Sour Cream Basil Dip

3 small cloves garlic

handful of basil leaves

1/4 c chick peas

3/4 c sour cream

As usual, measurements are approximate...I don't really know exactly how much chick peas or sour cream I used. I put the garlic cloves in the food processor first, then when they were chopped up I added the basil, when it was chopped up I added the chick peas, when they were chopped up I added the sour cream and let it all get blended together. Simple and tasty.   

In other news, something is eating my basil plant.  My INDOOR basil plant.  I haven't decided yet whether or not I need to freak out and throw away the whole plant in order to save myself from whatever tiny little  bugs are destroying it. 

Avobroc Dip

3/4 c chopped broccoli

1 avocado

1 tbsp ranch dressing

Throw everything in a food processor and blend til smooth.

Good with chips or your favorite crackers.

Loaded S'more Dip

I had all the ingredients for s'mores...but no fire to roast marshmallows over.  I don't really like marshmallows, and so the thought of eating a s'more made in the microwave was ridiculously unappealing.  I thought about trying to toast the marshmallows in my toaster oven, but that sounded potentially very messy.  So the ingredients just sat for awhile.  

Then I came across this recipe for S'more Crack Dip

Problem Solved. 

Loaded S'more Dip

5 oz large marshmallows

5.8 oz dark chocolate 

3 tbsp milk

2 tbsp heavy cream

1 tsp cinnamon

1 large spoonful of crunchy peanut butter

As usual, all amounts are approximate due to my inability to measure things.

The chocolate is exact...it was 4 bars of Hershey's Special Dark, 1.45 oz each.

Put all the ingredients in a small saucepan on medium heat and stir til melty and delicious.

Dip graham cracker pieces into the molten goodness and eat up.  

Try not to burn yourself...

Basil Dip

Way back sometime in the spring, I bought a basil plant and a mint plant.  I was skeptical about my ability to keep them alive, but hopeful that I would actually remember to water them, and that they would supply me with fresh & yummy leaves to cook with.  I did succeed in watering them on a regular basis, aided by the fact that they sit on my kitchen windowsill where I stare at them every time I wash dishes.  They were doing great, but I was using them so often they weren't producing very large leaves.  Then I went away for 10 days (a friend watered them for me) and when I came back, holy cow!  The biggest, bushiest, herb plants I've ever seen.  Clearly they enjoyed my absence.  And clearly, they needed to be picked through.  I made Mint Icing with the leaves I stripped off the mint plant, and I made Basil Dip with the leaves I stripped off the basil plant.  

Basil Dip

1 1/2 heaping cups of fresh basil leaves

1+ tsp garlic powder

1+tsp mustard powder

1/2 c plain yogurt

Throw the basil leaves in a food processor and chop into tiny pieces.  Add the seasonings, mix it up.  Add the yogurt, process til smooth.  Chill.  

The yogurt gives this dip a bit of a tangy flavor.  If you want it a bit sweeter...you'll have to experiment.

This dip is pretty versatile.  You can enjoy it with crackers, carrots, or whatever it is you like to enjoy with a dip.  You can also mix it with some cold pasta, blast it in the microwave for 30 sec (you want it warm, not hot), and then mix in some chopped arugula.  

Cucumber-Ranch Dressing

1/2 large cucumber, chopped

1/4 c ranch dressing

garlic powder

ginger powder

basil

throw it all in a food processor and blend it up

I didn't have any salad greens left, so I used this as a dip for my carrots.

Artichoke-Avocado Dip

This could also be called "Leftovers Dip."  I basically through a bunch of things together in a bowl.  I put half an avocado on my burger and wanted to make some sort of chip-dip with the other half.  I also had a little bit of tomato left, so I chopped it up and added it to the avocado.  Then I chopped up an artichoke heart and added that.  And then, I squirted some ranch on top.  And mixed it all up.  It was awesomely delicious with multi-grain tortilla chips.

Asian-Inspired Guacamole

I was on a roll with the blog-posting last week...then something happened.  I didn't stop cooking though.  I must have been too busy eating to put stuff up on here.  I do have a couple of things to post later, but for tonight I think I'll just post the amazing concoction I made this evening. I'm not really giving you a recipe for it here...but you'll get it eventually.  If I can remember exactly what I put into the asian dressing...

update: scroll down for the link to the creamy ginger dressing recipe

A few days ago, I decided to try a salad dressing experiment.  I love the creamy ginger dressing that comes with salads at the sushi place, and I wanted to try to make it myself.  The result looked nothing like the original, but there was some semblance of a similarity in the taste.  I'm sure I will be experimenting further with that.  Anyway, I had this salad dressing that I had made, but I have really not been in the mood for salads lately.  I was running late with dinner this evening, and pretty hungry, so I thought I'd have some chips and dip while I waited for dinner to cook.  I decided to mix the ginger dressing with some avocado and tomato for an Asian-inspired guacamole.  Pure genius.  I'm pretty proud of some of my other guacamole dips, such as the cucumber avocado dip, and now this one is going up there in the guacamole hall of fame as well.

this is what the ginger dressing looked like before I put 2 avocados and a roma tomato in it

creamy ginger dressing

tostitos whole-grain chips are awesome

and so is this guacamole

Cucumber-Avocado Dip

Wow.  This was yummy.  I was just playing around and wasn't sure if it would be good at all.  But I tasted it, and wow. 

Cucumber-Avocado Dip

a little bit of onion, chopped

6-7 slices of cucumber, chopped

1 avocado

3 spoonfuls of sour cream

1/2 vine tomato, chopped

dash of salt

dig in!