Mykonos Cheese Dip

This is one of my favorite recipes. I've been making this since 1987. I don't remember where I got the recipe. 

Serves 8-10 people.

Ingredients

1 large clove of garlic
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/3 cup of olive oil
1/2 lb. Feta cheese, crumbled (include the liquid)
1 cup sour cream
1 small bunch fresh chives, chopped
1 Tablespoon of drained capers
Pepper to taste
A few dashes of hot pepper sauce (optional)

Pita bread or crackers to serve
 
Directions

Blend the first 3 ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

Transfer to a serving bowl. Mix in remaining ingredients. Chill.

My Notes:

It's better if prepared the night before so that the flavor of the garlic comes out.

Drizzle a little olive oil on top once finished.

Benedictine Spread

 

My husband and I attended a Derby party (4 May 2024). 

I followed this recipe:  https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/benedictine-spread/

Prep/Total Time: 15 minutes.   

Makes 1-3/4 cups
 
Ingredients
 
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon dill weed
1 drop green food coloring, optional
3/4 cup finely chopped peeled cucumber, patted dry
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
 
Optional: Snack rye bread, pita bread wedges and assorted fresh vegetables
 
Directions
 
In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, salt, white pepper, dill and, if desired, food coloring; beat until smooth.
 
Stir in cucumber and onion.
 

Cover and refrigerate until serving. Serve with snack rye bread, pita bread wedges, or vegetables as desired.
 
My Notes: 

I doubled this recipe since there we a lot of people at the party.

I added 1 T lemon juice and a little more mayonnaise.  

I skipped the food coloring.

For the cucumber, I removed the seeds.

My husband doesn't like a lot of raw onions, so I sautéed the onions (except for 1 T) in a little olive oil just until translucent. 

I sprinkled a little bit of dill on top of the dip after placing the spread into a serving bowl.  

I served this with fresh rye bread that I quartered. You can also serve with pumpernickel or crostini.

Here's my recipe for crostini:  https://monicacooks.blogspot.com/2024/06/crostini.html

Authentic German Beer Cheese Dip Obatzda

Click on the photos for a full view.

I made this yesterday for a Sound of Music! dinner party. There was a wonderful spread of foods to include fresh-made pretzels, brats, sauerkraut, Wiener Schnitzel, Stuffed Cabbage, German potato salad, spaetzle, apple strudel, German beer, a beautiful meat and cheese board, etc.; and this dip that I made.  

This recipe is from https://ourgabledhome.com/german-beer-cheese-dip-obatzda/
 
Prep Time 10min
Total Time10min
 
Servings: 8 servings
 
Ingredients
 
8 oz brie or camembert cheese, very ripe
4 oz butter
4 oz cream cheese
1 small onion or 1 shallot
2 tsp paprika powder
1-2 T beer
Salt and pepper to taste
1 T chives, chopped
 
Instructions
 
Make sure to have all your ingredients at room temperature. That means taking the cheese, cream cheese, and butter out of the refrigerator at least one hour before you want to make this cheese spread.
 
Cut the cheese, the butter, and the cream cheese into chunks and add them to a medium bowl.
 
Begin mixing them with a fork or pastry blender.
 
Add the paprika and some salt and pepper.
 
Now add a splash of beer and mix all the ingredients well. I personally like it a bit on the chunkier, stiffer side but you can also add a bit more beer and blend everything into more of a uniform cream.
 
Transfer it to a nice serving bowl and sprinkle it with some diced chives.
 
My Notes:
 
I cut the amount of butter to just two dabs. For me, with all the cheese, I didn’t think all that butter was needed.  
 
I used a shallot, minced.

I added a t of ground caraway seeds and sweet Hungarian paprika.
 
For the beer, I used Negra Modelo Especial, which is a Munich Dunkel Lager. I used 3-4 T of beer.
 
I was a little heavy on the salt, so I added a more cream cheese.
 
I served it with pumpernickel bread at a dinner party. 
 
This was a hit.

Click on the photos for a full view.

Artichoke Dip

There are many recipes for artichoke dip. This is mine. This makes a large batch and is perfect for parties. 

Ingredients 

1 14 oz. can artichoke hearts (not in oil), drained well, and chopped

1 clove garlic, minced 
3 T. chopped onion 
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese + a little for the topping
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 4.5 oz. canned green chilies, drained
3 oz. cream cheese (not low fat!), room temperature
Dash or two of hot sauce (optional)
Pepper to taste 
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Crostini for serving with the dip

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
 
Combine the dip ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.

Place in an 8x8 baking dish and top with additional mozzarella cheese. Bake for 30 minutes. It should come out nice and golden on the top. Serve with crostini.

Here's my recipe for crostini:  https://monicacooks.blogspot.com/2024/06/crostini.html

Tzatziki Dip

Ingredients:

2 C. Plain whole yogurt 

1 Medium cucumber, peeled, seeds removed, coarsely grated (or chopped into small pieces)

2-3 Cloves Garlic, finely minced 

2 T. Olive Oil, or a little more 

1 T Dried dillweed 

1 to 2 t. Fresh lemon juice

1/2 t. Salt 

1/4 t. Pepper

 

Additional Olive oil for garnish 

Directions:

1. Place a piece of cheesecloth in a colander and pour in the yogurt. Place the grated cucumber in another colander and allow both to drain for 3-4 hours. Pat dry the cucumber with a paper towel. 

2. Mix all ingredients, except the oil for garnish, and chill. When ready to serve, pour a little olive oil on top. 

3. Serve with pita bread, crackers, sliced vegetables, or Greek meatballs. 

Serves 10-12

Note: 

- I now use Fage yogurt which is already strained, so you can skip the part for the yogurt, but you will still need to drain the cucumber.

- This makes a large batch, so you may want to cut the recipe in half. 

Guacamole

For a recent Cookbook Club dinner, 17 May 2023, one participant made this creamy guacamole. He tripled this recipe. This recipe is from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book Limited Edition.

Makes 1 cup dip 

Ingredients

2 medium very ripe avocados, halved, seeded, peeled, and cut up

1/2 of a small onion, cut up

1/2 of a 4-ounce can (1/4 cup) diced green chile peppers, drained; 2 fresh jalapeno chile peppers, seeded and chopped; or several drops bottled hot pepper sauce

1 T. snipped fresh cilantro or parsley

1 T. lemon juice or lime juice

1 clove garlic, minced

2/3 cup finely chopped, peeled, seeded tomato (1 medium) (optional)

Tortilla chips

Directions

In a food processor bowl or blender container combine avocados, onion, chile peppers, cilantro, lemon juice, garlic and 1/4 t. salt. Cover and process or blend until mixture is smooth, scraping sides as necessary. If desired, stir in tomato. 

Serve with chips.

Make-ahead directions

Prepare as above, except do not stir in tomato, if using. Cover and chill for up to 24 hours. if desired, stir in tomato just before serving.

Hot Shrimp Dip

I made this for a Mardi Gras Party (19 Feb 2023). This was so delicious!!
 
This is the recipe I followed: https://www.smalltownwoman.com/hot-shrimp-dip/

Hot Shrimp Dip

Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 20
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 12 servings
 
Ingredients
 
8 ounces cream cheese softened
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese [some will be used for the topping]
1 1/4 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese [some will be used for the topping
1/2 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning [overall, I used less than 1/2 tablespoon]
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
3 - 4 dashes hot sauce
16 ounces shrimp cooked and coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
3 green onions thinly sliced
 
Instructions
 
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
 
Using a hand held mixer beat cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, 3/4 cup Pepper Jack cheese, Old Bay Seasoning, Worcestershire Sauce and hot sauce until smooth.  Stir in shrimp, garlic and green onions.
 
Spoon into a baking dish and top with remaining cheddar and Pepper Jack.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the dish is bubbly and heated through.
 
Serve with crackers or toasted baguette slices.
 
This can be prepped a day in advance. Store in the refrigerator covered with saran wrap. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.

My Notes:

I didn’t read the ingredients correctly and bought raw shrimp instead of cooked. So I heated a large skillet on medium heat and added a teaspoon of olive oil and 1/2 T butter. I added 1/8th finely chopped red onion (my idea to add onions), the minced garlic and sautéed until translucent. I moved the onion/garlic to the sides of the pan and added the raw shrimp in the middle, and sprinkled with Old Bay Seasoning and some black pepper. I cooked the shrimp until just done. I let the shrimp cool a bit and then coarsely chopped them. I think cooking it this way adds more flavor to the shrimp. 

Sorry, I forgot to take a photo when I took it out of the oven.

Yellow Caviar Dip

 I made this dip recently for a holiday party.  My original recipe (https://monicacooks.blogspot.com/2009/04/red-caviar-dip.html) calls for red caviar. I couldn't find any in the area grocery stores so I went with yellow caviar.  

Ingredients:

1 8-oz package of cream cheese, room temperature

5 T. Sour cream

2 T. Chives, fresh, chopped (set some aside for garnish)

2 oz. Yellow caviar, drained  (set about 1/2 t. aside for garnish)

French baguette, sliced

Directions:

In a bowl, combine the cream cheese and sour cream. Fold in the chives.

GENTLY fold in the caviar until combined. 

Transfer to a serving bowl.  

Top with remaining caviar and a few chives for garnish.

Chill in the refrigerator (covered w/saran wrap) before serving.

Artichoke and Spinach Dip

This is a popular recipe and many variations can be found. This is mine: 

1 10-oz package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted, drained very well 

2 cans whole artichoke hearts, drained well and chopped

1 clove garlic, minced 

3 T. chopped onion 

3/4 to 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

3/4 to 1 cup mayonnaise 

Dash or two of hot sauce

Pepper to taste 

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine well. 

Place in a baking dish and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. 

Serve with crackers. 

Notes: 

You can skip the spinach and just make it strictly an artichoke dip.

I made this recently and added a couple of ingredients (1/3rd cream cheese and a 4 oz. can of green chilies from my Jalapeño artichoke-spinach dip recipe. 

Yogurt and Spinach Dip

16 August 2018

Tony and I had a large bag of spinach that needed to be used up before it went bad. He wanted to freeze it but I suggested he make a dip, as we are going to an outdoor concert with friends (BYOB and food).

He found this recipe:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fssl_s2LiU4

Ingredients:

1 C Greek Low-fat Yogurt (we always buy whole plain yogurt, not low-fat)
1 C Frozen Spinach, thawed, chopped, drained
1 t. onion powder (Tony chopped some onion instead of using powder)
1 C Mayonnaise 
Dash of Dill
1/4 C feta cheese

Dash pepper

Serve with crackers and/or veggies.

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl; refrigerate before serving.

Notes: 

It came out great! It's light and tasty; and with it being nicely chilled, it's perfect to have on a hot summer day.

We didn't have feta in the house, so he used grated parmesan. Also, Tony sautéed the spinach with some garlic and onion; then drained it well.

18 January 2026

I made this today. I felt the mayo and yogurt was too much (cut in half) for the amount of spinach I chopped up, so I added the rest of the bag. I also added a can of chopped artichokes, drained very well, a few dashes of hot sauce and lemon juice.  I used parmesan cheese too.

Next time, I'll use less mayonnaise.

Crab and Shrimp Dip

This is an excellent dip.  This make a huge batch, so save it for a large party.

3 8-oz packages cream cheese
2 cans crabmeat (not chunk); well drained (6 oz cans)
1 6-oz can broken shrimp, well drained
A few red pepper flakes or horseradish
Minced garlic, about 2 cloves
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the ingredients in a 2-quart casserole dish.

Bake at 350 degree for 25-35 minutes until warmed through.

Serve with french bread or crackers.

Serves 12-14


July 2013: I made this for a picnic and added a second can of the shrimp, plus some chopped onion, mustard powder, and worcestershire sauce.

Boursin Cheese Dip

This is a very simple dip to prepare and goes pretty quickly at parties. 8 oz whipped cream cheese 2 T. butter, softened 1/4 t. minced garlic 1 T. chopped parsley 1 T. chopped chives 1 t. dill Mix all together in a bowl; chill in the refrigerator; serve with crackers.

Jalapeño Artichoke-Spinach Dip

5/5/10: This is a caliente (hot) appetizer that my friend Judi made for our Sadie's night out. You can find many similar artichoke-spinach dip recipes, but this one has the added flavors of mild green chilies and jalapeño’s, which gives off that caliente taste. If you don’t like spicy foods, then cut back on the jalapeño’s or skip all together. The green chilies are mild. 

 2 8-oz. packages of cream cheese, softened 

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

1 4-1/2 oz. can chopped green chilies, drained 

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 

1 12oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped 

1/4 cup canned chopped jalapeño, drained 

1 10-oz. box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Blend the mayonnaise and cream cheese until smooth. 

Stir in the remaining ingredients. 

Spoon the mixture into a baking dish and bake about 30 minutes. 

Serve with crackers (or sliced toasted French bread).

Red Caviar Dip

1 8-oz package of cream cheese, room temperature

5 T. Sour cream

2 T. Chives, fresh, chopped

2 oz. Red Caviar, drained

French baguette, sliced

In a bowl, combine the cream cheese and sour cream. Fold in the chives.

GENTLY fold in the caviar until combined. 

Transfer to serving bowl. 

Chill in the refrigerator (covered w/saran wrap) before serving. 

Simple, elegant, and a crowd-pleaser! 

Note: This is a recipe from the New York Times International Cookbook and is a recipe from Norway, which I adapted. Enjoy! Monica

Basil Cheese Spread

6 fresh basil leaves
3 medium cloves garlic
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup olive oil
Fresh basil leaves for garnish

In food processor, process basil and garlic until finely chopped. Add cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, walnuts, and olive oil; process until smooth.

Transfer spread mixture to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Serve with assorted crackers.

Hot Crab Dip

3 T. unsalted butter
2 medium shallots, minced
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. Old Bay
1 ¼ tsp. dry mustard
¾ c. half and half
8 oz. cream cheese
4 oz. sharp white Cheddar, grated
3 T. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
10 oz. lump crabmeat
½ c. chopped flat-leaf parsley
½ c. breadcrumbs
½ tsp. paprika

Preheat oven to 400 with the rack in the center. Melt 2 T. butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until soft, 2 minutes. Add T. of water and simmer for 30 seconds. Stir in the cayenne, Old Bay, and dry mustard until well combined. Pour the half and half into the saucepan and bring to a simmer. Slowly whisk in the cream cheese, a few pieces at a time. When the cream cheese is fully incorporated, whisk in the Cheddar a bit at a time. Stir the mixture for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add lemon juice and Worcestershire and stir. Add the crabmeat and half of the parsley and stir.

Transfer the mixture to an ovenproof baking dish and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Dot the top with remaining butter. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the bread pieces are golden and dip is hot. Garnish with remaining parsley and serve with baguette or crackers.

Black Caviar Dip

My Mom's cousin Grace made this years ago and I've always wanted to make it. I did back in 2005 and a few times since then. I love the combination of flavors of the caviar and sour cream.

1 large round bread

2 cups sour cream (maybe a little more or less, depending on the size of the bread)
3 boiled eggs; yolks and whites chopped separately
1/8 cup chopped red onion
Black lump caviar (or red), just one small jar, drained
1 baguette

Carefully carve out the center of the bread, keeping approximately 1/2" thickness. Cut the bread, which has been removed, into cubes. Cube the baguette.

Layer in the bread the sour cream, and then the caviar. Place the egg whites in a ring at the outer edge of the bread, followed by the yolks, and red onion.

Serve with the cubed bread.

10-12 Servings.

Black Bean Dip

1 15.5 oz. can Black Beans
1 Large Roma tomato, diced
1 t. Lemon juice
Dash hot sauce
2 T. Red onion, chopped
1 Small clove garlic, chopped
1/4 t. Cumin
1 t. Cilantro, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all in a food processor and process until almost smooth, leaving it a little chunky.

Serve with tortilla chips.

Serves 4-5

Guacamole

Ingredients

3 Haas avocados

2 T. red onion, chopped
2 T. fresh cilantro, chopped
2-3 T fresh lime juice (1 lime)
1/2 t hot pepper sauce
1/4 t salt

1/4 t fresh ground pepper

1/4 t cumin

1 Roma tomato, diced

Directions

Cut the avocados in 1/2 and pull apart. Remove the seed in the center and scoop out the avocado meat. Place in a bowl. 

Add the remaining ingredients, except the tomato, and combine with a fork until almost smooth, but still slightly chunky. 

Add in the tomato.

Taste and adjust as necessary.

Place one of the pits in the center of the bowl. This will help the guacamole from turning brown.

Cover with saran wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the guacamole. 

Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Serve with tortilla chips and/or vegetables.

Makes about 2 cups.

White Bean Dip

Since Hummus is an easy dip to make, I decided to make a dip with cannellini beans.

1 19 oz. can Cannellini beans, drained
1 T. olive oil
3 cloves garlic
2 1/2 T. fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped green onion
Approx. 1-1/2 T. fresh herbs: sage, chives, tarragon, parsley (or other herbs of your choice).

In a food processor, puree the first 6 ingredients. Add the chopped green onions and herbs and process until just blended.

Serve with pita bread.