Raw fresh vegetables served with Roasted Red Pepper Dip, Garlic Dip and Cucumber Dill Dip will make you wonder why you don't have them more often. Great for summer snacks.

Now that you can buy salad-bar-ready vegetables from your local supermarket you can keep them on hand for a quick and easy healthful snack.

A to Z Vegetable for dipping

• Asparagus - spears
  
• Bell peppers: green, red, yellow and orange - sliced
  
• Broccoli - florets and stems (blanch florets for brighter color) (peel stems slice into rounds)
  
• Carrots - sticks
  
• Cauliflower - florets
  
• Cherry or grape tomatoes - leave whole
  
• Cucumber - peel, seed and cut into thick slices
  
• Green beans - remove ends, leave whole. (blanch for brighter color)
  
• Green onions - remove roots and leafy green tops (keep tops to decorate platter.
  
• Mushrooms button -leave whole unless large, then halve
  
• Radishes, make 3 or 4 shallow cuts into radish and put in cold water to take away some of the sharpness and open the radish like a flower.
  
• Yellow squash - sticks and rounds
  
• Zucchini - sticks and rounds
  

Arrange in a large platter. Serve with dip.

Hint: There are a lot of beautiful colors here. Make your platter a show piece by grouping the vegetables in greens, whites, reds, yellows so they complement rather than blend in (no green beans next to broccoli) go for contrast.



Roasted Red Pepper Dip

INGREDIENTS

3 large red bell peppers
1 small white onion
2 tspn balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tspn repper flakes
1 tblspn olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Preheat broiler.

Place peppers under broiler and cook until charred on all sides, turning frequently, about 10 minutes. Remove from broiler and cool. Peel peppers and remove the seeds and core. Place peppers and remaining ingredients in blender and puree to a rough mix. Taste and add more salt or pepper if necessary.

Makes approximately 1 cup.



Cucumber Dill Dressing

INGREDIENTS

1 medium sized cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1 pint plain yogurt
1/2 tsp Dill weed
1/4 tsp Garlic powder
1-1/2 tsp dry mustard
Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Drain and dry cucumber, mix into remaining ingredients. Chill 2 to 3 hours.

Serves 6 to 8.



Garlic Dip

INGREDIENTS

8 Oz. cream cheese
4 tblspn buttermilk*
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
Pinch of salt
Paprika and chopped parsley for decoration (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Mix first three ingredients together in a small bowl and chill. When ready to serve, place into 3 and 4 inch celery sticks. Remove strings before cutting celery stalks. Garnish with parsley and paprika before serving.

Hint:
If you do not have buttermilk, add a couple of drops of white vinegar to whole milk. While buttermilk is not absolutely necessary, it does add a lot to the dip.



Garlicky Spinach Dip

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained
1 cup sour Cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tspn. garlic powder or 3 cloves garlic, minced

DIRECTIONS

Mix ingredients well and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or until dip is chilled. Serve with toasted pita bread broken into large pieces or crackers.