Ahhhh Asiago Cheese Dip

I have worked for many restaurants over the years, two of my favorites have been Black Angus back in the day and Rock Bottom more recently.  Asiago cheese dip with beer bread became one of my favorite items on the Rock Bottom menu but not without a fight and some tears.....

I was working a big  catering event for the Walnut Brewery, a part of Rock Bottom Corporation.  We were going to be doing an event for the people who ran all of our interior designs.  They had a beautiful office with bambo flooring.  This was all to go off perfectly for their anniversary.  I was in management at the time and this was "my event", so to speak.  We had just gotten a new general manager named Collin.  I needed to show him my mad skills!  Everything was going off without a hitch...great event, great time had by all.  Collin informed me that he was going to run back to the restaurant and would be right back.  Could I hold down the fort? Duhhh, of course I could. Hello, I am amazing!  :0)  I am breaking down the appetizer buffet.  We have those sternos that are gel.  Think flamable gel to keep the food warm.  I am working on putting the "fire in a can" out at this point.  These type of sterno cans I usually just put the little lid back on and they go out.  I am behind a ten gallon dish of Asiago Cheese dip (think mayonaise goodness with cheese, scallions and other fine ingredients....but mostly mayo!)  Well some of that sterno gel was on the side of the can and the can started to catch on fire.  "remain calm" I am telling my self as folks mingle.  I grab a napkin (??????) and try to pat it out, to which i catch the napkin and table cloth on fire....Okay now I am freaking out...but only on the inside.  A wonderful woman notices the fire and comes to my rescue.  Grabbing the ten gallons of hot mayonaise dip and throwing it on the fire and me.  I stand there, fire out (who would have thunk greasy mayo would put out a fire?) dripping in cheese, mayo, sour cream and lots of other goodies.  Waste down I look like Im a human appetizer and thats just not the kind of parties I work!  I have cheese in my heals and I am just stunned.  Who would walk around the corner at that very minute, ahhh yes, my boss Collin.  I will never forget his face or his words: jaw dropped, not sure if he should cry or laugh, "how about we have a beer"... We walked out the patio, well I guess I slid, we laughed, I cried and we had a cold one.  The floors were saved, table a bit burned, i like to refer to it as "character"  The customer was more than gracious, (thank God they had had more than a few cocktails!) and it was a night I would never forget, nor live down.  Ahhhh good ol' asiago cheese dip. 

This recipe is my own.....Im sure Rock Bottom didnt want me to have theirs and was unsure whos place I would burn down if given the secret recipe.....

1 cup of water
4 ounces sundried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
1 1/2 cup mayo
3 cups sour cream
8 ounces of cream cheese room temp
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup of green onion
pinch of cayenne
1 tbsp olive oil

Boil the water and remove from heat.  Add sundried tomatoes and cover.  Let them sit for about 5 minutes.  Drain water and finely chop tomatoes. 

Add olive oil to saute pan.  Add mushrooms and cook about 5 -10 minutes.  Salt lightly.  The last five minutes add a clove of garlic, minced.  Dont burn but cook mushrooms till golden.  strain them onto a paper towel to remove any oil.

In a mixing bowl beat cream cheese till smooth, add mayo and sour cream. Mix till well blended.  Add chopped sundried tomatoes, cooked mushrooms, chopped green onions, grated asiago cheese, and cayenne.  Mix until blended on a low speed.  Pour into an oven proof baking dish top with a bit more asiago.  Bake on 350 till golden and bubbly.  top with a bit of green onion...serve with toasted baguette slices or your favorite toasted bread and some veggies....  enjoy....but please dont throw it at me if you dont like it!