A few weekends ago, I found myself in a predicament. It was five o’clock and I was supposed to prepare something to bring to a birthday party starting at six o’clock.

Not being anything close to a chef, panic began to set in. Racing through my pantry and refrigerator, there were few things in my kitchen to make a masterpiece out of in such a short time frame. What I was able to gather together, however, ended up being a party favorite.

In literally 10 minutes, I had created one of the simplest dishes known to man, and probably one of the most satisfying appetizers out there.

The bean dip was prepared so quickly that I had plenty of time to finish getting ready, and even be the first one to arrive at the party.

Mixing these four ingredients together in a few minutes saved me the time instead of making an elaborate dish with the risk of messing it up.

This recipe can also be altered to enhance different taste buds for adventurous cooks. Hot pepper flakes, jalapeño cheese, tomatoes, beans or onions can be added to give the dip a dash of pizzazz.

To add a crunch to the creation, make several layers of the dip using crunchy tortilla chips and extra cheese.

Although tortilla corn chips are traditionally used as dipping items, other substances can be used such as toast, triscuts, saltines, pretzel wedges and pita bread.

Offering a wide variety of dipping items adds to the presentation of the dish, which will look much more impressive than a bowl of chips and dip.

What You’ll Need:

-2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
-1 (15 ounce) can of chili without beans
-16 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese

What To Do:

-Spread cream cheese on the bottom of a microwave-safe dish.
-Spread a layer of chili over the cream cheese.
-Finish with a layer of shredded Cheddar cheese.
-Microwave for 5 minutes or until the cheese melts.
-Serve with tortilla chips.