Chips, dips and easy entertaining ideas

May 20, 2008 4:15 PM by

Posted in Food & Recipes / Kitchen & Cooking Tips / Holiday & Seasonal Recipes

Father's Day BBQ

Kick off summer and celebrate your dad with a backyard BBQ. BBQs are about enjoying good weather and seasonal ingredients in a laid-back setting, so don't let yourself get bogged down with a million tasks. Use these entertaining tips to help you focus on the party, not on the planning.

Make use of nice weather to entertain outside, but ensure guests have plenty of shelter from the sun. Gather tables or picnic blankets in a shaded area. Also, be certain to keep perishable food cold. Because of sunshine, do a little extra thinking and bring extra towels, sunscreen, baseball hats, or whatever guests may need to stay comfortable under the sun – and never underestimate how much ice you might need!

For the menu, nothing beats a classic selection of chips and dips. If you get creative with your dips, you can turn a classic snack into a gourmet treat. Here's what you'll need to create a dip fiesta

Hosts

Mission Foods Restaurant Style Tortilla Strips, Triangles or Rounds

Partygoers

Mission Foods Chunky Salsa, Guacamole Dip, Salsa Con Queso, Cheddar Cheese Dip and All Natural Spicy Bean Dip

Spooned into ceramic bowls, the red, green and orange colors of the dips make for a lovely presentation. But you can also kick things up a notch by adding a few simple ingredients.

Mango Tango Dip

Ingredients
Mission® Extra Thin Chips
1 cup black beans can, drained
1/2 cup mangoes, diced
2 tablespoons mango juice from jar
2 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons cumin, ground
1 tablespoon cilantro, fresh chopped
2 teaspoons lime juice

Mash black beans to a smaller size/paste with a potato masher or use the tines of a fork. Add mangoes, mango juice, onion, cumin, cilantro, and lime juice; combine evenly. Serve cold with chips.

Spicy Spinach Artichoke Dip

Ingredients
1/4 cup spinach, frozen (pre-packaged/chopped) (this is the drained/squeezed amount)
1 cup (6.5 oz. container) garlic-herb cheese spread
1/8 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup artichoke hearts
2 teaspoons artichoke juice (from artichokes)

To prepare, thaw spinach overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, drain the spinach and squeeze out as much water as you can. Combine spinach and remaining ingredients in microwave safe bowl. Microwave the dip 15 seconds, stir, heat additional 15 seconds until hot. Serve hot with Mission chips.