02 | November | 2011 | 4 little Fergusons

Dip for DINNER?! Yup! And boy were my kids excited about this one.

Mexican Dip Dinner

Ingredients

2 pounds Ground Beef
1 whole Medium Onion, Chopped
6 cups Liquid (use Drained Tomato Juice Then Water Or Chicken Broth)
1 cup Uncooked Brown Rice
2 teaspoons Chili Powder
2 teaspoons Salt
4 cloves Garlic, Pressed
15 ounces, fluid Tomato Sauce
15 oz. diced tomatoes, drained. Save juice!
2 cans (6 Oz Each) Tomato Paste
15 ounces, weight Can Of Pinto Beans, Rinsed And Drained

In a large pot, brown the beef with onion and garlic. Cook until the meat is no longer pink and the onions are translucent. Drain grease. Add water, rice, *seasonings, tomato sauce, tomato paste and beans. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer UNCOVERED for 60-70 minutes.(less if using white rice) Stir occasionally to prevent rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. The mixture will seem very watery at first, but after simmering, it will thicken to perfection as the rice absorbs and all the ingredients meld together.
Serve warm with tortillas chips for dipping and other taco garnishes of your choice, as well as Gringo Queso Dip (recipe below).
YUM!
This dish freezes well.

*Another option would be to skip the seasonings and do a Taco Seasoning Packet instead, I’m planning to try this next time around!

Gringo Queso Dip

Recipe from Tasty Kitchen.

1 block Velveeta Pepper Jack Cheese (16oz)
1-½ cup Whole Milk
1 cup Prepared Pico De Gallo
¼ cups Parmesan Cheese
9 ounces, weight Frozen Creamed Spinach, Chopped
¼ teaspoons Cayenne Pepper (more Or Less, Depending On Preference)

Cube the Velveeta into crock pot set on low until fully melted. Then stir in milk, (only a bit at a time, you may not use it all, ours got too runny!) pico de gallo, parmesan, spinach, and cayenne. Cook another hour or until creamy and heated through. Serve with tortilla chips.

Enjoy!

DIP, it’s what’s for dinner!

Y-U-M!