Relishing It

Yeah, you read correctly.  I’ve decided to class this place up with a chip dip recipe that has a swear word in the title.  We’re talking very sophisticated gourmet fare here.  Alright, this post isn’t exactly champagne and gougéres, but in the right environment there’s no better snack than Kick-Ass Dip.  Why is it called ‘Kick-Ass’?  Well, because it’s that damn good.  This is one of those recipes that somehow emerged, fully-formed, from our college years.  We’ve been making it for years– from Super Bowl gatherings to our pre-children New Year’s Eve parties.  And this dip is always a huge hit.  Always.  I’m not going to try to convince you that this is, in any way, healthy.  But take a look at the ingredient list.  It’s not as bad as you might think.  And anyway, once in awhile you just need salty chips and dip.

The combination of flavors here is genius.  The spiced sausage and silky cream cheese are wonderful.  There are also those tomatoes with the nice kick of green chilies, and my favorite part of the dip– the corn kernels.  They’re slightly sweet, and stay just firm enough to add nice texture.  And it’s all brought together by fresh, brilliant cilantro.  Open a cold beer, pull the chips close, and enjoy.   If you plan on getting together with friends for the Super Bowl, or any other event where you park it in front of the television, get this dip simmering in your crockpot.  You’ll end up passing the recipe on to others, because it really does kick ass.

The Recipe:  Kick-Ass Dip

2  – 8 ounce packages of cream cheese

1 pound ground mild breakfast sausage

1 pound ground spicy breakfast sausage

2 – 10 ounce cans of Original Ro-Tel tomatoes with green chilies (do not drain)

2 cups frozen corn

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the breakfast sausage until cooked through.  Drain the grease.  In a large crockpot, combine the cream cheese and tomatoes.  If your crockpot has a removable stone,  I usually microwave the tomatoes and cream cheese for about 3-5 minutes, until it has melted.  Stirring occasionally.  If it doesn’t have a removable stone, just continue with the recipe.  Add the breakfast sausage, corn, and cilantro to the crockpot.  Cook on high until the mixture is very hot and bubbly, about 1 hour,  stirring often (and trying to snitch very little — good luck with that).  Reduce heat to low and enjoy with loads of chips and many friends!

Hope you all have a wonderful and fun-filled weekend!

Laurie

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