For this month’s cemetery recipe, I am stepping away from baked goods and trying out something savory. When I came across this simple dip recipe, I knew it had to be my next kitchen adventure.

This recipe comes from the gravestone of Debra Ann Nelson, who is buried in Dow City Cemetery in Iowa.

Nelson passed away on March 8, 2021, at the age of 56. She was a beloved wife, and community member, known for her warm personality and her love of cooking.¹ She had a passion for bringing people together, whether through scouting, teaching water aerobics, or sharing her famous homemade pickles.¹

One of the many places where Nelson left her mark, was the Red Lantern Steakhouse in Denison, where she worked and made large batches of their well-loved Red Lantern Cheese Dip.

Now, thanks to this recipe etched in stone, her legacy continues for future generations to enjoy.

Here is the recipe, as engraved on the tombstone:

Red Lantern Cheese Dip

• 8 oz spreadable sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup real mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried minced onion
• Splash of milk
• Handful of dried bacon bits

Combine all ingredients in mixer. Refrigerate. Enjoy!

In the Kitchen

My first attempt at making this dip came with a bit of a challenge. I had trouble finding the exact spreadable sharp cheddar cheese called for in the recipe.

It’s an issue I have run into before. Being in Canada, our products and brands are a bit different from what can be found in the United States, where most of the recipes I have tried come from. I have made do so far, but for this one, I scouted the grocery store to no avail.

I settled on a spreadable aged cheddar, which was all I could find, and hoped it would be a close match.

The process itself was incredibly simple—just a quick mix of ingredients and into the fridge it went! However, the consistency turned out to be a little runnier than I had expected, likely due to the cheese substitution. While the flavours were delicious, the aged cheddar had a much stronger taste, that overpowered the garlic and onion flavours. I had a feeling that it wasn’t quite the taste that Nelson had intended.

Since I didn’t think I had done this recipe justice, I put it aside until I could try again with better success.

And that’s when I got the idea. Could Cheese Whiz be the answer? It’s definitely more in line with the smooth spreadable consistency I was looking for.

My second attempt at making this recipe went just as quickly as the first, thanks to its simplicity. I gathered my ingredients, this time using a cup of Cheese Whiz in place of the spreadable sharp cheddar cheese. I then mixed them together in a bowl and set the dip aside. This time, I decided to make something special to go with it—I didn’t have any crackers or chips on hand, so I made my own!

Using a pizza cutter, I sliced up two flour tortillas, then coated them in some avocado oil, salt, and pepper before baking them in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes. I kept a close eye on them to prevent them from burning, and once they were golden and crisp, they were ready to go.

Excited to taste the dip, I scooped up a bite with one of my freshly baked chips—only to realize I had skipped an important step: refrigerating it! My initial taste was overwhelmingly Cheese Whiz-forward, without the blended flavours I was hoping for. So, I saved some of my homemade chips, and let the dip chill overnight.

The extra time made a big difference. By the next day, the flavours had blended nicely, mellowing out the strong processed cheese taste and bringing out the garlic and onion flavours. This version felt much closer to what I imagined the original dip would taste like.

I would definitely make this recipe again, especially for a family gathering or cozy movie night—it makes a great snack!

There’s something special about making a recipe like this, one tied to a person’s life and memories, and in this case a restaurant. Whether served up at a steakhouse or shared around a family table, this dip is a nice reminder of how cooking is community.

Will you give this recipe a try? I would love to hear how it turned out for you!

Thanks for reading!

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References:

1. Deb Nelson Obituary | Tribute Archive