Appetizer & Snack Recipes

1 – 14 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 – 4 oz. can green chili peppers, rinsed, seeded, and chopped
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
Tortilla chops
Breadsticks

Directions:

Combine the chopped artichoke hearts, chopped chili peppers, cheese and mayonnaise
Turn mixture into an 8 inch round baking dish
Bake at 350° for about 20 minutes or till heated through
Serve warm with tortilla chips and breadsticks

Makes about 2 ½ cups

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CHEESE BALL

Ingredients:

1 – 8 oz. cream cheese

1 ½ cup grated cheddar cheese

1 jar smoky cheese spread (or bacon spread)

1 cup grated pimiento cheese

½ tsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce

Directions:

Soften cream cheese
Blend with other ingredients
Beat until smooth
Shape into ball

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CHEESE DOLLARS

Ingredients:

½ pound sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated

½ cup butter

1 cup flour

½ tsp. salt

dash of red pepper

Directions:

Let cheese and butter stand till room temperature
Cream cheese and butter together well
Add flour, salt and red pepper
This is a very stiff dough so work with your hands
Mix well
Mod into a log roll
Refrigerate at least overnight
Slice thinly (⅛ inch)
Prick each with a fork
Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until lightly browned
Do not over bake

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CHEESY SPINACH AND BACON DIP

Ingredients:

1 pound Velveeta cheese, cut into ½ inch cubes

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1 – 4 oz. pkg. Philadelphia cream cheese, cut into ½ inch cubes

1 can (10 oz.) diced tomatoes and green chilies

8 slices bacon, crisply cooked, drained and crumbled

Directions:

Place all ingredients in large microwavable bowl
Microwave on high 5 minutes, or until cheese is completely melted and mixture
is well blended, stirring after 3 minutes
Serve hot with tortilla chips or assorted cut-up vegetables

Makes 4 cups

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CHIPPED BEEF SPREAD

Ingredients:

8 ounces cream cheese (softened)

2 Tbs. milk

¼ tsp. pepper

½ tsp. garlic

½ cup sour cream

1 pkg. thin sliced sandwich beef (chopped)

Directions:

Place in baking dish and top with chunks of butter
Bake at 350° for approximately 15 minutes.

Serve with crackers.

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CREAM CHEESE & MUSHROOM SPREAD

Ingredients:

1 pound mushrooms

2 Tbs. chopped onion

1 clove chopped garlic

1 8 ounce package cream cheese

2 Tbs. Worcestershire Sauce

Directions:

Sauté mushrooms, onion and garlic.
Mix with cream cheese and Worcestershire Sauce.

Serve with veggies or crackers.

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DEVILED EGGS

Ingredients:

6 hard boiled eggs

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

¾ tsp. mustard

½ tsp. salt

2 tsp. lemon juice

1/3 tsp. pepper

3 Tbs. mayonnaise

Directions:

Slice eggs in half lengthwise and take yoke out.
Mix yoke with remaining ingredients and refill where the yoke was.
Sprinkle a little paprika on top and refrigerate until ready to use.
Can refrigerate up to 3 days.

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DEVILED HAM SPREAD

Ingredients:

1 – 4 ½ oz. can deviled ham

1 – 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 Tbs. finely chopped onion

1 Tbs. snipped parsley

¼ tsp. dry mustard

¼ tsp. seasoned salt

Directions:

Cream deviled ham and cream cheese together until well blended
Add remaining ingredients
Chill at least 2 hours
Serve with crackers

Makes 1 ½ cups

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DILL DIP

Ingredients:

2 large packages cream cheese, room temperature

1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. garlic salt

2 – 4 Tbs. dill weed, to taste

Directions:

Cream all ingredients together
Add enough milk to thin to desired consistency

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FIESTA CHEESE SPREAD

Ingredients:

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

¼ tsp. seasoned salt

1 – 4 oz. can green chilies, undrained

1 Tbs. finely chopped green onion

2 Tbs. chopped pimentos

Directions:

In small bowl, combine cheese and seasoned salt
Beat on medium speed with electric mixer until light and fluffy
Fold in chilies, onion and pimentos
Chill 2 – 3 hours
Let stand at room temperature 15 – 20 minutes before serving
Serve with crackers

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GUACAMOLE

Ingredients:

6 ripe avocadoes, peeled and seeded (keep one pit for the bowl, as this preserves the freshness of the dip)

2 Roma tomatoes

½ red onion

1 lime

1 bunch of cilantro
½ cup sour cream

¼ tsp. salt

Cumin to taste

Chili Powder to taste (optional)

Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning to taste (optional)

Directions:

Cut avocadoes in half and use a spoon to remove the pit and peel
Place avocado in a large bowl and place on pit from the avocado in the bowl
Dice tomatoes and onion and add to bowl
Cut lime in half and squeeze the juice from each half into the bowl
Finely chop cilantro and add to bowl
Add sour cream
Add salt, cumin, chili powder and Tony Chachere’s to taste
May add a few shakes of Tabasco sauce to make it more spicy
Using a large spoon, fold the contents of the bowl together until fully mixed, preserving the “chunkiness” of the dip

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HAM & CHEESE BITES

Ingredients:

¼ pound boiled ham, diced

2 ounces Swiss cheese, grated

2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce

¼ tsp. hot sauce

3 Tbs. minced shallots

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 sheet (14X10 inch) frozen puff pastry, defrosted and cut into 2 inch squares

1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp. water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°
In bowl, combine ham, cheese, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, shallots
and mayonnaise
Mix well
Brush 24 of the pastry squares with beaten egg wash
Place a heaping tsp. of the ham and cheese mixture n the center of each square
Top with remaining 24 pastry squares
Using you fingers, gently seal the edges together.
Put the squares on a baking sheet and brush the tops with egg wash
Bake until lightly golden brown, about 15 minutes
Serve warm

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LAYERED BEAN DIP

Layer 1: Mix together, heat on high for 5 minutes in microwave.

2 - 31 ounce cans refried beans
1 pound grated cheese
8 oz. taco sauce

Layer 2: Mix well and spread on layer 1.

16 oz. sour cream
1 package taco seasoning

Layer 3: Beat together until smooth, spread over layer 2.

4 large avocados
3 Tbs. lemon juice

Layer 4: Spread on layer 3.

1 pound grated Mexican style cheese
3 chopped tomatoes

Serve with tortilla chips.

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MEXICAN CHEESE DIP

Ingredients:

1 pound Mexican style Velveeta cheese

1 pound regular Velveeta cheese

1 can Pepper Jack cheese soup

1 tomato

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 – 4 oz. cans green chili peppers

Directions:

Sauté onion in 1 Tbs. butter
Add tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes
Melt cheese in large sauce pan
Add peppers, onions and tomato
Put in fondue pan to keep warm
Serve with tortilla chips

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NACHO DIP

Ingredients:

1 can refried beans

1 large container sour cream

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1 – 8 oz. pkg. cheddar cheese, shredded

1 jar salsa

Directions:

Mix taco seasoning and sour cream together
In shallow dish, layer refried beans, sour cream mixture, cheese and salsa
Serve with nacho chips

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NORMA’S TACO DIP

Ingredients:

1 pound hamburger

1 pkg. Taco seasoning

1 can refried beans

1 cup sour cream

1 cup salsa

1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Brown hamburger and drain fat
Mix with taco seasoning and refried beans
Place on bottom of casserole dish
Mix sour cream and salsa together
Place on top of hamburger mixture
Sprinkle with cheese
Bake at 325° until cheese melts
Serve with Tostitos

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PEPPER JELLY

Ingredients:

2 medium green bell peppers

½ cup fresh hot chili peppers or canned chilies

1 ½ cup cider vinegar

6 cups sugar

2 – 3 oz. envelopes liquid pectin

Directions:

Remove stems and seeds from all the peppers
Grind peppers in a food processor until liquefied
Place in a heavy saucepan
Add vinegar and sugar
Bring to a full boil and boil for 1 minute
Remove from heat, add liquid pectin and stir for 2 minutes
Skim foam off the top
Ladle into clean, hot jars (place jars in large saucepan of water, within 2 inches of top of jars, and bring water to a boil, then turn off heat
Seal and process in a hot water bath for 5 minutes (return jars to hot water and turn heat back up but do not let water boil)

Serve with crackers and cream cheese or use to add zip to sandwiches.

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SHREDDED HAM ROLLS

Ingredients:

½ pound butter

1 pound shredded ham

8 ounces sliced Swiss cheese

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

3 Tbs. mustard

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 pkg. party rolls (20 per package)

Directions:

Split rolls all at once (do not break apart).
Mix butter, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and onion.
Spread on top and bottom of rolls.
Put layer of ham and cheese on bottom layer of rolls.
Put top back on and put in pan.
Bake at 400° for 10 minutes.
Cut individual rolls apart.
Can be made ahead of time and frozen.

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SPINACH ARTICHOKE DIP

Ingredients:

2 thawed pkgs. frozen cream spinach

1 can artichokes (chopped)

1/2 cup mayo

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded Jack cheese

1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (save a little out for the top)

1/2 can water chestnuts (chopped)

1 clove garlic (or 1 Tbs. garlic powder)

1/4 cup finely chopped onion (or 1 Tbs. onion powder)

salt & pepper to taste

1 large sourdough bread round

crackers or tortilla chips optional

Directions:

Combine all ingredients (excluding bread, crackers & tortilla chips) in a large bowl.
This can be done a day ahead and kept in an airtight container in the fridge.
Carve the center out of the bread to form a bowl.
Cut the removed portion into bite-sized pieces.
Fill the bread bowl with the spinach mixture and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Place on cookie sheet and place in a 325° oven for about 20 - 30 minutes (until bubbly and
heated through).
After the first 15 minutes, place the bite-sized bread pieces around the bread bowl and bake
the last 15 minutes.
Place bread bowl on large plate and arrange bread pieces around the outside of bread bowl.

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TACO TARTLETS

Meat Shell Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

2 Tbs. taco seasoning mix

2 Tbs. ice water

Filling Ingredients:

1 cup sour cream

2 Tbs. red taco sauce

¼ cup finely chopped onion

1 cup coarsely crushed tortilla chips

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

To make meat shells, combine ingredients and mix well
Press meat mixture into bottom and sides of tiny tart pans and set aside
Combine sour cream, taco sauce, onions and ¾ cup tortilla chips
Spoon filling into each shell, mounding slightly
Combine remaining chips and cheese
Sprinkle over each tartlet
Bake at 375° for 10 minutes
Garnish with taco sauce

Makes 32 tartlets

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VEGGIE BARS

Ingredients:

2 packages crescent roll dough

1 cup sour cream

8 ounces cream cheese

1 package Ranch Dressing mix

1 grated carrot

8 ounces grated cheddar cheese

½ head cauliflower (finely chopped)

½ head broccoli (finely chopped)

Directions:

Spread both packages of crescent roll dough on a cookie sheet and pinch together.
Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Let cool.
Mix sour cream, cream cheese, Ranch Dressing and grated carrot together and
spread over cooled dough.
Sprinkle remaining ingredients on top and serve.

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