Guest Post: Hot Corn Dip

Last week was a really bad week both in my personal life and at work. A very good friend got laid off and I will miss him. I hope his wife sticks around. I’d be lost without her.

The worst part of my week was in the “family” arena. My step mom has been really sick and in a lot of pain for quite some time. Last she took a turn for the worse. It was an especially difficult time for me because my dad, step mom and my sister live in southwest Missouri and I’m half a continent away in Oregon. My heart ached for Dad and Sis; I felt helpless. Sis and I talked every day, she tried to sound “OK”, but I know she was just trying to be strong for Dad and her kids. When I talked with Dad he sounded so vulnerable.

Sis called on Sunday morning; my step mom had passed away. I felt sadness, but yet relief because she’d been in so much pain.

Life is more nuts right now and I’m not sure when I’ll be able to write this week, so my friend Nicole asked if she could help and she wrote a guest post for me. I have a few simple things that I can post, but nothing like what I had planned.

Nicole told me that her friends LOVED this dip and I plan on trying it [soon].

Thanks so much, Nicole, for helping out!!

Hot Corn Dip
Recipe by Emeril Lagasse

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 1/2 cups corn kernels (from 4 ears fresh white or yellow corn, or frozen fresh corn)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup finely chopped yellow onions
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red bell peppers – I used roasted red bell peppers from a jar.
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions (green and white parts)
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 to 1 cup mayonnaise – 1/2 C was plenty for mine
• 4 ounces monterey jack or cheddar, shredded- I used monterey jack
• 4 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• Tortilla chips, for dipping

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the corn, salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the kernels turn deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Note that if you’re using frozen corn it probably won’t get golden brown.  Just cook for about 5 minutes as the recipe states.

Transfer to a bowl.

Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the skillet. Add the onions and bell peppers and cook, stirring often, until the onions are wilted, about 2 minutes.

Add the green onions, jalapeno, and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened.

Transfer to the bowl with the corn.

Add 1/2 C mayo,

cayenne pepper,

half of the Monterrey jack and half of the cheddar

and mix well.

If you need more mayo to hold the mixture together then add it, but I found that 1/2 C was plenty.