Make Ahead: This dip can be made up to 2 days ahead, keep covered tightly with plastic wrap.

Ingredients

• 3 avocados
• ¼ cup yellow onion, minced
• 2 Tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• salt
• 1 ½ cup + 2 Tablespoons light sour cream
• ¼ cup enchilada sauce
• 2 cups re-fried beans, fat free
• 1 ½ cup salsa
• 1 cup 2% cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 3.8 oz can black olives, sliced
• 1 cup corn
• tortilla chips

Directions

1. You will need an 8 cup dish for the dip. Try to find a football shaped dish for a festive SuperBowl presentation.
2. In a small bowl mash together the avocado, onion, lime juice, garlic, cumin and a pinch or two of salt until there are very few lumps, set the guacamole aside.
3. In another small bowl mix together 1 ½ cups of sour cream and enchilada sauce, set aside
4. Begin layering the dip in the dish staring with 1 cup of refried beans on the bottom of the dish, and then spread salsa over the beans, then cheese, sour cream, black olives, corn, guacamole and finally top with the beans.
5. Place the remaining sour cream into the comer of a sandwich zip top bag, cut the very tip off of the corner, twist the top of the bag and pipe on a long horizontal line and 8 vertical lines to make the laces on the dip.

This slim version of the classic artichoke dip will be a hit at your holiday party.
To make things easier, you can make it ahead of time, wrap it with foil and then freeze it (unbaked) for up to 2 months. When ready to serve place in the oven, covered at 400 degrees for 45 minutes or until bubbling.

Ingredients

• ½ cup yellow onion, minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• ¾ cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 4 large basil leaves, minced
• 2 cups parmesan cheese
• 2 1/3 cup or 12 oz artichoke heats, roughly chopped (you can use frozen)
• 2 Tablespoons light sour cream
• 1/3 cup light cream cheese
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil mayonnaise
• ½ cup sun dried or fresh tomatoes, diced

Directions

1. Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl mix together onion, garlic, spinach, basil, parmesan cheese, artichokes, sour cream, cream cheese mayo and salt and pepper.
3. Spread mix into a 9″x9″ baking dish and bake for 10 minutes, take out of the oven and top with tomatoes of choice. Place back in the oven and finish baking for 10-15 minutes or until bubbling.

Makes 3/4 Cup
I love chocolate, love it, and this delicious dark chocolate dip is rich and “velvety”, perfect for dipping Strawberries, Pineapple, Marshmallows, you name it, you can dip it!

Ingredients

• ¾ cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 ½ Tablespoons half & half
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon agave nectar *optional

Directions

1. In a small microwave safe bowl, mix all of the ingredients together.
2. Microwave for 15 seconds and stir. Microwave another 5-10 seconds, stir and serve.

What to Dip:
Strawberries, pineapple, banana, gram cracker, nuts, marshmallows.

Serves 8

Follow along with Jill. Click here to watch the Make Ahead Meals web segment for this recipe!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup roasted red peppers
• 1 cup Feta
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• pinch cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons mascarpone cheese (you can sub cream cheese)
• pinch of sugar
• 4 pitas
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. Add all of the ingredients through the sugar to the bowl of a food processor. Blend until well combined.
2. Heat a medium sauté pan over medium. Add 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil to the pan and add 1 pita allow to “toast” on for about 20-30 seconds and flip and toast the other side. Repeat with remaining oil and pita.
3. Cut each pita in to 8 wedges and serve with dip.

Below are links to the recipes featured in this segment:

• Sun Dried Tomato and Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe
• Champagne Bar
• Antipasto Platter

In this healthy version of the classic appetizer, we are using frozen spinach and frozen artichokes. Unless you harvest the spinach right out of your garden, frozen is a good way to go because spinach rapidly looses nutrients after it has been harvested. Frozen spinach is harvested and frozen right away, locking in the nutrients. Artichokes are best fresh, but very labor intensive, frozen is the next best thing.
Quick Tip: Assemble, but don’t bake. Keep in the fridge for a day and bake according to the recipe or wrap with plastic and foil and freeze for a few months. Bake from frozen in a 400° oven for about 1 hour covered, uncover and bake until bubbling.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup light mayo
• 1, 8 oz package 1/3 less fat cream cheese
• 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
• 3/4 + 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco
• pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 3/4 cup artichoke hearts, frozen and thawed, sliced in half
• 1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed and water squeezed out
• 1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes, minced

Directions

1. Pre-heat your oven to 375°.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine mayo, cream cheese, mascarpone, 3/4 cup parmesan, sour cream, garlic, Tabasco, salt and pepper. Mix well.
3. Stir in the artichoke hearts, spinach and sun dried tomatoes.
4. Spread into a 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle top with remaining 1/3 cup parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbling.
5. Serve with whole wheat crackers.