hi monique! lori posted this a couple of years ago and i have made it many times since. we think it's great and works fine at room temp or cooler.

White Bean Dip with Pita Chips -- Lori
1 (15-ounce) can cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons
1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 pitas
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the beans, garlic, lemon juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, and parsley in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the bean puree to a small bowl. (Note: The dip will turn green in a relatively short time due to the fresh parsley.)
Cut each pita in half and then into 8 wedges. Arrange the pita wedges on a large baking sheet. Pour the remaining oil over the pitas. Toss and spread out the wedges evenly. Sprinkle with the oregano, salt, and pepper. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until toasted and golden in color.
Serve the pita toasts warm or at room temperature alongside the bean puree.

a friend of mine brought us a batch a few years ago and it's easy and good. clearly, you could add in additional seasonings easily but it is best served fairly cold.

BarbÂs Shrimp Dip

1 pkg. of cream cheese - softened
½ # of small shrimp
some finely diced onions or scallions
1 clove of very finely diced garlic
salt
pepper
lemon juice (to taste, I don't use much maybe an 1/8 tsp. or a little more)
mayo  to taste. If you like the taste and consistency of cream cheese, use less mayo.
Mix it all together and you have basic shrimp dip.

i found this in a newspaper somewhere and made it for a vegetarian friend. it's pretty tasty, but i prefer to increase the zest a little.

Toasty Walnut and Orange Hummus

Combine in a food processor:
½ C toasted walnuts (350 degree oven for 8 minutes)
3 T walnut oil
1 clove chopped garlic

To the above, add:
14 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tsp salt
½ tsp orange zest
¼ C orange juice
¼ tsp pepper
and continue to blend to an even, creamy consistency

Place into a small serving bowl and serve with toasted pita bread, cut into quarters (or smaller) and raw vegetable pieces

Baba Gannouj is traditionally served with either Pita or Khoubiz.

Baba Ghannouj

1 medium sized eggplant (about a pound)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini
2 cloves garlic
Salt to taste
1 tbls olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

Grill eggplant over a charcoal fire for 30-40 minutes, turning frequently. Alternatively place on center shelf in a hot oven (400F) and cook until soft, again turning often.*
Peel off the skin while hot and remove stem and end of eggplant if firm.

Chop flesh and pound in a mortar & pestle to a puree or place in food processor and puree. Blend in most of the lemon juice and gradually add the tahini.

Crus garlic to a paste with the salt and add to eggplant. Beat well and adjust flavor with more lemon juice and salt.

Beat in olive oil and parsley.

*Traditional Baba Ghannouj has a slight smokiness about it, which comes from grilling the eggplant. If roasting in the oven, a drop or two of liquid smoke doesn't hurt.

In addition to dips, as such, have you considered savory spreads? Chopped chicken liver, for instance, goes very well with Pita, as does a smoked salmon spread, etc.

Thank you!

I should be good now..I searched some of my books also..I will try and take a picture:)
San I had a similar WBD..but that orange hummus is brand new to me..I had thought of Baba Ghannouj also!

GREEK FETA DIP (about 3 cups)
1 lb feta, crumbled
6 TBL olive oil, divided
1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled & chopped
2 hot peppers, seeded & chopped
1 TBL chopped fresh oregano (Greek, if you can get it)
3 pickled pepperoncini, seeded 7 chopped
Pepper to taste
3 TBL fresh lemon juice
Crackers or toasted pita triangles

In the work bowl of a food processor with the steel blade, combine chese & 2 TBL olive oil. Mix until smooth. Add bell pepper, hot peppers, oregano, pepperoncini & pepper. Process until well combined. Add remaining 4 TBL olive oil & lemon juice. Continue procesing until creamy. Serve w/crackers or pita triangles.~~Fare to Remember

Monique this one is excellent!

Homemade Boursin with Herbs

1 lb Farmers cheese or cottage cheese & 1/2 lb Ricotta ( I use small curd cottage and smooth ricotta)
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 c butter,softened
3-4 large garlic cloves,minced ( I use 3)
2 medium shallots,minced
1/2 cup fresh parsley,chopped finely and packed tight
1/2 cup chopped fresh thyme OR 2/3 cup fresh dill chopped finely
1/3 cup chives,chopped finely
1 tsp pepper,freshly ground
1/4 tsp cayenne

Blend the cheeses and butter, add the remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Store in small crocks or ramekins in the fridge until well chilled. Serve slightly chilled or at room temp.

Sorry Monique, the first ingredient line should read

1 lb Farmers cheese OR 1/2 lb cottage cheese and 1/2 pound ricotta

I would be lookinga t dips that were different looking...
You are making hummus to go with the Pitas....how about a roasted red pepper dip and a spinach dip?
I would use the Knorr recipe on the knorr soup mix for the spinach...but Chase's boursi is better in my opinion and it also has flecks of green.
If you need more, I would do a curry dip....with mayo, lime juice, ginger and curry powder. It gets more yellow upo on sitting...
Linda C

Thanks everyone..I appreciate your ideas..If I have time..I'll post a picture!

It turned out well..I posted it on WFD thread..I ended up making the Toasted Walnut one.. I agree San..I upped the zest and the juice and the oil:) I like this kind of dip..creamier than what it was and wanted the additional orange taste to differentiate it from the hummus.It worked.
Thanks..and I have kept the others.

Monique, where is that WFD thread? Is that it's actual name? I can't find it.

Thanks.

Gardenlad, its the commonly used abbreviation by the cooking forumers (is that a word? LOL) for the ongoing "What's For Dinner" thread. Monique's very beautiful picture is close to the bottom.

Here is a link that might be useful: What's For Dinner

Thanks, Woodie. As you know, I don't play with those folks, so couldn't figure it out.

"Forumers". Love it! Or how about forumniks?

Monique: Great looking set up. That serving set really is the cherries! I'll have to search for one of them; maybe use it at the AHSC Fall Conference.

Everything there is from the $ store.. and all $1.00...The round platter and square metals..and the plastic terra cotta colored food friendly inserts(6 for $1.00)..the only non $ store items ..are the wee galvanized pots..IKEA ..but 3 for $1.99..mine are a tad smaller:)
I am doing this again next Sat for guests..so easy and fun...

i'm happy the orange recipe worked out for you, monique!