Dippity-Do-Dah!

Maybe you have more exciting plans than we do for New Year's Eve. We will be loading a U-Haul with Brent's worldly possessions in preparation for a cross-country trip to South Carolina. He'll begin working on his master's in sports administration at the University of South Carolina on January 10.

But if you're looking for something a little different to make for a New Year's Eve celebration, I have a contender.

I made it for a Nu Lambda-Beta Sigma Phi potluck before Christmas. It was a blast from the past. I made it years ago after it was a third-place winner in The Hutchinson News' Holiday Recipe contest back in 1988. I guess that recipe is as old as Brent.

It's a great dip for fruit, and I served it with some apples and pears for the party. But the original recipe used sweet tortilla chips: I also gave snackers that option.

In the original recipe, you make your own chips from flour tortillas. This time, I purchased already-made flour tortilla chips from Anchor Inn, a Mexican restaurant, in Hutchinson. After I got them home, I heated them briefly in the microwave and then sprinkled them with cinnamon-sugar while they were warm so the cinnamon-sugar would stick.

Whether you serve it with fruit or tortilla chips or both, it could be a pretty and tasty addition to a New Year's Eve table ... and good for leftovers when you watch football the next day. And it's super easy, too ... especially if you cheat and buy the chips. (And really, it's not cheating: It's just being efficient. Who needs more of a mess in the kitchen?)

Enjoy!

Double Delight Strawberry Dip

1 pkg. (10 tortillas) flour tortillas, cut into 8 wedges each
1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 cups whipped topping, thawed
1/2 cup powdered sugar (or to taste)
2 10-oz. pkg. frozen strawberries, thawed

Deep fry tortillas and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Store in airtight container until ready to use.

Mix together all the other ingredients until smooth. Chill well.

To serve, put dip in glass bowl in the middle of a serving tray. (Garnish with a whole, fanned strawberry, if you have one available. I didn't.) Surround with tortilla chips or fruit.