This past weekend I tried my hand at a hot dip I had been jonesing for over a year. A longtime friend and co-worker, that would be YOU, Sharon!, had stopped by my little sister’s and dropped off a super terrific hot onion dip for the family and it’s been on my mind more than constantly. The onions were a complete taste tease and, although the dip wasn’t heavy, it was substantial enough to satisfy on a cool winter’s day. I guess I could have asked her for the recipe but that would have been too easy, wouldn’t it? It was savory with a hint of sweetness owing to the onions. And I was aching to taste it again. With my boys’ team, the Patriots, playing on Sunday; I thought I’d see if I could rustle up a facsimile. Some hot onion dips call for frozen chopped onions but Sharon’s dip pleased both eye and palate featuring pearl onions and plenty of them. My initial attempt was a triumph in mediocrity. I had inadvertently grabbed pearl onions in some sorry excuse for a cream sauce which steeped the end result with a sour tang. I shudder to think. Despite the copious amount of cheese I was tempted to pull a Tom Hanks from the movie “Big” and scrape the vile, white jumble from my tongue. More work was needed. Not only did I need to lose that unpleasant, vinegary aftertaste but I also wanted a smoother and more gooey texture. Back at the grocery store I picked up the correct onions and a small bag of shredded mozzarella and returned home to refine and perfect. I had also decided to significantly amp the spices I had used. My thighs and I are thrilled to report that the state of nirvana was achieved. Oh, and I also swapped water crackers for good ol’ Frito corn chips…the scoop shaped ones. This was the final touch needed. The salty, crunchy corn rounded out the appetizer making it a whole, complete flavor adventure.
Hot Onion Dip
This dish has become a favorite of mine for several reasons. It travels extremely well and is loved by all therefore I come home with an empty dish and no leftovers to tempt me. Also, I don’t have to really measure the ingredients; you can eyeball it with confidence and finish with a great hor’s d’oeuvre.
- nonstick cooking spray
- 2 -14 ounce bags frozen pearl onions, thawed and drained
- 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature, I used reduced fat
- 2 cups parmesan cheese, shredded
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided and shredded, both bagged and reduced fat are fine
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise, I use Duke’s Light
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- Cover a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Combine all ingredients EXCEPT 1 cup of mozzarella in a large bowl, mixing well until all ingredients are combined.
- Transfer mixture to baking dish, smooth top and scatter remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese evenly.
- Bake 35-40 minutes or until golden and bubbly on top.
- Allow to cool at least 10-15 minutes prior to serving. This stuff is like molten lava straight out of the oven. You don’t want anyone to burn their mouths.
- Serve with corn chips.
The Irreverent Kitchen 
Gee Bup! you have an uncanny knack for making my mouth water!
Bup, that’s the idea! You’ll love the blog, share it with everyone you meet in this life and any other and the blog will be known ’round the world! Miss you! When you coming back down??