Carolyn's Famous Potluck Bean Dip, from Carolyn

The layered taco dip sounds a lot like my famous potluck bean dip, which I have not been able to eat in a long, long time. Sigh. It is only 4 layers: a can of refried beans, a brick of cream cheese, a layer of salsa, and shredded cheddar. Cream cheese on bottom, then salsa, then beans, then cheddar. (The beans can go under or on top of the salsa... either way works.) Nuke until everything is melty. Ohhhhh, I want some!

Taco Pie, from Stephanie

I made the Layered Taco Dip in an 9x9 pan last time and had some leftover beans and salsa mix. Together with our other random leftovers and lack of tortillas, I came up with Taco Pie (again, neither tacos nor pie).

In a shallow, microwave- or oven-safe dish, layer:

1 cup refried beans and salsa mixture
1/3 cup black beans, sprinkled
1 chicken breast, cooked, shredded, and taco seasoningized
1/3 jar nacho cheese dip
1/3 cup black beans, sprinkled
1/8 cup fresh minced onion

Microwave for 2-3 minutes or until hot, or cook in the oven until hot. Then add:

1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar and colby cheeses

And cook using desired method until cheese melts.

Serve each person a plate of chips and a little bowl of sour cream. No double dipping!

Layered Taco Dip, from Stephanie

Layered Taco Dip

1 can refried beans
1/2 cup salsa (ish... enough to make it spreadable, not make soup)

Mix and set aside.

1 brick cream cheese
1 packet taco seasoning

Mix and set aside.

1/3 jar nacho cheese dip (tostitos queso is good!)

8oz sour cream

8oz shredded cheese - mexican blend, colby jack, cheddar, whatever. Something with some color is nice. I used 50/50 cheddar and colby the last time I made this.

In a relatively shallow pan (9x13 works well with these amounts), spread the bean mixture, then the cream cheese mixture, cheese sauce, sour cream, and shredded cheese. You can add shredded lettuce, diced fresh tomato, olives, or other (disgusting) things that you personally like to the top... but I don't. Serve cold with scoop tortilla chips, sturdy tortilla chips, fritos scoops, ... whatever.

I'm all about minimizing bowls so I mix the beans and salsa in the serving dish. Also, it helps to pop the beans and salsa in the fridge for a while or the freezer for a few minutes and to make sure the cream cheese is soft before trying to spread it.

Buffalo Chicken Dip, from Shelli

Buffalo Chicken Dip:

• 2 large chicken breasts, poached and shredded (or roasted, doesn't matter so long as it's cooked)
• Texas Pete's Hot Sauce (or other buffalo sauce). I found great Safeway brand buffalo marinade that I use
• 1-8oz block cream cheese, softened
  
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup ranch dressing

Coat shredded chicken in sauce, let marinate for at least an hour in the fridge. Mix chicken with softened cream cheese, half of cheddar cheese and ranch dressing, place in 8x8 square baking dish, or some other type of baking dish...top with remaining cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 for about 20-30 minutes until bubbly and delicious. Great with bread, fritos, corn chips, plain, you name it!

White Pizza Dip, from Sarah

In a baking dish or casserole, combine...

1 envelope Lipton Recipe Secrets Savory Herb & Garlic

2/3 cup chopped spinach (I use fresh baby spinach chopped in the food processor)

1 egg

8 oz. sour cream (you can use light)

8 oz. ricotta cheese (you can use part-skim)

2 oz. shredded mozzerella (again, part-skim is fine)

2 oz. shredded cheese for tacos, or Mexican cheese, or just cheddar works fine

2 dashes worchestershire sauce

Top with another 2 oz. of mozzerella

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. You can brown the topping cheese under the broiler if you like after that (when I do it, it always gets too hard to pierce with a chip, though).

Beware doubling the recipe - it comes out a little too thin. I think one and a half eggs might be the trick.

This is usually a big hit.

Suggested by Stephanie - Artichoke Spinach Dip

Artichoke Spinach Dip

I mix it all together before cooking; the directions are kind of ambiguous at that point. Also, it's really worth roasting the garlic since roasted garlic has a very different flavor than raw garlic. Don't skimp on the alfredo (pass on the Ragu, go for the Classico), it makes a big difference.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1 (10 ounce) container Alfredo-style pasta sauce
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place garlic in a small baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven 20 to 30 minutes, until soft. Remove from heat. When cool enough to touch, squeeze softened garlic from skins.
3. In an 8x8 inch baking dish, spread the roasted garlic, spinach, artichoke hearts, Alfredo-style pasta sauce, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and cream cheese.
4. Cover and bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until cheeses are melted and bubbly. Serve warm.