The Layers of Mary Magdalene

Today is the Feast Day of Saint Mary Magdalene. She was an early follower of Christ, a financial supporter of His ministry, and present at two of the most important events of salvation.

The apostles, with the exception of John, did not witness the Crucifixion of Jesus. Few men stood as witnesses to His sacrifice for the forgiveness of their sins. Most of the followers who gathered at His feet were women. It speaks of a woman’s strength and willingness to sacrifice for others. The men hid, fearful of their own safety and mob retaliation. The women were not afraid.

Mary not only witnessed Christ in death, she was at the tomb of the risen Lord. It was Mary who brought the news of His resurrection to the apostles in hiding. Because of this, she is often referred to as the Apostle to the Apostles.

Mary Magdalene is a woman layered in mystery and mistaken identity. For the longest time, Mary was thought to be a prostitute. This mistake is not rooted in scripture but rather assumed. Mary was a woman of means. She was tortured by daemons. Therefore, it was assumed that her money was earned as a prostitute and her affections were of her own evil doing. There are those that take the casting out of demons one step further – that it wasn’t demons as creatures from hell, but human demons – drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, weakness of the flesh – the 7 deadly sins were the demons cast out by Jesus. Assumptions – never a good idea.

Today the Church has set the record straight. She is revered among women, seen for her strength. She is the patron saint of women, of new converts to the faith, and of people who are persecuted for their piety.

It’s only fitting that we celebrate the Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene with a beautiful multi layered dip. Have a blessed day and enjoy!

Eight Layer Bean Dip
1 (16 oz) block Pepper Jack Cheese,
1 bunch Green Onions
2 large Roma Tomatoes
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1/3 cup Miracle Whip
2 tablespoons Taco Seasoning
2 (9 oz) cans Jalapeno Bean Dip
1 (4 oz) chopped Green Chilies
1 (16 oz) tub Chunky Guacamole
1 (16 oz) tub Restaurant Style Chunky Salsa
2 large bags Tortilla Chips

Finely shred cheese, set aside. Slice green onion tops and pale section just above the bulb, set aside. Cut tomatoes in half, remove seeds and discard. Dice tomatoes into small pieces, set aside.

In a small bowl, mix sour cream, miracle whip and taco seasoning, set aside.

In a large casserole dish, spread bean dip. (Layer 1) Top bean dip with sour cream mixture. (Layer 2) Spread guacamole over the sour cream. (Layer 3) Spread chunky salsa over the guacamole.

(Layer 4) Layer half of the cheese over the salsa. (Layer 5) Drain green chilies, scatter over the cheese. (Layer 6) Top green chilies with remaining cheese. (Layer 7) Cover the top with green onions and tomatoes. (Layer 8)

Refrigerate until ready to serve with tortilla chips.

Homemade Tortilla Chips
4 cups or as needed High Smoke Point Oil
20 Taco-Size Corn Tortillas

Note: Suggested oils are canola, grapeseed, peanut or corn oil

Lay Tortillas out on a cooling rack , exposed to the air. If possible dry tortillas the night before or several hours before frying The drier the tortillas, the better they will fry.

When ready to fry, use a very sharp knife to cut each tortilla into 6 triangle-shaped wedges. Set aside until ready to fry.

Heat the oil on medium high heat until a small piece of tortilla dropped into the oil sizzles. If you have an infrared thermometer, you are looking for about 350 degrees. DO NOT allow the oil to heat to the point that it smokes. If the oil begins to smoke, IMMEDIATELY move the pan off the heat.

Line a large plate with paper towels. Have several other sheets of paper towels ready to layer between batches of freshly fried chips.

Using tongs, carefully place a handful of tortilla triangles into the hot oil in a single layer. Distribute the triangles so that they do not overlap. Allow the triangles to get coated with oil on all sides.

Fry for about 2 minutes, until the chips just begin to color and are firm, not pliable.

Using a slotted spoon with a long handle, remove the chips from the oil to the paper towel-lined plate. Immediately sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Place another paper towel on top of the chips, ready to receive the next batch.

Note: To control the heat of the oil, increase heat to high when the triangles are added, then lover heat when the chips begin to color. This will prevent the oil from overheating between batches of chips.

Continue to cook the triangle chips in small batches, placing the freshly fried chips over a new layer of paper towels each time. Don’t forget to sprinkle with salt while still very hot and fresh from the fryer.

Once the last batch of chips are fried, pat chips gently with some paper towels to remove any excess oil. Transfer the freshly made chips in a basket lined with paper towels and enjoy.