Spicy Cheesy Black Bean Dip

Unfortunately my camera battery was dead when I decided to prepare this dip, but I have to share the recipe because it was so good.

I sauteed chopped jalapenos, garlic, onion, and added salsa in a pan with olive oil. The amount of these ingredients necessary is dependent on how much you're making and how spicy you want to be, So do whatever looks right. After this, I added 2 cans of black beans, mostly drained, and leftover corn into the mix. Then I added salt, pepper, chili powder, and cilantro. Cover and continue on the next step.

In another pan, I've been brewing another part of this dip. I used one cube of chicken bouillon and 2/3 cup of water, and 1/3 cup of milk and a tablespoon of butter. I let the bouillon dissolve then added shredded cheddar cheese and stirred the mixture thoroughly before adding it to the beans.

Combine the pans and stir.

I put the mixture in a blender then topped it with cheddar cheese. I'm sure a food processor will work better, but this blender worked just fine, and it was delicious. It made a lot of dip too. So two cans might work well for a party, and one can of black beans may be all you need for your personal dinner.

The secret of the bean

I’ve never been that great at cooking black beans. Here’s some great advice for getting you off on the right foot:

“I pre-soak all beans by covering them with 2 inches of water and boiling for 5 minutes, then putting on the lid and turning off the heat and letting them sit for an hour. After that, I add a [some new water to mix in with the setting water*] and cook in a regular pot. Depending on the type of beans, they’ll take 45 minutes to an hour to fully cook.”
-Chowhound

*Cooking the beans in the pre-soaked water retains all the good nutritional value that comes from the beans! Besides just tasting great, black beans are great for your health, providing tons of vitamins and special support for digestive tract health.

"Recent research linking bean intake to lower risk of type 2 diabetes, many types of cardiovascular disease, and several types of cancer... The Dietary Guidelines for Americans come very close to the recommendation of 1/2 cup of cooked legumes on a daily basis. Based on our own research review, we believe that 3 cups of legumes per week is a very reasonable goal for support of good health." -WHFoods