McMenamin Dip
This dip has been in my family for, well, I’m going to go out on a limb and say for over half a century, if not more. It’s addictive. It only has 2 main ingredients and it can be made in under 5 minutes. We usually serve it with potato chips, preferably, thicker ruffled ones. I guess you could serve it with vegetables but, why?
Seriously, why create the pretense of healthy by throwing a vegetable in the mix when you’re digging into a massive bowl of cream cheese? Just let go. But, admittedly, the dip does taste good with crudités (a.k.a. cut up vegetables.) One of my friends gives me such a hard time about calling it crudités but it’s what my mom called it growing up and it’s not like Cleveland is exactly on the cutting edge of cultural snobbism.
One of my best friends from childhood, Megan, used to beg me to make it. I’d always oblige and add that she too could have this gourmet culinary treat at home if she nuked some cream cheese for 10 seconds, tossed on a bit of Heinz Chili Sauce and sprinkled a little garlic salt on it. Wait, I think it’s Megan who gives me a hard time about calling it crudités … hmm.
And yes, that’s the recipe above. Sure, you can do it like our Grandma McMenamin and mix it with an actual electric beater. But, you can also just soften it in the microwave, add the chili sauce (so that it turns a nice pink, not too dark, not too light), throw on garlic salt to taste and mix it with a fork or a hand beater.
Everyone likes this dip – vegetarians, two year olds, Europeans, gourmands, my Chinese father-in-law. You name them — they’ve tried it and liked it.
Ingredients:
- 1 package Philadelphia Cream Cheese®
- 2 T Heinz® Chili Sauce (or more so that it becomes a rich pink color)
- Garlic salt (to taste)
Mix ingredients until smooth and velvety. You can add a little milk if you’re doing it in a mixer to make it thinner. If you’re frustrated by the lack of specifics on the amount of ingredients, it’s really to taste so you can’t go wrong. Serve in bowl with chips or vegetables on the side.
