‘Appetizers’
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Serves 4-6
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1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded
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Combine in a glass bowl or large measuring cup. Microwave on high for one minute. Stir and microwave another minute. Stir until smooth.
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¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ – ½ tsp cayenne pepper
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Add spices and mix well. Start with ¼ tsp cayenne and add more if you like it spicy.
You may store this in a plastic container in the refrigerator for two weeks.
To make a cheese ball or log, remove from the refrigerator and turn out on to wax paper. Form into a ball or log shape and roll in chopped walnuts or pinenuts.
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French bread crust
or crackers
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Serve cold or warm with warm bread crusts or crackers.
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This is the base of several of my recipes.
Posted in Appetizers, Vegetarian | No Comments »
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Serves 4-6
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1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded
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Combine in a glass bowl or large measuring cup. Microwave on high for one minute. Stir and microwave another minute. Stir until smooth.
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¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ – ½ tsp cayenne pepper
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Add spices and mix well. Start with ¼ tsp cayenne and add more if you like it spicy.
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2 (5 ounce) cans lump crabmeat
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Drain, rinse, and squeeze out water. Press lightly with your fingers to check for and remove any cartilage. Fold into the cheese dip.
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French Bread
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Warm the bread in the oven at 400 F for 5 minutes. Cut into 1 “ slices. Remove and discard the soft bread and cut the crust into 2” strips. Serve the crust to dip the crab.
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Posted in Appetizers, Fish and Seafood | No Comments »
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Oven 350 F
Serves 6-8
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1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
8 oz grated sharp cheddar cheese
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Combine in a glass bowl or large measuring cup. Microwave on high for one minute. Stir and microwave another minute. Stir until smooth.
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1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
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Add spices and mix well. Start with 1/4 tsp cayenne and add more if you like it spicy.
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2 eggs
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Add the eggs and beat well.
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2 (5 ounce) cans lump crabmeat
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Drain, rinse, and squeeze out water. Press lightly with your fingers to check for and remove any cartilage. Fold into the cheese mix.
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2 Tbsp butter
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Place the butter in a shallow casserole dish or pie plate. Melt the butter in the microwave and cover the bottom of the dish. Pour in the crab mixture. Bake at 350 F uncovered for 30 minutes or until the center is set.
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French Bread
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Warm the bread in the oven at 350 F for 5 minutes. Cut in half lengthwise. Remove and discard the soft bread and cut the crust into 2” strips. Spoon the soufflé onto the crusts.
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Silly name, but that is the best description I can come up with! Whatever you call it, this is my favorite appetizer!
Posted in Appetizers, Fish and Seafood | No Comments »
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Oven 350 F
Serves 6-8
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½ lb frozen salmon fillet or leftover baked salmon
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp dillweed
Salt and pepper
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Prepare the baked salmon a day ahead of time if you like. Leave the fish in it’s plastic and thaw in a sink of cool water for 30 minutes. Place a sheet of foil on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Remove the fish packaging and rinse with cold water. Place on the foil, skin side down (if there is skin). Drizzle the fish with olive oil. Sprinkle with dillweed, salt and pepper. Loosely fold up the edges of the foil. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes. The fish is done when it flakes in the center.
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1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded
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Combine in a glass bowl or large measuring cup. Microwave on high for one minute. Stir and microwave another minute. Stir until smooth.
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¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ – ½ tsp cayenne pepper
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Add spices and mix well. Start with ¼ tsp cayenne and add more if you like it spicy.
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French bread
Fresh dill (if you have it)
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Warm the bread in the oven at 350 F for 5 minutes. Cut into 1 “ slices. Remove and discard the soft bread and cut the crust into 2” strips. Spoon the cheese spread on the crust and top with a bite of salmon. Garnish with dill.
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This is a fabulous appetizer for left-over salmon!
Posted in Appetizers, Fish and Seafood | No Comments »
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12 eggs
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6 large eggs
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Place the eggs in a saucepan. Cover with cold water. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 12 minutes. Cool with cold water. Peel the eggs under cold running water. Cut in half lengthwise. Place the yolks into a small bowl and mash with a fork.
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2 Tbsp Miracle Whip
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp creamy horseradish sauce
½ tsp salt
Grating of pepper
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Add to the yolks and mix well. Stuff the egg whites with the yolk mixture.
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Cayenne pepper
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Sprinkle with a tiny bit of cayenne pepper.
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Posted in Appetizers | No Comments »
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Oven 350 F
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1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 tsp minced garlic
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
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Crumble the meat into a frying pan over medium heat. Add spices and cook till done. Drain excess fat.
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1 can (4 oz) chopped black olives
2 cans (4 oz) chopped green chilies
2 cans (16 oz) pinto beans or black beans
1 ½ cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/3 cup Ranch Dressing
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Chop the beans and mash them a bit with the side of the knife, leaving some whole. Mix everything together with the meat.
Grease two shallow 9” casserole dishes or pie plates or one 9×13 pan. Spoon in the mixture and pat it down. Bake 30 minutes at 350 F. Serve with tortilla chips.
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Posted in Appetizers, Mexican Style | No Comments »
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Oven 400 F
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1 dozen large white mushrooms
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Rinse the mushrooms in warm water and rub until clean. Twist out the stem, leaving the caps intact. Set aside on a paper towel to drain.
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2 stalks celery
1/2 medium yellow onion
2 garlic cloves
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Chop the celery and onion to ¼ “ bits. Finely chop or mince the garlic.
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3 Tbsp olive oil
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Add the oil to a sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté the celery, onions, garlic for about 5 minutes until the onion is tender.
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½ cup fine bread crumbs
1 tsp Frank’s Red Hot sauce
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
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Add and continue stirring to mix well. Turn off the heat and allow the pan to cool for 5 minutes.
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1 egg
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Add the egg and mix well.
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1 (6 oz) can Polar lump crabmeat
1 tsp lime juice
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Drain the crabmeat and crumble lightly with your fingers to find and remove any cartilage. Add the crab meat to the pan and gently mix together. Sprinkle with lime juice.
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Place the mushrooms in a baking dish such as a 9×13 cake pan. Drizzle with olive oil. Turn them over and move around to coat with oil. Stuff the mushrooms with a spoon, mounding the crab mixture firmly on top of the mushroom. Place them back in the pan.
Bake at 400 F for 20 minutes until golden brown.
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I prefer Pepperidge Farms Herb Seasoned bread crumbs, but you can make your own breadcrumbs or use crushed crackers. These are also delicious without the crab.
Posted in Appetizers, Fish and Seafood | No Comments »
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¼ cup butter (1/2 stick)
¼ cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
½ tsp minced garlic
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Melt the butter in a glass dish in the microwave. Blend in the hot sauce and garlic. Stir well again before serving.
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Posted in Appetizers, Sauces | No Comments »
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Serves 4
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2 ripe avocados
1 lime
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
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Cut the avocado in half lengthwise, leaving the pit intact. Twist apart and squeeze out the avocado. Leave the pit in the bowl, it will keep the avocado from turning brown. Cut the lime in half and squeeze half of the juice over the avocado. Salt. Chop to desired smoothness with a spoon. Taste and add additional lime juice if desired.
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Tortilla chips
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For a special treat, warm the tortilla chips: place the chips on a cookie sheet and heat for 5 minutes in the oven at 300 F.
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Finding a perfectly ripe avocado in the supermarket can be difficult. The avocado is ripe when slightly soft; squeeze it gently to test- it feels like squeezing a greenish banana. I prefer to buy the hard avocados 3-4 days before I need them and store at room temperature to ripen. To speed up the process, place them in a brown paper bag. Once the avocado is ripe, store in the refrigerator up to a week.
Posted in Appetizers, Mexican Style, Vegetarian | No Comments »
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Oven 350 F
Approx 60 Appetizers
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1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
Optional:
½ red bell pepper, finely chopped
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Crumble the meat into a frying pan over medium heat. Add spices and cook till done. Add the red pepper and sauté for 5 minutes. Drain excess fat. |
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½ cup of black or green olives, pitted
¾ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/3 cup Ranch Dressing
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Add ingredients and toss together.
Taste the mixture. If you want to heat it up, add an additional ¼ tsp cayenne pepper.
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60 mini phyllo (fillo) shells, frozen
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Fill the cups with a teaspoon and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 F for 8-10 minutes until cheese is melted.
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This makes a great brunch dish- substitute spicy breakfast sausage and omit the spices and olives.
Posted in Appetizers, Breakfast | No Comments »