Mango Salsa Scoops

(note, I made this at the end of August, here in MN, it is obviously not a hot summer day!)

Easy and quick and perfect on a hot summer day. I loved that this was a bit both spicy and sweet and kept nicely in the refrigerator for snacks all week long :)

This was from the Food Network Magazine, 50 After School Snacks Insert



Mango Salsa Scoops

Toss 1 cup diced mango and a 14.5 ounce can of black beans (rinsed and drained) with 1/4 cup diced red onion. Add 1 small can of chopped pickled jalapenos and the liquid, chopped cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt. Serve in tortilla scoops.

8 Layer Taco Dip

This little appetizer was made for a Cinco de Mayo party at work. This was my first try at this and I think it turned out fairly nicely :) The proportions are open for interpretation, if you like less tomatoes, use less, if you want to add chopped jalapenos, add them, this is YOUR dip after all :)

8 Layer Taco Dip

~14 oz can of refried beans (low-fat)
~10 oz low fat sour cream (seasoned with 1-2 Tbsp Taco Seasoning)
2 medium chopped tomatoes
1 1/2 cup shredded cheese (taco blend or cheddar)
2 green onions (chopped)
1/2 cup cilantro (chopped)
1 cup salsa (your preference)
1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded lettuce

Optional add-ins: Ground or Shredded Beef, Shredded Pork, Chicken, Olives, chopped jalapenos (canned or fresh)

Layer the dip in a dish** in the following order: Refried Beans, Seasoned Sour Cream, Salsa, Shredded Lettuce, Shredded Cheese, Diced Tomatoes, Chopped Cilantro, Chopped Green Onions.

Serve with Tortilla Chips!

**Serving dish can vary, I used a 9" cake pan, you could also use an 8"x8" square baking dish.

Artichoke and Spinach Dip

All I can say is this is one of my favorite restaurant appetizers. It's best served warm with tortilla chips, or baguette bread, or probably just about anything in my opinion.

Artichoke and Spinach Dip (from Food Network)

1.5 cups half and half

8 oz grated monterey jack cheese

8 oz light cream cheese

1 tsp garlic powder

1.5 tsp Worcestershire

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

3/4 lb fresh spinach (stemmed and chopped)

14 oz can artichoke hearts, rinced and chopped

4 green onions, chopped

Diced red bell pepper and/or diced tomato for garnish

Bring the half and half to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat, and add monterey jack cheese, cream cheese, garlic powder, worcestershire, and salt. Continuously stir to prevent sticking while the cheeses melt.

While slowly stirring add the chopped spinach, nutmeg, artichoke hearts, and green onions. Stir until mixed and the spinach is wilted. Garnish with red peppers and/or tomatoes and serve hot.

Toasted Sesame Dip

This is an idea I got from a friend of mine, Jen. At first I thought, I don't know about this...soy sauce, cream cheese, I don't know but I'll try it. It was delicous, perfect for a party! She picked up this idea from another friend, whom I'm sure got it from another friend and so on and so on. I googled this of course and there are "official" recipes for this, but because in the beginning I did not know of them, I am not going to reference them here, just my good friend Jen and her delicous dip!

Toasted Sesame Dip

1 brick low-fat cream cheese (neufchatel)

1/4 cup soy sauce

2-3 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Crackers for dipping, such as Ritz or Triscuits

Directions

Unwrap the cream cheese and using a toothpick or fork, prick holes into the cream cheese all over, you really want to let the soysauce soak up into the cheese. In a container or a Ziplock bag (I opted to use the bag,) place the cheese and soy sauce and let 'marinate' for several hours in the refridgerator. Once complete, remove from 'marinade.' *Tip, if you opt to use the Ziplock method, move to the kitchen sink and using scissors, snip a little corner off , and the soy sauce will drain out easily, making an easy transfer to a serving plate. Crust the brick with the toasted sesame seeds and serve.