Category: Dips

Olive Cheese Bread

Some of you…. you know who you are, I know who you are, need to hide your eyes for this one. Ha! I will not comment on how this bread might just make you into an olive lover. I will refuse to say that it is really unreal that you all will miss out on this wonderful olivey, pleasure in this adventure called life. I will not expand upon the fact that olives are just nature’s wonderful way of naturally adding salt to your gooey, cheesey bread. Are you all hiding your eyes and ears now??….. One of my favorite ways to fix up a loaf of french bread is with this yummy recipe from Ree Drummond!! There, it’s over. It’s all ok now…. Now gather these ingredients.

1 loaf French bread
8 ounces pimento stuffed green olives, chopped
8 ounces pitted, black olives, chopped
2 green onions, sliced thinly
1 stick butter, room temperature
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 pound Monterrey Jack cheese, grated

Combine butter, mayonnaise, cheese, olives and green onions in a mixing bowl. Stir together until thoroughly combined. Spread mixture onto a loaf of French bread that has been sliced lengthwise. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and starting to turn brown.

Ree says the mixture can be refrigerated up to two days and used as a dip with crackers as well!

I say, make it to go alongside Italian food, a steak dinner, cut into squares as an appetizer, or cut into thick strips as lunch or supper!

Campers’ Favorite Dip

This chili cheese dip is absolutely perfect for when you need something yummy and you need it fast! It’s great for a night of grilling outdoors or even for a cozy night indoors, just bake it in the oven! Serve with Fritos. Valorie Ebie from Bel Aire, KS shared this recipe with Taste of Home. This is so delicious.

1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese
1 (15 oz) can chili, I use Hormel brand chili with no beans
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, I shred my own and use colby cheese
2 thinly sliced green onions or diced jalapeños for garnish
Tortilla chip scoops or Fritos

Prepare campfire or grill for medium-low heat. Spread cream cheese in the bottom of a 9 inch disposable foil pie pan. Top with chili; sprinkle with cheese.

Place pan on a grill grate over a campfire or on grill until cheese is melted, 5-8 minutes. If desired, garnish with green onions or diced jalapeños. Serve with corn chips.

This can easily be baked in the oven at 350 degrees until bubbly and melty! Enjoy!

COOKING THE BOOKS, YA’LL!

Black Bean-Corn Salsa

This dip is out of my 2004 Southern Living Annual Recipes Cookbook, and it is a definite keeper! Super bowl is coming up and this would be perfect for snacking on during the big game. Fallon loves this. Creed is more quiet regarding this. I think 1 out of 2 kids is pretty good, don’t you? For green and healthy looking things… Serve with tortilla chips or fritos and watch it disappear!

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (11 oz.) cans sweet whole kernel corn, drained
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 T. minced fresh jalapeño, I used an entire large jalapeño and left the seeds (it wasn’t too spicy, but follow your gut on this depending on how much heat you like.)
3 T. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 avocado, chopped
Tortilla chips

Combine first 10 ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill at least 2 hours. Add avocado just before serving. Makes 3 1/2 cups.

Corn Dip

Ross Ann Hill was a fun teacher I taught with, my first year of teaching in Idalou,TX, so many, many years ago! Did you catch that? I was trying to see how many times I could use a form of teach in a sentence back there….I’m quite talented! Yeppers. Any who…. she brought this to the hospitality room for a UIL meet that year. 20 years later, this is still my “go to” dip! It works for all occasions, all year long. Thanks, Ross Ann! And if you need it for Christmas, garnish it with diced red and green bell peppers, like I did. Works like a charm.

1 can of Mexi corn
1 small white onion, chopped finely
1/2 stick of Cracker Barrel Sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
4 oz. mayonaise

Mix well and serve with Fritos.

Bean and Cheese Dip

With the holidays upon us, it’s always a good idea to have quick snacks on hand just in case unexpected company shows up or you need to take something to a last minute gathering, or you have a houseful of kiddos spending the night with you. Whatever the case may be, this is so yummy and will cure the munchies for sure! What’s better than something hot and cheesy coming out of the oven to dip tortilla chips in?…..Ya, I can’t think of anything either.

4 (15 oz.) cans refried beans
1 (16 oz.) jar salsa
1 (4.5 oz.) can chopped green chiles
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Diced, fresh jalapeños
Tortilla chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together the beans, salsa, and green chiles.

Pour the mixture into a casserole dish and sprinkle the top with the cheese.

Bake until warmed throughout and the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes.

Garnish with jalapeños, if desired, and serve immediately with tortilla chips.
Makes 8-12 servings

*I use Taco Bell brand refried beans, Herdez Salsa Casera “hot” for the salsa, and I like to shred my own longhorn style cheese for this.

COOKING THE BOOKS, YA’LL!

1-2-3 Mexican Dip

My sister-in-law, Laurel, is one of the best cooks that I know. She introduced me to this fabulous dip as well as the cookbook that it came from. I am forever indebted! Not only is this one of the best and most unique Mexican layer dips that I’ve come across, it is also an amazing book! I highly recommend it for the newly weds in your life or anyone for that matter! This comes from Mary Corpening Barber and Sara Corpening Whiteford’s Bride & Groom First and Forever Cookbook.

1 can (16 oz.) refried beans – I prefer Taco Bell’s brand
1 1/2 cups medium salsa – Santa Fe chunky is my pick for the salsa
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. dried oregano
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp. onion powder
1 small red bell pepper, seeded, deribbed, and chopped
1 cup (2 oz.) grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1 fresh jalapeño chile, cut into rounds (about 20)
Tortilla chips for serving

Combine the refried beans, 1/4 cup of the salsa, the chili powder, cumin, and oregano in a medium bowl. (I have substituted 3 tsp. taco seasoning for the seasonings in this step and it turns out great.) Spread evenly over the bottom of a 9-inch round ceramic casserole dish (at least 2 inches deep) or an 8 by 8 glass baking dish.

Combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, red onion, cilantro, and onion powder in a small bowl. Spread over the top of the beans mixture.

Combine the bell pepper and the remaining 1 1/4 cups salsa in a small bowl. Gently spread over the sour cream mixture, being careful to not mix the layers.

Top with the cheese and jalapeño and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour. Serve with tortilla chips
Serves: 10 to 12

The dip can be made 1 day in advance and refrigerated.

COOKING THE BOOKS, YA’LL!

Chorizo Queso

My kiddos are really into chorizo right now. They think chorizo and egg burritos are the best things going, so these days, I have had a little of it stashed in the fridge for their cravings. Between having some on hand and being inspired by the Pioneer Woman’s recipe out of her new book, Come and Get It!, we enjoyed a nice warm bowl of queso on a chilly fall Sunday night. Pretty yummy and pretty good timing, if I do say so myself! Thanks Ree!

1 (9 oz.) pkg. fresh chorizo
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 packet Sazon Goya seasoning mix
2 pounds Velveeta cheese, cubed
2 (10 oz.) cans Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 fresh tomatoes, diced

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the fresh chorizo, crumbling the sausage with a spoon as you go, about 5 minutes.

Add the diced onion, garlic, and Sazon seasoning packet. Cook, stirring occasionally another 3 to 4 minutes by Ree’s directions…. (I went longer because sometimes, er, most times…. chorizo puzzles me.) until the onion is starting to soften and the sausage is totally cooked.

Drain on paper towels, blotting the top as well. Add the chorizo mixture, Velveeta, Rotel, and milk back to your large skillet and melt on low stirring often.

When melted, add the fresh tomatoes before serving.

This can also be made in the slow cooker after you cook your meat. PW says to cook this on high in your crockpot for 45 minutes, stir, and cook another 20 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.