Bob's Bean Dip

From James Crane's friend, Bob Crandall

2 cans, large refried beans
1 onion, chopped
2 slices bacon, cut in small pieces (optional)
1/3 pound grated cheese
½ cup Homemade Chili Sauce (optional)
2 tsp chopped jalepeno pepper (canned or bottled)
1 tsp jalepeno juice (from above)
1 tsp sweet basil
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp chili powder (or more...to taste)
¼ tsp cumin powder (or less...to taste)

1. Brown bacon and saute chopped onion in bacon grease until onion is clarified.
2. Add remaining ingredients, except cheese and heat on medium low heat until mixture is hot.
3. Add cheese and stir occasionally to make sure it does not burn on bottom of pan. (I like to put the bean dip into a crock pot to simmer and serve it, or a double boiler sauce pan can be used.)
4. Serve warm with tortilla chips. Refrigerate left-overs.



HALLOWEEN BEAN-DIP PICTORAMA

Make recipe for bean-dip as shown above. Pour into a 12 x 18 cookie pan or two 9 x 18 cookie pans. Allow to cool before placing other foods on top, or refrigerate until cooled.

SKY Mix a few drops of blue food coloring into one cup of sour cream. Spread evenly over about ½ of cookie sheet(s) in a landscape position. I like to make it looked marbled, to look like clouds.

MOON Mix a few drops of orange food coloring into 1/4 cup of sour cream.
Spread evenly in a full moon shape.

BATS Cut small or medium black olives into rings. Use the full end to form the bat’s body. Cut the rings in half and form the bat wings by placing two of the half slices on each side of the full end, with the arch up, to simulate flying wings.
Sprinkle some black food coloring powder in the sky to simulate smaller bats flying in the sky. (Optional)

GRASS Chop up some green onions and sprinkle over bottom of sheet, to make it look like grass on the brown bean dip. Remove inside of a tomato...seeds and pulp. Sprinkle diced tomatoes lightly over the green onions, to look like autumn leaves on the grass.

PUMPKINS Cut a medium carrot in small slices. Make two notches at top of each slice to make it look like a pumpkin stem standing up. Place in bunches to look like a pumpkin patch on the grass. (I have used sugar pumpkins...but they will melt when placed onto sour cream.

GRAVES Shape head stones using fresh mushrooms, Place a curved piece on top of a small rectangular piece to simulate the base.

FENCE Place straight pretzels next to each other in a vertical position to make a fence.

CATS Make the cats using black olives. Slice and use two round ends to form the body. Cut pieces to form the ears and tail. Place two or more cats on the fence. Use a very small amount of sour cream to paste the cats on the fence.

WITCH I have formed a witch using olive pieces and formed a broom stick using pieces of pretzels and/or tooth picks.

GHOSTS Mix small amount of black food coloring powder in 2 or 3 tablespoons of sour cream to give a gray color. Use small bits of black olives on ghost faces for the eyes, nose, and mouth.

Place tooth picks upright in several places and cover with plastic wrap. Keep refrigerated.

Serve with tortilla chips for scooping up the dip and condiments.