The Delicious Cream Cheese Dip My Family’s Made Every Christmas Since 1975 (Just 4 Ingredients)

My relationship with the state of Virginia began when I was applying to colleges in 2009. Of all places in the world, my search for the perfect fit landed me in Colonial Williamsburg, at a small school called The College of William and Mary. Many miles away in Florida, I had never heard of William and Mary before nor been to Virginia. I knew no one in the entire state, and yet, I somehow knew I was destined to be there. 

It was a friend of mine from college who introduced me to a guy who later became my boyfriend: a friend of hers from high school with Virginia roots of his own. The relationship grew, and before I knew it, I was at his parents’ house eating something called Hot Virginia Dip, and from that moment on, we were destined to be together. My boyfriend eventually became my husband because he has a nice personality, but also so I could stay in the family where Hot Virginia Dip makes regular appearances.

Hot Virginia Dip was first published by the Junior League of Hampton Roads in 1975, in their debut cookbook called Virginia Hospitality, and our family has made it every year since. My mother-in-law’s copy was a gift from her mother, who gave each of her children a copy when they graduated from college.

Hot Virginia Dip is creamy, salty, savory goodness. It relies on a unique ingredient called chipped beef: a pressed, salted, and dried meat product that’s sliced thinly like salami, and commonly sold in a tempting glass jar. If you haven’t heard of chipped beef, that might mean you didn’t serve in the U.S. army in the first half of the 20th century, which is where this nutritionally-dense and long-lasting ingredient was often served, infamously mixed with cream and slopped on a piece of toast for a creation affectionately named “Shit on a Shingle.”

To make Hot Virginia Dip, you finely chop a whole jar of chipped beef, mix it with softened cream cheese, some sour cream, and a few other flavoring agents in a 2-quart baking dish.

The original recipe includes garlic salt and chopped onion, but my abridged version easily becomes a 4-ingredient dip if you leave those extras out. Add a few tablespoons of water or milk to thin it, top it with finely chopped pecans, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 350ºF, until the pecans are toasted and the dip is, well, hot!

The serving trick here is presenting it alongside plain, unsalted crackers (Carr’s water crackers are my go-to). Anything salted or buttery would be overwhelming, so a simple cracker provides the best contrast to the rich, salty dip. My beloved in-laws make Hot Virginia Dip for their Christmas party every year, and it’s so delicious, I look forward to it more than presents. 

I’m not sure how many requests Santa gets in his mailbox for chipped beef, but this year there will definitely be at least one.

Buy: Armour Star Sliced Dried Beef, $3.86 for 2.25 ounces at Walmart

Do you have an easy holiday dip you’ve been making for years? Tell us about it in the comments below.

This post originally appeared on The Kitchn. See it there: The Delicious Cream Cheese Dip My Family's Made Every Christmas Since 1975 (Just 4 Ingredients)