Bean Dip

My husband introduced me to bean dip the other day.  It was simple, I had the ingredients on hand, and it was the perfect food to eat while watching a movie.  What's not to love?

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Bean Dip

1 large can refried beans
1 cup salsa
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp lime juice

1. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine all ingredients.  Warm over medium heat until the cheese melts.
2. Grab some tortilla chips and a good movie.  Enjoy!

Fluffernutter Apple Dip

Well folks, it's been a while.  My keyboard was broken there for about three months, but I've got a keyboard now, and all 26 letters work!  And the space bar--the glorious space bar!  So we're back in business.  Thanks for sticking with me.

You know how you hardly have any memories of when you were a little kid?  Well let me tell you, this fluffernutter dip is one of my few memories. When I was maybe three, my parents signed us up for sign language classes.  At the end of every lesson, we'd get apples and fluffernutter dip.  Now, two decades later, do I remember any signs?  Maybe banana and umbrella...  But I remember this dip!  If that doesn't tell you how life-changing it is, I don't know what will.  It's best with apples, but I bet it would be killer with celery too.  Give it a try!

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Fluffernutter Apple Dip

1/2 cup marshmallow fluff

1/2 cup peanut butter

Sliced Apples (or celery)

1. Combine marshmallow fluff and peanut butter.  Mix until smooth.

2. Grab apple.  Dip.  Fluffy nutty glory!  

Alright, alright.  This may be the shortest recipe in the history of this blog, but sometimes the simple things are  the best, you know?  

Fresh Strawberry Syrup

We have found it!  This strawberry syrup is delicious and healthy and takes approximately two minutes to make.  Imagine strawberry deliciousness on french toast, crepes, ice cream, cheesecake, shortcake, or even mixed into lemonade to make it strawberry lemonade!  The possibilities are nearly endless...

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Fresh Strawberry Syrup
(adapted from the Blendtec recipe book)

2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
3 Tbsp honey
1 tsp lemon juice

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth.
2. That's it.  Enjoy!

Seven Layer Dip

I love seven layer dip.  Who doesn't?  Okay, I'm sure there are people who don't like it, but they are probably few and far between.  I found the idea to mix taco seasoning into your sour cream on allrecipes.com, and I liked it quite a bit.  You should make some soon.  You'll be happy you did.

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Seven Layer Dip

1 can refried beans
8 oz sour cream
1 packet taco seasoning
8 oz guacamole (or substitute chopped avocado)
1 large tomato, diced
1 can olives, sliced
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, torn or sliced (optional)
Tortilla Chips (as many as you can get!)

1. Spread the refried beans in an even layer in a 9x13 dish.
2. Mix together sour cream and taco seasoning, then spread the sour cream mixture in a layer on top of the refried beans.
3. Top these layers with tomato, olives, green onions, cheddar cheese, and lettuce if you want it.
4. Load up a tortilla chip and sit back to watch a football game...or a chick flick...or turn on some Mexican music and don a sombrero--because, hey!  Eating seven layer dip is just plain fun.

Creamy Tomatillo Salad Dressing

Here it is!  The dressing that pulls a Cafe Rio-esque salad together and makes it taste delicious.  I must admit, the other day I had extra dressing and extra cilantro lime rice, so I just mixed them together to see what it would taste like, and it was amazing.  I'm pretty sure that anything you put this dressing on will taste amazing.  Enjoy!

(P.S. This recipe concludes my knock-off Cafe Rio recipe series.  Alas, I wish I had more recipes, but this is all I've got.  If you have any other recipes, feel free to send them my way by leaving a comment.)

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Creamy Tomatillo Salad Dressing

(from Kalyn's Kitchen)

1 small bunch cilantro (stems removed)

2 large or 4 small tomatillos

1/2 tsp minced garlic

2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced (optional)

2 cups prepared ranch dressing (if you don't have any handy, you can use this recipe for homemade ranch dressing)

1. Wash and dry cilantro leaves.  You can use a salad spinner or just pat them with paper towels.  Chop cilantro leaves into small pieces (or throw them in a food processor and pulse for a few seconds).  Roughly chop tomatillos.

2. Combine cilantro, tomatillos, garlic, lime juice, and jalapeno (if using) in a food processor or blender.  Pulse until finely pureed.  Add prepared ranch dressing and pulse until combined.  If the dressing isn't quite the right balance for you, try adding another tomatillo.

3. Chill for 1-2 hours, then shout hooray and eat your delicious salad.

Cafe Rio Enchilada Sauce

The first time I went to Cafe Rio, my sister actually pulled me aside and prepped me for how to answer the barrage of questions that about to come (and it was a good thing she did, because I couldn't understand anything they were saying they were talking so quickly).  This was what she told me to say:

"Sweet pork burrito.  Mild.  Black.  Enchilada style.  Yes."

If you've been to Cafe Rio before, you know what I'm talking about.  But of all these answers, the most important one--the one I was NOT to mess up--was "Enchilada style."  If you're going to get a burrito, and you don't get it smothered in enchilada sauce, you're going to miss out majorly.  And this, my friends, is why I was so excited to run across this recipe for enchilada sauce.  Now you can smother that burrito at home too with saucy deliciousness!  What are you waiting for?

Cafe Rio Enchilada Sauce
(from Favorite Family Recipes)

1 small (4 oz) can diced green chiles
1 (7 oz) can salsa verde
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt

1. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Smother that burrito!

Note: You can refrigerate it overnight after simmering, and that way the flavors blend even more.

Pico de Gallo

This is another knock-off Cafe Rio recipe that you could use for all sorts of things.  It's simple and delicious.  It's like one step...two if you stretch it.  Have fun!

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Pico de Gallo

4 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp lime juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

1. Combine all ingredients.
2. Yum.

Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix

Another make-it-yourself mix from the fabulous Melissa.  Enjoy!

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Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix

1/4 cup powdered buttermilk
3 Tbsp dried minced onions
3 Tbsp parsley
1 Tbsp dried minced chives
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp black pepper

Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container until ready to use.

To make into ranch dressing:
1. Combine 1-1/2 Tbsp ranch dressing mix with 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup mayo.  Less milk makes it creamier, more milk makes it thinner.  
2. Ranch your salad, your carrots, your celery, your french fries...

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