5 Layer Mexican Dip

 This is a dish that I mostly make for work pot lucks.  It's one that Sean requests a lot for me to make because it's easily portable and just down right yummy!  There are several variations you can do to this recipe depending on how you like your Mexican dip.  I make this just slightly spicy but you could really spice it up by adding chili's and more Tabasco.  I don't have an exact recipe for this, it's pretty much different every time I make it so feel free to be as liberal or conservative with the spices as you see fit! 

16 oz sour cream
1/2 packet of Taco Seasoning
2 16 oz cans of refried beans
8 oz package of Mexican cheese
16 oz jar of salsa
1 bag of shredded lettuce

In a large bowl (I use my Kitchenaid stand mixer) combine sour cream and HALF of the packet of taco seasoning.  Using the entire packet overwhelms the sour cream so make sure to only use half or slightly less than half.  Mix together really well and then you're going to add some spices.  The spices I use for this recipe are:
garlic powder
onion powder
salt and pepper
paprika
mild chili powder
Cayenne pepper
Tabasco (typically 6-8 drops)

Once you've added the seasoning, mix it all up really well to make sure it's completely incorporated.  Give it a taste, or in my case have your husband taste it, and see if it's good.  There's typically something more you're going to want to add, Sean always wants more garlic and Tabasco.

Now you're going to start your layering.  Since I typically make this to travel then I use a disposable 9x13 foil pan but you could use any 9x13 pan.  The first layer is going to be the refried beans.  I dump the 2 cans into the bottom and use a rubber spatula to spread it all around and get it as even as I can.  I then sprinkle mild chili powder over the top to give it a nice dusting.

Next comes the sour cream layer.  Once again, dump the whole thing on top of the refried beans and spread it out evenly.

Next layer is the salsa.  You can use as much or as little of the salsa as you like, I typically use the whole jar.  Dump it on top of the sour cream layer and spread it out evenly.
On top of that sprinkle the cheese then sprinkle on the lettuce and you're done!

I would definitely suggest making this the night before.  When it sits in the fridge all night it gets really good flavor to it and the juices and spices play together nicely.  I buy the Tostitos Scoops to go with this because it definitely is a hardy dip so you'll need a chip that can handle it.