There’s no time of the year with more parties and other gatherings than now, so the chances are good that you may be tasked with putting out appetizers or getting a last-minute dish together to share. If you’re looking for some quick and easy party snacks or appetizers, we’ve got you covered.
I decided to write about this topic a couple of weeks ago when my son’s girlfriend was in the kitchen making a dip out of cottage cheese. Cottage cheese has had a kind of revival lately and has been hailed as a healthy source of protein. But some people, like my husband, can’t get past its texture, whether the curds are small or large.
What I found interesting was that my son’s girlfriend was blending it in a food processor along with some spices to create a ranch dip. (She’s been on a health kick and had recently read that many store-bought salad dressings and dips contain ingredients that can be problematic for some people, such as artificial food coloring or disodium EDTA.)
After she whipped up her ranch dip, we decided to try a little taste test and see if my husband’s cottage cheese detector would go off when he tried it. Later that afternoon, we set out some chips and dip while my husband watched a football game and waited until he took a bite. We asked him what he thought of the dip and he said it was delicious. He was shocked when we informed him that it was made from cottage cheese, and also quite pleased when I told him that just a half a cup of the dip contains 13 grams of protein. This dip was clearly a winner.
Another delicious yet nutritious dip that’s sure to wow guests is my roasted carrot dip. This dip features oven-roasted carrots, which have a touch of sweetness, as well as toasted almonds, lemon juice, garlic and chickpeas. When these ingredients are blended together, the result is a creamy, highly addictive dip that can be served with vegetables, crackers or chips. You can also spread this dip on slices of toasted French bread and create little crostini-type appetizers.
If you’d rather serve a sweet snack instead of something savory, a platter of creamy gingerbread cheesecake dip served with a variety of cookies could do the trick. Like the other dip recipes, this is a creation you can make in minutes. It’s made with cream cheese and Greek-style vanilla yogurt with a hint of molasses, brown sugar and cinnamon. This dish is pretty versatile because you can serve it as an appetizer, but you also can set it out in place of dessert. Also, you can serve it with graham crackers, shortbread cookies, gingersnaps, vanilla wafers and other cookies.
Place the almonds on a baking sheet and roast for about 5 minutes, then flip the almonds and set the baking sheet back in the oven. Roast for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until the almonds are fragrant and slightly darkened. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Cut the carrots in half lengthwise, then cut them in half crosswise to create four pieces. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add two tablespoons of the olive oil, spreading the oil around to coat the parchment. Put the carrots on the baking sheet and roast at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes or until the carrots are browned and starting to shrivel, turning them a couple of times as they’re roasting. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.
Transfer the carrots to a food processor and add the garlic, chickpeas, lemon juice, salt, paprika, pepper, parsley and remaining olive oil. Process until smooth.
Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl and serve with fresh vegetables or crackers for dipping.
