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If I'm hosting a football watch party at home, I'm happy to make a big pot of chili or a variety of hot appetizers for everyone to munch on. But if I'm invited to a tailgate party at the stadium, I want to bring something quick, easy and that can be served cold or at room temperature. This is where the simplicity of dips and spreads works best. I also keep a staple of simple ingredients in my kitchen in case unexpected company arrives for a game.
Two-ingredient appetizers, such as onion dip with chips or a container of sour cream mixed with a packet of taco seasoning mix, are great last-minute dips. My mother used to mix equal amounts of mayonnaise with Parmesan cheese and some diced onion, then broil it until bubbly and brown. She served it with toast points or crackers and it was always a hit with our guests.
Here are four of my favorite go-to appetizers with five ingredients or fewer:
Baked Ricotta
Although this popular recipe only calls for a handful of ingredients, you can take it up a notch by adding red pepper flakes, minced garlic, a spoonful of grated Parmesan or chopped fresh thyme to the ricotta. If you can't find the shredded Italian cheese blend, use half cheddar and half mozzarella with 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning.
Serves 4
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Italian blend cheese, shredded, plus 1/4 cup more for topping
1 teaspoon lemon juice
*Optional: salt & pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 425ºF. In a medium-sized bowl, mix all ingredients together (except for the extra 1/4 cup of cheese). Pour into a small, greased baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and bake for 15 minutes. Serve with buttery crackers.
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip
Unlike most baked buffalo chicken dips, this delicious recipe from Allrecipes calls for a slow cooker to keep the dip warm during your party (no congealing of the cheese!).
Makes 5 cups
2 (10-ounce) cans chunk chicken, drained
3/4 cup hot pepper sauce (such as Frank's RedHot)
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup ranch dressing
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Serve with: Celery, cut into 4-inch pieces and 1 (8-ounce) box chicken-flavored crackers
Gather all the ingredients. Heat chicken and hot pepper sauce in a skillet over medium heat until heated through, 3-5 minutes. Stir in cream cheese and ranch dressing. Cook and stir until well blended and warm, 3-5 minutes. Mix in half of the cheddar cheese and transfer the mixture to a slow cooker. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Cover and cook on low until the dip is hot and bubbly, about 15 minutes. Serve with celery sticks and crackers.
The Million Dollar Spread
The almonds in this recipe threw me off at first — I wasn't sure how it would taste. However, this turned out to be one of the easiest and most delicious appetizers I've ever made. You can serve the spread in a bowl or form the mixture into a large cheese ball once it's cold enough. It really does taste like a million dollars!
Serves 10-11
28 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon (or you can use Bacon Bits)
1 1/2 cups mayo
1/2 cup slivered almonds (you can toast them first if you prefer)
5-6 green onions, sliced
Mix all the ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Serve with crackers.
Fiesta Corn Dip
This tasty, chunky dip from An Affair From The Heart is as simple as it gets and can be thrown together in 5 minutes!
Makes 5 cups
2 (8-ounce) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1 (10-ounce) can Rotel tomatoes (do not drain)
1 (3.8-ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
1 (7-ounce) can Mexicorn, drained
1 packet Hidden Valley Fiesta Ranch Dip Mix or any other kind of Ranch Dip Mix
In a mixing bowl, whip cream cheese with Fiesta Ranch Dip Mix until smooth. Stir in the corn and Rotel tomatoes. Fold in sliced olives. Serve with corn tortilla chips.
What's YOUR favorite dip or appetizer to make? Let us know in the comments below.