Easy Appetizer: Hot Corn Dip ♥

Today's easy appetizer recipe: Just five pantry ingredients and ten minutes, that's all it takes to put this appetizer together.

Are you good at appetizers? Me, not so much. :-( But this Hot Corn Dip was a hit on Christmas Eve afternoon during our annual family open house for forty or fifty or some times sixty people – I never count, we're just happy that the extended family is in one place for a few hours. But right, the dip. So yes, I watched one person after another dip a Frito corn chip into the hot dip and then go back for another, each time savoring the cheesy warmth.

For a casual New Year's, for an upcoming playoff game and the Superbowl, this is a winner!

RECIPE for HOT CORN DIP

Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 40 minutes for oven, 3 hours for slow cooker
Makes 1-3/4 cups, easy to multiply

1 11-ounce can canned corn, Green Giant's Mexican Corn works great, drained
1 4-ounce can green chilies, drained (or more to taste)
4 ounces grated Monterey Jack
6 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1/2 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise

Stir all ingredients in a bowl until well-combined. Transfer to an oven-safe baking dish or a small slow cooker. Can be made ahead, just keep refrigerated until ready to bake or heat.

OVEN Bake 350F for 30 - 40 minutes until hot and bubbly.

SLOW COOKER Heat on high for 3 hours or until hot and bubbly.

Serve with Fritos Corn Chips, the "scoops" work especially well.

ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES
I made a quadruple batch for a large gathering on Christmas Eve, a mistake! While people liked Hot Corn Dip a lot, they could tell it's rich and thus at least for our crowd, enjoyed a dip or two and then moved onto something else. I think people also appreciate variety ...
Even to my chile-shy taste, I thought that Hot Corn Dip could use another dash of heat. Next time I'll add more green chiles or a drop or two of Tabasco. I'll also add a four-ounce jar of red pimento, for color!

TODAY'S VEGETABLE RECIPE INSPIRATION Adapted from the Food Network

NUTRITION INFORMATION
DIP ONLY, Per Tablespoon/Per Tablespoon with Two Chips: 44/76 Calories; 3/5g Tot Fat; 1/2g Sat Fat; 4mg Cholesterol; 100/122mg Sodium; 3/6g Carb; 0g Fiber; 1g Sugar; 2g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS: WW Old Points 1/2 & WW PointsPlus 1/2

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