DipTacular 2009

*For some reason, blogger is being very ornery and is choosing erase all the spaces I'm typing between paragraphs. I apologize for the craziness and the unappealing layout of this blog entry. If anyone knows how to help, kindly email me.

**Now there are too many spaces, but when I start looking at the HTML code so I can fix the megabytes in order to correct the RAM settings for the IP address, I get my computer knowledge all confused. Basically I have no idea what I'm talking about and my eyes are starting to glaze over. And my head hurts. I should make dip immediately. Not to be confused with "take up" dip, which is an entirely different (and disgusting) vice. Conclusion: too much space is better than too little, right? Right.

I have been looking forward to a DipTacular blog carnival ever since Boomama posted about it yesterday. So, for literally hours.

I just peeked at her blog to check on the number of participants in the Dip festival today, and MY WORD the blogosphere is enthusiastic about some dip! I'm later than I wanted to be in writing/publishing this post and I'm practically going to be the eleventy billionth link.

Maybe if our current administration planned a big dip party, we might be thatmuch closer to world peace. Because obviously nothing brings people together better than a bunch of melty ingredients combined for the sole purpose of allowing people to substitute a chip for a spoon.

My favorite dip EVER is also the easiest dip EVER. Not original, but delicious. And most importantly, simple.

Spinach Dip

1 c. sour cream

1 c. mayonnaise (NOT Miracle Whip. There's no miracle in Miracle Whip. Just nastiness. And I tried substituting a negative word for "Miracle" and it's very difficult without turning the entire name into some kind of "adult" title when you have "whip" at the end. Moving on...)

1 pkg. chopped spinach (thawed)

1 pkg. vegetable soup mix

Combine all ingredients, chill, and serve!

You can also make this by substituting the mayo with sour cream. Just use 2 c. sour cream and no mayo. I call that the "healthified" version and I swear it tastes the same.

The next recipe has been handed down all the way from Mexico Chiquita (a now defunct Tex-Mex joint) to my aunt to me. If you want quick queso, you cube some Velveeta "cheese," add some milk and a can of Ro-Tel.

If you want some DELICIOUS queso, you make this:

1/2 stick margarine

1 small onion, chopped extremely fine

Cook in microwave until tender

Add:

4 Tbs. flour

2 tsp. paprika

3/4 tsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. dry mustard

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

1 can Ro-Tel

This is like your basic Ro-Tel dip on steroids.)

Mix until thick.

Add:

1 1/2 c. milk

One pkg. Velveeta (ahhh, there it is!)

Cook in microwave until cheese melts.

Now, I'm off to get some ideas for dinner peruse the rest of the delicious dip recipes!