March is full of special food days.  For example, Friday is National Ravioli Day (think red sauce), and we just passed Oatmeal Cookie Day yesterday.  Of course, St. Patrick's Day has all kinds of food-related memories:  a juicy corned beef, chunky soda bread with currants, green beer...but we digress.

Monday is a day that probably needs a boost: National Chip and Dip Day.  What better time than cold, fickle March, in the midst of the basketball madness, to settle in with a big bowl of chips --- flavored or not --- and a tasty homemade dip?

Some people go for  thick, almost spreadable dips, like the smoked salmon/green onion/cream cheese version,  which requires a hearty chip to hold all the goodies.  Others go for the classic mid-50s fave, the sour cream and dried onion soup melange, which adapts itself quite easily to any kind of carrier you might have around.  And it gets better after sitting for 24 hours (refrigerated, of course!)

Dips are a little special treat you can give yourself and your family and they're easy to make from scratch, easier still to pick up in our stores.  Right now, I'm heavily involved with an uber-dip, the wonderful guacamole, which I prefer especially spicy.  Sometimes, I like a messy, drippy cheese and refried bean mix, baked in the oven, really gooey.  I include dips like hummus into the category, and those creative dips, like the spinach and water chestnuts blended with cottage cheese, served up in a big round of sourdough bread.  Parmesan and artichokes?  Pumpkin, cinnamon and just a hint of cream cheese?  What's your favorite nosh when you're got the attention of a big bag of chips?  (And even though it's National Chip and Dip Day, sometimes it's just right to sub out fresh veggies for those chips.)