The One with the Dip

My family has never really cared much for sports (watching or playing), but boy, do we enjoy watching expensive commercials while munching on salty treats. When I was a child we would always go for the quick and easy store bought French onion dip with plain potato chips. Pairing this with different bologna, cheeses, and crackers created a salty bounty of yumminess. As my sisters and I got older and began exploring different culinary avenues than what our parents traditionally stuffed us with, we began crafting our own dips. One of my all time favorite dips is a spinach dip paired with bread or crackers. I prefer it cold with the crunch of water chestnuts and the tang of a vegetable soup mixture of dried seasonings. For a more sophisticated taste, I like to make a roasted red pepper dip. Once upon a time I stumbled upon the recipe in one of my first cookbooks. Hello, adulting. Ranch or veggie dips with carrots or salsa (sometimes sweet or spicy) have always been classics as well. Fresh fruit such as strawberries or pineapple dipped in a whipped topping always satisfies that pesky sweet tooth (not to mention a glass or two of wine).

If I'm in the mood for a hot, toasty dip I often do the traditional buffalo chicken dip in the oven paired with tortilla chips. And absolutely no bleu cheese please. Hello, puke central. That is one cheese that I would never be able to understand. Speaking of puke, another time I experimented by making a pizza dip via the crockpot. It smelled amazing and even tasted rather good with chunks of fresh Italian bread. The problem was that it looked a little gross, especially when I spilled it all over the front passenger seat of my car (sorry to the mechanic at Walmart who had to take care of some repairs the next morning before I could clean up what looked to be puke).

My mother has been experimenting more and more with new recipes. She makes an incredible warm, cheesy, gooey crab dip. I have become a master soft pretzel maker during the past two years while working at the sweetest little café in central Pennsylvania. I have the recipe pretty well memorized. Homemade soft pretzels dipped in cheesy crab dip is quite the upgrade compared to the childhood lazy store bought French onion dip. Hello, maturity, adulting and experimenting in the kitchen. New found confidence and freedom, here I come. Thank you, to the evolution of dips that show me how much I have learned and grown over the years. From a simple, easy, little dip to a complicated, difficult and sophisticated dip, I too have evolved.

Sometimes I miss those simpler times, when everything in life seemed easier and there was not much to worry about. I was so innocent and new nothing of the terrors of this world. No crazy overwhelming feelings or negative thoughts to have to deal with. No complicated directions to follow in recipes (or big life-altering decisions to make) that could likely end in disaster. In those moments I have learned to simply be still. It's always in the quietness of pressing pause that I remember the warm, cheesy feelings. I remember the struggles that taught me to outrun my fear and persevere even when life seems to be too much for me to handle. I remember the joy of tasting victory of a dip well-cooked (or taking even the smallest steps toward healing from life's wounds) and celebrating with friends. Here's to pressing on, new adventures, more laughter, and of course new dips.