Number of Servings: 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes

Recipe Ingredients

2 cans of chickpeas/garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/2-3/4 cup roasted red peppers (you can find them in a jar or roast them yourself)
Juice from 2 lemons (somewhere around 1/3 cup or so)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons of minced garlic
Recipe Directions

To make the hummus dip, place all ingredients in a food processer and process until smooth. This recipe is easy to adjust for your own individual tastes – add more garlic or tahini or red peppers to your taste.

Variations & Alternative Recipes

There are also a number of variations and alternative recipes you can do for hummus – listed below.

Black Bean Hummus

If you like black beans, this is a great dip and variation on traditional hummus that goes well with tortilla chips.

Ingredients You Will Need:

1 Can of Black Beans, rinsed and drained
1 Can of Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
Juice from 1 lemon
Juice from 1 lime
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions: Combine all of the ingredients in a food processer and blend until smooth and reaches desired consistency. Again, you can play around with the ingredients to suit your individual tastes – add more garlic, more lemon juice or more tahini if you like!

Tomato Basil Hummus

For those who like a little bit of an Italian flare to their hummus, you can’t go wrong with this tomato basil recipe!

Ingredients Needed:

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 roma tomatoes, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 tablespoon of basil chopped
2 teaspoons grated Parmesean cheese

Directions: Combine all ingredients together in a food processor until blended smooth. Again, feel free to experiment with the different ingredients to get the right flavor your want – some people like a lot of garlic, others like a lot of basil.

I hope you enjoy these hummus recipes! They make a great dip, or you can also make many appetizers out of them by spreading it on your favorite crackers, toast, or pita bread and topping with toppings such as shredded cheese, olives, and tomatoes. Enjoy!

1 pound of cooked chicken
1 package of cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 cup Ranch or Blue Cheese salad dressing (depends on your preferences – for a thicker dip, use less dressing)
1 cup red hot pepper sauce (such as Franks Red Hot)
1 cup shredded cheddar or colby jack cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onions
Recipe Directions

1. Prepare the Chicken: First you will need to prepare the cooked chicken. Everyone has different opinions on the way you can do this – you can either buy canned chicken which is either shredded or cubed already or you can buy it pre-cooked either frozen or fresh and pre-diced in your grocer’s freezer or refrigerator aisle. It is up to your individual preferences whether you want to have the chicken cubed or if you will shred it with a fork or food processor. Whatever type of chicken you decide to use, you’ll want to first combine it with the hot sauce in a large sauce pan over medium heat until it comes to a simmer.

2. Stir In Cream Cheese & Dressing: Once you have the chicken and hot sauce heated, you’ll want to add the cream cheese and salad dressing of your choice. I personally prefer the blue cheese, though it is a little stronger in flavor and so many people like the ranch dressing much better. Be sure you stir often so it does not all burn onto the bottom of your sauce pan. Once this mixture is thoroughly blended and the cream cheese is melted you are ready for the next step.

3. Pour Into Baking/Serving Dish: Pour everything into a glass baking/serving dish and sprinkle with the 1 cup of cheddar or colby jack cheese. Bake in a pre-heated oven of 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or just until the cheese is melted.

Recipe Variations

Below we share two of our favorite variation recipes for buffalo chicken dip. One is served cold, meaning no cooking required, and the other is served hot, depending on your own individual likes and tastes. You of course can feel free to experiment with each of these, since both allow for room for customization, such as adding additional spices or less hot sauce for different levels of spice and flavor. Once you see a couple different varieties of dip you’ll have some ideas for makin your own unique recipe!

Cold Ranch Buffalo Chicken Dip

You Will Need:
1 can cooked chunk chicken, drained
1 package of cream cheese, softened
1/2 package of Ranch Dip Mix
3/4 cup hot pepper sauce (IE: Frank’s Red Hot)
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar or Colby Jack cheese

Directions: Mix cream cheese and ranch dip mix together until blended evenly. Stir in hot pepper sauce until smooth and add chicken. Top with shredded cheese. Optional: Microwave on High for one minute or until cheese is melted.

Blue Cheese Buffalo Dip
This is a slight variation to the one above – the main difference being this one is cooked.

Directions:
1 can chunk chicken, drained
1 package of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup blue cheese salad dressing
1/2 cup hot pepper sauce (ie: Frank’s Red Hot)
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded Cheddar or Mozzarella cheese

Directions: Combine cream cheese, salad dressing, and pepper sauce. Stir in chicken and cheese crumbles. Cook in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, or microwave on high, stirring often for about 5-8 minutes until heated through. Serve with celery, tortilla chips, or crackers.

There are many different variations on these two recipes. You may use any hot sauce that you like, and using different cheeses or substituting ranch and blue cheese dressing will also give you many different tasting combinations.

Serving Suggestions & Ideas:

There are many different ways to serve your buffalo chicken dip. Many enjoy serving it in a bread bowl and using the bread for dipping or spreading. Freshly cut celery sticks make for another nice addition, since celery is quite popular with buffalo chicken wings. Serving with tortilla chips or crackers is probably the most common variation of ways to serve this delicious spread. Breadsticks are also a nice addition as well. It is also good with other vegetables such as red and green bell pepper slices, carrots, and cherry tomatoes.

Do you have a favorite buffalo chicken dip recipe you’d like to share? Have any suggestions or reviews of the above recipes? We’d love to hear from you and your feedback in the comments below.

Guacamole is made from avocados, which are higher in fat content, but it is a “good fat” much like that is found in nuts and other naturally occurring foods. Fresh avocados truly give you a much better flavor than you would find in pre-made dips and spreads available at the store. It is typically not spicy, but it can be made with a variety of different ingredients to achieve the taste you are looking for.

Peeling an avocado is not difficult if you do it our easy way. You will want to choose ripe avocados, as they are the easiest to peel. You will want to take a large knife and slice the avocado in half until you reach the pit, and continue slicing it around the pit so you have two halves. Once you have the two halves, you’ll want to remove the pit. You’ll then want to take a spoon and then scoop out the insides into a bowl.

Guacamole Dip Recipe

You Will Need:
Two avocados
2 lemons or 2 limes, or 1 lemon and 1 lime (depends what you like!), juiced (about 3-4 tablespoons of juice)
1/2 cup white or red onion, minced
1 small ripe tomato, finely chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/8 tsp ground cumin
Hot Pepper Sauce to taste (if you want it spicy)

Directions: Peel the avocados and place the scoopings in a large mixing bowl. Mash with a fork and immediately add the lemon/lime juice and the tomatoes, as this will help slow down the natural oxidation of the avocodos which can sometimes cause it to turn a brown color within a few hours, even if refrigerated.

After mixing in the lemon and lime juice and tomatoes, then add in the salt, pepper, ground cumin, minced garlic, cilantro, and hot pepper sauce to taste and mix until well blended. If you are using hot pepper sauce, you may want to add it in one gradual drop at a time, as you do not want it to overpower the flavor of the other ingredients!

If you will not be serving the dip immediately, you will want to spoon the dip onto a large sheet of plastic wrap and wrap it so no air can get in, since this can cause it to turn brown. Placing it in a bowl and covering with a lid will not work, since there will be air inside the container!

For variations, you may want to add in refried beans, sour cream, salsa, shredded cheese, or others of your favorite ingredients. Serve with cheese, crackers, or tortilla chips.

Do you have a favorite guacamole dip you’d like to share or add your own suggestions and variations to ours? We’d love to hear from you in the comments section below!

It gets it name of being seven layers because it typically includes 7 key ingredients: refried beans, ground beef, lettuce, tomato or salsa, sour cream, guacamole, and cheese. There are many different variations, and you can always add or subtract individual ingredients to suit your tastes. Many other popular additions include chopped onion, hot peppers, black beans, green chiles, black olives, crumbled bacon, and many others. This recipe is very simple to make and delicious. For something different, you could substitute the ground beef with cooked chicken.

7 Layer Mexican Dip

You Will Need:
1 Can of Refried Beans
1 pound of ground beef
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup salsa
1 cup guacamole
1 1/2 cup shredded lettuce
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions: Brown ground beef in skillet until cooked through and drain. Mix in one package of taco seasoning with the meat according to package directions. If the package directions call for adding water, you may want to add very little or half the amount so the dip does not become “soupy”. Allow to cool to room temperature or refrigerate to assemble the dip later.

In a 9 x 13 glass pan, spread the can of refried beans in a thin layer on the bottom. Add the cooled taco meat. Spread the sour cream over the taco meat, then the guacamole. Layer next the salsa. You can also add any other additions you may wish to add such as olives, onion, broccoli, hot peppers or others. Top with lettuce and then the shredded cheese. Cover the baking pan with foil and allow it to refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. You can also use more or less of the measurements listed above according to taste preferences. For example, some people may like a little more salsa, or a little more cheese, or a little less lettuce, etc.

Note: You do not have to layer your dip exactly the way we have listed here, this is just what we’ve found works the best in keeping the lettuce on the top to stay crisp – plenty of good salads and dips have been made in a different order!

Serving Suggestions
7 Layer Mexican dip is good enough to eat all on its own. You will want to make sure that you have forks and plates available. While it is possible to eat it with your fingers, it could get a little messy!

Tortilla chips are the classic standby to serve with this dip. You can use our homemade tortilla chip recipe to create your own chips or you can serve with either white or corn tortilla chips. Some people even incorporate crushed chips into the dip itself, though this can lead to them becoming soggy if the dip is not eaten right away. While it’s unlikely you’ll have a lot of leftovers, usually it’s best to keep the chips separate. Blue corn chips or whole wheat chips are also very good.

If you will be serving a crowd that prefers the more “spicy stuff” but will also have guests that enjoy mild taco dip, a nice compromise is to place chopped jalapeno peppers in a small dish beside it, along with your favorite hot sauce of choice.

Do you have any suggestions or variations of this 7 Layer Mexican Dip you would like to share? We’d love to hear your comments below!

Below are some different recipes you can try:

Homemade Tortilla Chips Recipe
24 white, blue, or yellow corn or flour tortillas (For some interesting
Sea salt/Kosher salt to taste
Deep fryer and Oil (or read below for baked chips instructions)

Fried Directions: Heat deep fryer to around 400 degrees and make sure you have an ample amount of oil. It will depend on the size of your fryer, but ideally you’ll want to make it so there is enough to cover the chips about an inch or so when making them. If you have a smaller deep fryer, you will likely need to cook the chips in several batches. Many people wonder what kind of oil is best for frying tortilla chips, but really just about any oil will work. We tend to use canola oil the most in our fryer, but vegetable oil or peanut oil will also work just as well.

Stack the tortillas in piles of 5-6 tortillas and using a large knife cut the tortillas into equal sized wedges. (Depending on the size of the chips you want and the size of the tortillas you are using, you should get anywhere between 6 – 10 chips per tortilla.)

Place the chips into the deep fryer, making sure you do not overcrowd the fryer since it will cause them to cook unevenly and you will find you have some that are not cooked at all and others that have been burnt to a crisp. Generally add 1 tortilla at a time to make sure you don’t overdo it. Fry for 1 minute or until the chips become a light crispy brown. Be careful not to overcook, you do not want them to be burnt!

Remove the chips from the deep fryer using a slotted spoon and lay on a paper towel lined plate or tray for draining. While they are still hot, you will want to sprinkle salt on them if desired. For different variations you can use different seasonings such as seasoned salt, Mrs. Dash, garlic powder, onion powder, etc. etc.

Baked Tortilla Chips Directions: If you prefer baked tortilla chips, which are certainly much healthier than deep fried chips, you would simply want to arrange the chips on a shallow baking pan and lightly brush on a little oil on both sides of the chips and any seasonings you would like. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes or until a light toasted color. Oven temperatures and cooking times may vary, so you will want to watch the first batch carefully so you know how long to bake them to make sure they don’t become too crisp or burnt.

Now that you know how to make your own homemade tortilla chips with either corn or flour tortillas you’ll be able to not only save a lot of money on prepackaged chips but also give your guests an enjoyable thing to snack on along with their appetizers!

Very Easy Yogurt Dip

You Will Need:
1 package cream cheese, softened
2 cups vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup powdered sugar (Use more or less depending on taste preferences – the more you use, the sweeter it will be!)

Directions: Combine cream cheese, yogurt, and powdered sugar. Beat with a fork or mixer until light and fluffy.

Pineapple Yogurt Dip
1 package of cream cheese, softened
1 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
1 can crushed pineapple in juice, drained
3 tablespoons honey

Directions: Combine all ingredients together and beat until light and fluffy.

Cinnamon Dip
2 cups vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions: Mix the vanilla yogurt, powdered sugar, and cinnamon together.

Strawberry Yogurt Dip
1 cup of blended strawberry yogurt
2 cups frozen whipped topping
1/2 cup strawberry flavored cream cheese
Sugar to taste, if desired

Directions: Combine the blended strawberry yogurt, the frozen whipped topping, and strawberry flavored cream cheese together. Beat with a fork or mixer until light and fluffy. Optional: Add sugar one teaspoon at a time until desired sweetness is achieved. This dip is already pretty sweet, so it most likely will not be necessary.

Pistachio Yogurt Dip

You will Need:
1 package instant pistachio pudding mix
1 cup milk
1 cup plain yogurt

Directions: Mix pudding mix and milk together until blended, stir in yogurt. Refrigerate for 10 minutes before serving.

Orange Yogurt Fruit Dip
1 package cream cheese, softened
2 cups plain/vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons powdered sugar

Directions: Beat cream cheese until smooth and add in yogurt, orange juice, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Mix in whipped topping and serve.

Pineapple Ginger Dip
1 package cream cheese, softened
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
2 teaspoons grated/crushed gingerroot
1/4 cup honey

Directions: Beat cream cheese until smooth. Mix in yogurt, pineapple, ginger, and honey until creamy.

Lemon Raspberry Dip

You Will Need:
1 cup of raspberry flavored cream cheese spread
1 cup lemon flavored yogurt
1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions: Mix cream cheese, yogurt, and whipped topping until smooth and creamy.

There are many different variations of these yogurt fruit dip recipes that you’re sure to find something that compliments the fruits you want to serve. Don’t be afraid to experiment by mixing your own ingredients and trying different combinations also – you’ll never know until you try it!

Have any reviews, suggestions, or questions? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Ingredients You Will Need:

1 can artichoke hearts, drained (12-14 oz size)
1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained (8-12 oz size)
1 teaspoon minced garlic (Can use more/less depending on how much you like garlic)
1 package cream cheese, softened (8 oz)
1/2 cup sour cream (Can also substitute 1/3 cup of mayonnaise)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (optional: will make this have a spicy flavor, so if you prefer a mild dip you may want to leave it out)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (Can also substitute Romano cheese)

Directions: Pulse artichokes in a food processor until chopped into smaller pieces but not smooth and creamy. Mix sour cream, cream cheese, and lemon juice together until blended smooth and evenly and fold in Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, spinach and artichokes. Bake in a 8 x 9 baking pan in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until top is golden and bubbly. If using a microwave, place dip into a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir and microwave another minute or two until dip is warmed through and bubbly on top.

Serving Ideas and Suggestions
This dip is so good that it will go along well with just about anything. You can serve it along with our bacon wrapped crackers or with tortilla chips. You can add different ingredients, such as bacon bits or chopped red bell peppers. One of our favorite ways to enjoy this hot and warm dip is on toasted French bread, the recipe is below:

Toasted French Bread
You Will Need:
1 loaf French bread, sliced thinly
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Parsley

Directions: Arrange slices of toast on a large baking pan. Mix olive oil with minced garlic, cheese, and parsley. Brush the mixture onto both sides of each slice of bread and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes or until the bread is toasted.

This is one of our favorite dips – we’re getting hungry just writing about it! If you have any suggestions, reviews, or ideas for other hot or warm spinach artichoke dip recipes we’d love to hear about it in the comments section below!

Cold Horseradish Crab Dip

You will need:
1 package cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard or prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 green onion, minced
1 can of flaked crab meat
Salt and pepper to taste

Beat cream cheese, dijon mustard, minced garlic, and lemon juice together until blended and creamy. Add in crabmeat and green onion, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Super Easy Cold Cocktail Sauce Crab Dip

You Will Need:
1 package cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup cocktail sauce
1 can flaked crab meat

Directions: Beat crab meat, cream cheese, and cocktail sauce together until ingredients are blended and smooth.

Artichoke Crab Dip

You Will Need:
1 package cream cheese
1 can artichoke hearts
1 can flaked crab meat
2 tablespoons horseradish or dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions: Beat cream cheese with horseradish, lemon juice, and minced garlic. Combine with artichokes and crab meat until smooth. (You may want to put in a food processor if you are having trouble getting it nice and creamy with a mixer or fork).

Serving Ideas and Suggestions:
Crab dip is delicious and part of the fun is the different potential combinations possible in ways of serving it! Here are some ideas for things to serve for dipping it with or using it for other appetizer recipes:

Tortilla Chips: Tortilla Chips are great with crab dip. You can use white tortilla chips, blue tortilla chips, multi-grain chips, or corn tortilla chips.

Tortilla Wraps: Spread crab dip on a small tortilla and wrap. You can optionally add other things to the wrap such as lettuce, tomato, bacon crumbles, or other favorites. Slice into wedges and serve.

Veggies: The crab dip recipes above are fantastic when paired with grape tomatoes, carrots, celery, red and green pepper slices, and other vegetable favorites. They also make for a nice garnish to the plate.

Buttery Crackers: There are many different crackers available that can go fantastic with any of the above dips. Our personal favorite are buttery snack crackers paired with recipe #2 above, can’t get enough of it, even if it is so simple! Sesame and onion crackers also work well with these types of spreads.

Do you have a favorite cold crab dip recipe to share? Would you like to leave a review or suggestion for any of the ones we’ve included here? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Here is a very basic recipe for Baked Brie in a puff pastry crust and below we’ll give you some ideas for different variations and serving suggestions that are widely popular and unique.

You will need:

1 Round Wheel of Brie Cheese
2 Sheets of Refrigerated Puffed Pastry Dough (You can also optionally use refrigerated crescent rolls or pie shells)
1 Egg, beaten

Directions: Roll out one sheet of puff pastry dough and place wheel of cheese on top. Place second sheet of dough on top and cut any excess trimmings of dough off and save for decoration. Use a basting brush to spread the beaten egg on top of the dough. Bake in the oven preheated to 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes, or until crust is a golden brown. Serve with raspberry jam, apple slices, pear slices, or pita triangles.

Additional Ideas and Variations

There are so many possibilities to make with puff pastry baked Brie. You can add just about anything in the center of the cheese or on top beneath the dough, from savory jams, cranberry sauce, dried fruits, and chopped nuts.

To Place Ingredients in the Center of the Cheese:
If you want to add dried fruit or nuts to the center of the cheese, it is very easy to do. Simply slice the cheese halfway lengthwise to make two large circles. This can be done with a large knife or you can also use a piece of strong thread or even dental floss, which may be easier depending on the size of the wheel. Place one of the circles on top of the rolled out pastry dough and then spread raspberry jam, dried fruits such as cranberry and apricots, or nuts in the middle. Then place the second wheel of cheese on top and push down as hard as you can without smashing it entirely. Then cover with the top crust layer of the pastry puff dough and bake as directed for 10-15 minutes in a 375 degree oven or until the dough is a golden brown color.

To Place Ingredients on Top
Follow above directions for basic baked brie and then before placing the top shell spread jam, nuts, or maple syrup in a thin layer on top of the cheese. Bake as directed.

Brie should be served hot and with crackers or flatbread or pita wedges. Be sure when serving that you have a couple of spreading knives. You can optionally garnish with parsley or fruit wedges such as apples, pears, or dried cranberries and apricots. Apricot, fig, and raspberry jam also all make nice accompaniments to this popular and delicious crowd pleasing elegant appetizer, perfect for all occasions.

Have any ideas or suggestions for a baked brie recipe? We’d love to hear from you in our comments section below!

You can use any types of tomatoes to make Bruschetta, but in general it is recommended that it be made with plum tomatoes. This is because plum tomatoes have softer peels and have less seeds than others. They also have a nice flavor that well compliments the mixture of garlic and basil. Some may insist that the tomatoes be peeled prior to dicing, but it is not uncommon to see it with the skins on, and it is still just as good either way.

Basic Bruschetta
6 plum tomatoes (You can also substitute 1 drained can of diced tomatoes if you are in a pinch, but won’t be as flavorful tasting as using fresh tomatoes!)
2 cloves garlic, minced finely
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves, chopped.
Salt and pepper to taste

For Serving:
1 loaf French Bread
1/4 cup Olive Oil
Grated Parmesan cheese and garlic powder to taste

Directions: Dice the plum tomatoes into small little pieces, mix with the garlic, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, basil leaves, and salt and pepper until all ingredients are evenly distributed.

Slice the bread into 1/4 inch slices and arrange on a large baking pan. Lightly brush on olive oil and if desired add garlic powder and Parmesan cheese lightly to top. Toast in a 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes or until tops have lightly browned.

You can either serve with the bread arranged on a platter and the bruschetta in a dish with serving spoon or immediately before serving, scoop and spread a spoonful of the tomato mixture onto the bread. (If you do this too early however you run the risk of the bread soaking up all of the juices from the tomato and becoming soggy!) Freshly grated Parmesean cheese and parsley makes for a nice garnish on the top.

Another variation to this recipe is to bake the slices of bread with the tomato mixture on top of the bread and topping with shredded mozzarella cheese. This is also very good – if you decide to go this route you’ll only want to bake for about 7-8 minutes in a 350 degree oven or until the cheese has become melted on top.

Do you have any favorite bruschetta recipes, suggestions, or reviews? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.