fruit dip

have you ever had a sound or a smell evoke memories from your past? maybe you're driving along and a song comes on the radio, and just like that, you're back in college or high school or summer camp. or you smell  something familiar baking and you're suddenly back in your childhood kitchen.

me? when i hear smashmouth's all-star, i'm instantly happy. i'm back on a roadtrip with friends and find myself singing loudly and badly - just as i did years ago when it played almost hourly on the radio. cool water? one sniff and i'm once again in middle school. i swear, so many boys wore it that you could probably smell our campus from a mile away.

the taste of this dip has an effect on me too. it transports me back to the 80s, where i'm still a kid, cartoons are my world, and apples and dip are the best treat ever.

while i associate this dip with the 80s, who knows when this dip was actually invented? it has only two ingredients - cream cheese and mashmallow fluff - and both have been around for ages (the newer of the two being the fluff which made it's appearance in the early 1900s...thank you wikipedia).

the nostalgic part of me probably loves this dip for what it represents...simpler times and a higher metabolism.


equipment
electric mixer or a sturdy spoon

ingredients

• 1 (8oz) block cream cheese, softened
• 1 (7oz) jar marshmallow fluff (a/k/a marshmallow creme)
• sliced fruit for dipping (i like apples and pears, 2 of each are usually enough for one batch of dip)

directions
using an electric hand-held mixer, combine cream cheese and marshmallow fluff until smooth.

if mixing by hand, mix the cream cheese to soften first, then incorporate the marshmallow fluff for a smoother finish.

notes
regular cream cheese seems to mix smoother than light; taste-wise though light works fine. just keep mixing until smooth, or enjoy with lumps if you're lazy.