FOLLOW UP STORY ON THE NACHO DIP DISASTER….
SUCCESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That’s all I can say about this!! Following the recipe, exactly, made all the difference in the world. The marinara sauce is sweeter than the salsa and I cooked the carrots before blending them in the food processor. This made a much creamier texture, more like hummus. AND….. I missed the part about adding a little water if you need to as you process this mixture. I have to wonder where my head was while executing this recipe the first time. I learned a lot however and you will reap the benefits of that knowledge. 🙂 First of all, it’s probably BEST to stick to the recipe the first time you are trying out a new one. After that, if you need to tweak, you’ll know how to tweak without affecting your recipe. Reading every word, even in the midst of many things going at the same time in your kitchen, is worth the effort. Little things like cook your carrots or add water if needed turned into monumental words and actions. Everyone still preferred this dish NOT baked and hot.. We all liked it much better at room temperature. Perhaps it was the heat of the summer that influenced this but… it tasted amazing!!! Everyone was hoping for a little left over and I came home with an empty dish.. Always a good sign!!!!!!
Cheese sauce: (soak your cashews in water for at least 2 hours..Drain and rinse. In a Blender, combine the following and add a tiny bit of water, if needed, to thin )
1 c. cashews
1 c. peeled and chopped carrots (precook these for 5 minutes to soften)
2 TBL nutritional yeast
2 TBL. fres lemon juice
1 large clove of garlic
1 1/4 tsp. sea salt
3/4 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4-1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
For the dip:
1 c. chunky marinara sauce (do not use salsa)
1 c. chopped sweet onion
2-3 handfuls of chopped fresh spinach
Add the dip to the cheese sauce and spoon into a lightly greased 2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with 1/3 c. crushed corn chips. Bake 25-30 minutes. Garnish with 1-2 chopped green onions. Serve with Tortilla chips or Pita chips.
