7 Layer Dip

~Amanda~

It’s SUPER BOWL WEEK… not only are our very own Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl, but we also get to make a bunch of our favorite party foods – I’m not sure if we’re really more excited for the game or for making the food to eat during the game, either way, we’re excited! So with that in mind, we devoting the entire week on the blog to all of our favorite game day recipes and we’re kicking it off with the best 7 Layer Dip you’ll ever have. 7 Layer Dip is pretty much a staple at most Super Bowl parties, or any sports viewing parties for that matter. And if it’s not at the parties you’re going to, you need to start bringing it because it is the most delicious, crowd-pleasing dip there is and so simple and easy that you can make it in about 10-15 minutes. I have no idea where this dip actually originated, but I do know that I’ve eaten it so many times at so many different events and one thing is for certain, pretty much everybody loves it – so be sure to make it for your viewing party and all your guests will love you and shower you with praise for providing such a delicious dish!

Let’s start with the first layer, the refried beans! The beans almost always go first because they are the densest ingredient so they should be on the bottom holding everything down, right? You could easily just use a can of refried beans for this step, but to kick up the flavor, I mix mine with a packet of taco seasoning. This brings in all those warm and flavorful Mexican spices and takes hardly any time but it seriously makes a big difference in your dip. The next layer is the sour cream. I always use light sour cream because I honestly don’t really notice a big difference between regular and light when combined with all the other bold flavors of the dip, so it just makes sense to go with the healthier option… try it, I bet you don’t notice a difference either!

Layer number three goes to one of the best foods in the world… GUACAMOLE! Jackie and I both consider ourselves to be profound guacaholics and could probably live on guacamole, so of course this is the ingredient I get most excited about and you will probably catch me digging through the dip with each chip scoop I take just to make sure I get plenty of guac in every bite. So with that being said, I religiously believe in making homemade guac all the time. Store bought guac will never come close to the greatness of homemade. Since this is a quick and easy recipe, I make a quick and easy guacamole; just combine two avocados, some fresh lime juice, and salt and pepper in a bowl and mash it up! Simple, but heavenly. Then spread it on top of the sour cream.

Layer number four is the salsa. This is pretty basic; buy a jar of your favorite salsa (as hot or mild as your heart desires) and spread it in a layer on top of the guacamole. Layer number five is very important… cheese. I buy the shredded Mexican cheese blend for this portion, but you can always just do cheddar as well. Then just use your hands to sprinkle it on top of the salsa. At this point I use my hands to kind of ‘pat down’ the dip so everything sticks together a little more tightly. The next layer is another of my favorites; fresh roma tomatoes diced and combined with green onion, cilantro, and lime juice. I think this layer is a very important one because it’s so light, bright and vibrant and brings some freshness to the dish. There are a lot of heavy components going on here, so it’s nice just to have that fresh and zesty bite in there too!

And finally, the black olives – a somewhat controversial ingredient. If you’ve ever seen a 7 layer dip, it’s almost always topped with olives, it’s just what you do whether you like them or not. Growing up I absolutely hated olives and despised having to pick them off the top, but just over the last few years I have developed a love for them and will eat as many as I can… funny how our taste buds change like that sometimes. So even if you hate olives, you have to put them on here for the people that like them, and also just because it’s what you’re supposed to do. And now you’re done! Time to get out that big bag of tortilla chips, serve your dip, and cheer on your team! GO BRONCOS!