Hot Bean Dip

My mom has made this recipe during Christmas (and sometimes Thanksgiving) for as long as I can remember.  Every time I make it for my family, it brings back a flood of holiday memories.  Again, no picture - but I'll remedy that.  I've been so busy in the kitchen lately that I completely forget to grab my camera.

Ingredients:

2 cans chili with beans
1 medium package (16 oz)  Velveeta cheese, cubed 
1 bunch green onions, chopped finely
1 can diced green chilies (you can use less - sometimes I only use half of a can)
1 bag Fritos

Directions:

Put chili in a casserole dish.  Add cubed Velveeta and mix together.  Add onions and chilies, mix well.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  Serve hot.

Bubbling Cauldron

I really love this dip - it's great served with bread, pretzels or Fritos and it's really fast to make.

Ingredients

1 lb Velveeta
2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, well drained
1 cup medium or hot salsa
1 can (4 oz) diced jalapeño peppers, drained (optional)
1 loaf round marble rye bread, unsliced
Pretzel rods

Directions:

Melt cheese in medium saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in beans, salsa and jalapeño peppers, if desired. Carefully cut center out of bread, leaving 1 1/2-inch shell. Cut bread center into pieces for dipping.

Reserve 1 pretzel rod. Arrange remaining pretzel rods on serving plate to resemble campfire logs. Place bread cauldron on pretzels; fill with cheese dip, allowing some to spill over top of bread cauldron. Arrange reserved bread pieces around cauldron. Place a pretzel rod in cheese dip, serve immediately.

Serves 20

*I thought for sure I had a better picture than this, but I can't seem to find it. Next time I make it I'll update the picture :)