Baked Vegetable Cheese Dip + a Video
This recipe, Baked Vegetable Cheese Dip, is sponsored on behalf of Challenge® Dairy. All opinions are, as always, my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that I love and that help make Jelly Toast possible. xoxo Emily
I am having a bit of an identity crisis this year. I have always identified as a cold weather lover, but you guys, this winter has been rough. Beyond rough. I have struggled so much with productivity the last 3 months. Like having to run one errand wiped me out for the whole day. Someday wearing matched socks was too much of a struggle. I may have to rethink my stance as a lover of winter.
Which is why I am SO happy to be welcoming Spring. I think Spring will now be my BFF. The weather is in and out but the days that the sun is shining I feel like a new woman. Which is an amazing thing because with Spring comes a ton of events and holidays that really require my A-game. You might be aware that Easter is just days away and if you are like my family you are just getting around to the menu planning stages for Easter dinner/brunch. This year I’m in charge of deviled eggs (trying to decide between classic, herbed deviled eggs, smoked salmon deviled eggs, or nicoise deviled eggs – too many choices!) and hot potatoes. I was considering scalloped potatoes, but now am thinking of making a batch of my Roasted Garlic Herb Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes.
I’m a maker of last minute decisions.
Anyway, after Easter we have A’s First Holy Communion (so happy for him!) that we will be hosting a small party afterward. Then we have Mother’s Day and Father’s Day all right in the middle of graduation season. This is a busy party time of year, right?
If you are like me and find yourself needing to make something simple, but that will be a real crowd pleaser let me introduce you to my new favorite appetizer: Baked Vegetable Cheese Dip! **jazz hands**
Seriously, this dip is so creamy and delicious! It features my very favorite Challenge® Dairy butter and Challenge® Dairy cream cheese that has the creamiest, richest texture of any cream cheese that I know. I used it in my baked goat cheese with harissa a few weeks ago, too! I am definitely on a baked cheese kick which is never a bad thing.
This Baked Vegetable Cheese Dip is a simple dip with a bases of creamy cream cheese, a touch of mayo, some shredded colby jack cheese for color and flavor, and lots and lots of sauteed Spring veggies! It’s Spring so let’s celebrate with produce, right? I used some asparagus, spring onions (or scallions), red bell pepper, and some shredded carrots. The veggies add texture, color, and flavor to this appetizer and it’s got all of the best qualities of vegetable cream cheese but with loads of veggies.
I put together a little video (brushing off my video skills from my barren Winter video months) showing just how fabulously easy and amazing this little appetizer is! If you are put in charge of appetizers for any of your upcoming Spring parties, make this dip! Also, if you see Challenge® Cream Cheese in your store do yourself a favor and pick up a couple of bricks! Spread it on bagels, use it in baking, and yes, make a batch of this Baked Vegetable Cheese Dip. You will be so happy that you tried it!
Here’s to a new start this Spring, trying new things, and embracing every new day that we’re given!
Happy Wednesday, friends!
Baked Vegetable Cheese Dip Recipe
Yield: 10-12 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Challenge® Dairy unsalted butter
- 6 stalks asparagus, tough ends trimmed, thinly sliced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and shredded (about 1 cup of shredded carrots)
- 1 red bell pepper, minced
- 5 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced
- Kosher salt to taste
- 2 - 8oz bricks Challenge® Dairy Cream Cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup lite mayonnaise
- 1 cup colby jack cheese, shredded
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Melt butter in a medium sized skillet over medium high heat. Add asparagus, carrots, bell pepper, scallions, a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender, but still retain a bit of crunch. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl, stir together cream cheese, lite mayonnaise, colby jack cheese, and cooked vegetables until evenly combined. Taste for seasoning and add salt if desired.
Spread cheese mixture in a small baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese dip is hot and bubbling. Serve dip with crackers or toasted pieces of baguette. Enjoy!
I had no idea Challenge Dairy made cream cheese! I have to find it locally because their butter is the best EVER. I am definitely going to try out this dip.
Also, I’m about to be the commenter I promised myself I NEVER would, but you might want to get some extra vitamin D. What you’re describing is exactly how I felt a few winters ago, only to find my vitamin D was really low. (no sunlight = much less D available, which is why winters get hard) Vitamin D helps with all sorts of important things like your immune system, bone density, sleep and such, so not having enough can have a big impact on your energy levels. Low Vitamin D is like wading through sludge, just so slow and tired and hard to get motivated, plus way more likely to get sick, which makes you feel even more tired and slow and hard to get motivated.
Anyway, I promise I’m not this person, despite how my comment sounds. But I love your blog and I don’t want winter to bring you down! Hooray for yummy veggie dip and well-meaning busybody blog commenters. 😉
You need to try their cream cheese, Spring! If you like Challenge butter you will LOVE the cream cheese <3 Also, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your comment about the vitamin D 🙂 It is something that I am now looking into and I think you are definitely on to something. Having been a person who is typically healthy and with not a lot of prior issues like these, it definitely took me off guard this year. Something is/was definitely off with my mental and physical energy levels and I am coming to grips with the reality that I will need to make some changes as to not have this happen to me again next year. You are never considered a busy body around here and I LOVE that you were generous with your thoughts because it's times like that when you might really get through to someone. Thank you so much and I hope to see you back soon! xoxo Emily
Emily, love this recipe as it not only looks delicious but it seems super simple! Great healthy dip idea for the spring and into summer!
Thank you, Denise! It was fun to brush off my videoing as it has been several months since I shot a video – eek. In a way it feels like a fresh start to just do what is fun 🙂
Super delicious. Thanks!
You’re welcome, Helen! Thanks for stopping by! xoxo Emily