I was strong-armed into making this dip. Like really coaxed into "recipe testing for the Super Bowl because don't you want to give the people what they want?"
"The people" being The Mister. And I acquiesced even at the eleventh hour, when you may already have your menu set. But please, amend it to include what I'm happy to report, is a crowd pleaser. Because The Bookworm came downstairs, realizing that she was "sooooo thirsty" at 9PM but really it was to see if she could catch a sample of whatever made her nose insist she come downstairs to check out the happenings of parent world once the kids go to bed. But most importantly, you have The Mister to thank for this one.
P.S. this is not a sponsored post by the mister.
This Bad Hombre Dip broke down the walls I built over the years to keep out things like queso in a jar because it's queso in a jar and doesn't give me the feels. But this Bad Hombre Fiesta Dip is loaded with all of the things that WILL make queso great again.
√ Taco meat (yes please!)
√ the cheesy goodness of monterey jack
√ crispy, crispy fried jalapenos, say whaaaaaaaa????
√ perfectly tender aromatic veggies
√ the perfect level of spice- the kind that just builds up and lingers over time, doesn't quite bring you to the verge of tears but you love that tease, admit it
If one pot/pan wonders are your friend, then my friend, welcome to my world. I love that I can make this entire dip in 20 minutes, in a single pan. Because let's face it, who wants to do all those dishes? In fact, I just brought the entire pan to the counter and The Mister and I ate this with chips for dinner and washed it all down with seltzer water. Because the only legit way to eat chips with dip is hovering over a counter, and using tortilla chips to scoop up obscene amounts of queso. That's the real queso life.
Let's have a fireside chat though. I know I've pushed a lot of whole30 and paleo recipes in the last year, no take backs, no regrets. If you've been following me on instagram, you'll know that I just finished off a round of whole30. I was originally going to continue onward but realized that I needed to be able to find a happy medium. That's actually one of my weaknesses- balance but I'm working to become more middle ground. Whole30 was fantastic as a system cleanse for me and I will continue to eat whole veggies and no refined sugar added foods as much as possible along with lean meats. That's my ideal plate right there. But there will be times when I want to indulge and this queso dip is one of those times. So I planned ahead. I made sure I ate simple but healthy, and filling meals for breakfast and lunch. And for dinner, I decided I would have the queso and I would eat a reasonable amount because balance. And if I was still hungry after that, I had a backup, whole30 compliant salad ready to go. But that's real life. Zero regret and zero guilt.
Back to this queso. I'll be honest, when The Mister texted me a recipe for a "cheeseburger dip" using these crispy fried jalapenos, I wasn't feelin' it. I decided instead to turn it into a spicy taco something because tacos are life. And I've been looking for an excuse to use this high quality taco seasoning blend I got from Primal Palate. This isn't a paid advertisement, I just really love their fresh blend of spices and their taco seasoning is legit. Plus it cuts the work I have to do, so hey, major win! Feel free to use whatever taco seasoning you have on hand though but if you get the chance, try out their stuff!
Now the really important stuff and the question that's probably burning in your mind; why is it called bad hombre dip?
Since this dip was inspired by The Mister and his midwestern love of all things dip related, he would have the honor of naming the dip. And he came up with bad hombre dip. I mean, I have to admit, it's a catchy name. That's the entire story. And this bad hombre dip is the stuff of football fandom so go ahead and indulge! Might I suggest, pairing it with homestyle chili, basic baked plantain chips, and baked honey sriracha wings? And for dessert: brownies, of course!
What's on your menu? Share your Manna & Spice creations and tag me on instagram!
Bad Hombre Dip
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 20 mins
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp taco seasoning (more if you like it bolder)
- ½ tsp salt (if needed or your taco seasoning is salt-free)
- 2 tbsp oil (I use olive oil but you can use any oil you're comfortable with)
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper., seeded and diced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
- 8 oz shredded pepper jack cheese*
- ½ cup French's fried jalapeños**
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large cast iron pan or skillet on medium heat.
- Add onions, pepper, jalapeno, and garlic and saute until tender, about 10 minutes.
- Increase the heat to high and add ground beef and taco seasoning and stir to combine and brown the meat. Add the tomato paste and let simmer for 1 minute. Sprinkle in flour and incorporate fully.
- Reduce heat to medium and add in milk and cook until the mixture starts bubbling, about 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and fold in ¼ cup of the fried jalapeños and cheese until cheese is fully melted. Top with remaining jalapeños and serve hot with tortilla chips.
Notes
* I used pepper jack because I like the spiciness but you can use monterey jack cheese for a milder flavor or a good melting cheese, not mozzarella.
**Not a paid advertisement
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