Enjoy March Tournament Time with Recipes from DairyDips.com

Whether you’re a college basketball buff or just enjoy filling out a bracket, March is a great time to get together with friends and celebrate the tournaments' chaos and euphoria. Since all that game-time action is sure to work up an appetite, plan ahead and have a cheesy, creamy dip on hand to satisfy hungry fans. The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board has made finding the perfect dip easier than ever, thanks to the more than 60 recipes at DairyDips.com.

Each recipe uses real dairy products, such as Cream Cheese, sour cream and Wisconsin Cheese, to give dips a full flavor and rich, creamy consistency. Try these tournament favorites:  

•          Fiesta Dip features a host of favorite dip ingredients including spinach, tomatoes, black olives, onions and green chiles.
•          Beer Braised Onion Dip combines Wisconsin Brick and Cream Cheese with the rich flavors of beer braised onions.
•          Blue Cheese Beer Spread comes together in minutes with five simple ingredients.

Or, create your own game-day dip with ingredients you have on hand. Check out our hot, cold and sweet dip infographics to learn how to  create a delicious dip in four easy steps.

An image of the Beer Braised Onion Dip is attached. For more hi-res images and recipes, contact Jon Whitely at jwhitely@stephanbrady.com. For more information about Wisconsin Cheese, contact Marilyn Wilkinson, mwilkinson@wmmb.org  or visit www.EatWisconsinCheese.com.

Fiesta Dip
Servings: Makes 6 cups

Ingredients:
1/3 cup onion, diced
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon canned chopped green chiles
1 10-ounce package chopped frozen spinach, thawed and well drained
1 cup (4 ounces) Wisconsin Monterey Jack Cheese, coarsely grated
1 cup (4 ounces) Wisconsin Queso Quesadilla Cheese, coarsely grated
1 8-ounce package Wisconsin Cream Cheese
1 2.25-ounce can sliced ripe olives, drained
Blue and yellow corn tortilla chips

Cooking Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.

Cook onion in olive oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Add tomato and chiles; cook 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; add spinach, cheeses and olives, stirring well.

Spoon mixture into a buttered 2-quart baking dish. Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Serve warm with tortilla chips.

Beer Braised Onion Dip with Brick
Servings: Makes 3 cups

Ingredients:
1/2 cup beer braised onions (recipe below)
4 ounces Wisconsin Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 cups (8 ounces) Wisconsin Brick Cheese, shredded
1/4 cup green onions (both green and white parts), sliced
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon ale beer ( not IPA) or hard cider, optional
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Hot sauce to taste
2 or 3 slices crisp cooked bacon, finely diced, for garnish

Beer Braised Onions:
(Makes 1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon butter
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sugar
1 (16-ounce) bottle ale beer

Cooking Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, combine all ingredients, except bacon. Mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Scrape mixture into 1–quart ovenproof dish and bake 15 minutes or until bubbling. Garnish with bacon and serve warm.

Serve with lightly toasted Pumpernickel or Rye bread.

For Beer Braised Onions:
In medium skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add onion and cook until translucent but not browned. Sprinkle with sugar and add beer. Stir and reduce heat to low, allowing onions to braise until beer has evaporated, about 15 to 20 minutes. Check onions frequently, adding additional water or beer if they dry out too quickly.


Blue Cheese Beer Spread
By Good Beer Hunting
Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:
2 cups (8 ounces) Wisconsin Cream Cheese
2 cups (8 ounces) Wisconsin Aged Cheddar Cheese, shredded
2/3 cup (4 ounces) Wisconsin Blue Cheese, finely crumbled
1/2 cup (4 ounces) Pale Ale or Extra Special Bitter beer
Fresh thyme  for garnish

Cooking Directions:
Bring cheeses and beer to room temperature. Place cheeses in food processor, pulsing to combine. Add beer and process until smooth and creamy.

Transfer spread to ramekin or serving bowl and refrigerate covered for at least 1 hour before serving. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve with crackers, bread or apple slices. Dip pairs well with pale ale that slightly hoppy.

The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board is a nonprofit organization of Wisconsin dairy producers that promotes the consumption of milk, cheese and other dairy products made in America’s Dairyland.  

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