7-Layer Dip”less” Appetizer
My mother is legendary in our family for walking into things.
In the house where I grew up, we had a dishwasher…me. And then one day, we got an actual dishwasher, but it was not the built-in kind. It was on wheels and you had to drag it over to the sink and hook up the hose to the faucet. This process could take up to 15 minutes as the coupler didn’t always want to fit nicely onto the faucet and the dishwasher had the maneuverability of a tank in quicksand. Ahhhh. Good times.
Because it was not always sitting in the middle of the kitchen sounding like a jet about to take off, my mother was constantly surprised by its presence. Every single time she walked by, it was accompanied by a thunk (her toe slamming into it) , a few choice words for the inconvenient piece of machinery, and some fairly energetic moves that could probably get her onto Dancing With the Stars.
I have inherited her gracefulness.
Last week, I managed to walk into the dishwasher door, which, in my defense, had been left open by SOMEONE who was trying to be helpful and scraped a few layers of skin off my leg. As I was hopping around, trying to figure out if I needed a skin graft or only 7000 stitches, Tim asked, “Are you okay?’
Yeah. I’m great. I just decided that instead of my usual workout this week, I’d try hopping around the kitchen like a demented rabbit. Thanks for asking.
Then, I sliced open my thumb trying to unseal something from its plastic packaging. I don’t know who decided that sealing everything from nail files to reading glasses in industrial strength, sharper than a machete package that you need an actual machete to open was a great idea, but it really wasn’t. It would be easier breaking into Fort Knox, and a lot less dangerous, than trying to remove a kitchen utensil from its package.
And finally, I ended the week by throwing myself on the couch while playing with the dog and misjudging where the arm was. As my shoulder connected with the edge of the arm, I saw stars and what I’m pretty sure was my grandmother on the other side getting ready to welcome me into the light.
Once again, Tim asked if I was alright.
Yeah. Sure. I’m great. These are tears of joy streaming down my face, and I really don’t need to ever be able to lift my arm higher than my waist again. Ever.
Sometimes you just can’t escape your genes.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups pinto beans, drained, rinsed and dried
- 1/3 cup sliced green onions
- 1/3 cup diced, seeded tomatoes
- 1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons grated cheese
- 3 teaspoons taco seasoning mix
- 2 Tablespoons firmly packed cilantro
- 3/4 cup, divided, finely crushed tortilla chips (resembling bread crumbs)
Directions:
- Pulse the beans, onions, tomatoes, cheese, taco mix and cilantro in a food processor till mixture is ground but not mushy.
- Put bean mixture into medium bowl and add 1/2 cup of the crushed tortilla chips. Mix well.
- Heat a pan over medium low heat. Add a splash of oil.
- Put the remaining crushed chips on a plate. Form the bean mixture into small balls (a bit smaller than a golfball), then flatten them and dip in the crushed chips, lightly coating both sides. Cook 1-2 minutes per side.
- Serve with guacamole, my cucumber avocado sauce or the sauce listed below:
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup greek yogurt
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Whisk all ingredients together.
Enjoy!
