Jalapeño Popper Dip

It’s football season! Which for a lot of us mean it’s chip and dip season! Here’s a favorite of mine and for the studio folks. Jalapeño Popper Dip - so crispy, so cheesy, so packed with flavor!

Serve it up in the den, on the tailgate, or in the studio break room - no matter where or when, it’s going to be gobbled up and enjoyed!

Ingredients:

• 2 8oz packages of cream cheese

• 1/2 cup mayonaise

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 4 medium Jalapeño peppers, seeds removed and finely chopped (for extra spicy dip, leave some seeds!)

• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

• 1cup shredded mozzarella cheese

• 3/4 cup chopped green onion

• 1 cup crispy bacon (or turkey bacon) bits

Topping:

• 6 Tblsp melted butter

• 2 1/2 cup Ritz crackers crushed

• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic powder, black pepper, and chopped jalepenos. Stir well making sure all ingredients are well blended.

3. Add cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, green onion and bacon bits to cream cheese mixture and stir well again.

4. Place mixture in a 7x11” oven proof pan. (Any casserole or baking dish that is at least 1” deep will work.)

5. In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, Ritz crackers, parmesan cheese, and spread over top of dip mixture.

6. Cover pan with foil and cook for approximately 45 minutes, remove foil and cook for approximately 10 minutes more or until topping is crisp.

The next step is to grab your favorite bag of chip and get to dippin’! This dip also is the bomb to top your tacos or any Tex-Mex sorta meal!

Cheesy Jalepeño Loaf

Fall is in the air, in fact, we tried to have a BBQ at the studio recently and even though the sun was shining brightly, the wind was from the north and so cold we picked up our plates and headed in to eat in the dining room!

I can't think of a better way to eat my way through this transitional time that with a mix of fresh veggies and fruits from the garden and some warm comfort foods like soups. Paired with those items, there can be nothing better than a thick slice of this dense cheesy bread.

Made with a beer batter base, and incorporating a little spice (not too much) with jalepeño peppers, it's just the ticket to a tailgater, an office potluck, or your next family meal.

It's "Steve Made" of course, so you know it's been tried and tested.  Here ya go!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup packed shredded pepper jack cheese
• 1/4 cup pickled jalepeño peppers, chopped
• 2 tablespoons green onion (green part), chopped
• 12 ounces of beer 
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Grease a 9 x 5 bread loaf pan with butter.
3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, garlic salt, and sugar in a large bowl.
4. Add the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, jalepeños, and green onion, stir until combined.
5. Add beer to mixture, using a spatula stir until combined and batter is wet.
6. Transfer the batter to the greased loaf pan. Use the spatula to level the top.
7. Add the melted butter to the top of the batter, making sure to cover the entire top of the batter.
8. Bake for 1 hour, or until a knife inserted in the middle of bread comes out clean.
9. Remove bread pan from oven to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Then remove bread from loaf pan and let cool on wire rack for 5 more minutes.

Mmmmm. Thanks Steve!