7-Layer Bean Dip & Guacamole

Well better late than never with this post.  Today I'm sharing my "FAMOUS" {my own words} 7 - Layer Bean Dip & Guacamole Recipes with you all today.  Now I will warn you...once you make this for your friends or family they WILL beg you to make it again!  It's seriously a huge hit for every party I've made it for and event or gathering.  I like to think of it as my one "specialty" dish I never get wrong and make really well.  Especially since I'm not the worlds greatest cook, but I try.  You should still have some time before all the Cinco de Mayo festivities tomorrow to head to the store and pick up any ingredients you may not have on hand to make these two recipes.

 Let's get started...We are going to start with the Guacamole first since you'll need to know this recipe for the 7 - Layer Bean Dip.

Ingredients:

-  5 to 6 Regular Sized Avocados

-  1 1/2 Tbs. Lime Juice {Either fresh or in the bottle}

-  1/4 Cup Finely Diced Red Onion  

-  1/4 Cup Diced Roma Tomatoes 

-  1/2 Cup Chopped Cilantro

-  1 Tsp. Garlic Powder

-  1 Tsp. Black Pepper

-  1 Tsp. Salt 

{The salt is really to taste, so add what you like and think balances the flavor}

-  1/4 Cup Milk 

{You can substitute sour cream if you'd like, but milk works best in making it smooth and creamy}

TIP:  When buying avocados DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT squeeze them to see if they are ripe and judge based on that.  The best way to pick an avocado is to pull the little stem piece out of the avocado. 

When you pull that stem piece out you should see a bright green color.  Any dark brown coloring and you know it's not good.  When your done checking simply stick the stem back inside the avocado where you plucked it from.  If you do this you will almost always pick a fresh and bright green avocado!  

After taking the pits from each of the avocados place them in to a food processor, if you don't have one you could try using your blender if you have a good one.  Worse comes to worse you can do this all by hand using a fork or a potato masher.  But the food processor works best.  For this recipe today I used my really small one because I was too lazy to get out my Cuisinart and wash it.  Okay so once the avocados are in the processor add the cilantro, red onion, tomatoes, seasonings, lime juice, and milk.  Blend it all together, I really get it super creamy and smooth usually...that's how I like it.  I know some people like it chunky, if you do just leave the milk out of the recipe.  Try it super creamy though, you will love it.  Once it's all blended pour in to a bowl or spread on to your 7 - Layer Bean Dip.  Mine is a little chunky here because I used the small processor, usually it's like super smooth.

{You can adjust any of the seasonings to your taste preferences}

Now for the 7 - Layer Bean Dip.

This recipe makes a enough for a 9 x 13 casserole dish.  

I ended up cutting the recipe in half for today to fit in a 8 x 8 dish.

Ingredients:

-  1 Large Can of Refried Beans or 2 Regular Sized Cans

{I usually buy the Mexican Style beans since they are seasoned, but you can use vegetarian or fat free}

- 1 x 16 oz. Container of Sour Cream

{I prefer reduced fat or fat-free}

-  1 x 8 oz. Bag of Cheddar Jack Shredded Cheese

-  Guacamole from the earlier recipe

-  1 Packet of Taco Seasoning

-  1 to 1 1/2 Cups Finely Diced Roma Tomatoes

-  1 Can Large Pitted Black Olives, Sliced

-  1 Bunch Green Scallions, Finely Chopped

First layer is your refried beans.  Layer it nice and evenly on the bottom of your dish.

Next mix your sour cream and taco seasoning together in a separate bowl until combined.

Now layer it on top of your beans in the dish.

Now take your guacamole you made earlier and layer that on top of the sour cream.

Next add the entire bag of shredded Cheddar Jack cheese on top of the guacamole layer.

After dicing all your Roma Tomatoes, add them on top of the cheese layer.

Add the layer of sliced black olives.

And then top with the green scallions.

And your done!  

We LOVE Santitas Tortilla Chips in this house.  They are inexpensive like $1.99 a bag at Walmart and Fry's, but I'm sure they sell them at most stores.  We typically buy the white corn, but the yellow corn ones are just as good.  You could also eat this bean dip with cucumber slices if your watching calories, that also means that if you make this dish with fat-free items like the cheese and sour cream you'll reduce the calories greatly.  Enjoy.  

Happy Cinco de Mayo!