Oh, how I love the crockpot! It's like a magical portal. You put a few simple ingredients in, walk away for an hour, and what you find when you return is something so rich and flavorful, it can't possibly be what you started with. One of my favorite uses for a crockpot is warm dips for parties. Rich, cheesy, meaty, flavorful dips to share with friends while watching a game or sharing some laughs. Today I'm sharing five favorites, including a fabulous dessert dip. The first recipe (shown in the photo) is courtesy of a couple of Mrs. Fields employees, John and Barbara, who brought this to share with everyone at the office. It was so good, I had to share it with you!
Spicy Sausage & Queso Dip
2 lbs. hot Italian sausage 1 large onion, diced 1 lb. Velveeta Queso Blanco cheese, cubed 2 cans (10 oz.) Rotel diced tomatoes with chiles 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage and drain fat. Add diced onion and cook until onion is translucent. Add diced tomatoes and allow to simmer until most of the tomato juice has been reduced. Transfer meat and tomatoes to a crockpot and add cubed cheese. Stir and leave to cook for at least one hour, or until cheese has completely melted. Serve with fresh tortilla chips.
HINT: This dip is super spicy and delicious. If you want to reduce the heat, use mild sausage and mild flavored tomatoes.
Hot Cheeseburger Dip
1 lb. lean ground beef 1 lb. Velveeta cheese, cubed 1/2 package taco seasoning 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 can Rotel diced tomatoes
Directions In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown ground beef and drain fat. Add beef and all remaining ingredients to a crockpot. Cover and heat on high for an hour, stirring occasionally to keep cheese from burning on sides. Once cheese is completely melted, reduce heat to low or warm setting and serve with tortilla chips, celery sticks, or pita chips.
Spicy Buffalo Chicken Dip
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese 1/2 cup bleu cheese salad dressing 1/2 cup spicy hot wing sauce 2 cups cooked shredded chicken (canned chicken works great) Directions Add all ingredients to a crockpot, stir and cook for an hour on high, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low or warm and serve with pretzel chips, or thick-cut potato chips.
Spinach Artichoke Dip
1 package frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained) 1 can artichokes, drained and finely chopped 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 1 cup mayonaise 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions Combine all ingredients in a crockpot and stir. Cover and heat on high for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low or warm and serve with cubes of artisan bread or crackers.
Warm Pumpkin Pie Dip
1 large can pumpkin pie filling 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese 1/2 cup sour cream 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts (optional)
Directions Place cream cheese in the crockpot and top with sour cream and pumpkin pie filling. Cover and heat on high for 1 hour, stirring occasionally until cheese is melted and combined completely. Reduce heat and sprinkle with walnuts. Serve with sliced apples, pretzels, or gingersnap cookies.