A Promise to Try

I know that I've previously made excuses for why posting slacked off on this here lil' blog of mine. This past lapse has been quite the break, and for those few of you who actually do check up on this, I apologize. I can do no more than promise to try. I can say that my personal life has settled into what I think will be a better groove. It's hard to blog when you're barely cooking in the evening! So many meals consisted of grilling some meat, throwing some veggies on the grill and cooking up some polenta. That's not much to blog about!

I'm looking forward to many things in the coming months (none of them being cold weather): the start of basketball season, the continuation of hockey season, being cozied up in the kitchen, and cooking some fabulous, hearty meals. I am getting back into reading other blogs and finding meals that appeal to me. When I find these meals and they turn out to be as delicious as I hope, all I can do is promise to try to share them. But hey, with so much time spent sitting on the couch in front of a game right now, it can't be that hard, right?!

The first recipe I will share was a direct request from my bro-in-law. I've made this dip a few times and it is a huge hit everytime. I haven't shared it previously because the finished version pulled out of the oven is not much to photograph and it's always gone by the time I remember to break out the camera after we dig in! So I will post what I have for a photo and those who are interested in the recipe won't really care.

Seriously, with football still on tv and many weekend get-togethers in the works, make this ASAP!

Jalapeno Popper Dip
from Annie's Eats by way of The Lushers

2 8-oz. packages of cream cheese, softened
1 c. mayonnaise
1 4-oz. can diced green chiles
3 tbsp. diced jalapenos (plus the liquid)
1/2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 c. shredded mozarella
1 c. bread crumbs
1/2 c. parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, chiles, jalapenos, cheddar, and mozarella. Stir until well-combined. Scrape the mixture into a small-medium (about 8 x 8) baking dish. You can mix the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese on a separate plate or in a bowl, but I usually sprinkle them together on top of the mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown. Serve with tortilla chips or pita wedges (my preference!) while warm.

Make sure to scrape the dish clean!