Dips for Thanksgiving and Christmas Snacking

Around the holidays, everyone nibbles. These recipes get me out of the kitchen and in with the family fast! I do try to hide the snacks a few hours before the main meal, but, I should confess...we start snacking about 2 days before Turkey Day! And, walk and run for a week afterwards to get rid of that weight, and prepare for the Feast of Christmas.

For our family, the holidays have always been more about food than gifts. We learned quickly that attending movies, eating until we pop, and laughing until we cry was "holiday" to us!

Now, that's not to say that we don't love gifts. I've already started shopping, but the dollar amount we spend is much lower than when we were younger and heavily influenced by ads and fads.

Our little granddaughter will take priority, and isn't that the most fun of all? Alongside of her being number uno, is our "dog-child", food preparation, house cleaning, and lights and the tree. And scented CANDLES. My other addiction.

If you have started searching and planning your snacks, baked goodies, and frozen ahead dishes, I hope these dips and spreads will get your attention and keep your time in the kitchen fun and easy! These are my favorites, and have become a tradition. What I love about them is that you can change an ingredient or two and make it specialized for what your family loves. Watch the spices tho, my kids reminded me that one year I had added hot sauce to all the dips. OOPS.

I've given these dips my own names, as they have evolved over the years:

Cracker Snacker

• 1 12 ounce Container of low fat cottage cheese, small curd
• 1 c mayo (fat free if you desire)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice, fresh!
• 2 tbsp cream cheese (fat free if you must, sigh)
• 1 can or container of fresh crab meat (about 7 ounces or more if you're doubling the recipe)
• 1 can cocktail shrimp, or boiled fresh (about 4 ounces or more if you're doubling - tiny shrimp)

Procedure:

1. Using a blender, combine the cottage cheese, cream cheese, mayo, and lemon juice. Test for flavor. If needed, salt, pepper and add spicey tabasco if desired.
2. Remove from the blender and add the seafood, mix well.
3. Chill dip for at least 30 minutes to blend flavors. When serving, keep ice around the bowl to keep the dip cold.

Safety tip: When serving seafood dips, make sure they are either really cold, or hot as the recipes dictate.

Sassy Shrimp Spread

• 1 c mayo
• 1 c sour cream
• 1/4 c finely chopped green pepper or half green and red pepper
• 1/4 c chile sauce
• 1 Tbsp horseradish, prepared
• dash salt
• dash pepper
• 2 c tiny shrimp, fresh and boiled

Stir and chill for 1 hour. Serve with veggies or crackers.

Crabby Salad Spread

• Best Crabmeat you can find, 2 cups
• 1/2 c mayo
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley, NOT DRIED
• 2 Tbsp chopped chives, Fresh
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (say that fast 3 times!)
• 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice, FRESH
• 3 chopped boiled eggs (egg whites only if you need to)
• 1 c diced cucumber (peeling on is fine, but also can peel)

Add all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir well, but not so much that your crabmeat breaks up. Serve in lettuce leaf cups for individual portions and add your best crackers to the plate!

Hot Crab Dip for Chilly Days

• 6 Tbsp cream cheese
• 1/2 c mayo
• 3/4 c fresh crab meat, chunked
• 3 Tbsp minced onion, or less if desired (no large chunks)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice, fresh
• Tabasco sauce to taste

With mixer, beat cream cheese and mayo until smooth. Stir in all other ingredients. Spray small baking dish with cooking spray, and spoon in mixture. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Mixture should be bubbly, not brown. Serve warm with crackers or even chunks of bread. I have kept this in a fondue pot with chewy bread on fondue forks. YUM.

Hot Mama's Mexican Bean Dip

• 1 can Refried Beans, 16 ounces (Not Bean Dip!)
• 1 c shredded cheddar cheese (or your favorite)
• 1 -2 Jalapeno peppers, chopped, to your taste
• 1/3 c green onions, chopped
• 1 medium tomato, chopped, not too juicy
• 1 Tbsp favorite salsa (I like "Hell On The Red, Mild" the texture of this dip is wonderful, let the heat be from the jalapeno ingredient)
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice, fresh

Except for the salsa, tomato, and lemon juice, stir ingredients together and bake in small dish for about 10 minutes in a 350 oven. Cheese needs to be melted and all ingredients warm/hot.

Add salsa and tomato and lemon juice when the dip is out of the oven. Serve while warm.

Homemade Tortilla Chips

• Corn Tortillas
• Canola Oil
• Salt and Cumin

1. In deep fryer, heat oil to 375. Oil should be deep enough for the tortilla sections to float.
2. Prepare a large tray or pan by lining it with clean newspaper. Cut fresh corn tortillas into 4 sections per circle.
3. Drop them in hot oil after you have tested the oil with one section.
4. Fry until light brown and crisp. Remove them and place them on the newspaper tray to drain. While hot, salt them lightly with sea salt and a light sprinkle of cumin, optional.
5. Use these wonderful hot chips for your warm dips!!

Arti-Chok Ye! Hot Dip

• 2 cans or 14 ounces of drained and chopped Artichokes, NOT IN OIL
• 1 c mayo
• 1/2 c Parmesan Cheese
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• dash garlic powder, or 1/2 tsp minced garlic to taste
• dash Tabasco (more if you want the "chok Ye" affect.)
• 1 c grated mozzarella cheese

Stir all ingredients together and pour into a cooking dish sprayed first with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Get out the crackers and enjoy!

Green Chile Chicken Dip

• 8 ounces chopped cooked chicken (left overs are fine!)
• 1 pkg taco seasoning mix, use a really good brand you like
• 1/2 c chopped onion
• 1 small can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles, drained
• 1 small tomato, chopped
• 1 c grated cheddar cheese, or your favorite. I have used many different kinds, even gruyere!)
• Add a hot spice of your choice, but the green chiles do have a bit of heat!

Procedure:

1. With 1 tablespoon butter, cook chopped onion until transparent and add chopped chicken to blend flavors and warm together. Drain off any excess drops of liquid.
2. Blend your taco mix as instructed on the back of package but only use 1/4 c of the water.
3. Add the green chiles and tomato to your chicken mixture.
4. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the top and serve hot, with the Homemade Tortilla Chips.

I would be honored if these recipes will find their way to your table! Gobble, Gobble!!