• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

8 ounces spicy sausages, such as chorizo, andouille, or Italian, removed from its casing

1 medium onion, chopped

2 Anaheim chiles, seeded and chopped

1 medium red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped

Two 14- to 15-ounce cans refried beans (nonfat are fine here)

2 cups finely shredded mild Cheddar cheese, or 1 cup each finely shredded

Monterey Jack and sharp Cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

Tortilla chips for serving

spray the insert of a 1½ - to 3-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Cook the sausage in a medium skillet over high heat until it is no longer pink, breaking up any large pieces with the side of a spoon. Drain the sausage and put it in a mixing bowl to cool. Add the onion, chiles, and bell pepper to the same skillet and sauté until the bell pepper is softened, about 5 minutes. Add to the bowl with the sausage and allow to cool slightly. Add the refried beans to the bowl and stir to blend.

spoon half the bean mixture into the slow-cooker insert and sprinkle with half the cheese. Top with the remaining beans and cheese and sprinkle with the cilantro. Cover and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours.

serve from the cooker set at warm and accompany with sturdy tortilla chips.

serves 8

Southwestern Chili con Queso

I discovered this dip shortly after I moved to San Diego in the early 1970s, and it quickly became one of my favorites. There are lots of variations on this theme, some using chorizo for added flavor and others using Velveeta, but I love this one with its smoky chipotle flavor.

One 8-ounce package cream cheese, cut into cubes

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium sweet onion, such as Vidalia, finely chopped

4 chipotle chiles in adobo, minced

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 medium yellow bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 cups finely shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

2 cups finely shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Fresh vegetables for serving

Tortilla chips for serving

coat the insert of a 1½- to 3-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Turn the machine on low and add the cream cheese. Cover and let stand while preparing the other ingredients.

melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, chipotles, bell peppers, and cumin and sauté until the bell peppers become softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the contents of the sauté pan into the slow-cooker insert and stir to blend with the cream cheese.

fold in the Cheddar and Jack cheeses. Cover and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours.

serve from the cooker set on warm with fresh vegetables and sturdy tortilla chips.

serves 8

Hot Dill and Swiss Dip

My friend and fellow cookbook author Phillis Carey made this terrific dip when we teamed up to do a fund-raiser for a local cancer center in San Diego. We decided to choose old favorite recipes and then prepared our spin on them. This was her favorite cheesy dip, and it’s a winner, made with melting Havarti and Swiss cheeses. Serve with cold poached shrimp and crab claws or fresh vegetables for dipping.

2 medium sweet onions, such as Vidalia, finely chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill

1½ cups mayonnaise

2 cups finely shredded Havarti with dill

2 cups finely shredded Swiss cheese coat the insert of a 1½- to 3-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and transfer to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours, until bubbling.

serve from the cooker set on warm.

serves 8

Pizza Dip

This dip is really the basis for a pizza fondue. The delicious marinara, flavored with oregano and garlic, is warmed up and readied for dipping with mozzarella sticks, mini meatballs, bread sticks, crusty bread, fresh mushrooms, or cooked sausage rounds. This concept also makes a terrific casual dinner; just double the ingredients and serve from a larger slow cooker.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1