Cheese Sausage Balls

1 pound sausage (mild or hot), broken into bits, fried and drained well
1/4 cup milk
10 oz grated cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
3 cups Bisquik

Combine Bisquik and cheddar cheese together.  Crumble sausage in along with the garlic salt.  With fork or hands, mix all of this, adding splashes of milk to the mixture.  Once all ingredients are well-combined, roll into 1-inch balls and put on ungreased cookie sheet.  Cook at 325°F for 25 minutes or until brown.

Martha

Cheddar Cheese Ball

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
1 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoon milk or dry white wine
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
6 slices chipped beef
2 tablespoon diced pimento

 Set out cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and butter to reach room temperature, and then combine. Add milk (or wine) onion, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix until well combined. Shred beef and add one half along with pimentos. Chill 4 hours. Roll ball in remaining beef.

Ed & Rhonda

Hot Artichoke Dip

1 cup mayonnaise
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup (4 oz) grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
small can of chopped green chilies, drained
chopped tomato
sliced green onions

Mix all ingredients except tomato and onions.  Spoon into a 9-inch pie plate or quiche dish.  Bake uncovered at 350° for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned. Sprinkle with tomato and onions, and serve with crackers.

Can be made ahead up to the point of baking. Cook the same.

  Laura

Shrimp Dip

And now, with much ado . . . 

2 pounds cream cheese, diced and softened

1/2 pound cooke, chopped shrimp (can use small, frozen salad shrimp)

1 medium onion, chopped 

1 medium tomato, chopped 

4 banana peppers, chopped 

3 Torrido peppers, chopped (Trappey's label usually has them)

1 tablespoon garlic juice or 4-5 cloves, pressed.

Chop onion, tomato, and peppers in a food processor.  In a large, microwave-safe bowl, combine pepper mixture, cream cheese, shrimp, and garlic.  Microwave for 20 minutes on high, stirring every 5 minutes.  Serve with tortilla chips.  Dip is best if it stays warm in a chafing dish or crockpot.  Serves approximately 24.

If Torrido peppers are unavailable, some cooks have substituted pepperoncini.  Jalapeños can also be used in small quantities.

Granduddie

Cucumber Dip

An easier way to make Greek cucumber sauce, from my friend Sherri

1 large cucumber, seeded and coarsely grated
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
3 small green onions and tops (finely chopped)
Tabasco sauce to taste (a few drops will be plenty)
Garlic to taste
Ground black pepper to taste

Wring out excess cucumber juice in clean cup towel so it is mostly cucumber and little juice. Mix cucumber onion and seasonings. (Use more mayo if needed). Refrigerate before serving. Can be kept several days in an airtight container.

Marinated Mozzarella Brochettes

1 lb marinated mini mozzarella balls*
½ lb (about 25) brine-cured black olives, pitted and halved (can sub Kalamatta olives)
8-12 oz jar roasted red peppers**, cut into ¾ inch squares
wooden party picks or toothpicks

Thread an olive half, a roasted pepper square, and a mini mozzarella ball onto each of the wooden picks. Arrange brochettes on a platter garnished with leaf lettuce or parsley.

*If marinated mozzarella is unavailable, combine ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar, ½ tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp dried basil, and ¼ tsp dried thyme and marinate plain mozzarella balls or fresh cubes chilled overnight.

Sarah & Jason

Buffalo Chicken Dip

2 cups cooked chicken, diced or chopped
4-8 oz Frank’s Buffalo Wing Sauce
12-18 oz cream cheese, softened
½ cup blue cheese or ranch salad dressing
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1 bunch of celery, washed and cut into sticks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine chicken, hot sauce, cream cheese, dressing, and 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Adjust amounts of hot sauce and/or cream cheese to make the dip mild, medium, or hot! Pour mixture into a greased baking dish and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted.

Serve with celery sticks and crackers.

Sarah & Jason

Cucumber Spread

2 cups (1 pound) creamed cottage cheese
1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 package (.56 oz) green onion dip mix
1/2 cup minced peeled cucumber
1/2 cup chopped watercress
1/2 tsp dill weed
chopped radishes

In a bowl, mix all ingredients except radishes. Chill at least one hour. Garnish with radishes and serve with crackers. Makes about 3 cups.

Mimi

Deviled Pecans

2 oz. butter
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp salt
Tabasco sauce to taste
1 cup pecans

Melt butter in skillet over low heat. Stir in soy sauce & Tabasco. Add pecans & salt. Blend well. Place in baking pan in 400° oven for 20 min. Drain & serve.
(When done, these may look like they are burned, but they’re not)

Paula

Prosciutto Pinwheels

2 cups finely grated Gruyere or Provolone, or mix of both
2/3 cup Dijon mustard
¾ pound thinly sliced prosciutto
2 puff pastry sheets (from one 17 & ¼ oz package frozen puff pastry)

On a lightly floured surface, roll one sheet of puff pastry into a 14 inch square. Brush surface of pastry with half of Dijon mustard. Place half of prosciutto evenly on top of pastry, to within ½ inch of edges. Top with half of the cheese. Roll pastry jelly-roll fashion into a log, pinching seams and tucking under to bottom of log, and wrap in wax paper. Make another roll in same fashion. Chill pastry logs, seam sides down, until firm, at least 3 hours & up to 3 days.

Preheat oven to 425F. Lightly grease 2 large baking sheets. Cut logs crosswise into ½ inch thick pinwheels and arrange, one inch apart on baking sheets. Bake until golden, 10-15 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool slightly. Serve warm. Makes about 40.

An alternate method is to leave off the mustard, and mix fresh chopped sage (about 2-3 tbsp) in with the cheese layer.

Martha

Curry Melts

1 cup black olives, chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped onion
1&1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp curry
1 pkg English muffins

Combine olives, mayonnaise, onion, cheese, salt & curry. Toast muffin halves. Spoon curry mixture onto toasted muffin halves. Place on cookie sheet & bake/broil until cheese is melted. Cut muffin halves into quarters. Serve as appetizers.

Sarah & Jason

Smoked Salmon Spread

¼ pound thinly sliced smoked salmon, or more
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
6 tsp minced onion
¼ cup chopped fresh dill. Or dried but use less.
3 tbsp lemon juice
Tabasco to taste
Dill sprigs for garnish

Chop the salmon. Combine in a bowl with cream cheese, onion, dill, lemon juice, & Tabasco, mixing thoroughly with a wooden spoon or your hands. Transfer to an attractive serving bowl or mold, cover & refrigerate at least 2 hours.

To serve, garnish with dill and spread on pumpernickel bread or crackers.

Martha

Black-eyed Pea Salsa

1 - 15 oz can black-eyed peas, rinsed & drained
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions (2)
1/4 cup finely chopped red sweet pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1-2 fresh jalapeño peppers, seeded & chopped
1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
Dash of salt
Fresh cilantro chopped, add to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Cover & chill overnight.

Sarah & Jason

Mustard Tarragon Stuffed Eggs

6 hard boiled eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp Dijon style mustard
1 tsp. tarragon vinegar
1-1/2 tsp. minced fresh tarragon leaves, plus sprigs to garnish
1-1/2 tsp. minced red onion

Halve the eggs lengthwise, remove the yolks and force them through a sieve into a bowl. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, and salt & pepper to taste. Stir the mixture until smooth, transfer to pastry bag fitted with 1/4 inch star tip. (Or use a small spoon, but the results aren’t as pretty) Sprinkle some minced tarragon into the cavity of each egg half, pipe the yolk mixture into the whites, mounding it. Garnish each stuffed egg with some of the onion and a tarragon sprig. Makes 12 stuffed eggs.

Martha

Cheese Crab Bites

1 pkg English Muffins
1 - 5 oz jar Old English Cheese
1 - 7 oz can crab meat, drained
1 tsp garlic salt
1 stick margarine or butter

Split muffins, heat butter & cheese until melted. Add minced crab meat, garlic salt. Spread on muffins. Place in freezer until firm then cut each muffin half into eight pieces. Place under broiler until bubbly. Can be left in the freezer until ready to use.

Jackie

Black Bean & Corn Salsa

16 oz cooked black beans
16 oz fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp ground cumin
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup diced ripe tomatoes, drained

In a large bowl, combine beans, corn, cilantro, green and red onion, lime juice, oil and cumin. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Cover and chill at least 2 hours or up to overnight. Just before serving, stir in tomatoes. Serve with blue and white corn chips.

GranDuddie