as good cold!)
  16. Serve with large corn chips or crackers.

Serves: 10

Source:  GK

Creamy Chevre Dip

Great on warm summer nights.  Sort of Mediterranean.

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces soft fresh Chevre (goat cheese)
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint
  • pumpernickel bread
  • green bell peppers, cut in strips

Instructions:

  1. Combine the goat cheese and oil in a bleeder or food processor and blend until smooth.
  2. Transfer to a small bowl and mix in the cumin, cayenne, and mint.
  3. Cover and refrigerate until the dip is cold and the flavors have blended, 3 hours to overnight.
  4. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
  5. Drizzle with additional olive oil before serving.

Serves:   makes about a cup

Source:   probably Margie