Haystack Beans

1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon cooking oil
4 cloves garlic plus 1 clove garlic, mashed
2-15 ounce cans pink or pinto beans
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon chili powder
1 small can chopped green chillies
3/4 pound cheddar cheese, grated
2 pints sour cream (non-fat is okay)
3 avocados
1/4 teaspoon salt
juice of 1 lime, plus zest
3 green onions, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
1-27 ounce jar salsa

Fry the onion in the oil over medium heat until it begins to brown. Add the four of the mashed garlic cloves and beans. Cook until the beans are well-heated and the liquid is reduced somewhat. Add the two tablespoons chili powder to the beans. If you want you can add a teaspoon of hot curry paste. In a food processor, puree the beans. Stir in the green chillies. Spread half the mixture in an 9"x13" pan.

Peel, seed, and mash the avocados. Mix in the salt, lime juice and zest, one teaspoon chili powder, and the chopped green onions. Spread half the avocados over the beans.

Spread one pint of sour cream over the avocados. Sprinkle one-half of the grated cheese over the sour cream. Spread one-half of the salsa over the grated cheese.

Repeat, with layers of the remaining beans, avocados, and sour cream. Sprinkle with the chopped jalapeno peppers. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and top with a layer of salsa. Refrigerate for several hours. Serve with tortilla chips.

Serving Hint: For a taste treat that looks kind of gross but really tastes good, spoon some haystack over chips and zap in the microwave until the cheese is bubbly.