Jalapeño Popper Dip

That’s right, you heard it here- Jalapeño Popper Dip! I love jalapeño poppers and have even tried to make them, which didn’t turn out as well as their purchased cousin and were pretty labor intensive. The word labor makes me run the other way. Have you ever made poppers before? Dealing with jalapeños is quite an undertaking as one has to be very careful not to burn their hands or rub their eyes during the process. And frying at home can be messy sometimes. So when I found this Jalapeño Popper Spread on allrecipes.com I was trilled some one had figured out how to deconstruct these little gems and turn it into a dip. I read through some of the reviews and suggestions and developed my own version of the original recipe.

Just look at that thick layer of prebaked crust.

I took this appetizer to a neighborhood gathering last Saturday and everyone really liked it- a lot. They thought it had just enough kick and agreed that if there weren’t kids eating it too, that I could have easily added a bit more jalapeño. Can you say new dip sensation? Buffalo chicken Wing Dip it was nice knowin’ ya. This is the new It in town. Go ahead and file this one because the holidays and the Super Bowl are right around the corner, you won’t be disappointed and I think you and your friends will agree that this tastes just like the real Jalapeño Poppers.

Look at that beautiful golden crust atop a bubbly creamy and flavorful base.

Jalapeño Popper Dip
2- 8 ounce packages cream cheese, room temp
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1- 4 ounce can chopped green chilies
1- 4 ounce can sliced jalapeños- double if you like heat

1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 stick butter, melted

In a food processor add the first 6 ingredients and process until smooth. You do not need to drain either can of peppers. Spread the dip into a greased 2 quart casserole. In a bowl mix bread crumbs and the other 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Pour melted butter over top crumb mixture and mix well. Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over the dip and bake in a 375° oven for about 20 minutes. You want the top to get browned and the dip to be heated through and bubble gently on the edges. Do not over heat this dish or the mayonnaise with separate and you will have a grease puddle in your dip. Serve with Buttery crackers or a sliced French baguette. Serves 8-10.

Update- Nicole from Art and Aioli made this dip and it was a hit at her party. She spiced it up a notch by adding 2 diced fresh jalapenos. So play with your desired heat level and add more or less jalapeno peppers, you can’t go wrong!

For other delicious dips and spreads:

Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip
Spinach Artichoke Dip
Jalapeño Beer Queso
Macho Nacho Dip

Very Fun Game: We played this at the neighborhood gathering. Very Fun. Have each person write the name of a famous person, fictional or real, ten total, on a strip of paper and place in a basket. Divide into two teams, we played guys against the gals. Team one goes first. One person has to give clues to the team without revealing the name while the team tries to guess who is on the slip of paper. See how many each team can do in 30 seconds. Tally the score after each round. Rotate clue giver with each round. The team with the most points wins. The guys beat us that night because they stumped the ladies with sports people and famous band members-who the heck is Robert Plant? Oh and if you can’t describe the name you drew keep going until time is up. We came up with over 100 names so the game lasted a good hour. Try it at your next gathering.

For tomorrow in Big Red Kitchen- My 3rd instalment of Boston Day Trips- East Boston to Revere and Then Some. See some of the groovy places I visited. Wear your drool bib.

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