Mushroom Party Dip for your Happy Holidays

I imagine that some of you were betting against me in the veggie challenge when it came to Christmas Eve (and pretty much any day during the holidays).  Would I cave and do shortbread or gingerbread cake?  But, we are sticking to our guns and so today, Christmas Eve, I am sharing with you a party veggie dish:   Mushroom Dip.  I am pretty sure none of you will be making it today (you could have some other things on your To Do List), but allow me to suggest that it’s perfect as a dip for a New Year’s Eve party or a New Year’s Day brunch or anytime you are together with friends.

In fact it was a friend who introduced me to this dish and it stole the show that day.  I am not suggesting that this dip will help in any way with my weight loss challenge, but it’s easy and delicious and has lots of mushrooms.  Mushrooms are full of vitamins and minerals. They are very good for us.  So are the onions and garlic in this recipe. I’ll leave it to someone else to tout the health benefits of the cream cheese and the Monterey Jack. Come to think of it,  they might have had mental health benefits because I feel awfully mellow after snacking on this.  By the way, this makes quite a large amount. You could easily make half in a smaller baking dish.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup chopped onions

2 cloves minced garlic

3 cups finely chopped mushrooms and more sliced for top

4 tablespoons butter

2 eight ounce Philly Cream Cheese  (We tried this with regular and also with light. The regular combines better.  But the light still tasted great)

S & P to taste

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

½ cup Hellman’s mayonnaise

½ cup Monterey Jack or Havarti Jalapeño cheese, grated

Directions:

 

Sauté onions and garlic in butter for five minutes.

Add mushrooms and sauté for ten to fifteen minutes more.  

Cream the cream cheese in a large bowl. Add the Hellman’s, the Jalapeño cheese and the chives. Mix in the mushroom mixture, combining well.

Not beautiful, but boy will it taste good!

Transfer to a greased baking/serving dish.  Decorate top with reserved mushrooms.

Bake for 30 minutes or so.  Serve with veggies (such as celery or red pepper strips) if you are keeping to our theme, or sliced baguette or crackers if you prefer.  

You will be popular and you will deserve to be.  

If there’s any left, you can reheat it and enjoy a quiet moment by the tree with your feet up and a glass of wine.  

Don’t forget to leave a comment (about anything!) to ensure that you are in the draw for the veggie platter at the end of our series.   You can enter every time we do a post. More chances for you.

We hope you have a wonderful and happy holiday season, full of books, friends, family, food, cuddly pets and yes, vegetables.   

In case you don't know, we are Victoria Abbott, aka Victoria and Mary Jane Maffini.
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If you haven't already read them, take a break after the busy holidays to curl up with our book collector mysteries. You'll laugh. You'll cry.  You'll look over your shoulder. 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!