This week's Wednesday Recipe of the Week is Grilled Corn Dip. It's perfect for entertaining and I'll highlight a few of my entertaining tips below! This recipe can be made dairy or lactose free (my version is lactose free!) and you could add bacon for some extra flavor or amp up the heat with some jalapenos. It's very easily made, and can be made in advance too!
Prep:
-You can make this entire dip days in advance! 2-3 days is fine as long as it's in an airtight container. I would wait to add the shredded cheese until the day you are serving it- just add before baking
Tips:
-For the dip, you can add bacon, jalapenos, or even some cherry or grape tomatoes. It's great as is but it's also versatile where you can add extra things as you have them in your fridge that need using
Entertaining Tips:
-Make as much as you can in advance- most recipes you can prep parts or the whole thing beforehand. All of my recipes always have prep information on there for you!
-Lay out all your serving dishes and put a sticky note on what is going to go in them. This way you don't have to scramble around the day/night of
-Get out the plates/bowls/cups/silverware/napkins you'll be using in advance too
-Set the table the day or two days before if you can and it's not your main eating table
-Plan an easy meal for the night before you are entertaining (or get takeout). I like to grill, or do a one pan meal like a piece of white fish on top of some cannellini beans baked in the oven. Either way, ideally you make something that doesn't make a mess so you can do a big clean the day before you have people over
-When putting together your menu, make sure to think about how everything goes together. So if this is my appetizer for a party, I wouldn't do an entrée or side that's super cheesy or has corn in it. If you're doing a heavier entrée, then stick to a lighter appetizer and vice versa
-Desserts are a great thing to prep in advance- brownies, cookies, cakes, bars, etc. can all be made the day before and topped or finalized the day of
-Make a batch cocktail so you don't have to play bartender all night. Check out my perfect margarita on instagram that can easily be made into a large batch
-Don't feel like you have to make everything from scratch- taking store bought ingredients and elevating them or even leaving as is always works!
Leftovers:
-Store leftovers in an airtight container and reheat in a 350 degree oven until hot and bubbly
The recipe:
Grilled Corn Dip
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time:
Serves: 6-8
For the Grilled Corn Dip
5 ears of corn
1 shallot, very finely diced
4 scallions
2 8oz packages of cream use (I used Kite Hill to make this lactose free)
1/2 cup sharp cheddar, grated (I used Cabot as their cheddar is naturally lactose free)
1 tablespoon of garlic salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions:
Grill your corn and scallions on a 400 degree grill (or oven would work too!) until nice and charred on all sides. Scallions will only take 2-5 minutes while the corn will take about 15. Make sure to remove the husks on the corn before grilling!
Let the corn cool while you prep the rest of your ingredients- very finely dice the shallot, shred your cheddar cheese, and make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature
When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees
Once the corn and scallions are cooled, chop the scallions into small bite sized pieces, and cut the corn off the cobb
Mix everything minus 1/2 cup of the shredded cheddar in a big bowl until well combined
Spray your baking dish with a bit of nonstick spray, and add in your combined cheese/corn mixture
Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar and bake for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly and the cheese has just browned on top
Serve and enjoy!
Shopping:
*Some of these may be affiliate links- I appreciate your support!
These mini loaf pans come in so handy- make a big batch of something and freeze in smaller portions
If you're making for a crowd and serving right away or just for your general casserole/baking needs, this casserole dish set has 3 sizes
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