Recipe swap: Spice up your festive gatherings with these crowd-pleasing dip and dessert ideas

My church small group had a Christmas party recently and we all brought a dip or dessert for our fun “D & D Party”. There were so many interesting and different foods brought to share.

I was able to get some of the recipes, but my goodness how shy they are about sharing their name in the newspaper. After we enjoyed a feast of dips and desserts, we sang Christmas carols with live instruments and had a Christmas paper napkin gift exchange. It all made for a vey fun evening with some of my very favorite people.

If you are not in a church small group and have the desire to be in one, I am happy to tell you about mine.

I am sharing some of the recipes that we enjoyed at the party. Maybe some of these recipes could carryover after the holiday to your New Year celebration.

Merry Christmas!

Hot Jalapeno Dip

• 7 slices bacon, diced

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

• 1 cup mayonnaise

• 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

• 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

• 1/4 cup chopped green onion

• 5 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped

Topping:

• 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 1/4 cup butter, melted

• Assorted crackers for dipping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Have a 9-inch round baking dish ready.

Cook and stir bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

Stir bacon, cream cheese, mayonnaise, Cheddar cheese, Mozzarella cheese, green onion and jalapeno peppers together in a bowl. Spread into a 9-inch round baking dish.

Mix crushed crackers, Parmesan cheese, and butter together in a bowl; spread over the top of the cream cheese mixture.

Bake in preheated oven until bubbly, 20 to 30 minutes.

Source: Unknown

Cranberry Brie Pecan Christmas Bread

• 1 bag frozen Rhodes rise & bake dinner rolls

• 2 sticks butter, melted

• Pecan halves

• 1 can whole berry cranberry sauce

• 1 bag fresh cranberries

• Thyme (sprinkle)

• Himalayan Sea Salt (sprinkle)

• 1 large wheel triple soft Brie

Mix all in a crock pot and turn to warm for two hours. Put on surgical gloves, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, and poke down the rising rolls.

Put lid back on and turn on high for three hours. You may need to press down bread 1/2 way through if needed, using your fingertips and just gently push down a few places on the bread making dimple indentions.

When baked or cooked through, remove and serve.

Source: Unknown from an online video

Chocolate Mousse

Adapted from a mousse cake recipe. This Eggless Chocolate Mousse is simple and delicious.

• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, preferred Ghirardelli Chocolate

• 1/2 cup water

• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

• 1 tablespoon white sugar

• 1/2 cup heavy cream, for topping

• Red raspberries, optional, for garnish

Place chocolate chips into blender container. Pour water and corn syrup into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer one minute. Immediately pour over chocolate chips and blend until smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

While chocolate cools, whip 1 1/2 cups cream to form stiff peaks. Using a rubber spatula or whisk, fold 1/3 of the whipped cream into cooled chocolate to lighten it. Gently fold in the remaining whipped cream until mixture is thoroughly blended.

Transfer mousse into prepared container or containers for serving and cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate four to 24 hours. Before serving, whip the remaining 1/2 cup cream and top dessert (s).

Mousse is suitable for individual servings or in a pie shell, with perhaps a crumb crust and decorated with strawberries or raspberries.

Source: Adapted from a mousse cake recipe, Eggless Chocolate Mousse, simple and delicious

Mexican Beef Dip

• 1 can beef tamales

• 1 can chili con carne, without beans

• Cheddar cheese sprinkles for garnish

Remove shucks or papers from all tamales and mash tamales thoroughly with fork or pastry blender. Add canned meat. Heat in saucepan or fondue pot.

Garnish with cheese. Serve hot with corn chips or tortilla scoops.

Source: Unknown

Classic Knorr Spinach Dip

• 1 box (10 ounce) frozen chopped spinach, cooked, cooled and squeezed dry

• 1 container (16 ounce) sour cream

• 1 cup Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise

• 1 package Knorr Vegetable Recipe Mix

• 1 can (8 ounce) water chestnuts, drained and chopped

• 3 green onions, chopped (optional, but makes it so good. You can just use the green tops if desired)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix. Chill the spinach dip for about two hours.

Serve this classic spinach dip with your favorite dippers, like crackers, tortilla chips or veggies, and share with your favorite people.

Source: https://www.knorr.com

Vidalia Sweet Onion Dip

Creamy, cheesy, yummy dip. Use a potato peeler to get the onion very thin. Serve with your favorite cracker.

• 1 cup mayonnaise

• 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 2 cups thinly sliced Vidalia sweet onion

• Hot sauce, or to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For the onions, slice very thin or dice into small pieces.

Stir the mayonnaise, Swiss cheese, Parmesan cheese, Vidalia onion, and hot sauce together in a mixing bowl, mixing well. Pour into a casserole dish.

Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are golden brown and bubbly, 30 to 35 minutes. Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving with your favorite crackers, chips or veggies for dipping.

Source: https://www.allrecipes.com

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Dip

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Dip- this creamy cheesy dip with diced chicken and bacon is flavored with BBQ Sauce.

• 16 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes

• 2 cups diced cooked chicken

• 1 cup BBQ sauce, divided

• 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 2 green onions, sliced

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, optional

In a greased 4-quart slow cooker, stir together cream cheese, chicken, 3/4 cup BBQ sauce, half the bacon, 1 cup cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, and garlic powder.

Cover and cook on low for 90 minutes to two hours, stirring halfway through.

Stir until cream cheese is completely mixed in. Drizzle with remaining BBQ sauce. Sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese, bacon, and green onions on top.

Turn to warm and place lid back on for five minutes to melt the cheese. Serve with tortilla chips.

Source: https://spicysouthernkitchen.com

Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball

Cranberry pecan cheese ball is a classic appetizer that is perfect for any occasion. The creamy cheese is mixed with tart cranberries and crunchy pecans, creating a delicious balance of sweet and savory flavors.

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened

• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

• 1/3 cup dried cranberries

• 1/3 cup chopped pecans, plus more for coating

• 1/4 cup sliced green onion

• 1 package crackers, for serving

Mix softened cream cheese, sharp cheddar, dried cranberries, pecans, and green onions until well-combined. Form into a ball, then roll in more chopped pecans to coat.

Serve with crackers of your choice.

Source: https://tasty.co

Peppermint Dip

This dip has a wonderful peppermint flavor and a smooth and creamy texture. You can dip almost any kind of cookie in this sweet treat. I especially like pairing this dip with chocolate cookies! Some of my favorites dippers are: Chocolate Teddy Grahams, chocolate-covered pretzels, chocolate wafer cookies, Oreos, Graham crackers or chocolate Graham crackers, Gingersnaps, Vanilla Wafers and more!

Peppermint dip tastes like Christmas! This family favorite is smooth, creamy, and the perfect dip to enjoy with holiday cookies. Ideal for a holiday party.

• 10 candy canes or starlight candy crushed

• 8 ounces cream cheese softened

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

• 1 container whipped topping thawed

• Assorted dippers, such as Chocolate Teddy Grahams, chocolate-covered pretzels, chocolate wafer cookies, Oreos, Graham crackers or chocolate Graham crackers, Gingersnaps, Vanilla Wafers, Milano cookies and more.

Put the candy canes in a zippered bag. Roll it with a rolling pin to crush them, or bang on it with a spoon. Use a mixer to beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and peppermint extract until smooth and creamy. Fold the whipped topping and about 1/4 cup of crushed candy with a spatula. Save some crushed candy for serving.

Chill the dip for at least one hour. Top with additional candy pieces before serving.

Notes: For a smooth and creamy dip, leave the cream cheese at room temperature for about an hour before starting. Kids love to help crush the candy for this dip. I find candy canes crush easily. For a chocolate taste, stir in 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips or peppermint baking chips.

Serve with your favorite cookies or graham crackers.

Source: https://www.upstateramblings.com

A Quick and Easy Dessert

This fun dessert popped up at our party and it was so cute and clever! She had her recipe written in pretty red and green marker and decorated up for Christmas. We all loved it and the desserts were delicious!

Go to Schnucks grocery store. In the produce area, pick up a box of fresh raspberries. Find the frozen foods aisle. Locate the mini chocolate eclairs and cream puffs. Gather a couple of boxes.

After arriving back home, place mini chocolate eclairs and cream puffs on a pretty decorative platter and allow desserts to thaw. Arrange fresh raspberries in-between and around the desserts on the platter.

Take to your special holiday gathering and don’t pretend you made them; Everyone Knows!

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at news@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, MO 63702. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by Southeast Missourian staff.