Rattling off possible dip ideas for a party this year seemed rather bleak. Hummus - yawn; hummus with pesto - yawn; pesto - who can afford fresh basil this year? French onion - out of the question, of course; guacamole - turns brown; queso dip - too tempting for double dipping; artichoke and spinach dip - "sooo last year" (in the parlance of my 13 year old). But here are two that we think are perfect - my Roasted Red Pepper Dip and Candace's Green Olive Walnut Spread. Both are unusual enough and hip enough to get noticed, but not so weird that folks will avoid them.

For the Red Pepper Dip, you can roast your own orange or red bell peppers (which are fairly cheap this time of year), or use the jarred variety. Then throw them in a food processor with some garlic, nuts (I used pecans), a splash of vinegar, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and flavorful extra-virgin olive oil. What comes out is a rich, terra-cotta colored dip perfect with shrimp cocktail (familiar to everyone), veggies of any kind, and crackers of any sort. Your friends will think you're quite clever and a good cook and you'll get points for not stocking the party from Costco. Best yet, the next day, use the leftovers to serve for dinner with flank steak, tuna steaks, chicken strips or tossed with pasta.

Ditto for the Green Olive Spread (although Candace never has much left over). Use leftovers in an omelet or tossed with pasta or swirled in mashed potatoes.

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Ingredients Instructions