the ultimate chips n’ dip party board
When the cheeseboard just won’t do, cue the Ultimate Chips n’ Dip Party Board. This is so far my favorite Finger Food Friday creation for J and I, and perfectly suits a small New Year’s Eve gathering.
I gave this board a sort of Tex-Mex spin because I had a strange amount of Tex-Mex ingredients in my fridge, and nothing hurts my soul more than wasting food. Not to mention, I’m a huge fan of Mexican flavors as is, so nothing here would offend me anyway even if I’d made a special trip to buy cilantro and avocados and all that jazz. We set this big board of awesome on the floor between us and played Tokaido, a cute little game where you travel the road between Kyoto and Tokyo and have fulfilling encounters and experiences. Not a very strategic gameplay (if you go about it in the benign sense J and I do), quite simple really, but calming on days where my brain has 0 tolerance for complex thought.
Chips and dip are an easy pleasing combination universally, and this board has THREE. We plowed through all of them pretty handily with lots of leftovers, so if this can feed two comfortably, I’d say 8-10 people will have happy bellies after munching the goodies here. I also have an unusually massive appetite, so perhaps I’m not the model citizen of portion sizes as is. Either way, everyone will find a favorite to dive into since each in the trio presents a unique flavor burst and there’s heaps of accompaniments from which to choose.
What are your News Year’s Eve plans this year? Since my birthday falls on December 30, NYE isn’t too special. Usually I’m in bed early and the past couple years J wakes me up around midnight to walk to the bridge for a fireworks viewing. I might pretend to be a mixologist this year and toy with a whiskey drink. Not sure yet. Parties aren’t in our agenda, but I know some of you likely have family still in town or close friends, and while I’m a huge proponent of social distance and minimizing contact at the moment, I also know that hosting for some is inevitable. I’m here to feed you. Like the mother hen I am.
Trying this out? Let me know what you think by leaving a comment and don’t forget to wave hello on Instagram!
Ingredients
roasted corn guacamole
- 2 avocados
- 1/4 cup red onion, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- kosher salt and pepper
- 1 cup roasted corn, homemade or store bought
- 4 oz crumbled feta cheese
jalapeno black bean hummus
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 jalapeno
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/3 cup cilantro
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- water, to thin
- kosher salt, to taste
caramelized onion beer queso
- 1 yellow onion, halved and sliced fajita style
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 cup milk (oat, half and half, or whole work best)
- 6 oz cream cheese, cubed
- 8 oz beer
- 12 oz white cheddar, shredded
- 2 tbsp flour
- kosher salt and pepper, to taste
for the board
- tortilla chips
- crackers and/or pita chips
- roasted red peppers and baby zucchini
- sliced tomatoes
- mixed olives
- marinated artichokes
Instructions
roasted corn guacamole
- In the bowl of a food processor or blender, combine all ingredients except the tomatoes, roasted corn, and feta, and whip until desired smoothness. Alternatively, you can make this by hand. Mash the avocado to desired texture. Finely dice red onion and chop cilantro. Mix well with lime juice, salt, and pepper. Fold in tomatoes and 3/4 cup of roasted corn. Pour into a serving bowl and top with remaining roasted corn and feta.
jalapeno black bean hummus
- In the bowl of a food processor or blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Add water as needed to create a silky texture. Top with additional cilantro, as desired.
caramelized onion beer queso
- Heat butter over medium in a saucepan, until melted. Add onions, salt and pepper and stir until thoroughly coated. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for at least 20 minutes but preferably 45 or more, until onions brown and take on a jammy consistency. Whisk in garlic powder for one minute until fragrant, then raise heat to medium and toss in cream cheese. Stream milk slowly, whisking constantly, until cream cheese incorporates. Whisk in beer. Toss cheese in flour (this helps melting) and add in three batches, whisking constantly, until melted. Turn heat back to low and heat for 5-10 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cover until ready to serve. Queso will thicken as it cools down.
