Tapas Week Part 5: Bacon and Caramelized Onion Dip

Tags

appetizer, bacon, caramelized, dip, onion, snack, tapas

I rarely have every ingredient listed in a recipe. Maybe because I don’t cook “typical” recipes. Or because I am not a good shopper. I don’t know. Just this once, though, I had every single ingredient for this tasty dip. It has a delicious tang from the yogurt, a mellowness from the caramelized onions, and a punch of flavor from the bacon. Use pita chips, Ruffles (my favorite dip chip), or vegetables to scoop up the deliciousness.

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Dip

• Servings: 4-6
• Time: 15 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

• 6 slices bacon
• 1 large yellow onion
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• ¼ tsp mustard powder

In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Finely chop. Drain all but 3 tablespoons of bacon grease from the pan. Slice the onion in half at the roots, then slice thinly (so you have half moon slices). Saute the onion over medium heat in the bacon grease. Stir frequently and cook until onions begin to soften. Turn the heat down to medium low and add the sugar to the onions. Continue sauteing until the onions are caramelized. Remove from heat and cool.

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary Store in the fridge for up to a week. A variation of a recipe from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen.

Other recipes in this series:

Tapas Week Part 1: Wild Mushroom Pierogies

Tapas Week Part 2: Crispy Spicy Black Eyed Peas

Tapas Week Part 3: Apple Bites With Bacon and Jalapeno Cream Cheese

Tapas Week Part 4: Five Layer Greek Dip

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Tapas Week Part 4: Five Layer Greek Dip

Tags

dip, feta, greek, healthy, hummus, layered, olives, vegetarian

Things here in Kentucky have been a mess. It’s been bitter cold. Miserably snowy and windy. We had a funeral to attend earlier this week. Because of the 5 inches of snow that made the roads an absolute mess, we were about 30 minutes late. When we went to the graveside, we had to climb a big hill, through the snow and wind, holding on to the old people to keep them from sliding off the hill.

Today is the first day I have had time to sit down and blog. It’s cold and snowy again. I am thankful to be inside in the warm and safe. It has given me time to catch up on reading the blogs I follow and to write posts for the next couple of days. I hope your Saturday is a good one. And thank you for being understanding about my absence. I have missed you!

Other posts in Tapas Week:

Tapas Week Part 1: Wild Mushroom Pierogies

Tapas Week Part 2: Crispy Spicy Black Eyed Peas

Tapas Week Part 3: Apple Bites With Bacon and Jalapeno Cream Cheese

Five Layer Greek Dip

• Servings: 4-6
• Time: 15 minutes max
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

• 1 (7-ounce) package of hummus
• 4 ounces of feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped cucumbers
• 1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives (you could use another variety if you prefer)
• Pita chips or veggies for dipping

Spread hummus onto bottom of 9-inch pie plate. Layer the ingredients evenly over the hummus in the following order: feta, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives. Refrigerate until serving but don’t make too far in advance because the tomatoes and cucumbers give off moisture the longer they sit.

A Delicious Black Bean Dip

Tags

appetizer, black beans, dip, food, Mexican, salsa, snack, vegetarian

My husband’s first cousin April brought this dish to a family get together. It was inhaled. Since getting the recipe, I have made it four or five times. It is tasty, reasonably healthy, and easy to throw together. I love that I usually have the majority of the ingredients in the cabinet. Everyone who has tried this dip has asked for the recipe. It would be even better with fresh tomatoes. If it doesn’t stop raining, we will never have any though…. We have had 3 inches already with another one or two to come. My poor plants are drowning… When it rains, it pours, I guess.

April’s Black Bean Dip

• 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can petite diced tomatoes, drained well
• 1/4 cup mayo
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 2 packages of Sazon Goya seasoning (you can find it here)
• 1 lime, juiced

Mix all the ingredients together well and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. This lets the flavors really meld. I prefer to let it sit all night. Serve with tortilla chips, as a salsa on tacos or fajitas or just eat it with a spoon.

 

A Tale of Two Dips

Tags

appetizer, Cinco de Mayo, dip, jalapeno, Mexican, queso, ranch

Cinco de Mayo is nearly here. It’s one of my favorite times of year because the blogosphere is full of delicious Mexican dishes of every variety. If I were forced to choose only one cuisine I had to eat for the rest of my life, it would be Mexican. Real Mexican. Not the Tex-Mex, cheese dip covered stuff you can get anywhere.

With that said- here are two great dips that maybe tend more toward north of the border… But they taste amazing… Who really cares where something is from as long as it tastes DIVINE?!

On a trip to Texas a couple of years ago, I ate at Chuy’s and loved their creamy jalapeno dip. I have been trying to recreate it ever since. When I found the recipe below, I was absolutely tickled to death. I love it’s fresh flavor and that it can be served with chips or veggies for those low carbing. Try it! I know you’ll love it!

Creamy Jalapeno Dressing

• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup mayo
• Juice and zest of 1/2 lime
• 1 green onion, chopped
• Small handful cilantro
• 1-2 jalapenos, seeds and stem removed (use gloves!)
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1 clove garlic

Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend for 10 seconds. Check consistency. If too thick, add a bit of buttermilk. Store in an air-tight jar in the fridge.

Who doesn’t love a good queso? With delicious, creamy cheese. Just enough spice. The American cheese melts amazingly well and is about $6/lb at the deli counter. You will be so in love with this dip that you won’t want to eat anything else. 

Queso Blanco

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/4 cup white onion, diced
• 1 large jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed, using gloves
• 12 oz white American cheese, shredded
• 4 oz Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
• 1/4-2/3 cup cream, depending on the consistency
• 1 roma tomato, seeds removed and diced
• 1 small bunch cilantro, roughly chopped

Heat the oil in a saute pan. Cook the onion and pepper until softened and reduce heat to medium-low. Add the shredded cheese and 1/4 cup of the cream. Stir until mostly melted. Add the tomatoes, cilantro, and additional cream a little at a time until you reach desired consistency. Serve with chips.

Both recipe are from Confections of a Foodie Bride.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Tags

appetizer, artichoke, cheese, crockpot, dip, spinach

I love the spinach and artichoke dip you can get from places like O’Charlies and Applebee’s but I don’t want to have to pay $10 for an appetizer any time I have a craving. This recipe is an amalgamation (SCRABBLE word!!!) of about fifteen recipes. Some of them included mayo, sour cream. Some were hot, some were cold. I think this one is just about perfect.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

• 1 box frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 1/2 can artichoke hearts, cut into a large dice
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 1 (8oz) package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese, more for topping if you desire
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the above ingredients. Top with extra cheese if you desire. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until bubbly and browning on top. You could also put it in a crockpot on high for a couple of hours. Serve with bread slices or pita chips.

Mushroom Dip

Tags

appetizer, dip, Italian, mushroom, vegetarian

I found inspiration for this dip from a Ranting Chef post. We ate this dip with Italian bread slices. Next time, I will probably spread the dip on the bread slices, sprinkle with parm cheese, and broil. It would also be an excellent mushroom pesto for pasta or my Mushroom Pesto Pizza.

Mushroom Dip

• 1 (10 oz) package of baby portabello mushrooms
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• Olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, quartered
• Juice of 1 half a lemon
• 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, plus some to sprinkle the top with
• 1/8 cup mayo
• 1/8 cup cream cheese, softened
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a skillet, saute the thyme and mushrooms in olive oil until tender. Drain off the juice. In a food processor, combine the mushroom mixture with the garlic cloves. Add the other ingredients and pulse until combined. In a greased oven safe dish, add mushroom mixture. Top with desired amount of parmesan cheese. Bake on 375 for about 15 minutes or until heated through.

Serve with bread.

Green Herb Dip

Tags

appetizer, dip, food, fresh, green herb dip, herbs, spring, summer

Now that it is officially spring, it seems only fitting that today’s recipe embrace the freshness of the season. Main St. Cuisine posted a recipe the other day that I just had to try and I was lucky enough to have all the ingredients on hand. Boy, am I glad I did!. It made a nice little snack along with a grilled pastrami and swiss sandwich. Thanks Allison!

Green Herb Dip

• 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup good mayonnaise (I only use Kraft)
• 3/4 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill (I didn’t have any so I used a bit of fresh rosemary, which does alter the taste significantly)
• 1 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Place cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, scallions, parsley, dill, salt and pepper in the bowl of food processor fitted with the steel blade.  Pulse until just blended, but not pureed.  Serve at room temperature. Refrigerate for later use. Serve with fresh veggies to dip- I used cucumber… DIVINE! Yields: 2 cups

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Tags

appetizer, buffalo, cheese, chicken, dip, snacks, Super Bowl party

This chicken dip recipe is from my mother-in-law… We both are addicted to this fantastic dip. You can serve with celery sticks or tortilla chips. Fantastic for everyone, especially my gluten-free friends. I made it for my work friends tonight! Yum!

My friend Jason enjoying this dip…

Buffalo Chicken Dip

• 2 large cans chunk chicken breast, drained
• 2 (8 ounce) pkg cream cheese
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 3/4 cup ranch dressing
• 3/4 cup Texas Pete’s hot sauce

Put all ingredient in a crock pot on high until cheese is melted, stirring occasionally.

Guacamole

Tags

appetizer, avacado, dip, Mexican, toppings

I love avocados. Plain, in salads, in guacamole. Avocados are high in vitamin C (25% of your daily needs in 1 cup), high in dietary fiber (10g in a cup) and very low in sugar and sodium. Also there is no cholesterol, making it a great substitute on a sandwich for mayo. Though they have a lot of fat, the fat they contain is called monounsaturated fat or MUFA. Studies have shown that a diet rich in MUFAs can reduce blood cholesterol levels, which can reduce your risk of heart disease. Basically- avocados are good for you!

One of my favorite ways to eat avocados is in guacamole. I can eat it in disgusting quantities. But there is nothing worse than poor quality guac. All ingredients need to be fresh and the recipe needs to made just prior to serving. As it sits, it turns brown, like cut apples. If you are antsy about the calories in guacamole, just remember they are from healthy fats.

Guacamole

• 3 avocados – peeled, pitted, and mashed
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 jalapeno, membranes and seeds removed then diced

Mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir in jalapeno. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.