Taking A Sweet Dip Into Key Lime Pie Filling

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Sarah

I’m not gonna lie. All month long I’ve had Da Dip in my head (thanks to Amy’s first post in our dip series). I sing it to my cats, I sing it to my dog, I sing it in the shower, in the car, while folding clothes, even at work. Who doesn’t love dips and super catchy ’90’s dance songs?

For my dip I wanted to do something easy, cool and a tad sweet. I think I hit all of that with a key lime pie inspired dip. It’s one of my favorite summer pies. Creamy and refreshing … and that lime, yo! It’s not a pie I make a lot, in fact … I can’t remember if I’ve ever made it. But I’ve definitely eaten it. Most recently at my brother-in-law’s birthday dinner. My hubby’s sister made a gluten-free version we fell in love with, from Emeril Lagasse’s daughters’ cookbook. It wasn’t too sweet, it wasn’t too lime-y, it was just right.

I used this pie filling as my inspiration for the dip. I wasn’t baking it, so I had to do a little clever thinking and swapping. For instance, no eggs. The pie also called for sour cream, but I swapped that for cream cheese to get a little firmness. For a fluffy consistency I threw heavy whipping cream into my ingredient list and decided to use my stand mixer to whip it all together.
Thankfully I was able to find key limes. If you’ve never used them and are thinking of swapping for regular limes, make sure you adjust the recipe slightly. Key limes are much smaller, almost ping-pong ball size. The peels are thinner and ripen from green to yellow. As they ripen, the fruit turns a bit sweeter. Because they are smaller and the ones I bought were more yellow, I ended up using more lime than I thought I would – five for juice and two for zest. My husband and I thought the lime wasn’t over powering, which we loved.

So, if using regular limes start with two or three for juice, one for zest … then taste. If you love more lime, add more juice. Once the whipping cream has been added in and the whole dip fluffed up, it’s no big deal to add more lime juice or zest as you like. True lime lovers may want to garnish with fresh zest when serving. Pretty and tasty!

This dip was so easy I was able to whip it up in no time on a lazy Sunday, between Netflixing Once Upon A Time and a much needed nap. It makes a great snack or dessert. It not too sweet at all and has just the right amount of lime.

Fluffy Key Lime Pie Dip
Use almost anything for dipping! I suggest graham crackers, of course, or basic sugar, butter or shortbread cookies. Even apples, strawberries or a tropical fruit would be a good pairing with the key lime.

Ingredients
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk (or make your own with this recipe)
5 key limes, juiced
zest from 2 key limes
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup cold heavy whipping cream (can swap regular heavy cream for less whip/fluff)

Add cream cheese, condensed milk, lime juice, zest and salt to a stand mixer. Mix till well combined and creamy. Mix while pouring in the heavy cream; whip for a minute or so, till fluffy and light.

Optionally garnish with crushed graham crackers, sliced lime, sea salt and/or lime zest. Dip your favorite cookie or fruit!

Tagged with: cream cheese, Dessert, dessert dip, Dip, dips, graham, key lime, key lime pie, lime, whipping cream
Posted in Dear Diary

Taking The Velveeta OUT Of The Cheese Dip

Posted on August 8, 2016 by Adam

I confess: One of my guilty pleasures is Chili’s Skillet Queso. I’m a sucker for chips and queso as it is. For some reason, though, Chili’s takes the concept to a new level serving the sizzling dish in a skillet with two distinct sides to the dip. It was delicious. At least….that’s how I remembered it.

When I pitched this idea to my betrothed foodie, she cocked an eyebrow in doubt. Then she googled the recipe and paled. The at-home version was made up of the bio-chemically created phenomenon Velveeta (a big giant block, in fact) and a can of Hormel (that can’t possibly really be) chili. And, it’s not that we bear any ill will towards these products, it’s just that inclusion of them as ingredients in a We The Eaters recipe is strictly anathema.

With news of this challenge (and a devilish smile at my spouse’s concern for my choice) I decided: I’m going to make a healthy version of Chili’s Skillet Queso! Well…as healthy as any cheese dip can be.

Admittedly, I am not the guy to freestyle. I usually require some sort of recipe to guide me on my way. But this time around, after about 5 minutes of Googling, I got pretty bored and decided to wing it. I gleaned a few pieces of information… Velveeta substitute is made from Colby, so that helped me pick one of my natural cheeses. I noted somewhere that a chili recipe called for paprika, so I mentally bookmarked another ingredient. Otherwise, I thought, “What could possibly go wrong?”

As it turns out nothing did. The final result was fantastic and my parents and I demolished the dip with tortilla chips for lunch. Here are a few lessons learned though…

First, when I was creating the cheese mixes, I included milk. That is totally unnecessary. I saw it in one of the velveeta knock off recipes and tried it but I definitely didn’t need that ingredient.

Second, there is great opportunity to be more adventurous with cheese. I probably should have gone with a Monterey Jack cheese as one of my options.

Also, the no-bean chili psyched me out. I am convinced a side of black beans or refried beans in with the cheese sauce would be great. In general, this dish calls for adventure – one side with meat and bean chili, the other (lighter cheese probably) with fresh cut up peppers. Adding different spices and seasoning to either side would really enhance the differences and dish, too.

I’m sure I could have put more work into the added topping, beyond just piping on some sour cream. I could have whipped that up with some other ingredients into something that would have had much more added value.

Finally, presenting it sizzling in a cast iron skillet would have been a much more visually appealing product. I would have used one if I had one available…

I’m definitely walking away from this feeling pretty good. And while a cheese dip isn’t all that risky, I still made this up on my own without poisoning anyone! AND, I think I stayed true to the tenants of We The Eaters recipes making sure my most loved editor could palate this dish.

Adam’s Split Personality Queso

Chili Ingredients
1/2 pound ground beef
1 can (8-ounces) diced tomatoes
1 can (6-ounces) tomato paste
2 teaspoons paprika
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon chipotle pepper

1 8-ounce package white cheddar cheese
1 8-ounce package Colby cheese
6-ounce cream cheese
1 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream

Make the chili by first browning the ground beef. Move ground beef to pot and add diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Add paprika, chipotle and garlic. Let simmer. Split in 2 parts and put aside.

In 2 separate pots, add 1/2 cup milk and 3 ounces of cream cheese. Cut the cheeses into small cubes. Add Colby to one pot and cheddar to the second. Stir as ingredients melt to combine. Add in chili and stir.

Move cheese to two ceramic dishes or skillets and cook in stove for 5 – 10 minutes at 350 degrees to firm up cheese.

Remove dip from oven and let sit to allow cheese to firm up more.

Pour Colby dip into one side of a skillet or ceramic dish and then pour the cheddar in the other side. If your dip hasn’t set enough, use a piece of aluminum foil as a “damn” to keep the sides separate and remove the foil once both sides are full.

Put the sour cream into a sandwich bag and use a scissors to cut a small snip in the corner and pipe the sour cream on to the top of your dip.

Serve with your favorite chips.

Tagged with: appetizers, cheddar, Cheese, chili, colby, dips, velveeta alternative
Posted in Dear Diary

I Dip, You Dip, We Dip

Posted on August 1, 2016 by Amy

“I put my hand up on your hip, when I dip, you dip, we dip.”
~ Freak Nasty, circa 1996 “Da Dip“

Dear August,

Your sweltering heat does not impress me.

The temperature today is supposed to reach 100 degrees, but in this concrete jungle that is Washington, D.C., it already feels like 110. The pest control guy came to our door this afternoon looking like he took a shower in his clothes. Our tiny foster baby wants his walk, but I don’t dare take him out in this heat.

Unlike my Floridian relatives, and the rest turning to raisins in the sweltering Arizona sun, I am fully unaccustomed to these kinds of temperatures moving in … and camping out. This so-called “heat dome” has millions of us Earthly beings screaming for mercy with no sign of relief in sight.

Hailing from Michigan, originally, I instinctively know the answer is to find water. But without a lot of great lakes in driving distance of here (though you know I’m a Dewey Beach, Deleware girl, too!), what we all need is a nice cool dip in the pool. But given that everyone else and their brother (and sister, his kids, her kids, plus their second-cousin-once-removed and all their extended family) will likely have the same idea, we’ve decided to have another kind of dip … one you eat.

Because if we can’t be comfortable, we will at least be fed well.

Amy

PS … Welcome to our series on dips.

PPS … Stay cool.

Muhammara Dip

Muhammara, an Arabic word loosely translated as “reddened,” is a hot pepper dip originally from Aleppo, Syria. I became interested in this dip after returning from working with Syrian and Afghan refugees in Greece, which you’ll learn more about later this month when I follow this number up with a yummy feta dip inspired by one I had while in the mission field.

I recently served this Muhammara (to rave reviews) at two client functions, including a traditional iftar dinner. The iftar is the evening meal where Muslims break their fast during the Holy Month of Ramadan. It is a time of celebration and this dip is truly something to celebrate.

It is delicious slathered on grilled pita or crudite, but I would also argue would make a wonderful addition to any sandwich as a spread or the perfect accompaniment to grilled meats. Super yummy.

The original recipe from the New York Times has been adjusted slightly here to help you save time in the kitchen. I’ve used prepared roasted red peppers rather than roast them myself . I assure you, there’s no difference in flavor. This dip is truly habit-forming. Thankfully, it’s a pretty good habit to get hooked on: with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-packed walnuts, plus plenty of Vitamin C and beta-carotene from the red pepper, you can enjoy this guilt-free.

Ingredients

1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup chopped scallions (3 to 4 large scallions)
1 16-ounce jar of roasted red peppers (you can also roast your own or use frozen)
zest of one lemon
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (Aleppo is best, add more to taste if you like it spicy)
3 teaspoons pomegranate molasses (you can sometimes pick this up at Whole Foods or international grocery stores cheaper)
5 tablespoons olive oil
5 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs (more if it still looks too wet)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread walnuts evenly on a baking sheet and roast until lightly toasted, about 5 to 10 minutes. Be careful not to burn. Set aside to cool.

Chop scallions and toss in bottom of food processor. Add two of the red peppers from the jar (you don’t need to drain fully), lemon zest and juice, cumin, 1/2 your desired amount of red pepper flake, salt, two teaspoons of the pomegranate molasses and four teaspoons olive oil. Blend until mostly smooth, scraping down sides as needed.

Add all but a tablespoon of the cooled, toasted walnuts and blend again until fully combined. Add bread crumbs a few teaspoons at a time and pulse until the mixture holds together and does not look wet around the edges. This usually means about four or five teaspoons. It will continue to dry a bit as bread crumbs expand, so don’t overdo it. If you want it looser, add less.

Spoon into bowl. Right before serving, drizzle with remaining pomegranate syrup and olive oil and sprinkle with walnuts crushed gently between fingers and additional red pepper flake, as desired.

Tagged with: aleppo, august, easy, iftar, muhammara, quick, ramadan, red pepper, sandwich, Spread, Summer, syrian, Turkey, vegan, vegetarian, walnuts
Posted in Dear Diary