Chimayo Chili Cheese Dip

A fantastic regional recipe from Colorado. After reviewing the contents, you may be thrown off by the amount of calories, but enjoy in moderation. This is one of the first dishes to vanish at get-togethers.

Ingredients:

equal parts mayo and sour cream pure new mexican chimayo chili powder 1 clove garlic, peeled (a clove is one part of the bulb) cumin fine chopped green olives *fine chopped green chili pepper (try one of the following: jalapeno, anaheim, poblano, serrano) fine chopped onion (spanish, green stalk or scallion) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

•••OPTIONAL••• sun-dried tomatoes, fine chopped, steeped in boiling water for 1 minute

Preparation:

Combine ingredients in an oven safe crock or dish and bake at 300° for 1/2 hour. Serve immediately with tortilla chips.

(Ingredients vary according to personal taste. Therefore exact amounts are not specified. Try adding between 1/2 and 1 tbs. of chimayo chili powder. Make dip spicy or mild to suit your guest preference.)

*If a very mild dip is in order, try eliminating the green chili pepper. Ho-hum…

A few notes on real Chili Powder. Chimayo chili powder is pure, authentic New Mexican chili powder. This is not the same as storebought “generic” chili powder, (McCormick’s or similar brand) which is cut with other fillers like oregano and cumin. Spice companies think you want all this extra stuff in your chili powder because you either don’t know how to cook, or are too lazy to add it yourself. Don’t believe me? Check the label. Use pure chili powder and add the rest yourself; that way you can cook the way YOU want to.

Chimayo powder is made with mild or hot ground chilies, depending on the variety. The flavor is extraordinary. Try making a batch of chili with this stuff. Excellent! Can be found in most Mexican markets or ordered from online catalogs. Best kept frozen to preserve flavor in an airtight pouch or canister. Will keep up to 1 year if frozen.