easy dips

We often have dip for morning tea with Jatz cracker biscuits, corn chips and/or cut up vegetables- carrot, celery, capsicum, cucumber, zucchini, beans etc.

Our most basic dip base is a packet of cream cheese whizzed up in the food processor until smooth, you may like to add some sour cream to thin it a little.

Add any of the following to your base:

1.fresh herbs from the garden, parsley, chives, mint etc. as pictured
2.sweet chilli sauce
3.relish or chutney that you like (our home made tomato relish is yummy as is corn relish)
4. semi dried tomatoes
5. caramelised onions
6. smoked or canned salmon
7. anything else your imagination tells you might taste nice- give it a go, you never know you might come up with a new taste sensation

Whiz together in the food processor until the consistency you like, smooth or chunky

For those who can't have dairy here are a few other suggestions:

roast pumpkin dip: roast pumpkin with some onion and garlic drizzled in a little olive oil, mash with a fork- delicious warm or cold

guacamole: the child friendly easy version we do is mash avocado with some lemon juice and add finely chopped tomato and onion, chopped mint or coriander adds a nice touch, for a hotter version add some chopped chilli

hommus: process canned chick peas until smooth add a little lemon juice and crushed garlic and tahini (optional)

Serve a trio of dips to your guests at your next party with some brushetta (thinly slice a french bread stick, brush with olive oil and grill until lightly toasted, rub with a cut piece of garlic) or crackers and crudites (cut up vegetables)