pumpkin dip

I mentioned in my last post that I met some new friends this weekend. We were invited to a potluck at their place on Saturday, and although Adam had met them once, I hadn't. Making food for people you've never met can be kind of tricky. There's all of the "What do I want them to think of me as reflected by the food that I take?" angst, accompanied by the facts: I didn't have time to make anything quite as elaborate as I would have hoped. But I decided to go for a guaranteed crowd-pleaser and cross my fingers that the others would eat dairy: dips. I made two dips, a sour cream and salsa kind of nacho dip and this sweet pumpkin one. With two cups of sugar, it makes no bones about the fact that it's a treat and is certainly not a healthy dip. (Maybe next time I'll make hummus.) It's the kind of thing that you (ahem, I) just might be tempted to eat by the spoonful and skip the chips altogether. Oh, and the chips! Tortillas cut into triangles (you could, of course use cutters and make cute shapes), lightly brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, and toasted until golden. For you fellow Canadians out there, thinking ahead to Thanksgiving next weekend, who may want to try something new: here it is.

Pumpkin Dip
1 can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) (the big one that's about 2 cups' worth)
1 block cream cheese (softened, if you think of it in time)
2 cups icing sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 teeny pinch cloves
1 pinch nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground ginger

In mixer, beat cream cheese and icing sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add pumpkin, spices and vanilla, and mix until blended, scraping down sides if needed. Serve warm or chilled with sweet toasted tortilla chips, and refrigerate any leftover dip. This recipe makes 3 1/2 cups, which is a lot. So plan to share!