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1 can (15 to 19 ounce) kidney beans, drained 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil 1/4 cup grated Parmesan 2 tablespoons water 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves   In food processor with knife blade attached, finely chop tomatoes with 1 tablespoon oil from the package. Add beans, cheese, water, and blend until smooth. Add basil leaves, pulse just until combined.

1/4 cup fresh cilantro 1 serrano chile, ribs and seeds discarded (use 2 for medium, 3 for hot) 1 small clove garlic 1/2 small white onion, cut in quarters 6 plum tomatoes, cored and cut into quarters (1 pound total) 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice Salt In a food processor, with knife blade attached, pulse cilantro, chile, and garlic until very finely chopped. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Place onion in food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to fine-mesh sieve; rinse with cold water and drain. Transfer to bowl with cilantro. Place tomatoes in food processor and pulse until chopped. Add to bowl with chiles and onion. Add lime juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and stir until well mixed. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 6 hours.

2 tablespoons roasted red pepper, drained, finely chopped 1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled 8 oz. (1 package) cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup butter, softened 2 tablespoons chopped green onions 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce In a medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and beat on medium speed until well-mixed. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with vegetable crudités or crackers.

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup blue cheese salad dressing 1/2 cup Tabasco sauce 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 ounces) 2 cans (~9-10 oz. each) white chunk chicken in water Fresh vegetables and crackers for serving Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir the cream cheese in a 9-inch deep dish pie plate with a fork or whisk until it's smooth. Stir in the salad dressing, Tabasco sauce and blue cheese. Stir in the chicken. Bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir prior to serving. Serve with the vegetables and crackers for dipping.

8 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature 1/2 cup mayonaise 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained, chopped 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives 1 clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Mix ingredients, in order, until smooth. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours -- overnight is best.

Garlic Ranch Dressing (for salads or veggies) 2 tablespoons minced garlic in olive oil 3/4 cup buttermilk 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/8 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 cup parsley leaves (1/8 cup dried parsley flakes) 2 tablespoons chopped chives Put the garlic in a blender. Add the buttermilk, mayonnaise, salt, parsley, chives, and pulse until blended. Chill until ready to serve. For dips (chips & veggies), prepare as above and add 3/4 cup sour cream during the mixing process. Serving Suggestion: Use a single romaine lettuce leaf as a "bowl" for a hearts of romaine salad. Fill with hearts of romaine (About 3/4 cup per serving). Drizzle with ranch dressing, add some crumbled bacon, about 1 tablespoon grated extra sharp cheddar and a few croutons and you have an elegant, restaurant-style salad.

updated 12/20/2008 Zesty Black Bean Dip Spinach Artichoke Dip Inside Out Crab Rangoon Chile con Queso BLT Dip Classic Blue Cheese Dip Spinach Parmesan Dip Zesty Black Bean Dip Carmelized Onion Dip

Zesty Black Bean Dip Serve with white corn tortillas. 1 1/2 cups dried black beans, picked over and rinsed 8 cups water, plus 1/4 cup 2 cloves garlic 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 large green bell pepper, finely chopped, reserving about 1 teaspoon for garnish 1 small red onion, finely chopped, reserving about 1 teaspoon for garnish 2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 tablespoons cider vinegar Salt and pepper 1 plum tomato, finely chopped 1 small red chile, finely chopped Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish Dollop sour cream, for garnish In a large saucepan, let the beans soak in enough cold water to cover for 1 hour and drain. Return the beans to the pan with the 8 cups of water and garlic. Bring the water to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer until tender, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat. Add the pepper, onion, and cumin and cook, stirring, until softened. Drain the beans and reserve 1/2 cup of them. Add the remaining beans to the pepper mixture...

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach 2 (13 3/4-ounce) cans artichoke hearts 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup sour cream 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan 1 cup grated pepper jack cheese Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a casserole dish with nonstick spray. Heat the spinach in a microwave oven on high for 5 minutes and squeeze dry. Drain the artichoke hearts and coarsely chop in a food processor. Combine all the ingredients except the jack cheese in a large bowl. Stir well. Scrape into the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle the jack cheese on top. Bake for 30 minutes. Transfer to a chafing dish and keep warm over a low flame.

If you're like me, one of the appetizers I can easily over-indulge in is crab rangoon. This takes that concept and turns it "inside out". Inside Out Crab Rangoon Dip with Won Ton Chips 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, cut into cubes 2 (6-ounce) cans lump crabmeat, drained and shredded 1 (10-ounce) can condensed shrimp bisque (lobster bisque can be substituted) 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 2 teaspoons lemon juice 2 teaspoons soy sauce 1 scallion, finely chopped For the Won Ton Chips: Peanut oil 1 package won ton wrappers salt, to taste Preheat broiler. Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl and stir to combine. Place in a broiler-proof serving dish and broil for 10 minutes or until hot and bubbly. For the Won Ton Chips -- Heat 2 inches of peanut oil in a Dutch oven or fryer to 350°F. Add won ton wrappers in batches to fry lightly. Remove from oil and let drain on paper towels before serving. Season with salt.

Queso (cheese) is a staple in the Tex-Mex diet... it serves as dip for chips, appetizer (single fried corn tortilla) and a sauce for tacos al carbon or chimichanga's. There are many recipes out there, but the tried & true recipe follows: 1 pound Velveeta (cubed) 1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes and chiles (drained) 1/2 cup milk In a double-boiler, heat milk and cheese -- stir until cheese is entirely melted. Add Ro-Tel and continue to stir. Reduce heat and transfer to a thick serving bowl (to help retain the heat). Double the recipe as needed for the number of guests. Purists stick with the original, but you'll see variations that add different ingredients to spice it up, like one of the following: 1/2 pound cooked and drained ground beef & onions 1/2 pound cooked and drained chorizo (sausage) 1/2 pound grilled chicken strips, chopped 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped 1/4 cup green onions 1/2 pound grilled beef fajita meet, chopped

Inspired by the inimitable bacon, lettuce & tomato sandwich... Serve with pita crisps or kettle chips. 4 slices bacon 3 green onions, thinly sliced 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup low-fat Greek yogurt 1/4 cup chopped arugula 1/4 teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered Place the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat; cook, turning, until crisp, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel. Combine the onions, mayonnaise, yogurt, arugula, salt and pepper to taste in a food processor; pulse until chunky, about 5 times. Transfer to a medium bowl. Crumble the bacon into the bowl; stir into the mayonnaise mixture. Stir in the tomatoes. Makes 3 cups

Serve with vegetable crudites... Classic Blue Cheese Dip 1 cup sour cream 1/2 cup heavy cream 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature 1/4 cup chopped onions 1 tablespoon minced garlic 8 ounces blue cheese, crumbled 1 teaspoon hot sauce 1 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon cayenne 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves, optional Combine all the ingredients, except the chopped vegetables, in a large bowl. Blend with an electric mixer until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl, cover, and chill at least 1 hour or up to 3 days before serving.

Spinach-Parmesan Dip 1 teaspoon olive oil 3 garlic cloves, chopped ¼ teaspoon salt 1 (10-ounce) package fresh spinach ½ cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed 1/3 cup block-style 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1/3 cup light sour cream ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Add the salt and spinach, and sauté 3 minutes. At first, the spinach will seem to overflow in the skillet, but keep stirring. It reduces in volume as it wilts. Place the spinach mixture in a colander, and press until moisture is drained from spinach. Put spinach, basil, cream cheese and pepper in a food processor, and process until smooth. Spoon spinach mixture into a medium bowl, and add sour cream and Parmesan cheese. Cover and chill.

New category: Dippity-Do-Da, for random dips and party-type recipes. Starting off: Caramelized Onion Dip 2 large yellow onions 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup mayonnaise Cut the onions in half and then slice them into 1/8-inch-thick half-rounds. (Yielding about 3 cups of onions) Heat the oil and the butter in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the onions, cayenne, salt and pepper and sauté for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue to cook for 40 more minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are browned and caramelized. Add the Dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar and continue to cook for about 10 more minutes. Allow the onions to cool. In a large bowl combine the cream cheese, sour cream and the mayonnaise. Whisk until ...