Cowboy Dip

Ingredients

For the dip:

• 12 ounces hot Italian sausage links, casings removed
• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 2 cups frozen sweet corn, thawed and drained
• 1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
• 1/2 cup fresh jalapeño peppers, diced
• 1/2 cup green onions, sliced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• cayenne pepper, to taste

For topping:

• 2 tablespoons sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• cayenne pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon green onion, optional, sliced

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Place the sausage links in a dry pan over medium heat until they start to sizzle.
3. Use a spoon or flat wooden spatula to break up the sausage as it cooks and cook until browned and crumbly, about 10-12 minutes.
4. Remove the sausage from the heat and drain the fat.
5. In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, 4 ounces cheddar cheese, corn, the cooked sausage, tomatoes with chiles, green chiles, jalapeño peppers, 1/2 cup green onions, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper, mixing until thoroughly combined.
6. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and smooth out the top.
7. Top with the remaining cheddar cheese and the cayenne pepper.
8. Place the baking dish on a sheet pan and bake until the cheese is melted and the dip is bubbling around the outside, about 30 minutes.
9. Top with the remaining green onions and serve.