Street Corn Dip

 Oh, my poor neglected blog....  It has been too long since I have visited you.  And others still come by every now and then.  

Well today, I need a place to record a recipe and here you are waiting for words.  A match made in cyberspace.  Today's recipe is for Street corn dip.  As usual, I'm not going to put down exact amounts because even though I tried, I always end up adding something... just a little bit more... and what about.,,, This becomes a guide rather than an actual recipe.  

1 yellow onion.  strong enough to make your husband cry when he generously volunteers to chop it for you.

Saute in a bit of olive oil until softened

add

Frozen corn... (whatever your brother has left in the bag in the freezer.  Probably about 3 cups

Fry these until they all start to brown just a bit.

reduce heat and season with chili powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper (probably about a tsp of the chili powder and paprika.  To taste for the salt and pepper.)

4 ounces cream cheese

about 1/3 cup mayo

Stri together until cheese is melted.  

Stir in a small amount of cohito cheese.  Adjust seasoning. 

Put in oven proof baking dish Top with more cohito cheese.  

Bake at 350 until bubbly.

Serve with corn chips.  Those fancy little cup shaped ones are perfect.  

The cousins loved it at Thanksgiving reunion. 

This is NOT a Recipe: Strawberries and Cream Dip

This is NOT a recipe.  It can't be a recipe because I have no real idea what I did to make it.  But I am going to write down what I think I did before I forget so that I can try to make it again and tell you what it really is.

I needed to take a snack to a committee meeting this evening.  I didn't have time, only 10 minutes.  I had a bag of brownie crisps from Costco.  They are crispy brownie-like crackers with chocolate chips in them.  All by themselves they are pretty much sugar chocolate overload.  I really am pretty much constitutionally incapable of showing up with a purchased snack.  So I had to make something to go with them. 

A quick look in the fridge turned up a jar of lingonberries and a block of cream cheese.  OK.  Good. I'll whip of the cheese, stir in the lingonberries and be set to go.  Except that the cream cheese wasn't soft and I now had 8 minutes to departure.  

Back to the fridge...  Sour cream.  OK.  Super.  Dump in some sour cream.  Probably about a 1/2 cup.  Ooops.  Too much.  Now it is runny and lumpy and sour creamy.   Hmmm.  To the pantry.  Brown Sugar.  What the heck.  Dump some in...  probably about 1/4 cup.  Mixer going full blast.  Lumps getting smaller.  Great cheesecake base.  Eggs won't cook in the remaining 5 minutes.  Hmmmm...  back to fridge.  Strawberries.  Mixer still going.  Chop strawberries.  Probably about 1/3 cup.  Need to make it a LOT more next time.  Stop mixer.  Mix in berries.  Spoon into dish.  Cover and head for door.  

The dip itself is a bit much.  Not too sweet, tasty but needs something.  The amazing thing is that dipping the brownies into the dip with a chunk of strawberry is sublime.  I can't recall a time when I've made a dip that worked so perfectly with the dipper that I never want to eat either alone or with anything else again.  Very interesting.

So, this isn't a recipe. It is a reminder.  Something I need to deconstruct, reconstruct and measure so that I can share it with you.  But if you do try it, let me know how it goes.  And be sure to share your suggestions in the comments.  

***  As a special note, do not add the strawberries in if you are not going to us it right away or if you plan to store the leftovers.  Between the fresh berries and the sour cream, something decided to ferment after a day in the fridge.  To be perfectly honest, it tasted great, but a bubbling, foaming, fermenting dip is probably not what you really want to serve your typical guests.