Monterey Cheese Dip w/Sunflower Seeds

Submitted by lisar

"Sounds a little interesting huh? A spicy cheese dip with a little crunch. When my youngest sister comes into town, we always make a batch of this cheese dip up and eat and talk in to the wee hours."

 

• Ready In: 30mins
• Ingredients: 7
• Serves: 6-8

ingredients

• 1 lb jalapeno jack cheese, grated
• 8 ounces sour cream
• 1⁄4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 clove garlic, put through garlic press
• 2 ounces chopped pimiento
• 3 green onions, finely chopped
• sunflower seeds, to taste

directions

1. Mix together the cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise and garlic.
2. Bake in a 350º oven for about 20 minutes or microwave on High for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Mix in half of the pimento, onion and sunflower nuts.
4. Bake for 5 more minutes, or microwave on High for an additional 2-3 minutes.
5. (Can be prepared ahead, refrigerated up to a week and reheated in oven or microwave until hot. Stir well to recombine.) Garnish with remaining ingredients, placing pimento in the center, green onion around the pimento and sunflower nuts around the edge.
6. Serve with tortilla chips, preferably lightly salted, white corn chips.

Reviews

[Marmish]

I made this ahead of time and reheated it when my guests arrived (both steps in the microwave). It had good flavor, but I would prefer something creamier. It may also have been my cheese, which was only ok quality. I will definitely try this again when I have a better quality cheese.

 

[KeyWee]

This is delicious! I made the recipe exactly as posted and no changes were necessary. My Mexican neighbor had family visiting from Mexico and they LOVED this: "Bueno, bueno!" they said. The bonus is that you can make this up ahead of time and then just heat when needed. And the sunflower seeds had everyone asking what the unusual ingredient was. Thanks, Ridgely!