Cold Savory Dips for Your Next Party

Parties are a time when friends get together, most the time you like to bring something to the party, why not try a nice cold savory dip.

Baked Potato Dip recipe

2 (16 ounce) containers sour cream
1 (3 ounce) can bacon bits
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 bunch green onions, chopped

In a medium size mixing bowl, combine sour cream, bacon, Cheddar cheese and green onions; stir well. Refrigerate or serve immediately.

Serve with potato chips or use as a potato topper.

Blue Cheese Garlic Dip recipe

1 (12 ounce) jar refrigerated blue cheese dressing
1 (4.5 ounce) can tiny shrimp, rinsed and chopped
4 green onions thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco® sauce
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients, mixing well. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.

Serve with vegetables, crackers or hot wings.

Makes about 2 cups of dip.

Hoagie Dip recipe

1/2 pound cooked ham, thinly sliced
1/2 pound Genoa salami, thinly sliced
1 pound processed American cheese, sliced
2 cups mayonnaise
2 teaspoons dried oregano 1 onion, chopped
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
2 tomatoes, diced
12 hoagie rolls, torn into pieces for dipping

Tear the ham, salami and American cheese into small pieces. Place in a large bowl.

In a medium bowl, blend the mayonnaise and oregano. Mix the mayonnaise mixture into the ham mixture 1/2 cup at a time, until meats and cheese are well coated. Mix in the onion.

Before serving, mix in the lettuce and tomatoes. Serve with the hoagie roll pieces for dipping

Margarita Shrimp Dip recipe

1 pound boiled, peeled shrimp
1 large red tomato, chopped
1 large yellow tomato, chopped
1 large jalapeño, seeded and chopped
1 small onion, peeled and diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 avocados, chopped
1/2 juice of 1 large lime
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon margarita salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Cut shrimp in half and put in a bowl. Add the remaining vegetables that have been prepared. Cover with lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Serve with chips as a dip or use as a topping with a salad.

Dip can be refrigerated for 12 to 24 hours. If prepared ahead of time, do not add avocado until the last minute.

Taj Mahal Dip recipe

Makes about 2 cups.

Either fresh or frozen spinach can be used in this Indian-style dip, and neither needs to be cooked beforehand. However, fresh spinach will give the dip a lighter, brighter shade of pale green, and a fresher taste.

2 teaspoons curry powder, according to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin, according to taste
1 (9 ounce) package fresh baby spinach leaves or 1 (10 ounce) package
frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
3/4 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste (optional)
Tabasco sauce, to taste (optional)

In a small nonstick skillet, stir curry and cumin over medium-low heat just until fragrant, 30 to 45 seconds. Transfer spices to a bowl.

Combine spinach, sour cream, yogurt and garlic in a food processor and blend until spinach is pureed and mixture is smooth. Add a third of the curry mixture and blend in. Add more of the curry mixture, to taste. Process until well-blended. Season to taste with salt, pepper and pepper sauce, if desired. Transfer to a container with a cover. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours before using.

Bring dip to room temperature before serving.

When ready to serve, transfer dip to an attractive bowl and place in center of a large serving platter. Surround with assorted cut-up vegetables (carrots, different colored bell peppers, sugar snap peas, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini spears, sliced jicama) and, if desired, the thin Indian crackers called pappadams, or other, preferably whole-grain, crackers