Marisa Ratchford/Daily Nexus

Marisa Ratchford/Daily Nexus

It is that time of year again. The school year has officially started. Of course, that means that we will soon be hitting the books hard, but for most of us these first few days are all about the social aspect of college — the kickbacks, get-togethers, club potlucks and Greek socials, all of which are very exhilarating. With that being said, the point of a good time is to have good people and, in my humble opinion, great food.

Don’t get me wrong, you don’t need a feast to complete your party, but you should have something delicious to snack on. A snack connoisseur myself, I have always gone with a classic chips-and- dip style, but, of course, there are many options. Salsa is always a solid option — I mean, you can’t really go wrong there. Or you could do a sour cream dip — the absolute best and simplest way is to buy an eight-ounce tub of sour cream (even 7-eleven carries this as, I have learned recently) and then purchase a package of Laura Schudder’s toasted onion dip mix and serve with a bag of Ruffles. Or if you want to show off, you can try this next recipe, which has proven itself worthy BBQ after BBQ: an eight-layer bean dip, served either with Fritos Scoops or regular tortilla chips.

This recipe just draws in the eyes like a delicious sedimentary rock, each layer unique to itself and bringing with it its own story. The dip is inviting, vibrant and bright, all of which I aspire to be as well. The contrasting colors create a true vision and the complex layers of texture and consistency ensure that your taste buds will never be bored.

It is easy to make, too! It only takes about 15 minutes to compose this ready-to-serve appetizer. Make a large portion for a bunch of guests or do as I do and make one small batch for yourself to eat within the next few days — either way, a fiesta of flavor will be occurring.

New beginnings mean new adventures, new friends and new experiences, and I can’t think of a better dish to accompany you as you begin again. Light and easy yet still packed with flavor, this bean dip is sure to spark up any party.

Marisa Ratchford/Daily Nexus

Marisa Ratchford/Daily Nexus

8-Layer Bean Dip

1 Can of Rosarita refried beans
2 Avocados
8 oz of sour cream
Small package of taco seasoning
Shredded Mexican cheese
Green onions, chopped
Olives, sliced
1 Tomato, diced
2 Jalapenos, sliced
Garlic salt
Salt and pepper to taste

  1. Spread the beans as the first layer in the bottom of a 9×9 dish
  2. Mash avocados in a bowl and add garlic salt, salt and pepper to taste, then spread the avocado mash on top of the beans in the dish.
  3. In a separate bowl combine the sour cream and enough taco seasoning to create a pale orange mixture. Spread this on as the next layer in dish.
  4. Sprinkle a generous layer of cheese on top of the sour cream mixture. In no particular order layer the green onions, olives, tomatoes, and jalapenos
  5. Refrigerate until chilled and serve with either Fritos scoops or any style corn tortilla chips
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