Easy Super Bowl Appetizers: Spicy Molton Blue Cheese Dip

I will be doing a couple of posts this week dubbed "Easy Super Bowl Appetizers" because I want to make you the hit of the party with a couple simple tips!  Easy, simple, and flavorful is what I am going for here — with the majority of ingredients you most likely already have stocked in your kitchen and pantry.

The first of these simple but impressive snacks is a blue cheese dip like no other I've had. This dip recipe originally published in the New York Times in January 2010 — almost 2 years ago to the day.

Ingredients:

1 8-ounce package cream cheese

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pinch kosher salt

1/4 cup heavy cream or half and half

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, more for serving if desired

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 ounces blue cheese (about 1 cup, crumbled)*

2 tablespoons chopped chives

Celery sticks, chips or chicken wings, for serving.

*  I used a Salemville Amish Blue Cheese

Preparation for 6 to 8 servings:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Pulse cream cheese in food processor to soften.

3. Using a mortar and pestle or flat part of a knife, mash garlic and salt together until it forms a paste. Place paste in food processor along with heavy cream, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and pepper — run motor until mixture is smooth. Add blue cheese and chives — pulse just to combine.

4. Scrape mixture into a small (1-quart or smaller) gratin dish or baking pan, and bake until dip is melted and bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes. Sprinkle extra hot sauce on top, if desired, and serve hot or warm, with celery sticks and chips or chicken wings if you like.

As you can see, the top of the dip takes on a whole new look once it has been heated. What comes out of the oven is a warm creamy dip with really just a hint of the blue cheese coming through. This recipe satisfies both blue lovers and those who may not like the strong flavor a blue may bring.

Needless to say, the dip didn't last long here in the E.A.T. household. Like I said in the beginning, it's dip sure to impress, but your secret of how easy it is to make will be safe with me.

E.AT. local E.A.T. well