"Family Day" Taco Dip
Many years ago, my cousin Janice gave me her recipe for this taco dip that she would make for her New Year's Day family get together...It's a wonderful combination of meat, cheese, vegetables and a tangy zip of Mexican spices! Since it's "Family Day", I thought this would be a perfect treat to serve my peeps while we gear up for a cozy night in!
To make this hearty, layered dip (which really is a meal in itself), you will need: ground beef, plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream), 1 block of Greek yogurt cream cheese, which is not in the picture...(Janice uses sour cream instead of yogurt and regular cream cheese...but I like to be the difficult black sheep of the family!), salsa, 1 green bell pepper, 3-4 green onions, marble or cheddar cheese, cherry tomatoes, taco seasoning and tortilla chips.
In a saute pan over medium heat, brown 1 lb. of ground beef until no longer pink...drain off any grease...set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (with the paddle attachment), beat 1 block of softened cream cheese until smooth.
In a separate bowl, combine1 cup of plain Greek yogurt or sour cream...
...with 1 package (35g.) of taco seasoning...stir until incorporated.
Next, scrape the yogurt/seasoning mixture into the beaten cream cheese...
...and continue to beat on medium/low speed until all is combined...set aside.
In another separate bowl, combine your cooked (and drained) ground beef with 3 cups of salsa...I like to drain any excess juice off of the salsa before adding it to the beef...if you have a watery dip, that could lead to mucky cheese, waterlogged vegetables then to soggy chips...it's a whole snowball effect that could potentially ruin Family Day...and I don't need that keeping me up all night!
Spread the ground beef/salsa mixture evenly into a 12" serving platter with fairly high sides.
Next, pour the cream cheese mixture over top of the beef combo...
...and spread out evenly...set aside.
Next, grate about 2 cups of marble or cheddar cheese, chop 1/2 of a large green bell pepper (or 1 small), slice about 3-4 green onions and cut about 25 cherry tomatoes in half.
Cover the top of dip with the grated cheese...
...then layer the chopped vegetables over top of cheese.
Serve with tortilla or pita chips...also great with pieces of naan bread or rolled up in a soft tortilla wrap...the world is your carbohydrate oyster!
Any way you serve it, this dip is always a hit at any party...perfect for a night in, playing games or watching movies with the family!
"Family Day" Taco Dip
1 lb. of ground beef
3 cups of salsa, drained
1 block of Greek yogurt cream cheese (or regular), softened
1 cup of plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
1 pkg. of taco seasoning (35g.)
2 cups of shredded cheese
1/2 lg. (or 1 small) green bell pepper, chopped
3-4 green onion, sliced
about 25 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1. In a saute pan, brown ground beef until no longer pink, then drain off any grease...set aside.
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer (with the paddle attachment), beat the cream cheese until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup of yogurt (or sour cream) with the seasoning mix...add this to the cream cheese and beat until combined...set aside.
4. In another separate bowl, combine the cooked beef and the 3 cups of drained salsa...spread this out evenly into a 12" serving platter with fairly high sides....spread the yogurt/cream cheese mixture over top of the meat layer.
5. Next, cover the top with the grated cheese then add your chopped vegetables...serve with tortilla chips...Enjoy! :)