Happy New Year 2011

It's a little late to be posting a recipe for your party tonight, but you can still pull it off. It's Jalapeno Popper Dip and when you eat it, steam will come out your nose and your face will turn red and you will snort like a bull. I love it when that happens. If setting your tongue on fire is not your idea of a good time, then use more green chilies and less of fiery peppers. This morning I've been working on my New Year's card, as opposed to a Christmas card which I can never manage to send. (Do you want a New Year's card? Send me your address at prudencepenny@aol.com) I've been looking at all of our best memories of 2010. But then I realized that I failed to include any pictures from this last week. This week was kind of an important one. So I'm putting my pictures here instead. And since they aren't going on a card, I can include the good, the bad, and the ugly. Let's start with the ugly. This is when I dropped my cell phone in the pumpkin pie because I was on the phone with my sister Leslie while baking. I should never ever bake when I talk to Leslie. Haven't I said this before?This is our rag-tag Star Wars-y Nativity. We have a Jedi costume, two Princess Leia costumes, a belly dancing costume, and a real authentic galibea (spelling?) on West from my trip to Egypt. This is West with his new electric drumset. I think he must have seen a movie with some cool kids and their boomboxes. Well, he can try.

Sailor has been wanting an American Girl doll for years, but between you and me, I've always thought they were too pricey. Then Santa stepped in. The charges cut out cookies all by their lonesomes while I finished up some pressing work. Can't remember why it was so pressing now. I should have been cutting cookies with this two. A little boy breakfast party. I love having parties that aren't birthday parties. The expectations are low. I can live up to that.
The same party, next day with the itty-bitty neighborhood females. Same menu. Same low expectations.

We almost went biblical and built an ark to escape the rains. But then a beautiful rainbow appeared in the backyard. Then it started raining again. But that doesn't make a good end to the story, does it? Let's end with the dip instead.Here's that dip I was telling you about. The idea is to capture everything you love about jalapeno poppers in a scoopable form. I tried a couple of versions and we liked this hybrid version best. You can top it with breadcrumbs to mimic the coating on a popper, but it seemed like overkill to me if you are going to serve it with tortilla chips. It's better with just another layer of melted cheese. I'm going to make another batch right now. Guests arrive in 4 and 1/2 hours. Happy Spicy New Year!

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Estimated Cost $5.00

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

1/2 cup mayo

1/2 sour cream

4-8 jalapenos, minced

1 tablespoon lime juice, plus 1 teaspoon lime zest

1 cup shredded jack, plus more for the top

1 (7 ounce) can diced green chilies

crushed red peppers, optional

Grease a pie or quiche dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients. Taste and adjust heat by adding crushed red peppers. Season to taste with salt. Sprinkle with extra cheese and bake for 20 minutes.