Pizza Dip

Cheesy, gooey, flavorful pizza with all your favorite toppings just went crustless. But then you dip other crunchy things into it, so I guess it's not completely crustless. Unless you just want to eat it with a spoon. Which is totally an option. No seriously, I won't judge. But the crusty bread or chips or crackers really do go well with this dip, so maybe not so much with the spoon. I love dips for parties (and subsequent dinners from the leftovers) and this might be one of my new favorites. I made two versions--a veggie lovers with sauteed peppers, onions and mushrooms and a classic pepperoni. Both were fantastic on their own, but Dave thought they could have been combined for one ultimate pizza dip party. This dip is perfect in that way though because you can customize it exactly to your liking with your favorite toppings, or divide it up and have different flavors based on your crowd and preferences. Either way, it's a big bowl of pizza flavored yum.

Homemade Pesto

Confession: I've never been a huge fan of pesto.  I'm not sure why--maybe I just never had the good stuff.  But over time I've started having bits of it, spread on a wrap or maybe a fancy bruschetta.  And then we were faced with a huge bunch of basil in our CSA box a few weeks ago and Dave really wanted pesto.  (PS: I had no idea he liked pesto so much.)  So knowing what to do with basil was one thing, but what to do with the pesto?  Well, I figured that out and in doing so learned that this pesto is good enough for dipping crusty bread (aka: eating with a spoon) and loads of other fun things.  The flavors are fresh and bright (it helps that I used pesto that was freshly picked), with garlic and a nuttiness from the walnuts I used.  I'm glad Dave actually had an idea because this pesto is delicious, super simple (I made two batches) and incredibly versatile.

Zucchini Hummus

As the zucchini began their intrusion into our lives again this summer, I wanted to find some more unique recipes to use them instead of just bread or shredded for sauces.  So I found this recipe and really liked it.  Dave was still not keen on the idea of zucchini, even in a dip form, and since this recipe makes about 2 cups, I had a lot of hummus to pawn off on people.  I ended up taking this into work and you would have thought I fed the ladies in my office crack.  Seriously, they loved this stuff. First we ate it with some pretzels we had kicking around, then I brought it out with some fresh veggies during a staff meeting. This hummus is unlike most hummus you've likely had (no chickpeas!) and has a clean, fresh flavor, but at the same time is undeniably hummus-y.

Roasted Beet Hummus

Dave and I get a winter CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box from a local farm (Springdell Farms in Littleton, MA), and it's been a really cool way to force myself to try things I wouldn't normally pick up at the farm stand and make something new and different.  So when our box came with a few beets, I knew I'd have a challenge ahead.  Never having enjoyed a beet before, I was at a loss because I really wanted to make something I would enjoy. And I really enjoy this hummus.  It's not super beet flavored, so it's a good introduction for those of you (like me) who aren't sure you'll fall in love with the beet.  The slightly nutty flavor of hummus gets enhanced from the roasted beets in a sweet, but subtle way.  Plus it makes a ton, so you can share with your friends and neighbors, (or in my case, a coworker).  I love the beautiful color and this hummus was a perfect match with some whole wheat crackers.  With that pretty pink hue, maybe this would make a nice appetizer for tomorrow's Valentine's dinner?

Cheddar Ale Spread

Doesn't this just sound delicious?  It's a great, cheesy spread with layers of flavor that really make it an upscale football food.  While it's a little thick for an actual dip, it's perfect spread on crackers or stuffed into celery.  I love the play of a touch of mustard with the beer and a fresh pop from the parsley mixed into a sharp cheddar base.  Just a few simple ingredients whirled in a food processor and you've got one tasty cheese dish for your football spread.

Spinach & Roasted Garlic Hummus

I love appetizers and I love dips.  As I told you last month, I've been know to just have pita bread and hummus as a meal.  And this hummus is a perfect match for pita bread, whether the whole soft piece or with some crunchy chips.  I usually stick with the traditional flavored hummus, but I do like roasted vegetable variety and Dave and I recent discovered a buffalo-style flavor which is delicious.  This version of spinach and roasted garlic provides a lot of flavor in a creamy dip.  And all that protein and fiber makes for one filling dish--I really can have this as a meal!

It's Secret Recipe Club reveal day again and this month I had the pleasure to be assigned to Fit Mama Real Food who has A LOT going on right now.  Not only did Heather change her blog name (from Healthy with Heather) and redesign her whole website last month, but this month (or the beginning of June) she and her husband will welcome a baby boy into their family.  Heather is a healthy eater and fitness enthusiast who blogs about her food, fitness, home improvements and her pregnancy journey.  I really like Heather's spin on healthy eating because she's not afraid to give chocolate a home on her blog (I really considered making these) and most of her recipes have accessible ingredients.  Heather's sensible approach to food is definitely a bandwagon I can get on.  I didn't change a thing about Heather's recipe, it's hard to mess up hummus.  As long as you use the right ingredients and a food processor to make it all smooth and creamy, you'll love this dip.

Roasted Garlic Flatbread & Red Pepper, Walnut and Tahini Dip

As a hostess, I really try to make all my guests comfortable.  If I know something about someone, like a dietary restriction or something, I'll quietly make an accommodation for them whenever possible.  When I threw Dave a birthday party in December, I knew two of our guests didn't like scallions so I made half the potato skins with and half without so they could enjoy all the appetizers.  So when I offered to throw Cindy's baby shower, I saw the opportunity to make a vegan dish or two for her sister, Chris.  Having never paid attention to this before, I looked forward to finding a vegan recipe.  I actually stumbled upon two recipes that I wanted to make and then realized that they were also vegan.  Win!  The flatbread is delicious, with a strong garlic flavor and a nice texture between crunchy and chewy while the dip has great depth of flavor, both nutty and sweet with a slight kick of heat the gently comes on.  Paired together, this was a great dish that everyone enjoyed and Chris really appreciated.

I found the flatbread via the Secret Recipe Club when Kristi of Veggie Converter posted it on our reveal day.  I immediately pinned it and couldn't wait to try it out, thinking it might make a good option for the shower buffet.  Then I found a pin from Gluten Free Confessions for a huge variety of dips that included Real Simple magazine's recipe for the red pepper, walnut and tahini dip.  I was considering making hummus, but I was intrigued by the walnuts paired with the peppers so I decided to give this a whirl.  Both recipes were very easy to make.  I started the flatbread dough in the stand mixer but ended up hand-kneading to get the consistency I wanted. And the dip was super simple in the food processor.  Together or separate, both of these recipes are worth trying for your next get together.