Cooking with Rod's Family

 

By Melinda Cohenour

This 7 Layer Mexican Dip is a delightful addition to a Summer or early Fall party buffet table. It does not require heating an oven or stovetop. Not only is it delicious but makes a lovely presentation as well. Suggest placing the casserole dishes at either end of your buffet spread, accompanied with separate trays of dipping options.

Although I always prepared my guacamole and Pico de Gallo, you might choose to purchase those ready-made. For smaller groups merely make one 9x13" serving dish.

Your party buffet might include Sausage Cheese Balls, Barbecue Lil Smokies, quesadillas, a fruit and cheese tray, a Slow Cooker offering Queso, chilled jicama peeled and sliced on a tray with wedges of limes, a veggie tray of fresh chilled radishes, green onions, bell pepper strips, and a variety of cheeses and any dishes provided by your guests.

Bon appetit ~!

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Ms 7 Layer Mexican Dip, Guacamole, and Pico de Gallo

Years ago I was introduced to a delicious layered Mexican Dip a girlfriend brought to one of my parties. It was so good!

Of course, I had to make that dip my own by using her basic ingredients and adding my own favorite goodies.

Here's my version.

7 Layer Mexican Dip

PREPARE TWO 9x13" casserole dishes. Use one-half each listed ingredient layer in each casserole dish, preparing at the same time. Refrigerate up to two hours before serving.

INGREDIENTS:

* 2 (9 ounce) cans Frito's Bean Dip

* 4 cups guacamole (I make my own. My recipe is included below)

* 2 containers (16 ounce) sour cream

* 2 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix

* 1 pound (16 ounce) brick or 2 (8 ounce) bricks Cheddar cheese, (shred it yourself for best taste)

* 2 large jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced

* 1 (6 ounce) can medium sliced black olives

* 2 cups homemade Pico de Gallo (recipe included below)

* 6 green onions, bulb and green tops, diced

* Fresh sprigs cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Prepare guacamole (Recipe below), cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble layered dip.

2. Prepare Pico de Gallo (Recipe below), cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble layered dip.

3. Evenly spread one can bean dip across each of the two 9x13" casserole dishes.

4. Divide guacamole evenly and layer one-half of the dip in each casserole dish. (If the guacamole made from my recipe makes more than 4 cups, either cover and save the extra or serve it as a stand-alone dip.

5. Add one Taco seasoning mix to each 1 lb carton of sour cream. Spread this flavorful cream on top of the guacamole, using one flavored sour cream carton for each casserole dish.

6. Shred the pound brick (or both 8 oz bricks) of Cheddar Cheese. Use one-half to top guacamole in each of the two casserole dishes.

7. Drain the sliced black olives completely (you can reserve the juice for later use in a soup or other dip or simply discard). Sprinkle half the can evenly over cheese across each casserole dish.

8. Rinse jalapeno peppers, remove stems, cut in half and remove seeds and membrane (these are sources of pepper heat and can be used or discarded according to personal taste). Dice peppers. Sprinkle each casserole dish with one diced pepper.

9. Split prepared Pico de Gallo in half. Drain liquid. Spread half on each dish.

10. Split diced green onion and sprinkle as garnish over each dish.

11. Garnish each dish with pretty sprigs of cilantro.

Refrigerate after covering each serving dish loosely with Saran Wrap. Should only be refrigerated 2-3 hours at most before serving. BEST SERVED WHEN ASSEMBLED AND CHILLED HALF AN HOUR TO ONE HOUR.

Serve alongside tray of dipping choices: crisp tortilla chips, Bell pepper slices, broccoli and cauliflower florets, carrot sticks, Frito Dippers, an assortment of crackers.

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Ms Homemade Guacamole

Ingredients:

* 8 large or 10 medium ripe avocados (to test ripeness, squeeze gently. The avocado should be SLIGHTLY soft to the touch. Then check further by removing the stem. If perfectly ripe, it should remove easily and reveal a yellowish green bit of flesh. If not yet ripe, stem will not remove easily and flesh will be quite green. If overripe, the revealed dot of flesh will be brown or even almost black. When squeezed an overripe avocado will feel mushy.)

Mash these avocados to create an evenly creamy texture. Immediately add lemon or lime juice and blend. This adds flavor and prevents the avocado from turning brown.

* Juice of one lemon (preferred) or lime.

* 1 large salad tomato, diced fine

* 1 large sweet bell pepper. Remove stems, seeds and membrane and dice quite small

* 2 medium heat or mild jalapeno peppers (you may choose serrano or even poblano peppers but this will affect both heat and flavor. It's your preference of course). Remove stems and membranes and mince.

* 1 small sweet white onion, minced

* 1 tsp. garlic powder

* 1 tsp cumin

* Remove leaves from 1 to 3 sprigs of fresh cilantro, no stems. Chop leaves gently.

Instructions:

Add tomato, bell pepper, hot peppers, onion and blend smoothly with avocados. Sprinkle with garlic powder and cumin. Blend. Add cilantro leaves and gently stir into guacamole.

Add a sprinkle of lemon or lime juice, tilting guacamole to permit juice to glaze entire surface.

Cover with Saran Wrap, pushing down close to but not touching guacamole. Place in refrigerator until ready to use.

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Pico de Gallo a la M
(Double recipe to use in 7 Layer dip)

Ingredients:

* 1 ripe, firm fleshed tomato, dice

* 1 medium bell pepper, seeded and diced (try to make all diced ingredients - except chile pepper - about the same size)

* 1 medium white onion, diced

* 1 serrano or jalapeno pepper, seeded, stemmed, and minced

* 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, stems removed, leaves gently chopped

* 1 Tbsp. Lime juice

Instructions:

1. Prepare all veggies, adding to a medium sized bowl. Reserve a few sprigs of cilantro to use as garnish for portion served as a side dish.

2. Add lime juice.

3. Stir gently.

4. Cover and chill to permit flavors to blend.

* * * * * *

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