7-Layer Dip

Posted by TheRoomMom

Watching football this weekend? Attending a family friendly New Year’s Eve party? Me too. There is no better tailgate snack food for football watching and potlucks than a Mexican 7-layer dip. I will be bringing this crowd favorite to a friend’s house tonight, and I made individual sizes, so we can keep eating more dip during football games tomorrow. Normally, I like to use a layer of diced tomatoes instead of salsa. I forgot the tomatoes at the grocery store, so I went with the salsa layer, which is a totally acceptable substitute. You can see my original recipe with the diced tomatoes HERE. I know many people have a version of this recipe, but I think the Fritos Original Bean Dip and the taco seasoning mixed in with the sour cream makes this variation a little special. Happy New Year!

Ingredients

2 (9-oz) cans Fritos Original Bean Dip
1 container guacamole (about 10 oz.)
~2 cups salsa
1 pkg mild taco seasoning
~12 oz. sour cream
2 c. Mexican cheese blend, grated
3 green onions, chopped
scoop Frito’s or tortilla chips

Directions

Scoop the 2 cans of bean dip into a 9 x 13 casserole dish and spread evenly across the bottom with a spatula.
Dollop the guacamole on top of the bean dip and gently spread out using the spatula. Try not to disturb the bean dip layer. It’s kind of like frosting a cake.

Dollop the salsa on top of the guacamole layer and spread gently.

In a small bowl (or the sour cream container), mix the taco seasoning with the sour cream. Combine well. It will be a light orange color. Spread the sour cream mixture over the guac and salsa. Gently spread with the spatula trying not to disrupt the layer beneath.

Sprinkle the grated cheese on top.
Sprinkle the green onions over the cheese.
Serve with Frito scoops or tortilla chips.
Can be made ahead. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

Make individual layered dips in ramekins or the clear 9-oz. plastic cups.

Holiday Party Dip

Posted by TheRoomMom

It’s been a food-a-thon around here. It started with the various holiday treats my students gave me last week, which we have been happily eating. I baked two batches of Christmas cookies over the weekend, and then my in-laws arrived yesterday, and we headed out for a fancy dinner. Cut to this morning when I baked a sour cream coffee cake, turkey chili, spicy spinach dip, and pita toasts. I don’t cook often, but when I do, I mean business.

I served the spicy spinach dip with the pita toasts as an afternoon snack. I would qualify the dip as Super Bowl worthy. I also like the fact that it has a festive feel due to the red tomatoes and green spinach. So, readers, Merry Christmas and happy snacking this holiday season!

Ingredients

2-3 T. chopped jalapenos (I used canned and drained)
3/4 c. chopped green onions
1 10-oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 c. seeded and chopped tomatoes
8-oz cream cheese, softened
2 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 c. half and half

Directions

Mix all ingredients together. Make sure the cream cheese is blended well.

Pour into buttered ovenproof dish.

Bake at 400 degrees until browned and bubbly (about 20 minutes).

Pita Toast Ingredients

1 package pita bread pockets
1/2 c. melted butter
2 t. lemon pepper
2 t. cumin

Pita Toast Directions

Cut pita pockets into 8 triangles. Separate the triangles into halves.
Blend butter, lemon pepper, and cumin.
With a pastry brush, spread each piece of pita with butter mixture.
Bate at 350 degrees until browned and crisp (about 10 minutes).

Notes

You can use different herbs in the butter mixture for the pita toasts and serve them any time. Italian seasoning is a great replacement for the lemon pepper and cumin. Serve the Italian seasoning pita toasts with soup.
The dip can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated. Bake about 10 minutes longer if the dip has been in the refrigerator before it goes in the oven.

A Classic Party Dip

Posted by TheRoomMom

As you may remember, I do not care about watching football, but I do care about having tasty football snacks. Today I made the classic Mexican 7-Layer Bean Dip. There are many varieties, but they generally start with a bean dip base followed by taco topping layers. I use Fritos Original Bean Dip as my base, which I think adds a little something something. I also use freshly chopped tomatoes rather than salsa, so it is a little less soupy than some I have tasted.

I have never had problems locating cans of Fritos Original Bean Dip until today’s grocery trip. To my horror, I found out that my local Publix no longer carries the bean dip because not enough people were buying it. So, I tried a few other stores and finally found two cans at the gas station convenience store. I think that probably sums up the nutritional value of this party dip, but honestly, who can refuse the stuff?

Ingredients

2 (9-oz) cans Fritos Original Bean Dip
1 container guacamole (about 10 oz.)
2 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 pkg mild taco seasoning
~12 oz. sour cream
2 c. Mexican cheese blend, grated
3 green onions, chopped

Directions

Scoop the 2 cans of bean dip into a 9 x 13 casserole dish and spread evenly across the bottom with a spatula.

Dollop the guacamole on top of the bean dip and gently spread out using the spatula. Try not to disturb the bean dip layer. It’s kind of like frosting a cake.

Sprinkle the chopped tomatoes on the guacamole.

In a small bowl, mix the taco seasoning with the sour cream. Combine well. It will be a light orange color. Spread the sour cream mixture over the guac and chopped tomatoes. Gently spread with the spatula trying not to disrupt the layer beneath.