Guinness and Cheddar Dip

Cheese, wine, and chocolate are the best ways to a woman's heart.  Men, however, just need beer.  Cheese is a bonus, and beer and cheese together is more than they can handle.  For that reason, I made Guinness and Cheddar Dip to take to our final sledding party of the year.  Sledding party you ask?  Yes, a group of adults come together to relive their childhood to go sledding--but we rarely make it to the hill.  After all the great food, good drinks, and thought-provoking conversation, we (meaning this little one) are too tired to make the "hike" over the creek and through the woods to the hill.  On the few occasions that we do make it, I giggle like a 5-year-old.  Sledding parties are similar to our summertime gartyques that have been mentioned in many previous posts--a great excuse to make excellent food and pretend we have no responsibilities.

This is the best way to sum this dip up is: 

Beer + cheese + empty calories + zero concern about the long-term artery clogging effects 

= 

sledding party deliciousness

Guinness and Cheddar Dip:  Adapted from this recipe.
Next time I make this, I am going to use less mustard and potentially play with other ingredients.

• 10 ounces of sharp white cheddar cheese, grated (I kept thinking about the white cheese I used to get from Zabar's when I lived in New York...sadly (but good for my bum), we don't have that sort of deliciousness up here)
• 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, softened
• 4 tablespoons-ish of cream cheese, softened (I used 1/3 less fat...I also added another two tablespoons of veggie cream cheese at the end because I thought the mustard was too strong)
• 1 healthy squirt of dijon mustard
• 1 health squirt of stone ground mustard  (as stated earlier, I am going to use less of both mustards next time)
• almost 1/2 cup Guinness
• 1/4 cup of diced yellow onion
• a glug or two of Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2ish teaspoon of black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• cayenne to taste
• other ingredients that you like: artichokes, veggie cream cheese, red pepper flakes, peppercorns, sun dried tomatoes, pepperoncinis

1. Throw it all in a food processor and blend into smitherines.  
2. Share with friends.
3. Go sledding (or at least pretend).