It’s tailgating time and my family couldn’t be happier.

One of my goals this year is to try some new recipes in the Grove. I found these two new dips, and they are on the menu for this coming Saturday. One of the biggest challenges in tailgating is keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold. I use ice in Zip-loc bags for cool foods. But keeping things hot is a bigger challenge. I recently ordered a small portable battery pack with AC outlets and a small three dish Crockpot that holds a quart in each one for hot dips, chili, etc. I’ll have to let all you football fans know how they work out.

 

Cheese and bacon dip

1 tablespoon butter

3 1/2 cups chopped onions

4 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded and divided

2 tablespoons minced fine green onions, green part only, divided

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup fat-free sour cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan lightly with non-stick spray. Melt the tablespoon of butter.

Add the onion to the pan, sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low, and cook 20 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly.

Set aside 2 tablespoons of the cheese. Combine remaining cheese, caramelized onion, 1 tablespoon of the green onion and the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl.

Spoon into a 1-quart ovenproof baking dish. Sprinkle with the reserved two tablespoons of cheese. Bake for 20 minutes until browned and bubbly. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of green onion.

 

My kids love this next dip and it goes together super quick. I like it with toasted pita bread but my kids prefer Fritos.

 

Pizza dip

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated or shredded

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1 cup pizza sauce

2 ounces pepperoni, sliced

2 tablespoons green pepper, sliced

2 tablespoons black olives, sliced

 

Mix the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, 1/2 cup of mozzarella and 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese and spread it across the bottom of a pie plate.

Spread the pizza sauce on top and sprinkle on the remaining cheeses, pepperoni, green pepper and olives.

Bake in a preheated 350F oven until the cheese has melted, bubbling and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Serve with Fritos.

 

Christina Hall writes a weekly food column for The Democrat.