This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Kroger. The opinions and text are all mine.
My kids love to eat. Anything in “dip form” will get demolished in a matter of mere seconds with this crew. Moreover, I love to find ways to create things with them. ….and if I happen to sneak in some extra little nutritional boosts, well, then that’s even better.
So this week, we headed over to Kroger, and created a fun, delicious southwest dip. We even got creative and made it into a cat-faced southwest dip. ….unfortunately, I first created another installment of “How Not to Cook”. (Remember my infamous meatball debacle? Or the overly-cinnamon’ed Vitamix applesauce?)
When I was asked to create a kid-friendly activity using things I got at Kroger, it seemed like a no-brainer. I decided to go with a southwest-style dip and home made baked tortilla chips, which is an easy recipe for the kids to get involved with, AND which I could get everything I need at my neighborhood Kroger store. Y’all already know I love Kroger, not only because they have competitive prices, but because Kroger helps me to find healthy options for me and my family.
Making our own tortilla chips was a snap. It was basically what we did when we made tortilla strips for our chicken tortilla soups. Using Halloween-themed cookie cutters just added to the fun, too!
But first I had to “pull a Barbara”, and take too many liberties in what I created. I found a handful of taco dip recipes, calling for cream cheese and refried beans, along with salsa, and other garnishing. But I decided I wanted to make a healthier version, and replaced the refried beans with black beans and added corn, as well. It didn’t turn out too well, but it made for a great conversation about how we dust ourself off and try again when things don’t go as planned. This was actually perfect timing, since I’m trying to work with my 4 yo son on tackling the monkey bars at school. He’s been reluctant to try them because he’s afraid of falling. I’ve been encouraging him to try them, and that the worst that would happen is he drops to the ground and gets up and tries it again. (His feet dangle about a foot from the ground on the monkey bars at his school, fwiw.) So when my initial crack at this recipe was less than stellar, I made a big stink about getting right back in there and trying the recipe again, figuring out what I did wrong, and how I could make it better the next time.
I digress.
We made our own taco seasoning for this recipe, thanks to a super-simple recipe I first heard about from Krystyn of Really Are You Serious. It was an easy and delightful task for my son!
Here’s what how we did it. There are plenty of opportunities along the way to get the kids involved with each step, depending on their age, your comfort level, and their abilities – and perhaps your threshold for messes.
Kid-friendly Southwest Dip
- 8-oz sour cream
- 1 tbs. chia seeds
- 1 tbs. flax seed
- 2 tsp. taco seasoning mix (Did you know how easy it is to make your own??)
- 1/2 c. salsa
- 1/4 c. sliced ripe olives (+4-5 individual olives on reserve)
- 1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
- 1/2 c. black beans
- 1/2 c. sweet corn
- 1 c. chopped lettuce or spinach (or let the kids use scissors to snip it in to strips)
- 2 cherry tomatoes
- tortilla chips (It’s super easy to bake your own tortilla chips!)
Mix the sour cream and taco seasoning until well-blended. Spread as bottom layer of dip in your deep dish. Next evenly spread salsa over cream cheese mix, then sprinkle chia and flax seed over the salsa. Layer the beans, then the corn. Top with shredded cheese. ….now for the fun part. Have kids create a face: use the tomatoes (cut in half) to create eyes, then place olive slice over tomato. Cut olive slices in half to create a mouth.
I ended up sticking ours in the oven with the baked tortilla chips for about 5 minutes to melt the cheese. This is completely optional.
Giveaway opportunity:
I want to give one of y’all a chance to create something with your own kiddos, so I’m offering you a chance to win a $50 Kroger giftcard. Simply comment below with your favorite Halloween activity or recipe to do with your kids. Then fill out the form below. See? Simple!
Remember, you can earn extra entries daily, so make sure to stop back in and update your form to increase your chance of winning. Good luck, y’all! 🙂
Kroger $50 Giftcard
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--Barbara
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I like the messsge of trying again.
And that you added flax. What a great idea.
And the taco seasoning of course is my favorite!
Krystyn, I’ve been adding flax and chia to just about anything these days! It’s my new spinach. 😛
My favorite Halloween activity with my kids is trick-or-treating! We usually join friends on a hayride around their huge neighborhood and it’s a total blast for all of us!
Oh my! That sounds like a BLAST!!
I wouldon’t say carving pumpkins is our fav!
I’m terrible at remembering to get a pumpkin to carve! I do it with my preschool class, but not at home. *hangs head in shame*
What a great way to cook with kids. I love the idea of using the cookie cutters to make fun shapes with tortillas
Thank you! The cookie cutters were a last minute addition, to be honest – but glad I did it!
Carving pumpkins and making treats.
We love to make cookies together!
I have printed this recipe and can’t wait to try it!
This year we’re trying something new and carving jack o lanterns out of pineapples! So cute….it comes with it’s own tall hairdo!
oh wow! How did they turn out? 🙂
My favorite activity is dressing up and going trick or treating
We like to make popcorn balls for Halloween.
We like to carve pumpkins for Halloween and go trick or treating. We like making caramel apples and pumpkin shaped cookies.
We love to Carve pumpkins, make our favorite spooky drink called-Fizzy Jack-o’-Lantern Milkshakes. And we also make my
Spooky Black Velvet Cupcakes! So much fun things to do with the kids on Halloween!
I like to go dress up and go trick or treating
My family loves to pick our Pumpkin together, take hayrides, and make their own costumes during Halloween time.
We carve jack’o’lanterns about a week before Halloween and then I take them trick or treating on Halloween. They are growing up so fast, these times we spend together are so precious to me (grandmother of 14).
Making food that looks like scary Halloween related stuff is always fun for the kids.
My family has a tradition of visiting a pumpkin patch then going home for homemade chili and cornbread
Carving pumpkins is our favorite! This year we skipped it though and made a chocolate cookie haunted house together. 🙂
Our favorite Halloween activities are decorating our yard and seeing all our costumed friends at our neighborhood Halloween party! And pre-Halloween Trunk O Treats at church! 🙂