Italian Sausage Dip

One of my closest girlfriends made this dip for our annual Christmas get-together a few years ago. As soon as I tried it, I knew it would be a hit with my husband--it's now his request for all of his work pitch-ins! We've made it for several family functions and everyone seems to enjoy it. It's very rich and creamy and not particularly difficult to make. The best part is that you finish making it in the crockpot, so it stays nice and warm the entire time. The other thing about this recipe is that you have the option to make it more on the mild side or spicier, depending on your personal preference--or that of your guests. My family can't handle too much spice, but my husband's family seems to like things especially spicy. The recipe calls for (2) 14 1/2 oz cans of diced tomatoes and I ordinarily use one can of plain, diced tomatoes and the other can with green chilies mixed in. I'd encourage you to experiment with the recipe to determine just how much spice you can handle!

Italian Sausage Dip

1 pound Italian Sausage
(2) 8 ounce packages cream cheese
(2) 14 1/2 ounce cans diced tomatoes (I suggest one with green chilies and the other plain!)


Directions:

Brown sausage in a skillet over medium heat. Drain excess fat. Place cream cheese in crockpot, on high, until melted--watch carefully so it doesn't burn! Add both cans of tomatoes to melted cream cheese. Stir in sausage and turn crockpot down to low to keep warm. Serve with tortilla chips.

NOTE: If cans of tomatoes seem to have an excessive amount of liquid, I would suggest draining a bit off so the dip isn't too "runny". Also, this dip can be made ahead of time and heated up in the crockpot before serving.

Source: Haley Campbell