There’s no time of year quite like the holidays for giving your cooking skills a workout.
Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner, Hanukkah dinners, office parties, friendly gatherings – they all take up important spots on the schedule, and they all call for food.
You’ve got your ham and turkey recipes for the main event. But if you’ve stumped yourself thinking about what to bring to a casual gathering, your fellow central Ohioans have a few solutions for you.
Their advice: When a problem comes along, you must dip it. Dip it good.
Check out these holiday dip recipes from chefs, restaurant owners and CityScene readers.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip
Trending on Pinterest
Originally from Sing for Your Supper, www.singforyoursupperblog.com
Ingredients:
½ cup butter
⅓ cup brown sugar
1 (8-oz.) block cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. kosher salt
¾ cup mini chocolate chips, plus extra for sprinkling
Directions:
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the brown sugar until it dissolves and the mixture starts to bubble. Stir in vanilla and set aside to cool.
In a separate bowl, cream the cream cheese and powdered sugar together for 60 seconds. With the mixer on low speed, add in brown sugar and butter mixture, then the salt. Mix until combined. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
Garnish with additional mini chocolate chips. Serve with animal crackers, vanilla wafers or graham crackers.
Seasonal Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips
From Scott Boles, owner, Yabo’s Tacos
Ingredients:
2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Granny Smith or Rome apples – peeled, cored and diced
8 oz. frozen raspberries
8 oz. frozen blackberries
1 pound fresh sliced strawberries
2 Tbsp. white sugar
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. fruit preserves, any flavor
10 (10-inch) flour tortillas or pita bread
Cooking spray or melted butter
2 cups cinnamon sugar
Directions:
In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, apples, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Coat one side of each flour tortilla with cooking spray or melted butter. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Apply cooking spray or butter again.
Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.
Buffalo Chicken Dip
From Janet Thomas, Hilliard resident
Ingredients:
1 block (8 oz.) cream cheese Ranch or bleu cheese dressing ½ cup red hot sauce ½ stick butter 1 can chicken breast Mozzarella cheese
Directions:
Spread softened cream cheese in bottom of a pie plate. Melt butter in skillet and sautee chicken (drained) and hot sauce until it soaks up the butter. Spread over cream cheese.
Pour dressing over chicken. Spread mozzarella over top. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and serve with crackers.
Mexi-Corn Dip
From Jan Keethler, Northwest Columbus resident
Ingredients:
8 oz. mayonnaise
8 oz. sour cream
1 can fiesta corn
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes
Chopped green onions (optional)
Directions:
Drain corn and tomatoes, then mix all ingredients together.
Garnish with chopped green onions if desired. Serve with tortilla chips or vegetables.
Spinach Artichoke Dip
From Nathan Laslow, co-owner, The Oilerie
Ingredients:
1 bag spinach
1 log (10.5 oz.) goat cheese
1 jar artichoke paste (available at The Oilerie)
2 Tbsp. Oilerie Garlic EVOO
1 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
½ tsp. Oilerie Garlic Sea Salt
Pita chips
Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a skillet on low-medium heat, drizzle in the Garlic EVOO and sprinkle salt and pepper, then place spinach in skillet and cook until wilted. Take the wilted spinach and place in mixing bowl with the log of goat cheese and half the jar of artichoke paste.
Thoroughly mix the spinach, cheese and paste until all ingredients are incorporated.
Place the mixture in a small, shallow, oven-safe dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle parmesan cheese and Garlic Sea Salt on top of the mixture. Bake until the cheeses are melted and creamy and the top is golden brown.
Remove from oven and serve with pita chips.
