Tango Sausage Cheese Dip on Cheez-It Hot & Spicy Grooves

5 from 1 vote

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a bowl of cheez-it dip

Tango Sausage Cheese Dip on Cheez-It Hot & Spicy Grooves – College basketball season is always an exciting time in our household of six boys. Maybe it’s a part of their quest for their own unique identity, maybe it’s because they all have varying degrees of stubbornness (I have no idea from whom they get that trait), or maybe it’s because they just like who they like, but all six of our boys have differing favorite teams when it comes to the springtime college basketball series. One thing they all agree on when it comes to college basketball season, is the need for a constant supply of game day food. This lively cheese and sausage dip that is served with Cheez-It Hot & Spicy Grooves fits the bill perfectly and is the one team that all six of their different brackets have in common.

Tango Sausage Cheese Dip on Cheez-It Hot & Spicy Grooves

A bowl of food on a plate, with Cheez-It and Cheese

With as many brackets in the family as there are boys, each March brings a new and competitive banter around the house – as if any more of that is needed! With all the talk of hoops there is another vital part of college basketball season and that is having plenty of game day food on hand. Along with a variety of other staples, there are certain foods that live in our pantry, albeit briefly as they are continuously replenished it seems. Aside from being perfect for an anytime snack, Cheez-It Crackers are especially suitable for game day food.

Tango Sausage Cheese Dip on Cheez-It Hot & Spicy Grooves by Platter Talk

During college basketballs season, it’s more important than ever to come up with a variety of food ideas, snacks, appetizers, entrees, and everything in between. It’s pretty common that we have friends over to watch the college basketball throughout the month of March. Some of the things we’ve learned through the years include:

  • Have a variety of foods and snacks to draw from on different days.
  • Be aware of any special dietary needs of friends who are coming over. We have friends who are lactose intolerant, some who are gluten free, and one who can’t eat any fruit that has a pit (or pits) in the center.
  • We like to have a separate table for finger foods, small plates, and beverages. This is an easy way for guests to help themselves and it frees up the hosts to attend to other things, namely watching our respective teams score additional points!

One of our latest foods we served at the last college basketball playoff game party was this Tango Sausage Cheese Dip on Cheez-It Crackers Hot & Spicy Grooves. The combination of soft cheese, sweet Italian sausage, and a mixture of Latin-inspired tomatoes and aromatics is the perfect topping for this lively new variety of Cheez-It Crackers.

A bowl of cheese dip

Built for taste and convenience, this delicious creation is made in a single pan

A pan of cheese dip with wooden spoon

How we made this Tango Sausage Cheese Dip on Cheez-It Hot & Spicy Grooves                           Full recipe at end of post

  • Brown 1 lb of sweet Italian sausage
  • Add 2 lbs of a soft cheese (we used Velveeta)
  • Add 1/2 cup of milk
  • Add a handful of roasted sweet red peppers (save yourself some time and by some in a jar.)
  • Add a can of Rotel with green chilies
  • Add a handful of cilantro leaves
  • Serve with Cheez-Its Hot & Spicy Grooves

The combination of soft cheese, sweet Italian sausage, and a mixture of Latin-inspired tomatoes and aromatics is the perfect topping for this lively new variety of Cheez-It Crackers.  I knew this team would go all the way to the championship when everyone who came over for the last game asked for the recipe and wanted to know from here we found this new variety of Cheez-It Crackers.

A store shelf with crackers

We picked up these large boxes of Cheez-It Cracker varieties at Target, where they are available through the first week of April at the great deal of 3 boxes for $8.00. This is perfect for college basketball season! Typically, these can be found at the Signal the Seasons Savor Spot section or near the Check Lane at your favorite Target store.

a handful of snack mix

I hate to admit it, but I am a bona fide snacker. I do take some solace in saying that it seems I’m not the only one is the family who can lay claim to affliction. 16 year-old Noah and I frequently meet (serendipitously) at the junction of our kitchen island and the pantry. These unplanned meetings typically occur between the hours of 8:00 and 10:00 in the evening and they almost involve Cheez-It Crackers, our favorite vareity du jour happens to be their Srirarcha Snack Mix. Don’t get me wrong. Neither Noah or myself is an indiscriminate snacker, we insist on quality, good taste and satisfaction. Cheez-It Crackers uses real cheese and for us that matters. To make them even better, they are available in many cheesy baked snack varieties. What could be better than a little friendly banter with one of my kids and a handful of crunchy and cheesy Cheez-It Crackers at the end of a long day. It’s a pretty great way to close the chapter on just about any day.

A close up of a person holding a plate of food, with Cheez-It and Cheese

 

 

Tango Sausage Cheese Dip on Cheez-It Hot &; Spicy Grooves

5 from 1 vote
A Platter Talk Exclusive
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients 

  • 1 lb sweet Italian Sasuage
  • 2 lbs soft cheese, We used Valveeta, cut into small chunks
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 roasted sweet red pepper, coarsely diced
  • 1 can Rotel with green chilies, drained
  • 1 handful cilantro leaves
  • 1 9 oz box Cheez-It Hot & Spicy Grooves

Instructions 

  • Using large skillet, brown sausage over medium heat. Drain if necessary.
  • Reduce heat to low and add cheese and stir until melted.
  • Add milk to mixture and stir-in thoroughly.
  • Stir in red peppers, Rotel, and cilantro.
  • Serve immediately with Cheez-It Hot & Spicy Grooves.

Nutrition

Calories: 739kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 58g, Saturated Fat: 28g, Cholesterol: 167mg, Sodium: 1160mg, Potassium: 551mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 2180IU, Vitamin C: 24mg, Calcium: 158mg, Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @plattertalk or tag #plattertalk!

Meet the Platter Talk Guys

Dan & Scott split their time between Wisconsin and Southwest Florida and are dads to six boys. Good food runs through their veins, and they love showing others how to cook easy recipes.

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12 Comments

  1. You gotta appreciate the irony in presenting your own opinions in partnership with a company that has “bias” right in its name! But thanks for being up front about it. I love, love, love Cheez-Its and nothing could make them better than a cheesy dip. I haven’t laid my eyes on a block of Velveeta in years, but it’s perfect for melting. I used to eat it by the pound when I was a kid.

  2. 5 stars
    mmmmm…!! I can feel the taste of this colorful and amazing dip!! I am in completely love with this recipe without even trying it!!isn’t it strange? Yes because the pics forced me to fall in love with Tango flvr chezzy dip!! Oh God..!! not control myself.

    Keep sharing these lovely dishes!!

    1. Thanks for the nice comments, Ellie. It’s fun to create food that taste great and is a show-stopper to boot! We appreciate hearing from you and hope you will share our site with your friends and family!

  3. That dip looks AMAZING! I could live on dip if it were acceptable. I haven’t tried the spicy Grooves yet but my daughter and I are obsessed w/ the Ranch ones!