Easy Fruit Dip

8 oz pkg cream cheese

1/2 cup any flavor fruit preserves or jelly

Simply allow the cream cheese to soften at room temperature for a half hour or microwave on low heat for a few seconds at a time until the cream cheese is slightly softened.  Next, stir in the preserves or jelly and mix thoroughly.  Chill until ready to serve.  Makes about 1 1/2 cups fruit dip.

Corn and Bean Salsa

1 can whole kernel corn (8 ounce)

1 can black beans or turtle beans (15 ounce)

1 container thick and chunky salsa (16 to 20 ounce)

Stir all ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to serve with corn chips, tortilla chips, or crackers.  It also can be heated and used as an amazing topping for spanish rice. 

Cheese Dip

16 ounces Velveeta Cheese

1 can Campbell’s Cheddar Cheese Soup

Combine the cheese and soup in a saucepan over low heat.  Stir frequently to keep from scorching.  Heat until ingredients appear smooth and creamy.  Serve hot with chips or crackers.  (FYI, this also makes an amazing mac and cheese.  Simply add cooked elbow macaroni to the thoroughly heated cheese mixture.)

Ham and Cheese Ball

1 8oz container Ham Salad

1 8oz pkg cream cheese

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine softened cream cheese and ham salad either with a mixer or by stirring thoroughly by hand.  Line the inside of a medium bowl with plastic wrap, leaving excess wrap over the rim of the bowl.  Fill the lined bowl with the cream cheese and ham salad mixture.  Chill for 1 hour.  Just before serving, turn bowl upside down on a serving plate and remove the plastic wrap.  Cover in chopped pecans, pressing them slightly onto the cheese ball.  Serve with crackers. 

Ultimate Veggie Dip

1/2 cup baby carrots

1 stick celery

1/2 of a small-med cucumber

1 8oz container sour cream

1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix

Add carrots, celery, and cucumber to food processor and pulse until finely chopped (or chop very finely by hand).  In a medium bowl, thoroughly combine the sour cream and soup mix, then stir in veggie mixture and mix until smooth and creamy.  Chill overnight to allow flavors to combine.  Serve cold with assorted vegetables, chips, or crackers.