Sundried Tomato Dip

From Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped (8 tomatoes)
• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup good mayonnaise
• 10 dashes Tabasco sauce
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 3/4 freshly ground black pepper
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)

Directions:

1. Puree the tomatoes, cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, Tabasco sauce, salt and pepper in a food processor fitted with a metal blade.
2. Add the scallions and pulse twice.
3. Serve at room temperature.

Tex-Mex Black Bean Dip

Ingredients:

• 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained
• 1/2 cup thick and chunky salsa
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded pepper jack cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

Directions:

1. Mash 1/4 of the black beans in a small sauce pan.
2. Stir in salsa, ground cumin and remaining whole beans.
3. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Stir in cheese, cilantro and lime juice, and cook mixture over medium heat until cheese melts, stirring frequently.
5. Serve warm or at room temperature with tortilla chips.

Warm Roasted Pepper Dip

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 small red onion, roughly chopped
• 4 large red bell peppers, cored, seeded and roughly chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes, cored and sliced into thick wedges
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 jalapeno (cored and seeded if you prefer a milder flavor)
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground peppercorns
• 1/4 cup heavy cream (more if you like a thinner dip)
• 1/4 pound mozzarella or queso fresco, cut into small cubes

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Grease a large glass baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the onion, bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic and jalapeno to the baking dish. Sprinkle with the salt and ground peppercorns, drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and toss to coat. Roast the vegetables until they are soft and brown, about 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
3. Transfer the vegetables to a blender along with the cream and process until smooth.
4. Pour the puree into a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium, add the cheese, and cook until it starts to melt, 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Turn off the heat. Taste and adjust the salt if necessary. Serve warm with tortilla chips.