THREE VEGGIE DIP RECIPES

These are my three favorite veggie dips. The first two are very easy. The last one sounds a little bizarre, but people LOVE it. You will find a short story about it, below the recipes.

Quick and Easy
The best thing about the two easy dips is that since they each have only three ingredients, once you make them a few times, you never have to look up the recipes. And because you mix equal parts of the main ingredients, you can easily make as much or as little as you want.

               Easy Dip #1

               Mix equal parts:

               sour cream and mayonnaise (can be regular or light varieties)

               Add McCormick's Salad Supreme (from the spice department) to taste

               Store in refrigerator

               Easy Dip #2

               Mix equal parts:

Cheese Whiz™ and softened cream cheese (can be regular or light)

Add enough beer, to achieve your preferred consistency (depending on how  

               much you make, start with a teaspoon or tablespoon of beer and add more 

               until it seems to be creamy enough for dipping or spreading)

               Store in refrigerator

                    PEANUT SAUCE

                              3/4 cup smooth or crunchy peanut butter
                              1/4 cup brown sugar
                              1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
                              1/2 cup lemon juice
                              1/4 cup ketchup
                              1 teaspoon soy sauce or Worcestershire
                    Mix all ingredients together
                    Store in refrigerator
                    Serve at room temperature

        Years ago, I was in charge of the refreshments for the opening of an exhibit at the local art center. Since it was a Fall event, I decided to use “harvest” items as decor and, along with other things, lots of vegetables and dips on the menu. While searching for dip recipes, I ran across the one for the Peanut Sauce (above.) I think it may have been Malaysian. It sounded a bit awful, at first, but also rather intriguing. I tried the recipe at home, first. I liked the peanuty taste with a bit of sweetness, a touch of tang, and a little ‘bite’ from the red pepper.

        Besides several more "traditional" dips, I made a huge batch of the peanut dip as we were expecting a large gathering. I used three large jars of peanut butter.
        The night of the opening, I put a little sign on the dip to alert those who might be allergic, that it contained peanut butter. Several people asked me what else it contained. I was afraid that if I told them, they wouldn’t try it, so I suggested they try it and if they liked it I would reveal the ingredients. Soon, it was all gone.
        Guests were asking for the recipe, which I didn’t have with me. I asked the director of the art center how we should handle the requests. We decided to direct people to the sales counter, where we gathered $1 and an address from anyone who wanted the recipe. Before the night was over we had over $100 ---and sent the recipe on postcards, so we earned a little money for our nonprofit group.
        But, today, no dollar is necessary. For free, you now have my famous Peanut Sauce recipe. Enjoy!