Milk-free 7-Layer Dip

 I was shopping with my mother (having taken my re-usable shopping bag with me—the pink one, of course) and decided I needed to make my children cry by making 7-layer dip. I was not successful at drawing tears.

We have milk allergies in our household so we have to do without sour cream, cheese and don’t get me started about store bought mixes.  Okay, I’ll start~Taco seasoning packets give me a headache. We substitute taco meat for the taco mixed sour cream layer. Sometimes I add a layer of salsa, but I forgot today. So, here is our version of 7-Layer Dip. Flambo!

Oh, yeah…look at that.  Can’t even see the plate….

7-Layer Dip

1/2 pound ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
4-oz can tomato sauce
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
splash of tabasco
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 15-oz-ish can refried beans
1/3 cup salsa
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 cup Guacamole

Chopped lettuce, desired amount

1 tomato, chopped, color of choice

1/4 cup chopped onion

Black olives, sliced or chopped
(we used chopped today)

In a small skillet (I use cast iron) brown your ground beef. Add onion and cook until onion is tender. Add tomato sauce and seasonings.  Simmer until taco meat blend is cooked through and not runny. (I can’t think of the right word today….Flambo!)

Meanwhile, in another pot, pour your refried beans, salsa, and seasonings. Mix well and heat.

Now we can start building our 7-Layers.

1. On a favorite large plate, preferably pink, spread the Refried Bean mixture. 
2. Next layer,using your favorite pink spatula, spread the Guacamole on the bean layer
3. Next layer, sprinkle the taco meat on the Guacamole layer.
4. Next layer, sprinkle the chopped lettuce
5. Next layer, sprinkle the tomatoes, (we used yellow today)
6. Next layer, sprinkle the chopped onion.
7. Next layer, black olives

Serve with Tortilla chips, or Pita chips, or bread, or vegetables….Just make sure you enjoy the flavors.

You can add more layers of anything as you desire, of course, you just can’t call it 7-layer dip anymore.  Flambo!