Exactly one year ago I ran this recipe for the Nascar 500. After making it for Super Bowl, with a few changes, I thought it was worthy of presenting again this year. The biggest reason being; a product I would like to introduce.
This past week I was back in Lewistown, Missouri, for my mother’s memorial service and interment. Yes, it was a tough time, but one I was glad to help my father plan and carry out. While I was there I was working with one of their neighbors, Courtney, who is an RN & home health care nurse. We were exchanging cooking ideas with each other when she shared a great tip with me.
When I last presented this recipe I also shared my ‘dry’ ranch dressing mix which is low in sodium. Courtney asked if I had ever used ‘Hidden Valley’ Original Ranch dry seasoning? She indicated that her household uses it on everything in the kitchen; meats, sides, etc. I was then guided to the sodium content. Courtney said she recommends this seasoning to her clients because of the low sodium.
Today I used a scant tablespoon of the seasoning for the dry ranch dressing mix.
When we went to purchase the product they were also out of the regular and we ended up getting ‘spicy’. This was perfect for the recipe, just a little extra kick. If you’re concerned with the heat factor start with just a half tablespoon. You can always add more.
My notes suggest alternative ways to serve the dip. My guys are enjoying it this evening with scoops and fritos. The dip is the opener. Our evening continues into homemade fish tacos, one of our family favorites.
You can use frozen or canned corn. The shoe peg corn won’t stand out as much as yellow, but it would be great in flavor. You will note that I drained the corn and put it directly into the recipe. Hm…you could probably enhance the corn by sautéing it in butter.
I’ve also provided suggestions for making the dip softer or firmer so it can be made into a tighter dip/spread. Some folks might look into adding cilantro or other herbs. My former assistant, Bonnie, would probably go after cumin and chili powder, while she was sautéing the corn. Another thought is to cut red, yellow and green peppers into small squares and serve a scoop of the dip on top. This will also save on calories and the sodium from the chips!
Next week I’m planning on sharing one of my old-time favorites made by my mother. Love the sunshine, Simply yours, The Covered Dish. www.thecovereddish.com
Spicy Corn Dip
1 (8 ounce) package softened cream cheese
1 package (Makes 32 ounces) dry Ranch Dressing Mix
1 (11 ounce) can, drained Mexicorn
1 can Ro-Tel Tomatoes, undrained
4 ounces sour cream
4-6 small green onions, finely chopped
Soften cream cheese and stir in the dry dressing mix blending until smooth. Add the corn, Rotel, sour cream and the finely diced green onions. This is good to make the night before allowing the flavors to blend. Serve with your favorite Tortilla chips. Makes approximately two cups of dip.
There are a multitude of options for this dip. For starters you could omit the draining the Ro-Tel Tomatoes and not even use the sour cream! If the dip was softer than you like add a finely shredded cheddar cheese or pepper jack which would firm up the dip even more and add flavor. Consider additional green chilies, jalapenos, cilantro, chili powder or even a shake or two of hot sauce.
One last alternative would be to sauté’ the corn before it’s put into the dish. Browning the kernels very slightly.
