Caramelized Onion Bacon Dip – This bakes for twenty minutes. It’s great with a sliced baguette or bagel chips or any basic cracker… It doesn’t much matter what you put it on.
Many archaeologists, botanists, and food historians believe onions originated in central Asia. Other research suggests onions were first grown in Iran and West Pakistan. It is presumed our predecessors discovered and started eating wild onions very early – long before farming or even writing was invented.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook bacon. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Add onions, sugar, and a pinch of salt to skillet and cook until soft and starting to turn golden, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until onions are a deep golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Stir in vinegar and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until vinegar is reduced by half. Add thyme and stir to combine. Remove from heat.
In a medium bowl, stir together sour cream, mayonnaise, and cheese. Crumble bacon into pieces and add along with the onions. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
Transfer to a small baking dish or ovenproof skillet (2 cup capacity) and bake until mixture is bubbly and top is golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is a hardy annual related to beets and Swiss chard that has been used by humans for a long time. Native to southwest Asia, it was first cultivated in Persia (Iran) over 2000 years ago and used by the Chinese in the 6th century.
Avocados found their origin in Southern Mexico, where they naturally grow. Because of this, guacamole was inherently created by the Aztecs who inhabited that region of Mexico. Avocados contain a lot of health benefits, natural fats, and nutrients. They are a high source of carbs and healthy fats and may even help with cholesterol and blood sugar levels. One serving of guacamole can act as a quarter of your daily fiber recommended intake. Obviously, the Aztecs did not know about the exact health benefits of avocados, but they were aware that eating avocados made them feel good. In some cases, avocados were even seen as an aphrodisiac.
Artichoke Dill Dip – We serve this with those fancy Keebler crackers. It would serve up well with any cracker though. Some like it served with veggies. Quite a dip.
Native to the western and central Mediterranean and North Africa, the artichoke was domesticated and carried to the eastern Mediterranean in ancient times, though it was then valued for its young leaves rather than the immature flower heads.
This is a dipping sauce that is very famous for its Tex-Mex origin. It is made of beans or refried beans. Unlike regular bean salsa, it is blended into a smooth consistency along with other ingredients like green chiles, cream cheese, cheese, and jalapeno among others.
Originally, vegetables were collected from the wild by hunter-gatherers and entered cultivation in several parts of the world, probably during the period 10,000 BC to 7,000 BC, when a new agricultural way of life developed.
