How you doin’? My partner Joan is an official cheesehead. Born in Milwaukee and raised in Brown Deer, Wisconsin, she spent many summers on the family dairy farm in Stitzer (near Montfort—now you know). When I was there a couple of years ago, they had about 150 head of milking cows.
 
Like most ranchers in the area, the milk is sold to co-ops or cheese processing companies. The amazing part of “modern” farming is the equipment.  No more 3-legged stools and a bucket—milking is all computerized with lasers and all kinds of neat stuff. You can be mesmerized for hours just watching the process.
 
Joan’s Wisconsin Ranch House Cheese Dip is iconic, delivering pure nostalgic comfort in every bite. Creamy, tangy, and bursting with savory depth, this classic appetizer captures the essence of Wisconsin hospitality in every bite. The combination of smooth cream cheese, zesty seasonings and Monterey Jack cheese creates an irresistible flavor profile that gets even better as it bakes. This dip is perfect for gatherings of all kinds, and the recipe is simple yet satisfying proving that sometimes the most unassuming recipes create the most unforgettable flavors.
 
This might have been one of Auntie Em’s favorite cheese recipes.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Bake time:  20 minutes
Yield:  8 (serving size: about 1/2 cup)
 
Ingredients 
8 ounces (about 2 cups) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup (4 ounces) softened cream cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
1 cup thinly sliced scallions, divided
1 15-ounce can drained black beans
1 (14.75 ounce) can drained fire-roasted corn
1 (4 ounce) can chopped hot Hatch green chiles
1/3 cup thick and chunky salsa
1 tablespoon taco seasoning mix (I prefer Lawry’s taco seasoning)
1 tablespoon chopped pickled jalapeño slices, plus more whole slices for garnish
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
 
Chopped tomatoes, pickled red onions, chopped avocado, chopped cooked bacon, thinly sliced fresh jalapeño chiles, for topping
 
Warm, salted tortilla chips, for serving (I prefer to fry or bake them myself).
 
Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Toss the Monterey Jack cheese with cornstarch in a large bowl; reserve 1 cup of cheese mixture in a small bowl.
3. Add the cream cheese, cilantro and 3/4 cup of the scallions to cheese mixture in large bowl; stir to evenly combine.
4. Stir in the black beans, corn, green chiles, salsa, taco seasoning, pickled jalapeños and salt until combined.
5. Spread the mixture evenly in an 8-inch cast-iron skillet.
6. Top with the reserved cheese mixture.
7. Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and lightly golden in spots, about 20 minutes.
8. Garnish with cilantro, pickled jalapeño slices, and remaining 1/4 cup scallions; top with tomatoes, pickled red onions, avocado, bacon, and fresh jalapeños.
9. Serve with warm, salted tortilla chips.

ChefSecret:  Wisconsin's cheesemaking tradition dates back to the 19th century. European immigrants who settled in Wisconsin were drawn to its fertile fields.
Soon, dairy farms sprang up around Wisconsin, and farmers began producing cheese to preserve excess milk. In 1841, Anne Pickett established Wisconsin's first commercial cheese factory, using milk from neighbors' cows. A century later, Wisconsin was home to more than 1,500 cheese factories; they produce more than 500 million pounds of cheese per year.

Quip of the Day:  Why is Christmas the cheesiest holiday of the year? Because of baby cheese-us.
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/perspectives-on-food
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

#Dip #Appetizer #RanchHouseDip #MontereyJackCheese #CreamCheese #Wisconsin #Stitzer #Montfort #PerspectivesOnFood #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  

                                                                                ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025

How you doin’? Perspectives was retained to develop Lebanese-style restaurants for clients in Baku, Azerbaijan to open in Berlin Germany. Have you got that all straight? It was one of the more interesting projects especially when we discovered the restaurant was built over Hitler’s bunker on one of the main streets in the German capitol. That’s another story for another day.
 
After World War II, Beirut, Lebanon was often compared to the French Riviera—great hotels, wonderful people and the best food in the Middle East. Since we couldn’t do our research in Beirut, we visited the best Lebanese restaurants in London and created some of the best Hummus recipes sold in any restaurant anywhere.
 
Since that restaurant opened, we have streamlined the recipes for home use without any artificial ingredients or preservatives. Hummus can be served with all kinds of carriers—peppers, carrot and celery sticks, wheat crackers, pita chips and warm, freshly baked pita bread. My recipe is made using chickpeas which, in turn, makes for an incredibly creamy hummus.  Garnish the finished hummus with a drizzle of EVOO and a sprinkle of sumac.
 
Our tip: this recipe makes a basic hummus, but feel free to add other ingredients to the food processor, like roasted garlic or red peppers, to make flavored hummus.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  50 minutes (including release time)
Assembly time:  10 minutes
Yield: 1 quart
 
Ingredients 
For the chickpeas
1 pound dried chickpeas, rinsed and picked through to sort out any rocks
12 cups filtered water
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 bay leaf 
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
 
For the hummus
3 cups cooked chickpeas (from the recipe above)
1/2 cup chickpea cooking liquid
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup tahini (seasoned sesame paste)
1/4 cup plus 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 roasted garlic cloves
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste 
1 tablespoon chopped dates
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon  ground paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon sumac, for garnish 
 
Directions
To cook the chickpeas

1. Combine the dried chickpeas, filtered water, garlic cloves, bay leaf and a pinch of kosher salt in an Instant Pot.
2. Close the lid, seal the vent and set the Instant Pot to HIGH for 35 MINUTES.
3. When done, allow the Instant Pot to NATURALLY RELEASE the pressure (this can take about 20 minutes).
4. Carefully drain the chickpeas, reserve a half cup of cooking liquid.
5. Discard the garlic cloves and bay leaf.

To make the hummus

1. Transfer 3 cups of the warm chickpeas to a food processor.
2. Add the chickpea cooking liquid, extra virgin olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, garlic cloves, kosher salt, dates, cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper. Process until smooth.
3. Season with additional kosher salt, to taste. 
4. Garnish with a drizzle of additional extra virgin olive oil and sumac and serve with your favorite “scoops.”
5. Store the hummus refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

ChefSecret:  You will be making 6 cups of cooked chickpeas—make a double batch of hummus or use the leftovers to make a hearty salad, oven-dried crunchies or crispy fritters.  If you love flavored hummus, add 1/2 cup of kalamata olives, roasted red bell peppers, or any other flavor ingredients you enjoy.

Quip of the Day: “Anyone else reach the age that you gain weight when you breathe?”
-------------------------------------------
Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/perspectives-on-food.
-------------------------------------------
To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

#Dip #Appetizer #Spread #Hummus #InstantPot #InstantPotHummus #Chickpeas #PerspectivesOnFood #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
 
                                                                               ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025