Roasted Pepper and Artichoke Spread

From Jocely Denyer

1 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 c mayonnaise
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 clove garlic, minsed
14 oz artichoke hearts, drained and chopped finely
1/3 c finely chopped roasted red bell peppers (from 7 oz jar)
Crackers, cut-up vegetables or snack bread slices

Combine parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, cream cheese, and garlic in food processor.  Process until smooth. Place in slow cooker.  Add artichoke hears and red bell pepper.  Stir well.  Cover.  Cook on low 1 hour.  Stir again.  Serve with crackers, veggies, or bread.

Curry Breads

From Jacque Munns

2 c shredded cheddar cheese

2/3 c chopped green onion

½ c mayo

1 tsp curry powder

½ c finely chopped black olives

Mix all together and spread on rye party breads.  Broil until bubbly.

Crepes

From Salena Thomas

• 
  
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/3 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 
  
• In large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, melted butter, flour sugar and salt until smooth.
• Heat a medium-sized skillet or crepe pan over medium heat. Grease pan with a small amount of butter or oil applied with a brush or paper towel. Using a serving spoon or small ladle, spoon about 3 tablespoons crepe batter into hot pan, tilting the pan so that bottom surface is evenly coated. Cook over medium heat, 1 to 2 minutes on a side, or until golden brown. Serve immediately.
• Fill with either sweet or savory fillings.  For a truly French experience, use Nutella.  

SPANAKOPITA (Spinach Pie)

By Eleni Franklin

1 # filo (about 12 - 15 sheets)

2 packages (10 oz ea) frozen spinach or 1# fresh

2 sticks butter, melted

1 # onions, finely chopped

1/2 C chopped parsley

1/2 C chopped dill

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

6 eggs, beaten

1 # cheese; feta (crumbled finely), hoop, or cottage (I combine all three)

PREPARATION:

Thaw spinach; squeeze out all excess liquid. Lightly sauté onion.  Add onion, parsley, dill, salt, pepper, cheese(s) & eggs to spinach. Mix thoroughly. Lightly brush bottom of 9"x13" (or 15") pan with melted butter. Lay gently 7 (approx.) sheets of filo, brushing w/melted butter between each layer. Pour in spinach mixture & spread evenly. Place remaining 7 layers of filo on top, brushing with melted butter between layers.

Tuck in all edges. Brush top generously with butter. Score top sheet (2 1/2" x 2").  Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes until golden brown.   Remove from oven & cool 1/2 hr. Cut into serving pieces.  YIELD: 20 servings

Pumpkin Fluff Dip

By Salena Thomas

1 (16 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

In a large bowl, mix together instant vanilla pudding mix, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Fold in the thawed frozen whipped topping. Chill in the refrigerator until serving.   Serve with apples, graham crackers, ginger snaps, etc.

The Best Potato Salad Ever

from Shirley Paoule

3 pounds unpeeled red potatoes

1 Tbsp vinegar

3/4 c onion, chopped

3/4 c red pepper, chopped

3/4 c celery, chopped

1/2 c finely chopped dill pickles

3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

3/4 c mayonnaise

In a large pot, cover potatoes with salted cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until they're easily pierced with a skewer, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, combine remaining veggies and eggs in a large bowl. When potatoes are done, drain and cut into 1/2" pieces while still warm. Transfer to the bowl with the veggies and sprinkle with 2 Tbsp dill pickle juice and vinegar. Toss salad gently with mayonnaise. Season with walt and pepper. Chill before serving.

Raspberry (or strawberry) Lemonade

From Becky Sanchez

from Martha Stewart Living June 2009

10 lemons, sliced

2 cups raspberries (or strawberries)

1 1/2 cups sugar

Put all ingredients in a large pot and pound for about 10 minutes (I used a potato masher). Add 6 cups water. Drain through sieve, squeezing any extra juice you can out of the lemons and discarding the fruit (I did save a few of the larger strawberry pieces to put in the cups). I added extra sugar once I tasted it. Makes 9 cups.
I also sprinkled sugar over some sliced strawberries to add to the bottom of the cups.

BLT Bites

From Jocelyn Denyer

1 cup mayonnaise
1 (8-ounce) carton sour cream
1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 large tomatoes, chopped
Frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 cucumbers, peeled and sliced

Combine mayonnaise and sour cream in a medium bowl, stirring well with a wire whisk; stir in bacon, spinach, and tomato. Spoon 1 tablespoon onto individual cucumber slices, or serve with Melba toast rounds.

Salsa and Cream Cheese

From Lorie Caless

8 oz cream cheese
1 jar salsa

Place cream cheese on serving platter. Pour salsa on top. Serve with crackers or chips

Salmon Spread

By Roz Brown

1 can salmon

1 block of cream cheese

Drain can salmon can use 1/2 to whole can, you decide consistency. Put in microwave safe bowl with cream cheese, heat for about 30 seconds. Stir, heat for another 30 seconds. Spread on crackers, breads, bagels

Asparagus Ham Roll-ups

By Roz Brown

These are a cinch to make!

16 fresh asparagus spears, trimmed

1 medium sweet red pepper, cut into 16 strips

8 ounces Havarti cheese, cut into 16 strips

8 thin slices deli ham or prosciutto, cut in half lengthwise

16 whole chives

In a large skillet, bring 1 inch of water to a boil. Add asparagus; cover and cook for 3 minutes. Drain and immediately place asparagus in ice water. Drain and pat dry.Place an asparagus spear, red pepper strip and cheese trip on each slice of ham. Roll up tightly; tie with a chive. Refrigerate until serving.

Cream Cheese-Olive Spread

From Jocelyn Denyer

8 oz pkg cream cheese, soft

1/2 c finely chopped pimiento-stuffed Spanish olives

1 Tbsp mayonnaise

1/2 c chopped pecans

1/4 c chopped fresh chives

Stir together all ingredients and chill.

OR

Stir together cream cheese, Spanish olives, and 1 Tbsp mayonnaise. shape cream cheese mixture into 2 (6 inch) logs; wray in plastic wrap and chill at least 30 minutes, or store in fridge up to 2 days. Place pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan. Bake pecans at 350 for 8 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring occasionally. Let cool 30 minutes or until completely cool. Roll cream cheese log in chopped chives and toasted pecans just before serving.

Turkey Peppercorn Ranch Bites

From Shirley Pauole

2 oz cream cheese

1/4 c Peppercorn ranch dressing
3 flour tortillas
6oz thin sliced turkey breast
12 bread 'n butter pickle chips



Mix cream cheese and dressing until well blended. Spread evenly onto tortillas; top with turkey. Roll up tortillas tightly; cut each into 4 slices. Top each with a pickle chip. Secure with toothpick.

Sparkling Punch

By Jocelyn Denyer

2 (46 oz) cans pineapple juice

1 (12 oz) can frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed

1 (10 oz) can frozen strawberry daiquiri mix concentrate, thawed

2 liters ginger ale

Garnish: lemon slices

Stir together first 3 ingredients. Cover and chill 1 hour. Stir in gingerale just before serving. Garnish if desired.

Pineapple-Grapefruit Spritzer

By Jocelyn Denyer

c pineapple juice
1 c pink grapefruit juice

2 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger

2 liters ginger ale

Stir together first 4 ingredients in a large container; cover and chill 1 hour. Pour through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a pitcher, discarding solids. stir in ginger ale just vefore serving. Serve over ice.

Japaneese Fried Cheese Stick

From Salena Thomas

I had these in Japan and thought they were awesome.

1 pkg lumpia wrappers
1/2 - 1 lb american cheese (from the deli)
oil for frying
honey

Cut lumpia wrappers in half and then in half again, making 4 sets of equal squares. Cut block of chese in half and then in small, bitesized strips. the pieces of cheese should easily roll up in the wrapper squares. Separate one lumpia square from the stack. Wet each side with water. I just dip my finger in the water and rub around the edges. Place a piece of cheese on the wrapper and roll up from the short side. Press the ends firmly to seal. Repeat until you run out of wrappers or cheese. Deep fry in oil til brown. Serve hot with honey to dip. Trust me! For this picture, I couldn't find lumpia wrappers so I used wonton wrappers. Although the wonton wrappers worked, lumpia wrappers are much better.

Crescent Cream Cheese Roll-Ups

From Salena Thomas

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 c mayonnaise
1/2 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
8 oz spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/2 roma tomato, chopped small
1/4 c chopped red pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
red pepper (opt)
3 cans crescent roll dough
2 Tbsp butter, melted
Parmesan Cheese

Mix cream cheese, mayo, bacon, spinach, red pepper, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and red pepper. Fold in tomatos. Roll out cresent roll dough. Cut each triangle in half. Spread a bit of the mixture over each triangle and roll up. Bake at 375 for about 12 minutes or til brown. Top with melted butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Chimichurri - "Argentinean Pesto"

By Jocelyn Denyer

The traditional role of this pesto is to accompany grilled meat.

Jocelyn served it with bread pieces.

1 medium garlic clove, peeled

1/2 c parsley sprigs

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp wine vinegar

3/4 tsp dried oregano, crumbled

1/2 tsp hot red pepper flakes

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Chop garlic in a food processor. Add parsley and finely chop together. Transfer to a bowl or jar and add remaining ingredients. Stir or shake to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve at room temperature. Makes 1/3 cup.

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

From Salena Thomas

1/2 large sweet onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic (a little less than a tbsp from the garlic in a jar)
1 lb roma tomatoes, chopped
15 oz can black beans, drained
15 oz can black eyed peas, drained
15 oz can corn, drained
16 oz bottle Zesty Italian Dressing
1/2 tsp coriander (opt)
chopped green onions to tase (opt)
chopped jalepeno to taste (opt)

Mix and refrigerate 4 hours. Serve with corn chips or lime chips. (I put in about 2 green onions and no coriander or jalepeno.)