Easy Tehina Dip

Tehina (aka Tahini Dip) is a really easy condiment to whip up that goes great with all sorts of Middle Eastern dishes. Serve this with kabobs, shawarma chicken, or with falafel.

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Persian Eggplant Dip (Kashke Bademjan)

Persian food has always been one of my favorite cuisines. Over the years I have tried a handful of recipes, like Jujeh Kabobs and Persian Barley Soup and they are always delicious. I decided to try this recipe after having a handful of eggplants at home and needing to use them. I loved this dip and it was a hit with everyone who tried it. I simplified the original recipe so the ingredients listed are easier to find.

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Homemade Ranch Dip

I have always loved ranch dip and dressing. I know it's not everyone's favorite, but I think it's a great way to eat some veggies. I decided to make a ranch dip from scratch and see if I'd still be a fan. The recipe below makes for a great, flavorful dip. Serve it with your favorite veggies for a quick and easy appetizer. You can use Greek yogurt, or you can use regular plain yogurt. If you use regular yogurt, line a strainer with a few paper towels or a cheesecloth and let the yogurt strain in there for about 2 hours before using. You can place the strained over a lipped dish or bowl and let it strain in the fridge. Use about 3/4 cup when doing this and it will loose some volume.
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Simple Spinach and Artichoke Dip

I was in a rush to make a few appetizers a few weeks ago. It was a cloudy day so I wanted to make something warm, but I didn't want to make anything too labor intensive. After scrolling through various collections of "easy appetizers" and "quick appetizers" I decided to check Fine Cooking for some inspiration. I saw this dip and knew it was perfect. All you need to do is chop and mix some ingredients together and then bake the final product. Try to time the dish so it comes out of the oven around when you expect your guests to arrive. You could always prepare the dip ahead of time and just bake it later when you need it. Make up to one day prior to using and allow the dip to come to room temperature as you preheat your oven.

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Eggplant Dip

I'm lucky to have a mom that loves to cook, and is really good at it. My sister and I grew up in a home where our friends always knew they would be offered tons of homemade goodies. If you were invited over for dinner, you knew it would be something delicious (and there may be a doggie bag of leftovers). So, yes, I have been spoiled with good food my whole life. That's probably why I wanted to learn how to cook. I'm not saying I don't slack off and settle for the easy way out sometimes, but I have learned to appreciate good, home-cooked meals.

Besides experimenting with foods that I love eating, my other method for developing my cooking skills and recipe collection is stealing some of my all time favorites from my mother. When I was in elementary school, my mom bought the school cookbook (parents submitted recipes and a book was sold as a fund raiser). That's where this eggplant dip recipe came from. Even though it originated in the early 90s, this is still one of my favorite dips. I'm pretty sure this was the only recipe my mother ever made from that cookbook, but I am so glad she did. Since I was a kid, I have been able to gobble down half of this dip in one sitting. I used to scarf down so much of it that I could hardly eat any other part of my dinner.

I don't change the flavor in this recipe, just some of the methods. The original is made with fried eggplant, but to save time (you end up cooking eggplant in batches since it won't fit in 1 pan) and make this a tiny bit healthier, I roast the eggplant. The skin can become a little tough if these roast too long, so keep an eye on your oven and roast until they're fully cooked and no more. You could probably also peel the eggplant before roasting, but I'd rather not. Make sure the eggplant gets fully roasted, since it will taste awful if it's undercooked. This dip will get better by the day, so it's best to make it ahead of time. It's still great right out of the pan, but it always tastes better the second day.

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Quick Hummus

Hummus is one of my "backup" snacks. It's so easy and only takes 5 minutes to whip together, which makes it the perfect last minute appetizer. The original recipe this stems from is a good starting point for a hummus and tastes great with some tweaks. I have thrown this together for impromptu barbecues, mid-afternoon snacks, or as a side dish. It always seems to magically disappear when it's served, so why not try making some hummus on your own?

After a day of gardening yesterday, nothing sounded better at 4:00 that a cold beer and some hummus and veggies (slightly random combo, I know). So, armed with the immersion blender, I made a quick batch and thought I'd try converting some of you to homemade hummus makers as well. If you want to make it look a little nicer than just a bowl of brown puree, save a few of the garbanzo beans and use some chopped parsley as garnish. My one word of advice is that you do not substitute anything for the Tahini. The flavor will not be right and you won't be eating hummus.

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