In the coldest months, we all look for bright spots, and football fans this winter have had plenty.
The Super Bowl on Sunday is always a dead-of-winter highlight.
My Super Bowl menu changes from year to year, but there are recurring themes: sliders, chilis, nachos, pulled pork, pizza and always, always a dip. Most of the time, that’s a hot dip plunked down on the table to a very warm reception. I’ve yet to find a person who doesn’t get a little weak in the knees at the sight of a creamy, often cheesy dip bubbling away in its baking dish.
First, let’s talk about what goes with those dips. I offer an assortment of dippers, from the healthy (whole-grain chips and crackers, loads of cut-up veggies like carrots, celery, cucumber, radishes, sliced bell peppers and so on) to the indulgent (potato and tortilla chips, buttery crackers, breadsticks, baguette slices, strips of focaccia, pita chips, pretzels).
Hot dips often involve some sort of dairy, like sour cream or cream cheese, and often other melting cheese as well. They can be vegetarian, or feature a meat or seafood protein. Many vegan hot dip recipes include non-dairy ingredients like nut milks, soft tofu, vegan cheeses and nutritional yeast.
Most hot dips are baked in the oven or warmed through on the stove, and the recipe may call for occasional stirring. You can also make and serve hot dips in a slow cooker or instant pot.
Cooking times and temperatures for hot dips are flexible on the whole — it’s usually a matter of warming the dip so any cheese is melted and it’s hot all the way through. Look for the dip to be hot in the center, slightly browned on top and bubbling around the edges.
Popular hot dip recipes include Buffalo chicken dip, cheesy artichoke dip, queso, and spinach and goat cheese dip.
Here’s a recipe for one of my favorites:
This dip (https://themom100.com/recipe/hot-crab-and-corn-dip/) combines sweet, luxurious crabmeat with corn.
You can use pretty much any grade of crabmeat here, depending on how much you want to spend and how indulgent you want the dip to feel. I suggest skipping the Colossal or Jumbo Lump Crabmeat, which are expensive and should be saved for dishes in which they star.
Ingredients:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 scallions trimmed and minced (white and green parts)
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
16 ounces fresh crab meat, picked over for shells, excess liquid pressed out
1 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen and defrosted, or canned and drained)
Preheat the oven to 475°F. Place the cream cheese, sour cream, garlic, scallions, cayenne, parsley, Worcestershire, lemon juice, and salt and pepper in a bowl and use a fork, spoon or electric mixer to blend well. Fold in the crab and corn until well combined.
Turn the mixture into a shallow 1- or 2-quart baking dish, spread it evenly, and bake for about 12 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Give it a final minute under the broiler to really brown the top if desired.
Serve hot with crackers, chips, fresh vegetables or the accompaniments of your choice.
Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip (https://themom100.com/recipe/instant-pot-buffalo-chicken-dip/)
Spicy Cheesy Artichoke Hot Artichoke Dip (https://themom100.com/recipe/spicy-cheesy-artichoke-dip/)
Hot Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Dip (https://themom100.com/recipe/hot-creamy-mushroom-spinach-dip/)
Queso Fundido with Chorizo (https://themom100.com/recipe/quesdo-fundido-with-chorizo/)
Creamy Spinach and Goat Cheese Dip (https://themom100.com/recipe/hot-creamy-spinach-and-goat-cheese-dip/)
Easy Slow Cooker Hot Pimento Cheese Dip (https://themom100.com/recipe/easy-slow-cooker-hot-pimento-cheese-dip/)
Hot Cheesy Clam Dip (https://themom100.com/recipe/hot-cheesy-clam-dip/)
Katie Workman writes frequently about food for The Associated Press.