pat's Recipe

Asiago Cheese Dip

Category: Dips - served warm

1 cup chicken broth or water
4 ounces dried tomatoes (not oil-packed)
2 16-ounce cartons dairy sour cream
1 1/2 cups finely shredded Asiago cheese (6 ounces)
1 1/4 cups mayonnaise
1/2 of an 8-ounce package cream cheese, cut up
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms or 1 ounce rehydrated dried mushrooms (such as porcini, shiitake, chanterelle, and/or oyster)*
1 cup thinly sliced green onions
Thinly sliced green onions
Baguette-style French bread slices, topped with finely shredded Asiago cheese and toasted

directions

1. In a small saucepan, bring broth to boiling. Remove from heat. Add dried tomatoes; cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Drain, discarding liquid. Chop tomatoes (you should have about 1 1/4 cups).

2. Meanwhile, in a 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker, combine sour cream, the 1 1/2 cups Asiago cheese, the mayonnaise, cream cheese, mushrooms, and the 1 cup green onions. Stir in chopped tomatoes.

3. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 3 to 4 hours or on high-heat setting for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Stir well before serving. If desired, keep warm in the slow cooker on low-heat setting for up to 2 hours. Sprinkle dip with additional green onions and serve with toasted cheese-topped baguette slices.
Makes 7 cups.

Test Kitchen Tip: To rehydrate dried mushrooms, place the dried mushrooms in a small bowl. Add enough boiling water to cover; let stand for 30 minutes. Drain mushrooms, squeezing out any excess liquid. Coarsely chop mushrooms