Are you ready for some football snacks?(Layered Bean Dips & Quesadillas)

Football season is serious business for certain members of my family. They couldn’t believe I chose a walnut cake recipe over our traditional familybean dip during football season. So here are layered bean dip recipes and quesas for halftime breaks.

From my California, 1960 recipe box

Mexican Layered Dip, E. Bentz

• First layer of refried beans
• Spread layer of salsa ranchero
• Layer of guacamole (2 to 3 avocados, seasoning salt. Minced onions, lemon juice)
• Layer of sour cream
• Layer of grated yellow & white cheese (cheddar and jack cheeses)
• Sliced olives on top.

Note: This recipe came without any notes, so I’ve added a few suggestions. Spread each layer over the other layer beginning with the layer of refried beans on the bottom of a plate and ending with the sliced olives on the top. Green onions, Ortega chilies, and/or chopped tomatoes are also good toppings. Serve with Tortilla chips.

Check out ingredients for prepared refried beans. No-fat and vegetarian are made without lard. Traditional or regular usually contain lard.

Other Bean Dip Recipes:

This recipe came from a torn notebook page, found in a box of recipe clippings in Washington State. This is a more complicated version.

Eight Layer Taco Dip, Anonymous, 1990s

• Mix 4 cups refried beans, ½ cup salsa and¼ cup taco seasoning together. Refrigerate overnight.
• The next day blend: 1 ½ cup mashed avocados, 2 Tablespoons lemon juice and ½ teaspoon Tabasco. Set aside.
• Mix 1 cup sour cream and 1 teaspoon garlic salt. Set aside.
• For the first layer, spread bean mixture on a large platter to edges.
• Spread the avocado mixture second.
• The third layer is the sour cream mixture.

Then sprinkle on top, in the following order:

• ½ cup grated cheese
• ¾ cup sliced, black olives
• ½ cup sliced green onions
• ½ cup chopped green chilies
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes

Lightly cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with salsa and tortilla chips.

Baked Bean Dip, Katsia, 1970s

This is a quick, hot version.

Mix and bake in a 9 x9 glass dish at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until bubbly:

• 1 package taco seasoning
• 2 small cans vegetarian refried beans
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 small cream cheese
• 1 small can chopped green chilies

Sprinkle with 1 cup grated Cheddar Cheese or ½ cup Cheddar Cheese and ½ cup Jack cheese. Serve with tortilla chips.

Make your own hair curlers. Use the wire tops from milk bottles.

Make a bottle of beautifully blue ink by mixing a little of your laundry blueing with water. Writes swell. 1003 Household Hints, 1948

Quesadillas (We nicknamed them Quesas):

Take two large flour or combination flour & wheat tortillas. Spread the bottom with salsa and cheese. Place the second tortilla on top and press gently. Follow directions for an electric quesadilla maker or place in the microwave, checking every 30 seconds until cheese is melted. Slice into 4 large triangles, 6 medium triangles, or 8 small triangles.

Experiment with other combinations:

Olives, chilies, green onions, cream cheese, and any variety of cheese. Feta works too.

My original recipe called for pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni. This was the afterschool snack in our family.  Microwave and cook for 30 seconds, add more time, if necessary, until cheese has melted.

“What’s up with leaves? Buses and buses of people looking at leaves, and filling up all the motels. What’s the big deal? A leaf is a leaf. I’ve been around them all my life; they’re just leaves.” Maryland native frustrated over “no vacancy” signs in a small town in Vermont, September 2013.