Simply Homemade: Dill Pickle Wrap Dip

This week’s post is brought to you by my love of pickles! There’s just something so satisfying about that salty, acidic, fresh, crunchy bite that gets me every time. My sister introduced this version of this recipe to me and I haven’t bothered with another version since then! I think my love of pickles

stemmed (partly) from growing up in a household and extended family of picklers. For those of you not familiar with that term, it means the women in my family loved to take fresh veggies of nearly any kind and make their own pickling liquid to preserve those veggies in jars. These jars would be opened throughout the year, brought to various functions, and shared with others.

This tradition is still alive and well. But, because it’s my over-achieving family, it’s been taken to new levels. Quick refrigerator pickles are still done in mass quantities and are incredibly easy. But…the pickling liquid has also been tweaked so it’s fitting for green beans, zucchini spears, onions, and banana peppers! On top of that, the refrigerator pickles are sweet, the green beans are garlicky, and the banana peppers have some heat to them. Such a great variety of different pickled veggies, it’s difficult to choose a favorite! It’s nearly impossibly to top anything homemade but even harder to do so when it’s homemade and pickled!

That being said…some recipes made for groups (like this delicious dill pickle wrap dip) call for that good ‘ol fashioned store bought dill pickle flavor over the new and improved pickling recipe tweaks. Once I was able to push away the guilt of using something non-homemade (insert shudder here), I realized there are benefits to this. Number one, I get to save the yummy pickled green beans and banana peppers for myself. Number two, my favorite brand of store bought pickles come in a sliced option which makes for easy peasy chopping. Number three, I get to have a variety of pickled items in my fridge and pantry for when my random pickle cravings strike. Oh yeah!!!

Ok, onto the actual recipe chat! I’m sure you’ve all enjoyed (and maybe created) those cute little dill pickle wrap appetizers. The one with a pickle spear rolled up in a slice of lunchmeat smeared with cream cheese? So adorable, right? Let’s be honest though, they are also a pain in the patootie to make. Cue this simpler version of that recipe! Same ingredients chopped up with a little of the fabulous pickle juice and extra spices tossed in to your liking then mixed and served with crackers. Voila! No more trying to spread even layers of cream cheese on lunchmeat. No more trying to roll those up on a pickle and praying it sticks. No more serving random lunchmeat rolls on a tray. Just an incredibly fresh dip that’s easy to make and ridiculously addicting to eat. I love this recipe so much and sincerely hope you (and the people at your next party) love it too!

Could this recipe be ANY easier?

Sliced pickles=super simple chopping!

Wayyyyy cuter for presentation than the rolled version! This can easily be made ahead and put in the fridge until just before serving time too 🙂