Recipe: Game Day 7 Layer Dip

So, in case you've been out of the country or perhaps living under a rock (a very large rock), you just might have heard that the Superbowl is 2 Sundays away. And, if you heard about the Superbowl, you may have also heard that it's going to be a big one - or what Josh is referring to as, Superbowl XLII, Quarters 5 through 9. In keeping with this fabulous game day spirit that is going to be running rampant in the Northeast for the next couple of weeks, I want to bring you a bunch of game day recipes that you can use at your Superbowl parties. When we watched the game in Colorado, my friend Lindsy made a fabulous dip (cream cheese, salsa and cheddar cheese). I used her dip as the base for the 7 layer dip that I'm showing you today. I promise it will wow your guests!

In order to make this awesome dip, you'll need:

1 8 oz. package of cream cheese
1 16 oz. jar of chunky salsa
1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
1 8 oz. package of guacamole
1/2-3/4 of 1 12 oz. jar of spicy bean dip (I used Trader Joe's)
5-10 large black olives, sliced


Now, you may notice that I only listed 6 ingredients, but we use the cheese to make 2 different layers. I still call it 7-layer dip, but you can feel free to call it a 6.5-layer dip too.

First, take your cream cheese - I used Trader Joe's Light - and spread it across the bottom of your dip dish.


Then, empty the jar of salsa onto the cream cheese and spread it evenly on top of the cream cheese.


Next, take your shredded cheddar cheese (I used non-fat) and spread 1 cup of it across the top of the salsa, lightly covering the salsa below.


Place this in the microwave in 45 second increments until the cheese is completely melted. Mine took 3 go-arounds to melt.


Then, take out your guacamole and spread this across the melted cheese layer.


Next, take about half the jar of spicy black bean dip and spread that out across the guacamole. The black bean dip from Trader Joe's is incredibly spicy, too much for me which is why I used only half the jar, but you can add more or less depending on your spice tolerance. (Note: If you don't have a TJ's near you, or just cannot find a spicy black bean dip, a great sub for this layer would be refried beans heated up and mixed with a packet of taco seasoning.) Then, use the remaining cup of cheese and spread it just around the edges and microwave again for 45 seconds, in increments, to melt the cheese. Once it comes out of the microwave, spread your olives across the top in the beautiful haphazard way you see here to serve.

And there you go! An easy dip for the big game! I made mine in a small glass pan, but this could easily be doubled for large bowls and containers. It can also be served with sour cream and/or chives if desired. I promise this will go quickly! I made it for the game on Sunday and just 2 of us devoured half of it before halftime. Um... oops - I did use mostly low fat products so it wasn't too unhealthy!

Hope you all have a wonderful Tuesday and I will see you tomorrow morning for Wedding Wednesday!

PS. Oscar Noms came out this morning and I am so excited! Oscar Night is, without question, my favorite night of the year! I like to curl up on the couch, keep score of my picks (and try to beat Josh and the rest of my fam), and of course, cry really hard during every single acceptance speech. (Needless to say, I think, I don't subject others (except Josh) to my ridiculous behavior during these awards.) Here's a link to check out the nominations - I hope you're getting as excited as I am!