There is nothing better than a summertime get-together. They are casual, impromptu, and usually feature something frosty in the blender or churning in the ice cream maker.
And of course, there is always dip – Rotel dip, French onion dip, Ranch dip, and so on. Who doesn’t love dip? It is the perfect starter at your summertime get-together, or ditch the main dish all together and serve a collection of your favorite concoctions paired with chips, pita bread, tortillas, or fresh vegetables.
The Seven Layer Dip is one of my all-time favorite dips, and it is so pretty with its garnishes.
Seven Layer Dip
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 10-ounce can of refried beans
1 package of taco seasoning
2 avocados
Juice of half a lime
Pinch of Kosher salt
3 turns on the pepper grinder
1 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
1 medium tomato, cleaned, seeded, and chopped
¼ cup sliced black olives
1 green onion top, sliced
In a small bowl, blend sour cream and mayonnaise together. Set aside.
In another small microwave bowl, add the refried beans and warm for one mine. Stir in the taco seasoning and mix well.
Scoop out the avocados into another medium-sized bowl. Add the lime juice, salt, and pepper. Mash together using a potato masher.
Layer in a clear, glass pie plate in the following order but leave a small border around the edge so each layer shows on the outside:
Layer 1: Seasoned refried beans.
Layer 2: Avocado
Layer 3: Sour cream mixture
Layer 4: Finely shredded cheddar cheese
Layer 5: Chopped fresh tomato
Layer 6: Sliced black olives
Layer 7: Sliced green onion
Serve immediately with tortilla chips, or cover and keep refrigerated until serving. Note: If doubling, use three avocados. You can also substitute avocado mixture with guacamole dip.
I love artichoke dip, but don’t try to butcher a whole artichoke yourself. Too. Much. Work.
This is a recipe shared with Deana from a friend at church.
Super Easy Artichoke Dip
2 cans artichoke hearts
1 8-ounce jar Parmesan cheese
1 ½ cups mayonnaise
1 box Wheat Thins
Mix artichokes, Parmesan cheese, and mayonnaise in a large bowl. Transfer to a 13x9 baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the mixture is bubbly.
Serve with Wheat Thins.
A family friend brings a dried beef cheese ball to our Christmas gathering every year. It is wonderful with crackers or with your favorite fresh vegetables.
Dried Beef Ball
2 blocks cream cheese (softened)
2 jars dried beef, shredded or finely chopped
1/4 cup grated white onion, more or less depending on preference
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire
Mix all forming into a ball reserving 1/4 cup of dried beef to cover outside of ball. Chopped pecans are also good on the outside. Refrigerate before serving. Serve with your favorite cracker.
You can find Captain Rodney’s Glaze at several gift shops in Winona. It is wonderful as a sauce over pork tenderloin and used as a marinade for chicken. However, the Cheese Bake recipe that comes on the bottle is pretty close to Heaven.
Captain Rodney’s Cheese Bake
½ cup of mayonnaise
1 block of cream cheese
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 green onions, chopped
6 Ritz crackers, crushed
8 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
½ cup of Captain Rodney’s Glaze
Mix mayonnaise, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, bacon, onions, and ¼ cup Captain Rodney’s Glaze. Place in a greased casserole dish, top with crackers, and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Top with remaining glaze.
Serve with Ritz crackers.
