Buttered Pecan Cheese ball

Cheese balls can be easily adapted to delete an ingredient you don't like, or add one that you do.  Don't skip the butter roasted pecans, which can be made ahead of time and stored in airtight container.


Ingredients:

3/4 cup pecans
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese (honey goat is great)
3 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries
2 tablespoons minced chives
1/2 teaspoon Sriracha, or other hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chopped, butter-roasted pecans
2 tablespoons chopped, flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

• For Pecans:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Toss pecans with melted butter and kosher salt.
• Spread on baking sheet and bake, stirring once or twice, until toasted, 10-12 minutes
• Remove from oven and let cool. Coarsely chop 1/3 cup.
• For Cheese ball:
• Place butter and cheeses in mixing bowl. Let come to room temperature.
• Add cranberries, chives, hot sauce and slat.  Mix until thoroughly combined.  Add more hot sauce if desired.
• Refrigerate mixture about 30 minutes.
• Spread chopped pecans on dinner plate.
• Shape the chilled cheese mixture into a ball and roll it in the pecans.
• Spread parsley on a plate and roll ball in the parsley.
• Serve at room temperatuare.  Can be mad a few days ahead and refrigerated until ready.
• Best served with plain crackers and favorite jam--apricot or fig chutney is very good.

Hummus

I've made this with and without the tahini, depending if I had any on hand.  It's great either way.  Adjust seasonings to taste.

Ingredients:
2 (15 ounce) cans Chick Peas, drained - rinsed (save 4 tablespoons of chick pea "juice")
4 tablespoons chick pea juice
4-6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
3-5 tablespoons lime juice 
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Tahini paste (If you don't have it, it's ok to leave it out, this hummus recipe has a lot of flavor without it.)
2 cloves minced garlic (or 1 tsp crushed garlic from jar)
1 1/2  teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons  toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
dash cayenne pepper
2 dashes ground black pepper
salt to taste

Directions:

• Blend in blender or food processor until combined
• Serve with fresh pita bread, pita chips or bagel chips

Chicken Spread

This is an old recipe--1960's, I think--but very tasty.  Everyone seems to make a buffalo chicken dip, but I'm a fan of this "retro" spread.  Yes, it uses canned chicken, a processed food, but it won't kill you!  Allow to chill for several hours or overnight for the best flavor.

Ingredients:

8 ounces of cream cheese
1 small onion, minced
1 small (4.25 oz) can of chicken
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon worchestershire sauce

Directions:

• Blend all ingredients with a hand mixer until combined
• Chill until ready to serve
• Great with Ritz crackers or spread on toasted breads

Smoked Gouda Dip

You can spice this up with more tabasco if you'd like.  It's best made several hours before serving to let the flavors meld.

Ingredients:
1 pound smoked gouda
3 tablespoons minced onion
1/4 cup of mayonnaise
1 teaspoon tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1/2 to 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Directions:

• Grate the gouda
• Add all ingredients adjusting to taste and spreading consistency
• Serve with crackers, toasted baguettes or veggies

Grandma Kelly’s Onion Canapés

My grandma didn't really create this recipe, but it was often something she served at private dinner parties she worked during the 1960's and 70's.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

1 small onion, sliced very thin

1 cup mayo

Additional grated parmesan

Small, crust less rounds of baguette, or party rye

Directions:

• Mix cheese and mayo and spread on bread.  
• Place a thin slice of onion on top. 
• Put ½ teaspoon dollop of mayo on top of onion and sprinkle with a little more Parmesan.  
• Broil on cookie sheet until golden brown.  
• Serve immediately.

Anne’s Pinwheels

Ingredients:

2 pkg (8oz each) cream cheese, softened

1 pkg (1oz) Ranch Dressing Mix

2 green onions, minced

4 (10 or 12 inch) flour tortillas

1 jar (4oz) diced pimento

1 can (4oz) diced green chiles

1 can (2 ¼ oz) sliced black olives

Directions:

• Mix first three ingredients.  Spread on tortillas.  
• Drain veggies and blot dry (squeeze) on paper towels.  
• Sprinkle equal amount of remaining ingredients on tortillas.  
• Roll tightly.  Chill at least 2 hours.  
• Cut rolls into 1 inch pieces.  Discard ends.  
• Serve with spirals facing up.

Italian Torte

It takes a few trials to get this to be a "pretty" appetizer, but it always tastes great!

Ingredients:
3 ounces sun-dried tomatoes
2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
10-12 slices of provolone cheese
8 ounces of pesto, drained
Cheesecloth

Directions:

• Bring a small saucepan of water to boil. Turn off heat. Place sun-dried tomatoes in the water and cover for 5 minutes. Drain and finely chop.
• In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese and garlic.
• Line a medium bowl with a large piece of dampened cheesecloth. Layer with 1/3 of the provolone.
• Spread with 1/2 the pesto. Spread with 1/2 the cream cheese mixture. Layer with 1/2 the sun dried tomatoes.
• Layer with 1/3 provolone, remaining pesto, remaining cream cheese and remaining sun dried tomatoes. Top with remaining provolone
• Pull cheese cloth around the layered mixture and gently press into bowl to mold and remove any excess oil.
• Chill in refrigerator 3-4 hours.
• When ready to serve, remove cheese cloth and turn upside down onto a large dish to serve.

Crockpot BBQ Meatballs

Easy meatballs to serve a crowd

Ingredients:

3 pounds frozen meatballs
2 medium onions, cut into wedges
12 ounce can beer
1 1/2 cups ketchup
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup Heinz 57 sauce

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients in a crockpot
• Heat on low for 8 hours

Guacamole

Love this tasty guacamole!

Ingredients:
3 ripe avocados
1/2 cup finely chopped, sweet onion
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 medium tomato, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

• Cut avocados in half and remove pits.
• Scoop avocado flesh from peel
• Mash avocados and stir in remaining ingredients
• Cover and chill slightly.
• Garnish with additional cilantro

Yields: 2 1/2 - 3 cups

Savory Italian Torte

Great combination of pesto, tomatoes and cream cheese! If you use sundried tomatoes packed in oil, drain and dry thoroughly. Serve in wedges with crackers.

Ingredients:
3-4 ounces of sundried tomatoes
2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, softened
1 clove of garlic, minced
10-12 slices of provolone cheese
8 ounces of pesto

Directions:

• Boil water in a small saucepan. Turn off heat. Place sundried tomatoes in water and cover for 5 minutes. Drain and finely chop.


• In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese and garlic.


• Line a colander with cheesecloth or papertowels and drain pesto. Squeeze out as much of the oil as possible.


• Line a 1 qt glass bowl with a large piece of dampened cheesecloth. Layer bottom and sides with 5-6 pieces of provolone.


• Spread half the pesto over provolone and then half the cream mixture, pressing down layers. Add a layer of tomatoes.


• Layer with provolone to cover, and repeat layers. Top with provolone.


• Pull cheese cloth around the layered mixture and gently press into bowl to mold and remove excess oil.


• Place in the freezer for one hour. Transfer to refrigerator and chill 3 hours more.


• Remove cheese cloth and turn upside down onto a dish to serve.

Serves: 24

Artichoke Dip

One of the easiest appetizers I make, but oh, so good!

Ingredients:
1 cup light mayonnaise
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 can (14oz) artichokes, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
Dill or basil to taste

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients and spread in a pie plate or other shallow baking dish.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.
• Serve with baked pita chips or crackers.

Reuben Dip

March means college basketball, and watching basketball calls for appetizers. This hearty reuben dip is a crowd pleaser!

Ingredients:
3 small packages corned beef
8 ounces sauerkraut
1 small can slicedblack olives
8 ounces grated Swiss cheese
¾ cup mayonnaise
cocktail rye bread slices

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients and spread in baking dish.
• Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
• Spread on rye bread slices to serve.

Cream Cheese Crab Wontons

Whenever we order Chinese food, I always get a side of crab wontons. They're deep fried and yummy! I needed a more healthy version for eating at home, so these baked wontons fit the bill. They're great right out of the oven with sweet and sour sauce for dipping.

Ingredients:

1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups chopped imitation crabmeat
1 diced green onion
2 teaspoons horseradish
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
30 refrigerated wonton wrappers

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Combine the cream cheese, onion, horseradish and garlic mixing well with an electric mixer. Add the crabmeat and mix until combined.
• Place 1 teaspoon of crab mixture in center of each wonton. Moisten the edges of the wrapper with water and fold in half (point to opposite point) over the crab. Press to seal.
• Bake 20-25 minutes until crisp and golden, turning halfway through baking.

Servings: 30 wontons