Everyone who cooked in the 1970s has a version of this recipe tucked away somewhere; ours was a gift from our chef buddy Tom Ayer. Combine avocado, lemon juice, salt and pepper. In separate bowl, mix sour cream, taco seasoning and mayonnaise. Layer in order: beans, avocado mix, sour cream, onions, tomatoes, olives and cheese. Serve with tortilla chips. Continue reading Tex-Mex Layered Dip
Yep, we admit it – it’s kind of cheating to use grocery store spread as a dip base. On the other hand, there is something about that spread (made by a company using the name of a major East Coast city) that just makes it extra tasty. Thaw and drain spinach. Blend with cream cheese and sour cream. Add soy sauce, Lawry’s and hot sauce … Continue reading Spinach Dip
Process all ingredients in food processor until well blended, about 1 minute. Refrigerate until ready to use. Continue reading Salmon Spread
Blend in food processor, put in serving bowl and drizzle with olive oil before serving. Continue reading Hummus
Here’s your chance to show off your pâte à choux skills. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine water, butter and salt in medium saucepan and bring to boil over high heat. When butter is melted, reduce heat and add flour; cook and stir constantly until the pâte à choux dough begins to pull away from the sides of … Continue reading Cheese Straws
Ania got this recipe from her father-in-law, Bill Johnson. He used a local canned chili brand called Hypower, which might have been kickstarted by Iowa-based grocery chain Hy-Vee. We all loved their chili (it was great, for a low-rent canned chili), and for a while, they also had canned tamales that were as good as any we have had in contemporary Tex-Mex restaurants. Doesn’t say … Continue reading Bill’s Chili Dip
Yes, it’s supposed to be spelled “pimiento.” But Southerners like the ones in our family pronounce it “pimennah,” so the spelling hardly matters. Once you make this, you will never settle for the bland or just plain nasty stuff from the grocery store, ever again. One more thing – we hardly ever make this without the sharp and tangy Tillamook and Cabot cheddar cheeses that … Continue reading Pimento Cheese Spread
We assume you all know how to make this. On the other hand, whenever Carla has taken this to a potluck, this disappears immediately, so maybe some people haven’t figured out the ingredient ratios yet. One year, she made this so the kids would eat a little something before heading out for New Year’s Eve festivities; the boys and their friends stood around the crockpot … Continue reading Carla’s Ordinary Queso Dip
Blend all ingredients except corn until cheese dip is smooth; blend in corn, and chill before serving. We like this with lightly salted tortilla chips. See, that was easy. *When you are seeding or cutting any hot chile pepper, use vinyl or nitrile kitchen gloves. If you are working with a pepper higher on the Scoville scale than the jalapeño, consider safety glasses, too. Continue reading Confetti Dip
Similar to Parmesan crisps, these are salty, crunchy and as much fun for the kids to make as Rice Krispies bars. Cream butter and cheese together; add flour and mix with Tabasco. Mix cereal in by hand. Chill the mix for at least one hour. Form into small balls and flatten with fork before baking on ungreased cookie sheet, 375 degrees for 15 to 20 … Continue reading Cheese Crisps
Around Our Table 