Whether you enjoy football or not, unless you live completely alone and have the royal pleasure of watching whatever you want, you’re sure to see a football game or 20 during the fall and early winter season! I’m lucky in that, I happen to love it. But even if you hate it, you can still have a lot of fun! 😀

Football parties are always a blast, and they’re a great way to share a ton of fun creations making for some pretty spectacular buffet tables of every kind of sandwich, appetizer and creative dish you could imagine. From fancy to simple, eclectic to retro, and even opposing diets such as triple-meat or vegetarian, friends of all walks can join together and just enjoy a fantastic spread of food galore!  

Though I’m all for creating and tasting new fun and inventive recipes, don’t take this wrong, but let’s face it, some of the old classics still have their shining spot on the table, too! 

What’s wrong with enjoying something that made us smile and everyone crowded around back only just a few years ago? Before the blogging world exploded and you suddenly had to create some kind of appetizer that had to include the latest “popular kid”, trending veggie, with an exotic twist, gluten-free, vegan, low-calorie, sugarless, GMO-less and at least one massively expensive imported flavored oil, not to mention, including  ingredients that you have to Google and your entire state doesn’t carry?

Some things were popular for a reason. Because they were simple. And they simply tasted good. With little effort, almost none actually, you can still bring these items back into the present and enjoy all over again! 

And that’s exactly what this dip does. It takes you back but has bigger flavor and people STILL crowd around to scoop it up faster than it can cool off! 

It’s just one of those dips that we call, simply, “it is what it is” kind of things, that no matter how hard you try to resist, you know you want a bite! 😉 

Besides kicking up the flavor, you can also introduce other fun ways to enjoy it by adding dippers such as what I did above with some leftover pitas! I seasoned them with a little chili powder and paprika, toasted them, cut them and served them with the dip and they were wonderful! Other super fun dippers are fresh raw jicama sticks or wedges, fresh bell pepper scoopers, endive spears, roasted red potato wedges, or just stick to the reliable retros that we all enjoyed like Nacho Cheese Doritos, Fritos Scoops, or White Corn Tortilla Chips!

No matter what you serve this with, or mix it up completely, you will always come home with an empty bowl or mini crock every single time! It’s something that is trusted and still enjoyed no matter what kind of party you’re at or company you’re surrounded by! 😀  

Don’t forget the simpler times and the fun that was had when we didn’t need an eclectic show-stopping appetizer to validate our worth when popping over to a friend’s house for a fun afternoon of football games and a few beers. Too much on your plate, too busy and too stressed out to worry about what to bring? Then simply bring this. It will be appreciated. I promise. 😉 😀

I hope you enjoy, and I hope no one took this wrong as I’m not making fun of progress in the food world nor more refined appetizers at all. I enjoy that side of life, too. But there’s room for everything, I say! 😉 😀 And there’s definitely room at our table for plain simple fun and I hope there is at your house, too! 😉 Enjoy, slow down, don’t take life so seriously, and just have fun! Love to all and I’ll see you later! 😀 ~Kelly  

Yield: 2 3/4 cups

Retro Chili Cheese Dip Kicked Up!

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 12 minutes

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Ingredients

For Dip:

• 8 oz. Sharp Cheddar Velveeta, cut into small cubes
• 1 (14 - 15 oz.) can chili with or without beans, hot or mild, or 1 1/2 - 2 cups leftover homemade
• 1 (3 - 4 oz.) can diced green chilies
• 1 Tbl. pureed chilies in adobo sauce, (more for extra hot!)
• 2 strips finely chopped crisp-cooked peppered bacon
• 1 small finely chopped shallot
• 1/2 tsp. finely minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder, to taste as needed
• 1/4 tsp. cumin, to taste as needed
• 1/4 tsp. coarse ground black pepper, or to taste
• salt to taste if desired or needed

Instructions

I medium microwave-safe bowl, add all dip ingredients. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, gently stir, microwave again for 2 more minutes. Stir gently until creamy and cheese has fully melted. *Depending on the power of your microwave, this may take less or longer, so just gently fold and stir each time you stop the heat until it's creamy. *Be careful not to break up the beans.

Garnish as desired and serve with whatever you'd like to enjoy this retro cheesy chili dip with!

*This dip can be heated and transferred to a mini crock pot and kept on low to stay warm.

(*Amount of chilies in adobo, chili powder, cumin and salt depend on the brand of chili you use and how flavorful it is, or if you're using homemade and don't need as much.)

Notes

If using a bean-less brand of chili and beans are desired, you can add 1/2 - 1 cup black beans or dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained well, as much as you like.
If you're the President of the Bean Haters Club, a nice alternative is corn, celery, or diced bell peppers.
Or just simply omit them altogether, and enjoy this how you like it.