The Perfect Appetizer: Baked Santa Fe Dip

What’s better than Thanksgiving dinner? Being a guest at your brother’s house, so all you have to do is show up and eat. And what a feast he and his wife prepared: baked chicken, stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, sweet potatoes, green beans, and corn pudding. I couldn’t show up and not bring something to the table, so I whipped up this baked Santa Fe cheese dip. I’ve been making this appetizer for years. With two types of cheese, green chilies, corn, and chipotle peppers, this dip is not only easy to assemble, it’s a real crowd pleaser. Five minutes after arriving at my brother’s house, this is all that was left:

My sister-in-law said, “this stuff is dangerous,” and she’s right. It’s impossible to stop eating it once you take a bite. So you’ve been forewarned. Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this delicious appetizer:

As usual, I’ve revised the recipe to suit my taste. I love chipotle peppers, so I added way more than the original recipe called for. I also increased the amount of cheese, corn, and cilantro. If you’d like a milder version, you can get the original recipe here.

Ingredients:

4 cups of shredded cheese (I used a blend of Monterey Jack and cheddar)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 15-oz. can whole kernel corn, drained
1 4-oz. can chopped green chilies
4 finely chopped canned chipotle chili peppers in adobo sauce
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 medium tomato, diced
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup snipped, fresh cilantro
Vegetable dippers or tortilla chips

In a large bowl, combine cheese, mayonnaise, corn, green chilies, chopotle peppers, and garlic powder. Spread into a 9 x 13″ baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. Combine tomatoes, green onions, and cilantro. Spoon mixture down the center of the hot dip. Serve with vegetable dippers or tortilla chips.

This dish is so easy and so good. Be prepared to share the recipe and be asked to contribute it to pot luck dinners frequently.