Southwestern Appetizer Ideas?

[Kristi]

Anyone have any exciting ideas for Southwestern appetizers? I'm having a group over for dinner this weekend and plan to make CL's Southwestern Lasagna from last year along with margaritas. Other people are bringing chips/guacamole/salsa, salad, Mexican-type cornbread, dessert... Just thought I may try to do some sort of other appetizer, but I have no great ideas at the moment!

[saw]

This is along the lines of the chips/salsa thing, but we love the Tex-Mex Black Bean Dip from CL April 1997. It's always a big hit and very easy to put together. here is the recipe in case you are interested:

* Exported from MasterCook *

Tex-Mex Black Bean Dip

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 13 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : April '97 Dips


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 (15-ounce) can black beans -- drained
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves -- minced
1/2 cup diced tomato
1/3 cup mild picante sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded reduced-fat Monterey
Jack cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice


Place beans in a bowl; partially mash until chunky. Set aside.

Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add beans, tomato, picante sauce, cumin, and chili powder; cook 5 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add cheese, cilantro, and lime juice, stirring well. Serve warm or at room temperature with fat-free corn or flour tortilla chips.

Serving Size: 2 tablespoons

Cuisine:
"Tex-Mex"
Source:
"Cooking Light, April 1997, p.113"
Copyright:
"© Cooking Light"
Yield:
"1 2/3 Cups"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 44 Calories; 1g Fat (19.3% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 1mg Cholesterol; 166mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 0 Fat.

NOTES : Guaranteed to enliven any gathering, this piquant dip first appeared in our November/December 1994 issue. Be sure to keep a can of black beans in the pantry and some reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese in the refrigerator at all times. That way you'll have a warm, spicy welcome for whomever drops in.
Nutr. Assoc. : 1275 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 26424 0 0 0

Enjoy!

Sarah

[Kelli Kerrigan]

Try cutting up jicama into wedges, sprinkle with chili powder and serve with lime wedges. Its really good and low cal!

[sneezles]

We love to slice fresh jalapenos, lengthwise, seed and devein and then fill with creamcheese (could use 1/3-less fat) and wrap in half a slice of bacon, grill until bacon is cooked. YUMMMMM!

[kwormann]

Also, fruit salad with this chili/salt mixture and lime juice over top! That chili/salt mixture would also be good on the jicima! I dont know if you can find it where you live...its called chili de limon.

Kim