Taco Dip Night

You have guests coming over and have no idea what to make them. What if you're not the best chef on the block and you worry about not having something delicious to keep your company happy?

No fear, there are endless recipes designed just for those "not-so-chef-like people" in mind. Depending on what the occasion may be, if it is something that is light-hearted such as a graduation party or just a few friends over to catch up, look into the many finger foods that are available.

 One in particular is taco dip. This is a family favorite of ours, in fact my mother makes it religiously when she knows all of us kids are coming over, especially in the summer. It is quick and simple to throw together, and it stays fresh as a leftover snack the following day when refrigerated. It makes for a great dish when sitting poolside, or a tasty treat for board game night, and the ever popular "bring a dish to work day" at the office!

Shopping List:
2 boxes of cream cheese (Philadelphia preferably)
16 ounces of sour cream
1 package of taco seasoning
2 cups of shredded lettuce
2 cups of diced tomatoes
1 package of Mexican variety shredded cheese
1 large bag of nacho chips (Tostitos)

Additional ingredients if you wish:
Black olives
mushrooms
onions
peppers

Preparation: Place the sour cream, and cream cheese into bowl and blend. Add in the taco seasoning packet and mix the combination. Next, place the fluffy mixture into a 9 x 11 pan and make an even spread of it along the bottom of the pan. Start to make your dip by adding the lettuce on first, then tomatoes to be followed by the cheese. If you opt to add any of those aforementioned ingredients such as peppers or olives, you may add those on last. Cover the pan and place into the refrigerator.

Generally, you want to let it get cold before diving into it, so allow it set for at least one hour before serving. Set out your tortilla chips in a tray for your guests and place the taco dip in a bowl for dipping.

Additional tips: If you have little ones coming over to enjoy your taco dip, it may be best to create a small section just for them that may only have cheese sprinkled on top and hold off on the various other toppings as little ones can be rather picky eaters! You can also make this healthy by using low fat or non fat cream cheese, sour cream and shredded cheeses alike. Do ensure that, if you are going to tote the taco dip dish around to picnics and such, you place it in a cooler or container with a cooling mechanism in it to avoid any spoiling issues as this is to be served cold.