My best friend, Steph, started making this cheese dip when we were in high school. This dip is reason enough to be someone’s best friend. You could make a bit of a roux and add the cheese to it, making a sort of cheese sauce that would stay creamy as the dip cools down. We don’t mind that it gets chewier as it goes. It’s how we’ve always had it and it disappears too quickly to worry about it.
Steph’s Cheese Dip
*It’s worth draining the salsa in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl for 10 minutes to remove as much liquid as possible and prevent the dip from becoming runny.
1 250g package light cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup drained salsa*
2 cups coarsely-grated medium Cheddar cheese
Sliced green olives with pimento
Sliced pickled jalapeños
Tortilla chips, for serving
Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Spread cream cheese evenly over the bottom of a 9-inch Pyrex baking dish or equivalent. Cover with the remaining ingredients evenly: first salsa, then cheese, and sprinkle with olives and jalapeños to taste. Bake until cheese has completely melted, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes but serve while still hot with tortilla chips.
Serves 4-6.