Coaching Cooking

Welcome to the first Tasty Treat Tuesday. Today I present a delicious and quick version of the 7-Layer Dip that graces many a football party, college party or party where an inauthentic, but delicious Mexican dish is an absolute must. This dip is best served the day it is made although it keeps pretty well for a few days (make the guacamole or chopped avocado the day that you serve it or it turns brown and looks unappealing!).

This recipe is easily doubled and the biggest tip that I can offer is to strain the salsa before adding it to the dip so the whole dip does not become a crazy mess.

Jenny’s 7-layer Dip:

Ingredients:

1 can of refried beans (I use Rosarita Original recipe in the 16-oz can)
Shredded Mexican three-cheese blend (in the plastic bag with the resealable zipper) or shredded Cheddar cheese
Salsa (I use the medium-spicy pico de gallo style with chopped tomatoes and cilantro)
Avocado diced or guacamole
Sour cream (16-ounces or less)
Shredded lettuce
Finely-chopped green onions (part of the green tops and the white parts of the green onions)

Optional:
Sliced olives
Cilantro leaves torn into bite-size pieces

Directions:

Find a large, shallow bowl or pretty serving bowl in which to place all the dip ingredients. Layer the ingredients starting with the beans first. Mash the beans in a separate bowl and heat for a few minutes (if you like the beans warm! I do…). Then spread the beans over the bottom of the bowl.

Next sprinkle the shredded cheese over the beans and grab a colander for the salsa. The cheese will melt a little over the warm beans while you prepare the salsa. Drain the salsa over the sink so that most of the liquid is removed. Carefully place the salsa over the beans and cheese in the serving bowl.

Top the salsa with chopped avocado or guacamole. Then spoon the sour cream over the avocado or guacamole layer. I find that it is easier to stir the sour cream until it is combined and a little lighter before placing the sour cream as the next bean dip layer.

Then sprinkle the chopped green onions over the sour cream layer and finish with the shredded lettuce spread evenly over the whole dip. I also like to add olives around the outer edge of the dip for color (and so people who don’t like olives can avoid them). This dip also looks great with a few thin slices of avocado fanned out in the middle of the bean dip (sort of a 1950s homage to random, but edible garnish).

Enjoy!