Queso bean dip

According to the calender, it's supposed to be Spring. According to my front window...it's anything but warm and sunny. Anyway, we are now in the season of BBQ and open houses, wedding showers, and rehearsal dinners and any other excuse to throw a party.

Part of the fun of parties is the food. Yes, all the delicious and yummy food one can eat will be on hand at any given day, time, or place. Normally, I like to do some sort of dessert whenever I'm invited to a party. However, there are times when I know that there will already be a lot of sweets at the event. This is where I pull out the time trusted chips and dip. It's simple, it's practical, and just about everyone will eat it. Of course I could just go to the store and pick up a container of generic flavor dip and throw in a bag of boring chips but really, what fun would that be? I've decided to share one of my favorite dip recipes.

Most people like cheese dip of some sort and most people like Mexican-type dips. The very popular method of mixing processed cheese (Velveeta) with salsa produces a very yummy dip and of course you can also buy that type of dip in jars but in truth, you get very little nutrition for a lot of fat and calories. I happen to like bean dip but once again, if you buy it in the little cans it is loaded with fat and calories. My solution was to create my own bean/cheese dip.

This recipe is super simple and very user friendly. There is very little prep involved and takes about 15 minutes from start to finish to make.

Queso Bean Dip

1 16 oz can of fat-free refried beans (try not to use flavored)
1 16 oz jar of mild or medium salsa (can use home made)
4-8 oz of fat free or low fat sour cream
1 package of shredded cheese* (sharp cheddar or Mexican blend.)
1 bag of tortilla chips

In a large microwave safe bowl, combine the salsa and refried beans.
Add 4 oz of sour cream ( half a small container)
Add 1/2 cup shredded cheese
Place bowl in microwave and heat for 30 seconds on high.
Take bowl out and stir
Taste mixture--add more cheese and sour cream if a more cheesy or creamy taste is desired.
Place bowl back into microwave and heat for another 30 seconds on high.
Take bowl out and mix until you get a creamy texture. If not hot enough or smooth enough then microwave for another 30 seconds.

Serve with tortilla chips.

There you have it. A simple yummy dip that everyone will love. If you want a firmer, more taco-like version then microwave the beans and salsa together and then layer the sour cream and cheese and top it with black olives. You can also use shredded lettuce and ground beef taco meat but I find that is really messy.

One last suggestion from me is to make this dip and try it out before bringing it to your next gathering. I prefer a more salsa taste to my dip so I use less cheese and sour cream. Also, the more watery the salsa, the thinner the dip. *Do not use fat free cheese. The fat free versions are not very good at melting.