Aunt Anna's Green Dip

Grandpa's sister Aunt Anna was a GOOD cook, and she was very generous when it came to feeding people. But she could get cagey about giving out recipes. She would sometimes strategically leave out one or two ingredients, just so other people's versions of her recipes would never turn out as well as hers. (Scoundrel.)

We don't know if this dip has all the ingredients, but it's plenty toothsome as is.

AUNT ANNA'S GREEN DIP
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 package frozen spinach, defrosted, pressed dry and chopped
2-3 green onions, chopped very fine
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 envelope Knorr Leek Soup (sometimes sold as "Leek Recipe Mix")

Mix everything together very well. Store in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving so the flavors blend. Serve with crudités, baguette slices or chips.

Makes about 3 cups dip.

Contributor: Anna Hartelius

Marshmallow Dip

Ah, creamy, dreamy marshmallow dip. Fresh fruit's naughty friend. As my cousin Phil used to say, "The mayo makes it a little white-trash, but who cares... it's so delicious." Wise words indeed.

MARSHMALLOW DIP
1 pint marshmallow creme
1 pint mayonnaise
Grated ginger to taste
Zest of 1 orange, grated

Mix it all together. Maybe let it sit in the fridge for an hour or two so the flavors get to know each other. Serve with fresh strawberries, apple slices, banana chunks, or any other kind of firm, dippable fruit your little heart desires. (It's a good idea to skewer the fruit chunks with toothpicks, so no fingers go in the dip.)

Serves a party.

Contributor: Karin Buck

Hummus

It's ridiculously easy if you have a food processor.

HUMMUS
2 cloves garlic
1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, plus ½ cup bean liquid
¼ cup tahini
lemon juice to taste
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil to taste

Peel garlic and whirl it in the food processor until it's in tiny pieces. Open garbanzo beans and drain all but ½ cup of the liquid, reserving liquid for later use. Whirl garbanzos with garlic. Add tahini, reserved garbanzo liquid, lemon juice, salt and pepper, then process while adding a thin stream of olive oil to the mix. It's done when it reaches a nice smooth dipping consistency. Taste and correct seasoning if necessary.

Garlicky good! Tasty as a dip for raw veggies, spread on lavash as part of a pinwheel sandwich, or in a tabbouleh-filled pita.

Contributor: Soozcat

Cowboy Caviar

This stuff is too solid and chunky to be called a dip, really. It's more of a scoop. This is the reason tortilla chips were made.

COWBOY CAVIAR
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1½ teaspoons hot pepper sauce
fresh ground black pepper
1 ripe avocado
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 16 oz. can corn, drained and rinsed
⅔ cup green onions, sliced
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
½ lb. Roma tomatoes, chopped
salt to taste
tortilla chips

In a large bowl, combine vinegar, oil, garlic, hot sauce and pepper. Peel, pit and cut avocado into ½" cubes. Add to the vinegar mixture and toss lightly to coat. Add beans, corn, onion, cilantro and tomatoes. Mix gently to coat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with tortilla chips.

Cowboy caviar can also be used as a Southwest-style relish for grilled chicken or steak.

Stolen from Deanna Buxton. Ha ha, we are dirty stealers!