Cheesy Bean Dip with a Kick!

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This was a weekend of some seriously emotional football games. Wow.

I know this time of year is really exciting and intense for football fans, and there was no exception of that at my house. There was yelling, excitement and even disappointment. As per usual, but at least we had this cheesy bean dip (with a kick) to help us through. This dip, aka “the dip”, is tasty and comforting which makes it the perfect dip to add to your game day table. Or for any occasion, really. It’s so simple to throw together with some of my favorite pantry staples, and even though it’d be great to serve with chips or chopped vegetables I love to serve it with some warm and toasty bread sticks. There’s just something so comforting about warm bread dipped in cheesy goodness that can make the most emotional football fan feel just a little bit better.

The dip is really simple, it may surprise you but it’s a mix of canned items and fresh ingredients making it such a breeze to whip up at a moments notice. Using canned items like RO*TEL Original Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies along with Rosarita Green Chile and Lime Refried Beans, freshly shredded cheese and sautéed onions along with an additional kick from the added jalapeños. This dip is so simple, but it really does make such an impression.

The bread… oh the bread. There’s really nothing as delicious as fresh bakery bread. I’ve been a longtime fan of the bakery bread at Walmart, there’s such a variety it’s sometimes difficult to choose just one item. I always get the French and Italian breads, but these garlic and herb bread-sticks were also delicious. Once warmed in the oven they were toasty with a slight crisp to them, but still soft and luscious as bread should be.

When I shop weekly I get my staple items. I have a pantry that I keep stocked full with products that are always perfect to add to a variety of dishes. Canned refried beans are always on the list, they’re an easy protein and perfect for my vegetarian daughter to get some additional iron in her diet. Although I do like to make my own refried beans in a slow cooker, the canned variety are perfect for those times when you’re coming up with a meal in a pinch and don’t have hours to plan. I also stock up every time on RO*TEL because they are a perfect way to add both color and flavor to most meals with a bit of a kick from the green chilies. Fresh onions and garlic are also a part of each and every shopping trip and I always make sure I have a few different cooking sprays on hand. Fresh bakery bread is always a part of my list, I serve it with spaghetti, or create sandwiches and meals with it. This dip is a great way to use up all of those pantry staples in a super tasty way, so it’s something I serve often. My family has even dubbed it simply, “the dip” so that I always know what they want.

One thing about onions, they make me cry. Like, a lot. My eyes burn, and I’ll have tears just rolling down my face while I’m chopping an onion. The food processor helps, however I don’t always want to get that out or deal with cleaning it, so I’ve found that if you cut the onion on each end and peel the paper skin off, then submerge it in a bowl full of cold water for 15 minutes it does help with the whole crying issue.

Just pat the onion to dry and chop as usual. I still have a little bit of sensitivity, but it’s greatly reduced by soaking in water.

Another easy trick for quick prep is to spray my cheese grater with non-stick cooking spray like PAM before grating my cheese. Not only does this help immensely when I’m grating really soft cheese, it also allows for an easier clean up when I’m washing that cheese grater.

Win! Speaking of winning, now that most of my favorite teams are out for the Big Game next month, I’ll just have fun hosting on Game Day and munching on my favorite foods. I’m so excited that the game is hosted in my hometown this year! I’ll be sure to serve some of my top favorite game day food, like this cheesy bean dip!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 small yellow onion, diced
• 1-2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 2 (16 oz) cans Rosarita Green Chile and Lime Refried Beans
• 2 (10 oz) cans RO*TEL Original, undrained
• 1/4 cup nacho sliced jalapenos, chopped
• garlic salt
• PAM nonstick cooking spray
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Begin by sautéing the onions in 1-2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil with a bit of salt and pepper. Remove from heat once the onions are a bit soft and fragrant.

In a mixing bowl, combine the Rosarita beans, the RO*TEL tomatoes (keep 2 tablespoons of tomatoes aside for the topping), the sautéed onions, the chopped jalapeños, and a few shakes of garlic salt. Mix until all ingredients are well combined.

Spray a deep dish pie plate with non-stick PAM cooking spray, then spread out the bean mix evenly across the pie plate. Top with the shredded cheese.

Add some extra slices of jalapeños, then add the reserved RO*TEL to the middle. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool, top with the chopped cilantro.

While the dip is cooling, heat up the bread so it’s warm and toasty. I used Garlic and Herb breadsticks that can be found in the Walmart bakery. Just heat them up a few minutes in the oven and they’re ready to go!

Serve with some appetizer plates.

Enjoy!

Are you rooting for any teams that are still in the running for the Big Game?

Let me know if you’re an avid fan or if you just like the game day food. Either way, you can find everything you need for your Game Day food spread at your local Walmart. Be sure to check out the bakery section for some delicious breads and the produce section for fresh ingredients. You can also find the Rosarita beans in the Hispanic aisle and the RO*TEL in the spaghetti sauce aisle. If you need some more nonstick cooking spray, the PAM can be found in the baking aisle!