Baked Tex-Mex Cheese Dip

We were quite busy this past Labor day weekend.  I decided to kick the weekend off by canning 25lbs. of tomatoes from a local farmer's market.  It was my first experience canning and I quickly learned canning is a labor of love.  I spent many hours in the kitchen washing, scoring, blanching, peeling, slicing, stuffing jars, and processing in a water bath.  Although it took more time than I thought, the end product was totally worth it.  I'm working on a blog post for the canned tomatoes and a few other posts with recipes that incorporate them as well.

On Saturday we attended the first Husky Football game of the season in the new stadium.  The view from our seats is amazing.  I love football season, especially the excuse to try new recipes on our tailgate crew.

Kyle held his Fantasy Football draft party at our house on Sunday.  We were gone almost all of Saturday (tailgating is a day-long affair for our family), so I wanted something quick to feed to group of hungry guys.  I decided to make this Baked Tex-Mex Cheese Dip as the appetizer since it seemed easy to throw together and sounded delicious.  This dip did not disappoint.  Within 10 minutes of bringing the dip out of the oven it disappeared and everyone wanted to know what was in it because it tasted so good.  This dip has the right amount of heat and would pair nicely with homemade pretzel bites. 

Baked Tex-Mex Cheese Dip
Makes about 8-10 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup mayonnaise
6 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3/4 cup chopped roasted red bell pepper
2 jalapeno peppers, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped
8 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
8 ounces pepper jack cheese, grated
1/3 cup minced scallion
1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro, plus more to garnish
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
Tortilla chips, for serving

Directions

Heat oven to 350F and lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.

Combine all the ingredients together in a large bowl, reserving 1 tablespoon each of the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, and stir until combined.  Taste and adjust seasonings if needed, then spread mixture into the prepared baking dish.

Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the top and bake for 20-25 minutes, until hot and bubbly.  Garnish with additional cilantro and serve immediately.

Source: Cook Like a Champion