What Side/dip Would You Take to a Pool Party?

We usually do fruit dip. 1 bar of cream cheese mixed with 1 jar of marshmallow Fluff. It's a great dip for strawberries, but works with any fruit. Just put the fruit and dip on ice!

I was going to suggest the 7 layer dip with Tortilla chips.

Place the bowl or plate in a larger bowl of ice to keep it chilled once it is prepared.

1. Can of refried pinto beans.. Spread on plate or bottom of bowl

2. Sour cream... spread on top of beans

3. Salsa.. pour on top of sour cream

4. Chopped Green onions, sliced Jalapenos drained (optional), chopped Tomatoes... Sprinkle on top of sour cream

5. Shredded lettuce .. on top of Onions, jalapenos and tomatoes

6. Can of sliced black olives drained.. on top of lettuce

7. Shredded sharp cheddar cheese.. on top of lettuce

Chill for 2 to 3 hours.

You can add cooked taco meat. it would go on top of the bean layer.
And yes, this is good chilled..

Fruit kabobs!

Use honey dew, cantaloupe, pineapple chunks and watermelon. I would put crushed ice on the tray and cover it with saran wrap and lay the kabobs on top of the saran wrap to keep them cool.

Have fun at the party!

Does it need to be a dip?
I would take a huge bowl of watermelon. Either cut it in triangular wedges and line them up on a platter, or cut it into chunks and either put it in a bowl, or place it back inside the hollowed out (decoratively cut) rind. Place whichever over a "bed" of ice in another container beneath the bowl or platter.

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ETA
The fruit dip Cheerful mentioned is wonderful. My kids would eat it by the spoonful even without the fruit!

Pico de Gallo and Chips

Pico de Gallo:

chopped tomatoes
chopped cilantro, whole bunch
chopped white onion
juice of 1 lime and 1 lemon
garlic salt, to taste

My kids devour this. I get black bean garlic chips at costco.
It's always fresh, a big hit, and no cheese or dairy to go bad.

Corn Dip
1 box cream cheese
1 can Rotel tomatoes and chilis
2 cans corn - drained
Smidge garlic powder

Put it all in a bowl and nuke it until it is soft - 1 min at a time and stir
Serve with fritos scoops.

I have this WONDERFUL Pampered Chef bowl and platter...it is freezable so that I can take dips and deviled eggs to parties and they don't go bad...

http://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/prod_details.tpc?pro...=

http://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/prod_details.tpc?pro...

http://www.pamperedchef.com/our_products/catalog/product....

7 layer dip - cheese, refried beans, lettuce, salsa

guacamole and chips (make sure you leave one avocado seed in there to help keep it from turning brown).

deviled eggs

if you don't have the stuff I showed you up top? Watermelon bowl. You can freeze the watermelon "shell" and put the fruit in...it will keep it cool for about 2 to 3 hours...if the fruits not all gone by then....

if it does NOT have to be a dip? A side I might take are the tortilla rolls or BBQ meatballs on toothpicks...

hope that helps!

I would do a giant bowl of watermelon.

bean salad-
beans of your choosing, oil, vinegar, and italian spice mix

Salsa
diced tomato, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, lime, salt, pepper, a bit of oil and chunks of any or all of the following.
corn
mango
tomato
pineapple

gazpacho
take your basic salsa recipie, add seeded cuccumber, bread, and a few anchovies (if you care for them), blend until smooth enough to drink, or puree and dunk.

bruschetta
tomato, red peppers, capers, olives, onion, garlic, salt & pepper roast on a baking tray, then run through a blender with some olive oil till thicker than cream cheese, smear on good bread.

tatziki-
strain greek yogurt through a cheese cloth, mix in seeded chopped cuccumber, garlic, salt, pepper, mint, serve with pita chips.

hummus-
chickpeas, sesame paste, olive oil, lemon, salt, pepper, garlic

yum

I would take a big bowl of green and red grape bunches and maybe some strawberries. not sure how the food will be set up but a favorite trick of mine is to go to a party store and get one of the deep foil pans and one of the shallow ones. put ice in the bottom of the deep one. then the shallow one on top with your dip / fruit / whatever . it will keep it cold. we do this for every party. in fact doing it tonight for my sons 18th birthday.

Do you have a Costco? All of their dips are amazing, and you don't have o make it. :)

Fruit dip.

1 block of cream cheese, softened (at room temp)
1 jar marshmallow fluff
1 container Cool Whip, thawed

In a mixer, combine cream cheese and fluff. Once thoroughly mixed, gently add Cool Whip. Mix until combined. Refrigerate in covered container. Serve with fruit. Great with grapes, strawberries, canteloupe, honeydew, sliced apple, pear, and pineapple. Best on one of those trays you can put on ice.

Those 7 layer dips/chips usually are really popular. I would go with that or something similar (buffalo chicken dip, baked potato dip) since it is going to be so hot and you don't have to worry about it getting cold. I also think a lot of people like the spinach dip in the bread bowl.

I would avoid cheese & crackers. I cannot stand cheese in the heat when it starts to get mushy. Veggies cut up with dip would be good as well.

I wouldn't do anything with dairy (eg, sour cream, yogurt, cream cheese) unless you have a way to keep it cool so it doesn't go bad in 30 minutes in the sun.

I would take a fruit salad, or fresh salsa and chips. A good, easy salsa receipe:
1 can diced tomatoes with jalapenos
1/4 C chopped white onion
2 T chopped green onions
chopped cilantro to taste