The perfect party offers your guests delicious finger foods and leaves you free to enjoy yourself.
Here are 6 quick and easy dips and spreads to serve with crackers at your next party.
Crab Spread
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 small cans crab meat, drained
- 1 bottle chili sauce
In a small bowl, mix together cream cheese and 1 can of crab meat. With your hands, mold it into a ball. Cover the ball with the remaining can of crab meat. Pour chili sauce over the mixture, allowing it to drip down the sides
BLT Spread
- 6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 plum tomatoes, chopped
- 3 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped
- Lettuce leaves
Reserve 1 teaspoon crumbled bacon for garnish. Combine remaining bacon, sour cream, mayonnaise, tomatoes and parsley in medium bowl. Stir until blended. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour to blend flavors. To serve, spoon into a small bowl. Set the bowl in the center of a plate lined with lettuce leaves and filled with crackers. Sprinkle reserved bacon over spread.
Easy Hummus
- 1 16-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained, liquid reserved
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- Dash of pepper
In a blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine ¼ cup reserved bean liquid and remaining ingredients. Process until mixture is a smooth paste. Add more liquid if needed to make the desired consistency. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Serve with crackers or pita bread.
Cranberry Cracker Spread
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup dried cranberries, minced
- ¼ cup pecans, finely chopped
In a small bowl, mix cream cheese, orange juice concentrate, sugar, orange peel and cinnamon until fluffy. Stir in cranberries and pecans. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Honey Ham Spread
- ½ pound baked, smoked or honey ham
- 1 15-ounce can white beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons honey mustard
- ½ teaspoon red pepper sauce
- 1 medium clove garlic, pressed
- Fresh black pepper
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
Put ham in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add beans, mustard, pepper sauce, garlic, pepper and fresh chives. Spoon into serving bowl, cover and refrigerate. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.
Walnut Cheese Spread
- 12 ounces farmers’ cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup finely ground walnuts
- Pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
Set aside a small amount of ground walnuts for garnish. In a small mixing bowl, combine cheese, garlic, butter, walnuts, pepper and dill. Beat until thoroughly blended. Mound on a serving plate and garnish with ground walnuts and fresh dill sprigs.
