Nothin’ sweeta’ than a dip with a pita! Ehhhh! Do you have some family gatherings or tailgate parties this summer? Grab a bag of pita chips and try some of the dip recipes! The best part about bringing a dip to an event is the portion sizes, anyone can grab as much or as little they would like for scooping. Which is your favorite dip to bring to a party?

5 Dips to Pair with Pita Chips

Spinach Artichoke Dip

• Prep: 10 mins
• Cook: 20 mins
• Total: 30 mins
• Servings: 8
   

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. cream cheese, well softened
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 garlic clove, minced (1 tsp)
• 2/3 cup (76g) finely shredded parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup (56g) finely shredded mozzarella cheese
• Pepper, to taste
• 1 (14 oz) can quartered artichoke hearts, can liquid drained, squeeze artichokes to drain excess liquid, chopped
• 6 oz. frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed to drain excess liquid

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a small (1 quart) baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a mixing bowl stir together cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, parmesan, mozzarella and pepper.
3. Stir in artichokes and spinach.
4. Spread mixture evenly into prepared baking dish. Bake in preheated oven until heated through and melty, about 20 minutes.
5. Serve warm with tortilla chips, crackers or toasted baguette slices

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

• Calories 242
• Fat 20g
• Saturated Fat 9g
• Cholesterol 49mg
• Sodium 440mg
• Potassium 259mg
• Carbohydrates 6g
• Fiber 2g
• Sugar 1g
• Protein 8g
• Vitamin A 3115IU
• Vitamin C 3.9mg
• Calcium 220mg
• Iron 0.9mg

Baba Ganoush - Smokey Eggplant Dip with Pomegranates

• Prep: 10 mins
• Cook: 20 mins
• Total: 30 mins
• Servings: 5
   

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sized eggplants (about 2 pounds)
• 11/2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 6 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
• salt to taste
• a few grinds of fresh black pepper
• 2 tablespoons of tahini or sesame paste.
• 1 tablespoon minced parsley or cilantro
• 2 tablespoons fresh pomegranate seeds
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)

Directions:

1. To prepare the eggplant, roast the eggplant over an open flame to completely char the outer skin. This is best done over a gas stove or an open grill. Use a pair of tongs to turn the eggplant so that is cooked uniformly. Set aside to cool.
2. In the meantime heat the oil and add the garlic and cook until the garlic is golden brown and fragrant. Set aside.
3. Carefully peel the eggplant, I find it easiest to peel some of the skin, making an opening and then scooping out the flesh.
4. Place the scooped eggplant in a mixing bowl and mash the pulp. Add in the salt, pepper, tahini and mix in the garlic oil and stir well.
5. Add in the parsley or cilantro, pomegranate seeds and the lemon juice if using. Serve with pita chips or crackers.

Beer Cheese Dip

• Prep: 5 mins
• Cook: 30 mins
• Total: 35 mins
• Servings: 12

Ingredients:

• 24 ounces cream cheese softened
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup ranch dressing mix
• 6 ounces beer
• 4 chives or 1 scallion, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish if desired
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or more to taste

Directions:

1.  Combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese, ranch mix, beer, chives, and in a large bowl and mix well. Add garlic powder to taste, starting with ½ teaspoon and adding more if desired.
2. In a large bowl, add cream cheese, cheddar cheese, ranch mix, beer, chives, and garlic powder (start with ½ teaspoon and add more to taste if desired). Stir to combine.
3. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes or until serving time. Garnish with more chives if desired.

Cannoli Dip

• Prep: 10 mins
• Cook: 15 mins
• Total: 25 mins
• Servings: 18 (¼ cup)

Ingredients:

• 15 oz. ricotta cheese
• 8 oz. mascarpone cheese softened (can use cream cheese)
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• {optional} 1 tsp orange zest
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• ¾ cup mini-chocolate chips

Directions:

1.  Using a medium bowl, add ricotta and mascarpone; stir until smooth.
2. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and orange zest; mix until well combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whip heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream into ricotta mixture.
4. Fold ½ cup of chocolate chips into the dip and sprinkle remaining ¼ cup on top.

Loaded Veggie Dip

• Prep: 1 hr
• Cook: 1 hr
• Total: 2 hrs
• Servings: 20 servings (5 cups)

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup finely chopped fresh broccoli
• 1/2 cup finely chopped cauliflower
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh carrot
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 can (14 ounces) water-packed artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and chopped
• 1 package (6-1/2 ounces) spreadable garlic and herb cream cheese
• 1 package (1.4 ounces) vegetable recipe mix (Knorr)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup half-and-half cream
• 3 cups shredded Italian cheese blend
• 1/2 cup minced fresh basil
• 1 package (9 ounces) fresh spinach, finely chopped

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, saute the broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, onion, celery and garlic in 2 tablespoons oil until tender. Stir in the artichokes, cream cheese, vegetable recipe mix, garlic powder, white pepper and cayenne; set aside.
2. In a 3-qt. slow cooker, combine the broth, cream and remaining oil. Stir in the broccoli mixture, Italian cheese blend and basil. Fold in spinach. Cover and cook on low for 1-2 hours or until cheese is melted and spinach is tender.

Nutrition Facts (per ¼ cup serving)

• 133 calories
• 10g fat (5g saturated fat)
• 26mg cholesterol
• 381mg sodium
• 5g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 1g fiber)
• 5g protein