Roasted Thyme-Corn Queso Dip

Ingredients

• • 3 cups corn kernels (see Tip)
  • 8 ounces shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (2 cups)
• • 8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), cut into small pieces 
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme

Directions

• 1 Preheat oven to 375 °F.
• 2 Coat a medium (10-inch) cast-iron skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Add corn; cook, stirring occasionally, until mostly golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. (Corn kernels may "pop" as they brown.) Remove from heat; stir in Cheddar and cream cheese. Transfer to the oven.
• 3 Bake until golden and bubbling, 18 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle the cheese dip with fresh thyme and serve.

• How to Remove Corn Kernels Stand an ear on its stem end and slice the kernels off with a sharp knife. To extract the corn “milk” and get more flavor for sauces, soups or puddings, add another step to the process: After cutting the kernels off, press the dull side of the knife down the length of the ear to push out the rest of the corn and its milk. Yield: You'll get about 1 cup fresh kernels from one large ear of corn.