Elote and Huevo met at a bar and 9 months later these Mexican street corn deviled eggs were born! Made with mayo, cotija, lime juice, Tajin, and of course corn.

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Over 10 years ago I graduated with my PhD and started my academic researcher journey. And after finishing my 120 payments towards the PSLF program in September, I just found out that the remainder of my student loans have disappeared! Better yet, they will be paying me back for all the payments over the required 120 made while waiting for this to go through. Holy freaking ray!

Meanwhile, these Mexican street corn deviled eggs have literally zero to do with this story, it’s just what I had planned to share today in honor of National corn on the cob day. Even though technically the corn is no longer on the cob, traditional Mexican street corn is and was the inspiration.

It wasn’t a stretch to turn traditional deviled eggs into Mexican street corn deviled eggs since the main component is mayo for both. Just swap out the mustard and vinegar for cotija cheese and lime juice. The fancy part involved dipping the hard boiled egg white shells into a mixture of tajin and smoked paprika before filling them back up again, and topping with lime zest, extra corn, and cilantro. Just like that, you’ve got yourself a deviled egg ready for summer parties.

One small dilemma about adding corn to the filling is that you may have some leftover unless you super stuff the eggs, which I don’t really see as a problem. Otherwise you can pipe the leftovers straight into your face like I did. The only other problem I could see happening is if you can’t find Tajin. Don’t you dare skip out! Instead make homemade Tajin by mixing ancho chile powder, chipotle powder, lime zest (or powder), and salt.

MEXICAN STREET CORN DEVILED EGGS

Print

Yield: 2 Dozen Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 15 Minutes 15 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 12 eggs
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp crumbled cotija cheese
• 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• Corn kernels from 2 ears of corn, larger pieces* reserved for garnish
• 2 Tbsp tajin
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Directions

1. In a pot of salted water, add the eggs. Bring to a boil, cover, remove from heat, and let cook until hard boiled, approximately 15 minutes (I love my egg indicator). Drain and let cool.
2. Once cool, remove the sell, cut in half lengthwise, and scoop the yolks into a medium bowl. Place the hard boiled whites on a tray.
3. Add the mayonnaise, cotija, and lime juice to the bowl with the yolks. Blend until smooth. Stir in the corn kernels. Set aside.
4. In a small shallow dish or bowl, mix together the tajin and smoked paprika. Dip the flat sides of the hard boiled whites into the mixture and place back on the tray.
5. Spoon or pipe filling back into the egg whites**. Sprinkle with more cotija, larger chunks of corn, and cilantro. Chill until ready to serve.

Notes

*When cutting the corn kernels off the cob, some will stay stuck together, Save these for garnish! **You may have excess filling if you don't pile them high. If so, enjoy straight up!

Source: Adapted from my BBQ Deviled Eggs.

Mexican Street Corn Pizza is made with a chipotle mayonnaise sauce, topped with sweet corn, mozzarella, and jalapeno, then finished with cotija, lime juice, Tajin, and cilantro.

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I have posted a corn pizza inspired by a restaurant before and today is yet another. This time it’s a Mexican street corn pizza! Inspired by the Pies & Pints street corn, this pizza is topped with a chipotle-mayo sauce, mozzarella, loads of corn, and jalapeno and then finished with lime, cotija, Tajin, and cilantro.

If you don’t know what Tajin is, you’re missing out. I first discovered it from a foodie friend who told me to try it on mango. To this day, sprinkled over mango is still one of my favorite ways to enjoy this chili-lime seasoning – such as coconut sticky rice with mango.

As for this Mexican street corn pizza, while I normally top elote with smoked paprika, I decided Tajin was the right choice for street corn pizza. Don’t have Tajin? You can make homemade Tajin or just substitute with a mixture of chili powder, lime zest, and salt.

But enough about Tajin. Sure it makes the flavors of this pizza pop, the corn is the true star! Make sure you grab some fresh from the Farmers’ Market while it’s still in season to enjoy this pizza in its prime. Sure you could use canned or frozen corn, but it just won’t be as good.

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MEXICAN STREET CORN PIZZA

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Yield: 3-4 Servings Prep Time: 35 Minutes Cooking Time: 20 Minutes 20 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 recipe pizza dough, risen
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 whole Chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced (about 2 tsp)
• 1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2-3 ears of corn, cooked and kernels removed (about 1-1/2 to 2 cups)*
• 1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
• Juice from 1/2 a lime
• 1/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese
• 1 Tbsp Tajin chili lime seasoning**
• 1 Tbsp fresh chopped cilantro

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with pizza stone*** on middle rack.
2. Shape the prepared dough into a flattened disk. Place it on a cornmeal-dusted pizza peel***, cover it, and let it rest for 15 minutes. Push the dough towards the edges of the peel, cover and let it rest for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together the mayonnaise and chipotle pepper. Spread over the pizza dough, leaving a 1-inch border on the edge. Top with mozzarella, corn, and jalapeno.
4. Using the pizza peel, transfer the pizza to the hot stone in the oven with a few shakes. Bake until toppings are hot and cheese is melted and bubbly, about 15-20 minutes.
5. Allow to cool slightly before topping with lime juice, cotija, Tajin, and cilantro. Cut and serve.

Notes

*Can use canned or frozen corn but won't be as good. **Can substitute Tajin with chili powder, lime zest, and a little salt. ***If you do not have a pizza peel and/or stone, roll dough out on round pizza pan and bake.

Source: The Spiffy Cookie original.

Love Mexican elote? How about an extra cheesy version? Cheetos street corn is slathered with mayo and rolled in a mixture of crushed Cheetos and cotija cheese.

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Oops… I did it again.

Once again I have found a new excuse to add Cheetos to my grocery list. This time, by simply adding those crushes cheesy morsel to the coating on Mexican street corn or, as it shall now be called, Cheetos Street Corn!

I have made a healthier Mexican elote before, using Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise, but since this version is coated in Cheetos I wasn’t going to try to make any illusion on it being healthier so I went for the mayo. Not that I am in any way trying to claim this is remotely authentic, either.

This recipe is quite simple really. Just cook your corn, slather in mayo, coat in a mixture of Cotija cheese and crushed Cheetos and you have made Cheetos street corn! Add a little paprika for added color or fresh lime juice and you’re ready to serve.

The Cheetos coating on these is actually better than expected. In the past when I have used pure crushed Cheetos for coating chicken, it wasn’t as cheesy as I had hoped. I assume the addition of Cotija is what brought up the cheese factor here, and thus now has me wanting to revamp my Cheetos crusted chicken recipe.

CHEETOS STREET CORN

Print

Yield: 4 Servings Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 25 Minutes 25 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 4 ears of corn, shucked
• 4 Tbsp (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
• 4 Tbsp (1/4 cup) mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup finely grated cotija cheese
• 1/4 cup crushed crunchy Cheetos
• Paprika
• 4 lime wedges, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Roll ears of corn in melted butter and wrap securely in foil. Bake for 25 minutes, turning often.
3. Remove from oven and carefully unwrap the corn.
4. Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl mix together the cotija cheese and crushed Cheetos.
5. Using a spatula or basting brush, spread mayonnaise evenly over each ear of corn. Roll in the cotija-Cheetos mixture and sprinkle with paprika.
6. Serve immediately with a lime wedge, if desired.

Notes

Easily double this recipe for more servings.

Source: Adapted from my Healthier Elote.

Did you make this recipe? I want to see! Tag @THESPIFFYCOOKIE on Instagram and hashtag it #THESPIFFYCOOKIE

If you weren’t aware, I am one of the leaders for the Columbus Food Bloggers group here in Columbus, OH and one of the fun things we got to do was create our own pizza specials at a local pizza joint in town, Paulie Gee’s, which we dubbed #cbuspizzaleague. Every week a different blogger got to choose their toppings and a proceed of the sales wen to the charity of their choice! Mine of course was a BBQ creation, but I’m not here to talk about that. What we need to talk about is Kayla’s (Crave Columbus) chorizo taco pizza topped with cilantro sauce made from another local restaurant, Arepazo.

While I sadly missed out on trying the real thing, I added it to my list of things I had to attempt to recreate. After getting my hands on the bottle of that delicious green stuff (cilantro sauce) I knew it was time. A blend of cheddar, Monterey jack, and cotija cheese is topped with tomatoes, red onion, and chorizo sausage. After getting all bubbly in the oven it is finished off with a drizzle of cilantro sauce. And then I may have served it with even more cilantro sauce on the side. And yes you most certainly should make this for watching football this Sunday instead of ordering, because you know it’ll take over an hour for them to delivery due to being over loaded. Looking for more football food for this weekend? Scroll down!

House updates: Bob buffed the wood floors on Sunday and we are currently painting the rooms that we want/need it. After that, we will move a bunch of small things by car first (mostly clothing and kitchen stuff so we can transition quickly) and then all the big stuff on Saturday. Which means we will be completely worn out by Sunday, ready to stuff our faces while watching the big game with friends. Thank goodness someone else is hosting! Hopefully I will be able to whip up something to bring, but it will likely be much simpler than this pizza. What are your favorite football foods? Check out the list of recipes from other bloggers below!

• Beef & Cheddar Stuffed Rolls by Tip Garden
• Spicy Touchdown Chili by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Quick and Easy Restaurant Salsa by Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats
• Wisconsin Beer Brats by Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Bacon Swiss Tarts by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• North Carolina BBQ Wings by The Freshman Cook
• Skillet Pizza Dip by Family Around the Table
• Deep Fried Pickles with Sriracha Ranch Dipping Sauce by Food Above Gold
• Chorizo Taco Pizza with Cilantro Sauce by The Spiffy Cookie
• Air Fryer Korean-Style BBQ Chicken Wings by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Spinach Artichoke Dip by Our Good Life
• Hot Dog Sliders by Kate’s Recipe Box
• Fried Bologna and Onion Sandwiches by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Chili Cheese Beef Brats by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Mini Bell Pepper Nachos by Blogghetti
• Soda Glazed Kielbasa Game Day Bites by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Vegan Garlic Parmesan Cauliflower Wings by The Baking Fairy

Two years ago: Weekly Meal Plan: 5

Three years ago: BBQ Chicken Dip

Five years ago: White Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

Six years ago: Blackberry Swirl Meyer Lemon Curd Ice Cream

CHORIZO TACO PIZZA WITH CILANTRO SAUCE

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

1 recipe pizza dough, risen

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup grated cotija cheese (or Parmesan)

1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

1 cup halved grape tomatoes

1 chorizo sausage link, casing removed and crumbled

El Arepazo‘s cilantro sauce for topping (or here’s a copycat recipe if you don’t live in Columbus)

Fresh, chopped cilantro

Directions:

1. Place pizza stone on middle rack and allow to preheat in the oven to 450°F.
2. Roll out dough to desired size and transfer to a pizza peel (or flat baking sheet) sprinkled with cornmeal.
3. Brush olive oil evenly over the dough, top with the cheeses, red onion, tomatoes, and chorizo.
4. Transfer to the hot pizza stone (it’ll take a couple shakes) and bake for 15 minutes or until it the crust turns golden and the cheese starts to bubble.
5. Remove from oven and immediately top with a drizzle of cilantro sauce and more fresh cilantro. Serve with more cilantro sauce for dipping!

Source: Inspired by the Crave Columbus pizza special at Paulie Gee’s.

It isn’t easy being cheesy, unless you are this cheesy corn dip in which case not only is is easy to make, it’s also super tasty.

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Originally I had planned on sharing a recipe for vanilla peach jam on Monday before peach season runs out on us, but clearly it’s no longer Monday and this is clearly not a post about  jam, let alone peaches.

On Sunday we hosted out “Not Invited” party and as per usual I shared sporadic photos of the food on my Instagram story. And then the requests for the recipe to the corn dip I showcased came pouring in (both from party guests and on Instagram), so I am giving the people what they want!

As for it being Tuesday instead of Monday, well that’s no surprise by now is it?

This dip is as easy as it is delicious.

Funny thing about the ingredients, two friends who particular enjoyed it were trying to figure it out. One thought it had cottage cheese and the other mayonnaise and both respectively disliked those ingredients which meant at least one of them was eating something they normally don’t like. Well, the latter was correct because the base is mostly Greek yogurt but a little bit of mayonnaise.

I actually don’t normally like mayonnaise on it’s own, but give me an aioli, a creamy pasta/potato salad, or a dip like this and we are good to go. But if you’d prefer a non-creamy option, here’s another easy corn dip that’s more salsa-like.

Friday #DairyMonth Recipes

• 3 Ingredient Strawberry Cream Cheese Fruit Dip by Blogghetti
• Tropical Milkshake by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Cheesy Potato Casserole by Hostess At Heart
• Cheddar Cheese Crisps by Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Cheesy Chive, Onion and Bacon Rolls Ups by A Little Fish in the Kitchen
• Fresh Cherry Clafouti by The Freshman Cook
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• Fried Ice Cream Bars by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Easy Alfredo Sauce by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Marinated Boccancini Salad by Palatable Pastime
• Smoked Fish Dip by Art of Natural Living
• Texas Roadhouse Cinnamon Honey Butter by Jen Around the World
• Three Cheese Garlic Grilled Cheese by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Vegetable and Cheddar Tarts by Karen’s Kitchen Stories

EASY CHEESY CORN DIP

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Yield: 8-12 servings Prep Time: 1 Hour

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 2 (15 oz.) cans of corn kernels, drained
• 1 (4.5 oz.) can diced green chiles
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded cotija cheese
• 2 green onions, sliced

Directions

1. In a large bowl, blend together the yogurt, mayonnaise, salt, and cayenne. Fold in remaining ingredients until evening distributed. Adjust seasoning if desired.
2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving with tortilla chips.

Source: Adapted from Julie Blanner.

Did you make this recipe? I want to see! Tag @THESPIFFYCOOKIE on Instagram and hashtag it #THESPIFFYCOOKIE

Why choose between making guacamole or a cheese ball when you can have both? This guacamole cheese ball combines the best of both worlds. 

I don’t know about you guys, but yesterday was on par with Thanksgiving for me in terms of belly full-ness. We hosted a potluck brunch and had a mimosa bar, eggs benedict casserole, sweet potato pancakes, fruit parfait, and Colombian Huevos con platano maduro. What does all of that have to do with a cheese ball? Honestly, absolutely nothing. I just felt the need to share.

This cheese ball was actually a part of yet another of our food-related gatherings – The Back to the Future movie marathon. Yes, 2 months later I am still posting things from that event. I think there’s only one left! I originally had planned on saving this one until closer to Cinco de Mayo, because duh guacamole, but when I saw National Cheese Ball Day on the food calendar I couldn’t not post it. It’s everything you love about guacamole and a cheese ball literally blended into one.

One year ago: Weekly Meal Plan: April 18-24

Two years ago: Spinach Artichoke Goat Cheese Ball

Three years ago: Rice Krispies Easter Bunny Cake

Four years ago: Apple Pie

GUACAMOLE CHEESE BALL

Makes 1 cheese ball

Ingredients:

2 (8 oz.) packages reduced fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese, plus more for coating

1/2 lime, juiced

2 large avocados, peeled and diced

1 Roma tomato, chopped

1 small jalapeno, minced

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and pepper

Tortilla chips

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, blend together the cream cheese, cotija cheese and lime juice.
2. Stir in avocado, tomato, jalapeno, red onion, cilantro and garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Form into a ball with hands (refrigerate first if too soft). Wrap in plastic wrap, place in a bowl to hold it’ shape and refrigerate.
4. When ready to serve, place more cotija in a shallow dish. Roll cheese ball cotija and serve with tortilla chips.

Source: Adapted from my Avocado Cheese Ball.



I know last month for the Secret Recipe Club I shared a cheesy noodle casserole recipe, but I didn’t hear any complaints when I decided to make this Mexican penne casserole from Andrea’s blog, Adventures In All Things Food. I also considered her chocolate hazelnut oat meal cream pie footballs and once cranberries appear in my grocery store I’m gonna make her orange poppy seed waffles with cranberry-orange syrup.

I served this on Friday when family came into town for the weekend and was much appreciated after their long drive. Not that it’s really all that surprising, it’s casserole season after all! In here you have penne, beef (and I mixed in chorizo), two kinds of cheese, died tomatoes and green chiles, cream of chicken soup, and the surprise ingredient – sundried tomato pesto. Thanks for the great recipe Andrea!

One year ago: No-Bake Peanut Butter Granola Cups

Two years ago: White Bean and Pumpkin Hummus with Spiced Pita Chips

Three years ago: Gluten-Free Apple Butter Swirl Cheesecake Bars

Four years ago: Chicken Pesto Lasagna Rolls

Five years ago: Pesto Burgers

MEXICAN PENNE CASSEROLE

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 lb. penne pasta

1 lb. ground beef (i used half beef hald chorizo)

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 (10 oz.) cans diced tomatoes and green chiles

2 Tbsp. sun dried tomato pesto

1/4 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

1 cups crumbled Cotija cheese

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Chili powder, for dusting

4 green onions, sliced, white and green parts divided

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Start a large pot of water boiling. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a high-sided skillet, brown the ground beef. Add in the soup, Ro*Tel, sun dried tomato pesto, parsley and the whites of the green onions. Season to taste. Warm through and set aside.
3. Boil the pasta just a minute short of al dente (it will finish cooking in the oven). Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat. Pour half the mixture into a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Top with the crumbled cotija cheese and then add the remaining pasta mixture. Top cheddar and a dusting of chili powder.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the casserole is bubbly.
5. Serve garnished with green onions.

Source: Adventures in all things food.

Summertime means berry time! I love all the berries that are in season during the summer and even more so do I love picking them. Last year I went berry/fruit and even veggie picking until the fridge was bursting. Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, peaches, cherries, cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage – oh my!

But the other summer-loved produce is corn and today is national corn on the cob day! I celebrated by removing the corn from the cob… whoops. But you will forgive me for this slip once you see this Mexican corn casserole.

Everything you love about Mexican street corn, but off the cob and in a cast iron skillet (same goes for my street corn pizza)! I even made it slightly healthier for you just like my cob version.

One year ago: German Chocolate Banana Bread

Two years ago: Honey-Lime Chicken Kebabs

MEXICAN CORN CASSEROLE

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 large onion, diced

4 cobs of fresh sweet corn

4 oz. can diced mild green chiles

1 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used 4% Chobani)

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Salt & pepper, to taste

1/2 cup grated cojita (or Parmesan) plus more for garnish

Fresh cilantro and chili powder for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat to 400 degrees.
2. In large cast iron skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add onion and saute onion for 5 minutes.
3. While onion is cooking, cut fresh corn off the cob and use the back of the knife to scrape out the milk. Once onion is tender, add the corn and diced green chiles to the pan. Cook for another 3 minutes. Stir in the yogurt, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper and half of the cheese.
4. Remove from heat and carefully place in the hot oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Top with remaining cheese, fresh cilantro and chili powder. Serve immediately.

Source: Adapted slightly from Lauren’s Latest.

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Meet Sloppy Joes Mexican-inspired cousin, Sloppy Joses topped with Avocado Cream and served with street corn casserole on the side.

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Secret Recipe Clubbing time! This month I was assigned to Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen and it is cozy indeed! With recipe like redneck eggs benedict and shrimp with tomatoes and feta cheese (except I would made it with chicken) my eyes were even comforted by the sheer appearance and thought of eating them. From the awesome list of recipes I decided upon her Sloppy Joses with Avocado Cream. I can never turn down a recipe featuring avocado!

In case you haven’t figured it out, the Sloppy Joses are a Mexican version of a homemade Sloppy Joe. Not only is this baby topped with an avocado cream sauce, but it’s made with bacon, jalapeno, and even beer. I even sprinkled some cotija cheese on top for fun since I had some handy. My favorite part was actually mixing the bits the dropped out from my sandwich into the potato salad I served it with (compliments of my dad, who gave it to me when he visited for my defense a week ago).

Twelve years later, I served them with skillet street corn which also benefitted from the same droppings.

Two years ago: Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie n’ Peanut Butter Oreo Fudge Brownie Bar

SLOPPY JOSES WITH AVOCADO CREAM

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Yield: 4 Servings Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 15 Minutes 15 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

AVOCADO CREAM

• 1 avocado
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup sour cream or nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• Salt and pepper

SLOPPY JOSE

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 slices bacon
• 1 lb. ground beef
• Salt and pepper
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 jalapenos, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp taco seasoning
• 1/2 cup Mexican beer, room temperature
• 8 oz. can of tomato sauce
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp hot sauce
• 4 rolls, toasted
• Crumbled cotija cheese, for topping (optional)

Directions

1. Place the cilantro, Greek yogurt, avocado, lime zest and juice in a food processor and pulse until smooth, scarping down the sides if necessary. Season with salt and pepper and if preparing ahead of time, reserve covered with plastic wrap pressed directly on top to keep from browning.
2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel to drain. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the grease from the pan.
3. Add the ground beef to the same pan and cook until browned, stirring with a spoon to crumble it; season with a little salt and black pepper. Crumble the bacon and add to the pan along with the onion, jalapeno, garlic, and taco seasoning. Cook, stirring, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the beer, tomato sauce, Worcestershire, and hot sauce. Pour the mixture over the meat, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened to desired consistency.
5. Serve on toasted rolls and top with Avocado Cream and cotija cheese if desired.

Source: Adapted slightly from Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen.

Post updated 8/25/2025, photo above is the original.

Cheese balls are great party dips because not only are they delicious, they look fun! Today I am sharing a rare breed of cheese balls – avocado. I served this along with the taco bar I talked about yesterday, and it tastes like a creamier version of guacamole due to the use of cream cheese. But it wasn’t just any old guacamole ball because I threw in corn, cotija cheese and chipotle peppers. This cheese ball also made an appearance at my friend’s bachelorette party/weekend in Toronto and everyone was hovering around it until it was all gone. Would definitely be great for the upcoming July 4 holiday as well!

Speaking of bachelorette parties, I actually attended two on back to back weekends which is why I’ve been a bit MIA from social media. The first was in Columbus, OH. We went swimming/diving/water sliding at an Olympic size pool because it was a gorgeous day to be outside and hot enough to find a large bowl of water very appealing (it was like I carried the heat of Memphis up with me), then afterwards had a casual dinner and a fun night out just like the old days in our undergrad years. Yet somehow I failed miserably at getting many photos – so unlike me :-(.

The following weekend was a bit more involved. I hauled myself up even further north to Toronto where we toured a distillery, learned Bollywood dancing, shopped around some markets, flew on a trapeze (video on FB), and finished the weekend off with a nice dinner out and a VIP table at a club downtown. Then I got to drive allll the way back down to Memphis to my attention-deprived cat.

If that wasn’t enough, the week in between those two weekends I started writing the into to my dissertation. Talk about lots of work that needs to be done. After the past week and a half, I think I could sit down in front of this cheese ball and eat just that for dinner. Then again, I may never fit into those bridesmaid dresses if I keep eating like I have this past week!

One year ago: Red, White & Berry Shortcakes

Two years ago: Mojito Fruit Dip

AVOCADO CHEESE BALL

Makes 1 cheese ball

Ingredients:

2 (8 oz.) packages reduced fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese

1 lime, juiced

2 large avocados, peeled and diced

1/3 cup corn kernels

2 chipotle chile peppers in adobo sauce, minced

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and pepper

1/3 cup finely chopped cooked turkey bacon

1 Tbsp chili powder

Tortilla chips

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, blend together the cream cheese, cotija cheese and lime juice.
2. Stir in avocado, corn, chipotle chile peppers, cilantro and garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Form into a ball with hands (refrigerate first if too soft). Wrap in plastic wrap, place in a bowl to hold it’ shape and refrigerate.
4. When ready to serve, mix chili powder and chopped bacon and place in a shallow dish.
5. Roll cheese ball in mixture and serve with tortilla chips.

Source: Adapted from La Fuji Mama and Nibbles & Feasts.