Cotija Corn Dip

I made this dip for Cinco de Mayo and it was a hit! Cheesy, slightly sweet, slightly salty, and done in less than 30 minutes.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
4 ears corn
1 shallot, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 package 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1 cup cotija cheese
kosher salt and fresh black pepper to taste
tortilla chips for serving

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375.
2) Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic and cook for a few minutes, being careful not to burn.
3) Cut kernels off of corn into a bowl. Scoop kernels into skillet, and cook for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
4) Mix together sour cream, cream cheese, and cotija in a bowl. Once mixed well, add corn mixture and combine.
5) Put mix in a baking dish and bake for 10-12 minutes. Serve hot!

 

 

Adapted from The Minimalist Baker.

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Queso Fundido

Holy cheese. This was SO good. It lasted about 10 minutes.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb chorizo or hot sausage
1 white onion, diced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 lb Monterey Jack cheese, grated or cut up small if you get one of the cheese “blocks”
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
3 roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
tortilla chips

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400.
2) Cook sausage in large skillet until browned. (If there’s a lot of grease, drain off once cooked.)
3) Add onion and bell peppers to skillet and cook for 8 minutes over medium high.
4) In an oven proof dish, spray with pam and put a third of the cheese over the bottom.
5) Top with sausage / pepper mixture, then more cheese, and keep layering until used up.
6) Sprinkle the dip with chili powder and cumin.
7) Bake for at least 5 minutes or until cheese is nice and melted and starting to brown on top.
8) Remove from oven and garnish with tomatoes and cilantro.
9) Burn your tongue like me because you’re so excited to eat it you can’t wait for it to cool down.

 

 

Cheesy Brussels Sprouts Dip

This picture does not do this dip justice – but it was divine. Brussels sprouts, shallots, three types of cheeses. Serve straight from the oven and dig in!

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 1/2 cups Brussels sprouts, roughly chopped
1 shallot, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/2 cup light sour cream
4 oz light cream cheese
1 cup low-fat mozzarella
1/4 cup Parmesan
kosher salt and fresh black pepper to taste

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375.
2) Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a cast iron skillet and heat over medium. Add shallot and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
3) Add Brussels sprouts, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes until starting to soften and remove pan from heat.
4) In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, cream cheese, mozzarella and Parmesan until well mixed. Add Brussels sprouts to the bowl and stir together.
5) Place dip back in the pan and flatten so it cooks evenly.  Bake for 15 minutes.
6) Serve with whatever you’d like – I chose the reduced-guilt pita chips from Trader Joes since I’d already used light, low-fat, etc. and decided I wouldn’t blow it.

 

 

 

As found on The Minimalist Baker.