365 Recipes - #16 - Wanna-be 10 Layer Nacho Dip

I started off on a mission... and that was to make a 10 Layer Nacho Dip. All those fresh vegetables and spicy chili flavored beef was calling my name. Really who doesn't love fresh avocados? or fresh tomatoes? or spicy beef? Well I have 9 layers today... the 10th is still at the store... oops I forgot the black olives !

Ok off we go (and here I apologize for how many photos for this one... I guess I just wanted to show off every step)

The Line Up :
Ground Beef, 1lb
Spicy Re Fried Beans (low fat), 1 can
Sour cream (low fat) small container
Lettuce, half a head
Tomatoes, 3
Avocados, 2
Lime Juice, half a lime
Cheese (shredded M. Jack and Sharp Cheddar)
Jalapeno, 2
Cilantro, heaping amount chopped
(Black Olives.... more on this later.)

Start with a head of iceberg lettuce...

Slice it up thin so you don't have big overpowering pieces.

Grab 3 plump tomatoes...

Scoop out the innards...

Then chop them up to small corn kernel size pieces.

For the cheese... it's best to make this dish with at least 2 different types to bring in different flavors... I used M. Jack Cheese and a Sharp Cheddar.

I used 1 lb of ground beef. Why I have such a hard time photographing raw meat baffles me... some day I'll get it right.

Now for the kick. Chili powder ! This will be added when the beef is cooking.

Refried beans with a kick of spicy... and even better it's FAT FREE ! good stuff. I put this in a small pot over a very low heat, it really just needed to be warmed up. You do have to stir it from time to time so it does not burn.

Please I beg of you, when your adding chili powder to your beef please PLEASE pay more attention to the chili power then your camera ;-) I was trying to hard to get this in focus I didn't realize how much I put in... it's a good thing I like the spice!

Jalapeno! Yummy kick to any Spanish dish!

Chop this up really small... I could only find one in the store that I liked... so I was stuck with just one... but you can use up to 2, that is if you like the kick of the jalapeno!

When your ground beef is ready, remove it from the pan and place it on a paper towel to drain off the extra oils.

Take your avocados and slice them in half and pop out the pits. or is this a seed? I should look this stuff up some time....

For years I didn't know the right way to slice/chop an avocado... But thanks to my go to person in the kitchen... Cynthia... she showed me how to do it in side the skin. Just make slits going in both directions to make cube like shapes... just be careful your not slicing your hand on the other side !

Because avocados are so delicate and will brown rather fast, it's best to squeeze one half of a limes juice all over them... and this adds a bonus limey flavor (which by now if you have not noticed... i like... a lot :-) Save the other half of the lime for another time.

Now for the layering. Start with the beef on the bottom.

Spread the refried beans all around (this was 1 full can of beans)

Then spread sour cream around to form the 3 layer.

Next comes the lettuce...

And tomatoes...

Avocados... I love these... so I always make large chunks... but you can make them smaller if you like.

Then a layer of the two cheeses...

Sprinkle the jalapenos all over the top.

Then sprinkle the chopped cilantro all around the top to bring in that fresh flavor.

Now...
Insert photo of sliced black olives spread all over the top......Ta Daaaaa ! 10 layers ! Yeah I forgot the black olives... oh well... next time !

Doesn't that look so yummy?

Look at all those layers !

I highly recommend eating this dip with nacho chips, but if you can't wait go right a head and dive in with a fork, it's OK I'm not looking ;-)

Remember that half of lime you didn't use? Well now would be the perfect time to whip it back out and slice it up, and plop a nice little wedge in to an ice cold Corona, or Corona Light... trust me... Corona's are the perfect "wine" for this dish :-)

Recipe #16, 349 more to go.


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