Halloween themed food continues for Tasty Thursday. Today I am offering the recipe to a regular in our house. Obviously we don’t make it halloween themed every time. Its usually a sloppy mess that I throw together.
I don know about you, but I grew up with the notion that any and all social interactions should be centered around food. If you step foot in my house, you are getting fed. There is so such thing as hanging out without having something to munch on. This dip is PERFECT for an appetizer or whatever you need it for in a pinch, its super cheap to have the ingredients on hand, and there is room for a lot of creativity.
The base ingredients that are consistent to every version of the dip are as follows:
1 can of refried beans of some kind
1 can of black beans or kidney beans
Cheese of some kind (usually a shredded cheddar or Mexican blend)
Salsa
Greek Yoghurt (substitute for sour cream)
Salt
Your favorite dipping chip
You can really get away with just using the ingredients above. It will still be incredibly tasty
(With just these ingredients the dip would cost about $5-8 to make, of course depending on if you are buying organic beans/cheese, fresh salsa vs. jar as well as the price of your favorite chip. Either way its still pretty inexpensive to make!)
Here are some things I add or switch out to vary the recipe and jazz it up a bit:
1/2 chopped onion and a clove of garlic sautéed in 1-2 tbs. of butter
A handful of Kale, Arugula, or Spinach
Guacamole if its on hand, or just avocados
A layer of rice or quinoa
I add Cumin and some turmeric if I want a little more flavor
I throw in some goat cheese with the cheddar.
A can Ranchero beans instead of plane kidney/black beans. (I found them at Whole Foods)
If I have some on hand and I am not super concerned with how healthy it is, I spread a layer of cream cheese in or just spoon gobs of it so you get a little surprise pocket of cream cheese.
Sliced olives on top
I add some peppers in with the onions if I want a pepper accent flavor
Of course adding more things will bump up the price a bit, but it can totally depend on what you have laying around the house.
Sometimes I make this dip for dinner. I get so tired when I come home from work, I can throw the ingredients together in less than ten minutes and let the oven do the rest of the work for another ten to fifteen minutes. It has a pretty decent amount of protein considering all the beans. Adding the corn chip or even rice will round it out to complete protein with all your essential amino acids. Next time you go for a stock up shopping trip, throw some refried beans, another can of beans, and some cheeese in your cart.
If you are someone who needs a recipe, step by step, with amounts and are wary about winging it, here is the exact recipe for my spider web dip:
Click HERE to download and print the recipe.
Ingredients:
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbs. Butter
1 Can Refried Beans
1 Can Ranchero Beans
Half a Bag of pre shredded mixed cheeses (Mexican blend or your choice of another blend)
Salt
Salsa
Guacamole (homemade or store bought, pictured is store-bought)
Plain Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400º. Melt the butter in a pan set to medium and add the onion. Cook for 2 minutes.
Add in the garlic and stir frequently, then add the can of Ranchero Beans after pouring out half the liquid. Cook until heated through.
Spread the can of refried beans on the bottom of a round 8inch pie dish. Sprinkle the top with some salt.
Pour the ranchero onion mixture on top and spread evenly. Spread the shredded cheese evenly over top and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese starts to brown and the dip is heated through.
Spread a layer of guacamole on top and then finish with some salsa and greek yogurt or sour cream
*spider web pattern optional!
**Super quick Guacamole: Mix an avocado with two spoonfuls salsa, a splash of apple cider vinegar, and a pinch of salt.