Fresh Lime Salsa

All I can say is... my cousin Lauren eats this plain with a fork. For dinner. But I prefer it as a snack with Tostito's Lime Chips.

You can eat it however you please.

Ingredients:

6 Roma tomatoes - chopped
1 avocado - diced
1 small red onion - finely diced
1 can black beans - drained and rinsed
1 can white shoe peg corn - drained
1/4 C chopped, fresh cilantro
Juice of 2 limes
2 TBSP white wine vinegar

Combine all ingredients in bowl and serve.

*I suggest you make this a day ahead and store in the fridge because... when the flavors have had time to mingle... oh my. It's heaven.

Toffe Dip for Apples

Okay, I totally stole this idea from my cousin. (shout out to Shelly!) I made a plate with apple dip and some apples to share with our neighbors. It is so yummy. While I was making it, I couldn't help but sample each batch. :) It's creamy, and the toffee adds just the perfect crunch.

Ingredients:
1 pkg. cream cheese (8 oz.) - softened.
3/4 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 bar (8 oz.) of Heath Toffee (pound into small pieces using a ziploc bag and a rolling pin.)

Mix all the ingredients together in a mixer or with a hand mixer until blended and creamy.

Serve with sliced apples.

Yum!

Awesome Spinach and Artichoke Dip

I found this on kraftfoods.com and used it for a party the other day-it was a hit. Just a suggestion, though, make sure it is hot when you get around to eating it!

INGREDIENTS:

1 can (14 oz.) of artichoke hearts (I used marinated)

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and drained

3/4 cup Grated Parmesan cheese

3/4 cup light Mayonnaise

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees.

SPOON into 9-inch pie tin, or quiche dish. (I used a 9 inch pie pan)

BAKE 20 min., or until heated through.

SERVE with pieces of bread, or crackers. (Triscuts and wheat thins are good.)

Either It's Been Way Too Long, Or This Is Damn Good Dip!

It's been forever since I've had a good 7 layer bean dip. I've been trying to eat a lot healthier, and I ran across this recipe for HEALTHY bean dip and thought I'd try it... although I normally scoff at low fat cheese because it's just... gross. But not grouped with the following (forgive my ugly microwave in the pic):

3 C (2 cans) black beans
8 tsp EVOO
12 T fat free sour cream
12 T low sodium salsa
4 T chopped green onion
8 oz reduced fat cheddar
cilantro

Mash beans and olive oil (I used a meat masher) and spread it in the bottom of your dish.
Spread on sour cream.
Spread on salsa.
Layer onion, then cheddar.
Sprinkle with cilantro

This serves 4. You can dip chips into it (Baked Tostitos Scoops, in keeping with the healthy theme) or... dump it on a pile of romaine lettuce for a mexi-salad. You don't even need dressing.