Classic Dips for Summertime Soirees

One hot, one cold and one just right

Baked Vidalia Onion Dip

A sweet answer to the store-bought kind.

Preheat oven to 425. Bake in a shallow 2-quart casserole pan.

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3 Tablespoons butter

2 1/2 cups chopped fresh Vidalia onions

1/2 teaspoon fine Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground fresh pepper

24 ozs. cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1/2 cup good quality mayonnaise

2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce like Tabasco or Siracha

Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and season

with salt and pepper, stirring for 10-15 minutes. Onions should be golden brown.

Set the onions aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, mayo, cheese and hot sauce. You can do this by hand or with a mixer. The paddle attachment works well. Once cool, add the onions to the cream mixture and stir to combine.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Greek Tzatzki

Serve with mounds of pita bread, veggies and olives for a simple appetizer.

1/2 English cucumber

1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste

1 cup high-quality Greek yogurt (you can use fat-free, but full-fat will be much

richer)

1 to 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Handful fresh dill, chopped

Sea salt to taste

Slice the cucumber in half lengthwise and cut into thin slices. Or grate it using a large-holed grater. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt and wrap in a paper towel. Let sit for 20 minutes. Squeeze out excess moisture through the paper towel.

Combine the squeezed cucumber, yogurt, lemon juice, and dill in a small bowl. Season to taste with the sea salt. Refrigerate until time to serve.

Creamy Oven-Cooked Bacon Dip

Try this dip as a topping for a baked potato or for appetizer-sized parboiled and

roasted baby Yukons.

8 slices bacon

6 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

2 Tablespoons prepared horseradish

1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

Hot pepper sauce to taste, optional

1/4 cup chopped, fresh chives

Cook bacon until crisp and set aside. Crumble when it is cooled.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, horseradish, lemon juice, salt, and hot pepper sauce if using. Add the bacon crumbles and fold into the cream cheese mixture. Pour into a serving bowl, top with the fresh chives and cover. Chill for at least one hour.