Tasty Tuesday : Dip Party

Hi everyone!  For today's Tasty Tuesday, I'm going to be sharing a quick dinner party idea with you all.  Last week, I was feeling social and invited over a fellow local blogger for some food and beer.  It was during the week, so I didn't really feel like cooking anything after a long day at work, and didn't want to order pizza either.  I came up with a simple idea that ended up being a lot of fun and low key. Enter the dip party!

It really doesn't get much easier than this- all I had to do was open a bunch of packages and serve the dips up in pretty bowls.  I found a bunch of fun dips and finger foods at Trader Joe's and Aldi's with different flavors and textures, and served it alongside a few different kinds of chips and pretzels.  There was enough variety that no matter who you serve, they'll be happy!  For another variation, you could also have a dip potluck and ask everyone to bring their favorite homemade dip (just make sure everyone doesn't bring Buffalo Chicken Dip!!)

Here are the dips that I got and some of my thoughts on each of them.  I hope this is useful in case you want to have your own dip party (or just a fun dinner for yourself):

Spicy guacamole (Aldis) - I get the medium-spicy version, and it's pretty mild.  I like how this guacamole comes in two 8-oz bags, which is the perfect amount for a party!  I prefer most homemade salsas over store bought, but this one is really good.

Kosher Dill Pickles (TJ) - These pickles are the perfect snack size once they're cut in quarters.  They're delicious!

Roasted Tomatillo and Mango Salsa (TJ) - This salsa was way too spicy for me, but everyone else seemed to enjoy it.  I would just warn your guests that it's hot!

Dolmas (TJ) - I absolutely love grape leaves, and these are fantastic.  They look really pretty served up in a bowl and add something special and different to the spread.

Cowboy Caviar (TJ) - This is another more spicy dip.  It has corn, black beans and pepper and has a good kick to it.

Olive Tapenade (TJ) - I like the fact that this tapenade has both green and kalamata olives, which adds more of a depth of flavor.  I love olives, which is why I have it in a dip form as well as whole!

Corn and Chile Tomato-less Salsa (TJ) - My all-time favorite dip from Trader Joe's.  I use this as a salsa, add it to burrito bowls, or mixed in dishes.  It has a sweet taste with just a tiny (not too intense) kick from the chiles.

Kalamata Olives (Aldis) - You can always mix different kinds of olives, or get a few specialty ones from an olive bar!  I kept it simple by getting a jar of regular (pitted) kalamata olives.

Cumin Spiced Pinto Bean Dip (homemade from Thug Kitchen cookbook) - I made a batch of bean dip the night before, and it held up really well.  This was a really mild flavor that helps to balance out the other, more bold dips.


What's your favorite kind of dip?
Do you ever have themed dinner parties?