I must confess, I’m not much of a football fan.
Don’t get me wrong, I like watching football, I just don’t get overly excited and I don’t watch enough to have a favorite team.
However, I love the Super Bowl.
I love getting together with friends to share good times and good food. And hey, who doesn’t love all the new commercials and the half-time show? I must also confess, I like watching people get excited as the game goes on.
The big game is a good time to try out new recipes or bring out one of your favorites for everyone to sample.
It’s also a time when you can get away with simple finger foods rather than trying to plan a full meal. At many gatherings, everyone pitches in to bring something to the table.
One of the classic standbys for game day is chips and dip. It’s a classic for good reasons: It’s delicious, it’s an easy food to snack on and it’s fun to eat.
But perhaps the biggest reason the old chips and dip has remained a classic is the wide variety of flavors that can be found. There are so many different dips, there is sure to be something for everyone.
These recipes are some of my favorite dips and they are sure to score you some points at the party.

Crab Dip
This dip is good with chips or crackers.
Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1⁄3 cup diced onion
4 tablespoon butter, softened
1⁄3 cup finely diced green pepper
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1⁄2 teaspoon paprika
4 teaspoon mayonnaise
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
4 6-ounce cans of crab meat, drained
Chives and parsley to garnish
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream and butter until smooth. Blend in seasoned salt and paprika.
Stir in onion, pepper, mozzarella cheese and crab meat.
Spoon into a lightly greased shallow baking dish.
Bake for 10-14 minutes.

Dairy Delicious Dip
This dip is perfect for fruit trays and is easy to make.
Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1⁄2 cup sour cream
1⁄4 cup sugar
1⁄4 cup packed brown sugar
1 to 2 tablespoon maple syrup
Directions:
In a small mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, sugars and syrup to taste. Beat until smooth. Chill. Serve chilled with fresh fruit.

Buffalo Chicken Dip
Serve this spicy dip with chips, crackers or celery sticks
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1⁄2 cup ranch dressing
1⁄2 cup buffalo wing sauce (I like Moore’s, but use whatever brand you prefer)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1⁄2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (you can use blue cheese crumbles if you prefer)
1 tablespoon finely chopped red peppers
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix first three ingredients in bowl until blended.
Stir in chicken and cheese.
Spoon lightly greased into shallow baking dish.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Sprinkle peppers over top.

Jalapeno Hummus
A spicy dip that is also a more health conscious option than traditional dip. Try serving crackers or pita chips with this hummus.
Ingredients:
2 14-ounce cans chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) drained; reserve the juice
1⁄3 cup olive oil
4 fresh jalapeno peppers, de-seeded
4 garlic cloves
1⁄4 cup lemon juice
1⁄4 teaspoon sea salt (you can also use regular salt if you don’t have sea salt on hand)
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor. Blend together slowly, adding a little of the reserved liquid from the beans at a time until your hummus is at your desired consistency.
Note: If you find the jalapeno peppers too hot for your taste, this recipe can easily be altered. Try replacing the jalapenos with a bell pepper instead. Or try your own ideas until you find the blend you like.
Abby was born and raised in the Stoney Creek community of Carter County. Her love of cooking grew over the years as she worked in the kitchen alongside her mother and grandmother. Reach her at abby.frye@elizabethton.com.