Creamy Green Chile Dip

prep: 5 minutes

makes 1½ cups dip

you’ll need…

1 cup non-fat sour cream

1 7-ounce can diced green chilies, drained

½ cup green salsa (or make my tomatillo salsa)

1 teaspoon lime or lemon

¼ cup chopped cilantro (optional)

let’s get to it…

Mix the sour cream, chilies, salsa and lime or lemon and half of the cilantro (if using) in a medium bowl. Top with remaining cilantro as a garnish.

Crunchy Carrot Dip

prep: 10 minutes

makes 2 cups dip

you’ll need…

½ cup plain Greek nonfat yogurt

½ 8-ounce package light cream cheese, softened

2 teaspoons lower sodium soy sauce

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 cup finely shredded carrots

let’s get to it…

Mix the yogurt, cream cheese, soy sauce and garlic together in a medium bowl until smooth.

Stir in the finely shredded carrots.

Summer Veggie Dip

prep: 15 minutes

makes about 3½ cups dip

you’ll need…

1 cup chopped tomato

1 cup peeled, seeded and grated cucumber

½ cup grated onion

½ cup grated green bell pepper

¼ cup peeled and grated carrot

1 cup of your favorite salad dressing (I used low-fat Ranch Dressing)

let’s get to it…

Mix the vegetables together in medium bowl.

Pour the salad dressing on top of the veggies. Stir until thoroughly mixed. If dip seems too thick, add more salad dressing.

Spicy BBQ Honey Dip

prep: 10 minutes

makes about 1¼ cups

you’ll need…

1 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce

¼ cup honey

1 teaspoon (or more!) of your favorite hot sauce

let’s get to it…

Mix the barbecue sauce, the honey and the hot sauce together in medium bowl.

Chili-Cheese Dip

prep: 10 minutes

makes about 4 cups 

you’ll need…

1 15-ounce can chili (no beans)

1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies, drained

1 16-ounce package Velveeta®, cut into cubes

let’s get to it…

Heat the can of chili, the drained can of tomatoes and green chilies and the Velveeta in a medium saucepan over medium heat for 10-minutes, stirring often.

Cook for 5 to 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and wonderful.

Hatch Chile Mini Cornbread Muffins
prep: 15 minutes
bake: 20 minutes

makes 24 muffins

you’ll need…
¾ cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup flour
⅓ cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons honey
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons canola oil
½ cup roasted, peeled, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped Hatch Chile

let’s get to it…
Place oven rack in the middle and heat to 425°F. Spray 2 mini-muffin pans (12-count each pan) with cooking spray; set aside.
Whisk cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the milk, honey, egg and oil until blended. Stir the milk mixture into the cornmeal mixture until combined. Fold in the chopped chiles.
Spoon into mini-muffin pans. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean.

Red Chile Sauce (Salsa de Chile Guajillo)
prep: 60 minutes
cook: 10 minutes

you’ll need…
24 dried Guajillo or red chile pods
1½ quarts boiling water
3 cored tomatoes, cut in half
½ onion
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 tablespoon canola oil
salt to taste

let’s get to it…
PUT ON GLOVES then remove the stems, seeds and veins from the chilies.
Rinse in warm water; shake off excess water. Heat a skillet on medium high heat and toast the chilies on each side for about 1 minute; set aside. You’ll probably have to do this in batches. Don’t burn the pods or the sauce will be bitter.
Place toasted chilies in a large bowl and cover with boiling water; soak for 30 minutes.
Toast tomatoes, onion and garlic in skillet on medium high heat until golden brown; set aside.
DO NOT DISCARD SOAKING WATER. Taste the water. If it’s bitter, discard and use tap water. Remove chilies from water and place in a food processor or blender container along with the tomatoes, onion and garlic. Add soaking water ½-cup at a time until you reach your desired sauce consistency.
Heat oil in skillet for 1 minute; pour sauce from blender into skillet and bring to a boil. Remove from heat; use immediately or cool and store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.