Bridal Shower Goodies, Part 1

I am always up for a good party - because good parties mean good food!  Last summer, my lovely cousin Courtney got married, and we had the honor of hosting a family bridal shower for her prior to the wedding.  Though the desserts were the main star of the show, we had some snack foods for a light meal, as well.  Since Courtney is a self-proclaimed frequent spill-er, we decided to choose foods that were especially hard on her - dips!  We served queso, Chalupa Dip, fresh veggies with Ranch dip, and Frozen Fruit Salad. Chalupa Dip is a layered dip that my mom often brings to our family Christmas for snacking, and the platter is almost always scraped clean.  Frozen Fruit Salad is also made for holidays occasionally, although the storage and transportation of the fruit cups is a bit more difficult.  Portioning the salad into individual plastic cups makes them easy for guests to pick up and carry - and it also prevents the problem of fruit salad juice running all over your plate.

Chalupa Dip

Ingredients

16 oz. can refried beans

9 oz. can bean dip

8 oz. sour cream

2 Tbsp. mayonnaise

3 Tbsp. Picante sauce

10 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded

1 tomato, diced

1 head lettuce, shredded

2 green onions, chopped

Tortilla chips for serving

Directions

1. Mix refried beans and bean dip; spread on large round serving platter.

2. Mix sour cream, mayo, and Picante sauce; spread over bean layer.

3. Sprinkle on half of grated cheese, followed by lettuce, onion, and tomatoes. Top with the remaining cheese.

My Notes: The platter that we usually use for this dip is about 15" diameter.  With all of the toppings, it is usually piled very high on the platter, so you may have to slightly press the lettuce into the sour cream layer for it adhere well.

Frozen Fruit Salad

Ingredients

3/4 cup (6 oz.) frozen lemonade concentrate

3/4 cup (6 oz.) frozen orange juice concentrate

15 oz. can crushed pineapple

2 1/4 cups water

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/4 cup (10 oz.) frozen or fresh sliced strawberries

4 bananas, sliced

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.

2. Use a ladle to portion into individual serving containers.  Freeze.

3. Remove from freezer about 30 minutes before serving.

My Notes: We typically serve this in 6 oz. clear plastic cups.  However, if you have leftover salad after portioning into the cups you need or do not have freezer space for storing small cups, you can freeze it in a larger serving container and scoop out your own portions. This recipe makes about 12 servings.