Baked Cheese Wonton Cups
Filling:
2 green onions
3 ou. cream cheese, cut in chunks
1/3 cup mayonnaise
4 ou. grated cheddar cheese (or smoked gouda works well)
2/3 cup crabmeat, (Can vary the recipe with bay shrimp or chopped mushroom for the filling
2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. Essence of Emeril seasoning or something similar
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray 12 small muffin cups. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and lightly brush each wonton pastry before pushing into muffin cups.
Saute green onions. Melt cheeses and mayonnaise in pan. Add seasonings and lemon juice. Add filling (could be crab, shrimp, mushrooms) to heat only. Scoop into wonton cups. Bake 12-15 minutes until wontons are golden brown.
Bruchetta
Ingredients:
1/2 loaf Italian or French bread
1 small purple eggplant
1 large red pepper roasted and peeled (divided into 4 pieces)
4 slices mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup basil pesto
1 cup marinara sauce
1/2 cup olive oil to which 1 slivered garlic clove has been added
Slice 4-3/4" thick pieces of bread from loaf. Brush one side of each with oil. Place on hot grill (may use broiler) until toasted. While browning, brush other side with oil, turn and toast. Remove from grill. Place toasted bread on a cookie sheet and top each with pesto.
Slice eggplant into 1/2" slices. Cook eggplant in the same manner as bread.
Remove eggplant from grill or broiler and place each slice on top of each slice of bread. Place one piece of roasted pepper on top of each slice of eggplant and one slice of mozzarella cheese on top of each pepper. Bake in 450° oven until cheese melts. Remove and serve at once on a bed or marinara sauce. Serves 4.
Hot Artichoke Dip
Ingredients:
1 5 lb 8 oz can artichokes in water (drain in colander)
4 lb Grated mozzarella cheese
1 lb Grated parmesan cheese
3 cups mayonnaise
3 cloves garlic or 1 1/2 tsp chopped garlic
Method:
Put artichokes in cuisinart and blend just slightly.
Stir together in a large mixing bowl.
To serve bake desired amount at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, until bubbling, and serve on toasted pieces of sour dough bread.
Nachos!!
Big bag of restaurant style UNsalted tortilla chips
1 large tomatoe, diced
1 4 oz. can of green chili peppers, drained
1 cup canned refried beans
chopped cilantro
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Jack Cheese
Heat oven to 425. Cover a large platter with the chips. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the chips. Drop teaspoons full of the beans over the chips, then sprinkle the chilis over this. Sprinkle half of the remaining cheese over this. Sprinkle the tomatoe, then balance of the cheese & then the cilantro. At this point, I usually add more chips by just sticking them in random & perpendicular, so they are sticking up.
Bake approx. 10 minutes, until cheese is melted.
Serve with store bought salsa, sour cream & guacamole or sliced avacado & maybe some Nacho sliced Jalapenos.
They will go quick, & if you bought the big bag of chips, be prepared to throw together another batch!
MARINATED MUSHROOMS
1-1/2 lb. small button mushrooms
good Italian dressing
red or white wine vinegar
oregano
Wash the mushrooms well, and trim scant end of stems. Put into a large jar with the jar of Italian salad dressing, plus a little extra wine vinegar and some oregano. Marinade overnight. Serve in a bowl with toothpicks.... DO AHEAD
ARTICHOKE SQUARES
2 (6 oz) jars marinated artichoke hearts (cut up)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 crushed garlic clove
4 eggs
1/4 c. dry fine bread crumbs1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. EACH pepper, oregano, tabasco sauce
1/2 lb. grated cheddar cheese
2 TB. minced parsley
Mix everything together really well; Put into greased 7x11" baking pan. Bake at 325 for 30 min, or until set. Cut into squares. Serve warm, cold or room temp...DO AHEAD
Veggie platter w/dill dip (1/2 c. Dijon mustard; 1/2 c. sour cream, 2 TB. dried dill weed) .... Fruit platter with Orange Dip (Orange yogurt mixed with orange juice or Triple Sec) or Chocolate Dip (melt a can of storebought chocolate frosting & mix with a little brandy) ... Trail mix in a bowl (dry-roasted peanuts; dried tropical fruit bits) ... Pretzel rods (standing up in a large mug)
* * *
HELLO DOLLY BARS
1/2 c. butter
1-1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 (6 oz) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
scant 1/2 c. flaked coconut
1 c. chopped nuts
Melt butter in bottom of 9x13" baking pan. Remove from heat. Sprinkle crumbs over butter. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumbs. Top with chocolate chips, coconut & nuts. Press down gently. Bake at 350 for 25 min, or until golden brown. Cool & cut into bars (DECADENT)
LEMON BARS
1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 sticks (1 c.) butter
2 c. flour
Mix together as you would for a pie crust (until crumbly) and press into bottom of 9x13" pan. Bake at 350 about 20, or until firm.
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
4 TB. flour
1/2 c. lemon juice
powdered sugar (to sprinkle on top)
Beat together ingredients for 1 min. Pour on top of baked crust. (It will look thin & strange, but that's ok)...Bake at 350 for 20 min, or until done. Cool 7-10 min; cut into squares and sprinkle with powdered sugar
This are all recipes that can be done the day ahead; and don't require any fussing once you set them out.... small pieces for easy snacking while you're playing....
Chippy Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup butter flavored shortening or regular shortening with a little butter
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 white chocolate bar
1 dark chocolate bar
1 packet of oatmeal
A handful of walnuts
Directions
1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets.
2 In a large bowl, cream together the butter flavored shortening, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually stir into the creamed mixture. Finally, fold in the chocolate, walnuts, and oatmeal. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets.
3 Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until light brown. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Buffalo Chicken Dip Appetizer
4 boneless chicken breasts
2-8 oz. packages cream cheese
12 oz. Frank's Red Hot Sauce
16 oz. blue cheese dressing (I use the kind in the jar)
8 oz mild cheddar cheese, shredded
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Gently boil chicken breasts in water for 12-15 minutes until no longer pink. Drain and cool on a plate covered with plastic wrap to keep in moisture.
In a large bowl, shred chicken with fingers and cover with hot sauce. Use 3/4 of the bottle, then test for taste and add more if desired.
In a sauce pan over low heat, melt together cream cheese and blue cheese dressing for about 10 minutes. Sauce will remain slightly lumpy.
Stir sauce into chicken mixture and then pour into a casserole dish. The recipe calls for covering with cheese, but my family prefers to leave the cheese out. You can try it and decide for yourself.
Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with celery sticks and scoopables like Tostidos or Fritoes.