This 3-Ingredient Cream Cheese Dip Is One of My Favorite Family Traditions

One of the first people to ever expose me to food was not a TV personality or a celebrity chef. It was my former step-mother-in-law, Kimi, from my first marriage. She wasn’t even necessarily a great cook, but she was a great entertainer. She has since passed away, but when I remember her and that time in my life, there was always food involved.

Kimi and my father-in-law had a massive community and an open-door policy. They lived right on the beach, making their place a popular stop for friends before and after surfing. Impromptu joyful gatherings and meals were normal, and Kimi was always ready with food for her guests to nosh on while they talked. One day, she pulled out a block of cream cheese, poured hot pepper jelly on top, and served it up with a sleeve of Ritz crackers. Her group of friends and I gobbled it up.

Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Debbie Wee

My Filipino-American self had never experienced this combo before. The way the savory cheese transformed when it was topped with the sweet and spicy jelly and dipped into with a buttery Ritz cracker made me think — and it also made me keep dipping.

With a fine-dining background, I can get caught up in the fanciest, most artful, or most complicated things. But this recipe is a reminder that it doesn’t have to be fancy to be loved by many. And sometimes, three humble ingredients can be a smash hit, like Kimi’s raspberry pepper jelly cream cheese dip with Ritz crackers.

I recreated this dish for my family and my daughters devoured the dip, just like I did years ago. The only thing I did differently was add a pinch of flaky salt to balance it all out. Now it’s a little food tradition I can carry on with Kimi’s granddaughter.