Make this ranch and blue cheese dip for your next tailgate or football party

Wondering what to make for your next tailgate or football party? The festivities aren’t complete without a dip of some sort. You know, something rich and creamy to compliment the hot wings, offset the salty potato chips and show some love to the vegetable platter.

We combined a couple of our favorites with this ranch and blue cheese dip. It’s full of bright herb and fresh garlic flavor, tangy sour cream and a subtle kick from chipotle pepper. It’s like your favorite ranch dressing — with crumbled blue cheese to gild the lily. You can find the recipe below.

KITCHEN PRO TIP: Are you the type of person who likes to make everything from scratch? Impress your friends with this simple mayonnaise technique. One taste of homemade, and you might never go back to store-bought again. Best of all? It’s made in a blender, so it really requires no effort at all.

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Los Angeles Times Test Kitchen director, Noelle Carter, shows how to make mayonnaise at home using a hand blender. 

RANCH AND BLUE CHEESE DIPPING SAUCE

Total time: 25 minutes, plus 2 to 3 hours refrigeration time | Makes about 1 quart.

1 (16-ounce container) sour cream

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/4 cup minced red onion

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon chopped chives

2 tablespoons chopped dill

2 tablespoons chopped tarragon

Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated or chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper

Fresh ground black pepper to taste

1 (8-ounce) wedge blue cheese, preferably Maytag, finely crumbled

In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream and mayonnaise until very smooth. Whisk in the garlic, onion, parsley, chives, dill, tarragon, lemon zest, vinegar, salt and chipotle pepper. Fold in the blue cheese. Season to taste with black pepper, and adjust the salt and vinegar if desired. Cover and chill until needed; the dip tastes best if the flavors are allowed to develop 2 to 3 hours before serving. The dip will keep, covered and refrigerated, up to three days.

Each tablespoon: Calories 52; Protein 1 gram; Carbohydrates 1 gram; Fiber 0; Fat 5 grams; Saturated fat 2 grams; Cholesterol 8 mg; Sugar 0; Sodium 101 mg

Love cooking as much as I do? Follow me @noellecarter

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