Five of our favorite recipes.
Classic Hummus Dip
4 cups chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained 1 ½ cups tahini juice of 2 ½ lemons 6 garlic cloves 1 ½ teaspoons cumin 1 ½ teaspoons salt or to taste 1 ¼ cups extra virgin olive oil 1 ¼ cups liquid reserved from cooking chickpeas
Put chickpeas in saucepan, and cover with water plus 3 inches. Skim foam while cooking. Add salt halfway through cooking process. Cook until soft. Puree chickpeas with remaining ingredients, adding olive oil and cooking liquid to thin to desired consistency. Serve with pita.
Serves 4 to 6
Roasted Eggplant and Feta Dip
2 large eggplants 3 tablespoons lemon juice ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil ½ cup crumbled feta cheese ½ cup red onion, finely chopped ½ cup each red and green pepper, finely chopped 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper ¼ teaspoon salt
Poke holes with fork in eggplants and roast at 375 degrees for 35-45 minutes, until soft. Cool. Cut eggplants in half and scoop out flesh. Mix in large bowl with lemon juice. Add oil and mix well. Stir in remaining ingredients and mix well. Add pinch of sugar if needed to balance salt.
Serve with pita chips.
Serves 8 to 10
Pimento Cheese Dip
2 cups grated Cabot white Vermont mild cheddar 2 cups Tillamook yellow sharp cheddar 1 cup mayonnaise ½ teaspoon hot sauce ½ cup minced leeks, white only 1 ½ cups chopped roasted peppers with juice
Mix all ingredients, adding mayonnaise a little at a time. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
Before serving, allow to come to room temperature. Serve with your choice of crackers.
Makes approximately 2-3 cups
Crab Dip
8 ounces cream cheese 1 tablespoon milk 1 pound of crabmeat 1 tablespoon creamed style horseradish 2 tablespoon chopped sweet onion salt to taste cracker crumbs for topping (optional)
Combine the cream cheese and milk with a mixer. Fold in crab, onion, horseradish and salt, taking care not to break up the crab too much. Fill chafing dish with mixture and. Top with cracker crumbs. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until brown on top.
Serve in heated chafing dish with crackers or toast points.
Serves 10
Seven-Layer Bean Dip
1 16 ounce can Rosarita traditional refried beans 1 10-ounce can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilis (drained) 2 teaspoons chili powder ¾ teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon garlic powder (divided) salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 avocados (peeled and cored) 1 ½ tablespoons fresh limejuice ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro 12 ounces sour cream ½ (6-ounce can) black olives (sliced) 2 small Roma tomatoes (diced) 1 ¾ cups finely shredded cheddar and monterey jack cheese blend ⅓ cup sliced green onions
In a medium mixing bowl stir together refried beans, canned tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder and season with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to taste. Spread mixture into an even layer in 7 by 11-inch baking dish.
Mash avocado with lime juice. Mix in cilantro and season with remaining 1/4 tsp. garlic powder and salt to taste. Spread into an even layer over the bean layer in baking dish, then spread sour cream over avocado layer. Sprinkle cheese and black olives over sour cream layer then top with tomatoes and green onions. Serve with tortillas chips. Can be made a day in advance, just cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
