APPETIZERS & SNACKS recipes
Appetizers and Snacks
- You can buy frozen chopped onion or green peppers for a quick recipe
shortcut, or since they freeze so well, chop a whole bunch at once
and freeze them in single servings.
- When making many meatballs a fast and simple way is to shape the
meat mixture into a log and cut off slices. The slices roll easily
into balls. Another option is to pat the meat into a square and cut
it into cubes which again easily roll into meatballs of uniform size.
- Stop tomato stains on your Tupperware by using with nonstick cooking
spray before pouring in tomato-based sauces.
- Strawberries will stay fresher when kept in a colander in the
refrigerator. Don't wash until just before using.
- Freeze ripe bananas for later use. First peel, and then wrap tightly
in plastic wrap and store in freezer bags.
- Corn on the cob will be simple to shuck if you wash them with cold
water, place in a plastic bag and freeze for an hour or so
before shucking.
- Freeze lemon peel. Use when a recipe calls for fresh lemon rind.
- Whole lemons will yield much more juice if stored in a tightly
sealed jar of water in the refrigerator.
- Dissolve 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin in a little bit of water and
beat it into whipping cream to keep it from turning watery.
- Grind up or dice leftover roast beef, stew meat, etc. Add to scrambled
eggs along with cubed leftover potatoes for an easy breakfast.
- Make your own "instant" oatmeal by running regular oatmeal in a
blender. Blending makes the oatmeal the same as "instant."
*APPETIZERS & SNACKS*
3
Bacon And Tomato Cups
8 slices bacon
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
3 ounces shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 (16 ounce) can refrigerated buttermilk biscuit dough
Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease a mini muffin pan. In a skillet over
medium heat, cook bacon until evenly brown. Drain on paper towels. Crumble
bacon into a medium mixing bowl, and mix with tomato, onion, Swiss cheese,
mayonnaise and basil. Separate biscuits into halves horizontally. Place each
half into cups of the prepared mini muffin pan. Fill each biscuit half with
the bacon mixture. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until
golden brown.
Bacon And Tomato Cups
4
BBQ Chicken Pizza
3 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cubed
1 cup hickory flavored barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon molasses
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 (12 inch) pre-baked pizza crust
1 cup smoked Gouda cheese, shredded
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
Preheat oven to 425F. In a saucepan over medium high heat, combine chicken,
barbeque sauce, honey, molasses, brown sugar and cilantro. Bring to a boil.
Spread chicken mixture evenly over pizza crust, and top with cheese and
onions. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
BBQ Chicken Pizza
5
Caramel Snack Mix
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup white corn syrup
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup almonds
1 (12 ounce) package crispy corn and rice cereal
Preheat oven to 275F. Spray a large roasting pan with non-stick cooking
spray. In a medium-size microwave safe bowl, mix butter, white corn syrup
and brown sugar. Place the mixture in the microwave and cook 2 minutes, or
until butter melts. Place the cereal, pecans and almonds into the prepared
roasting pan. Pour the melted butter mixture over the cereal and nuts and
mix gently until the cereal and nuts are coated. Bake for 1 hour, stirring
every 15 minutes. As the snack mix is cooling, be sure to continue to stir
so that the mix will not harden into one big lump.
Caramel Snack Mix
6
Cheese & Olive Bruschetta
1/2 cup mayonnaise (or salad dressing)
1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
2 medium tomatoes, seeded,finely chopped
1/4 cup black olives, chopped
1/4 cup parmesan cheese (preferably freshly grated)
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 baguette, fresh, about 2 1/2" round and 27" long
1/3 cup butter, softened
Mix the first 8 ingredients (this can be done the day ahead and
refrigerated). Cut the baguette into 1" slices. Butter one side. Arrange on
a cookie sheet, buttered side up. Divide the mixture among the slices and
spread. Bake in 350F oven for about 15 minutes and the cheese has melted.
Cheese & Olive Bruschetta
7
Cheese And Artichoke Fondue
1-1/2 cups diced processed American cheese
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1-1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/4 cup roasted red peppers, drained and diced
Mix American cheese, milk, Worcestershire sauce, flour and mustard in a
3-quart saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until
cheese is melted. Stir in Cheddar cheese until melted. Stir in artichoke
hearts and bell peppers. Transfer cheese mixture to fondue pot. Keep warm
over low flame. Serve with dippers.
Cheese And Artichoke Fondue
8
Chicken Pate
3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1/2 cup onions, finely chopped
1 (8 oz.) whipped cream cheese
1/4 cup mayonaise
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup sherry
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
juice of 1 lemon
Cook chicken breasts in boiling water for 30 - 45 minutes. When cooled cut
up chicken into cubes. In medium bowl combine all ingredients. Place mixture
into small jello mold or small loaf pan. Make sure to coat pan with oil so
mixture will come out smoothly. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Serve with
crackers.
Chicken Pate
9
Chocolate Fondue
8 ounces good quality chocolate
8 ounces heavy whipping cream.
1 shot grand mariner or liqueur of choice.
Heat cream and liqueur in dessert fondue pot on medium heat. Add chocolate
and stir until chocolate is melted. Place dessert pot over a tea candle to
keep warm. Serve with a seasonal fruit plate, marshmallows and pound cake or
cookies.
Chocolate Fondue
10
Cocktail Meatballs
1 pound lean ground beef
1 egg
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup bread crumbs
3 tablespoons minced onion
1 (8 ounce) can jellied cranberry sauce
3/4 cup chili sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, egg, water, bread crumbs, and
minced onion. Roll into small meatballs. Bake at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes,
turning once. In a slow cooker or large saucepan over low heat, blend the
cranberry sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar, and lemon juice. Add meatballs,
and simmer for 1 hour before serving.
Cocktail Meatballs
11
Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
1 pound large mushrooms
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons prepared Dijon-style mustard
6 1/2 ounces crabmeat
1/4 cup chopped water chestnuts
2 tablespoons chopped pimento peppers
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 400F. Remove stems from the mushrooms, retaining the caps.
Chop the stems. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Brush the mushroom
caps with melted butter. In the remaining butter, cook and stir the chopped
mushroom stems and onions until tender. Gradually mix the cream cheese and
mustard into the saucepan. Continue stirring until smooth. Stir in the
crabmeat, water chestnuts and pimentos. Heat until warm. Stuff the mushroom
caps with the crabmeat mixture. Sprinkle the stuffed caps with Parmesan
cheese. In a shallow pan, bake the caps at 400F for 10 to 15 minutes or
until hot.
Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
12
Fruit Salsa And Cinnamon Chips
2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored, and diced
1 (8 ounce) package raspberries
1 pound strawberries
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor
10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
butter flavored cooking spray
2 cups cinnamon sugar
In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apples, raspberries,
strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill
in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350F. Coat one side
of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges
and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with
desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Spray again with cooking spray. Bake in
the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla
wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit and
spice mixture.
Fruit Salsa And Cinnamon Chips
13
Garlic Cheese Bread
Spread:
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash ground black pepper
dash paprika
Bread:
12 slices Texas toast or 1 large French bread loaf,
sliced through the middle
Preheat oven to 400F. Combine all ingredients for the spread in a small
bowl. Smear spread generously on one side of each slice of Texas toast or on
the face of each half of French bread loaf. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or
until cheese begins to brown and bubble. Makes about 12 slices toast or two
large halves of French bread.
Garlic Cheese Bread
14
Honey Nut Huddle Spread
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 8-oz. package soft cream cheese
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped honey-roasted nuts
Blend orange juice, honey and sour cream. Stir in raisins and nuts. Chill
for at least one hour. Serve with crackers or potato chips.
Honey Nut Huddle Spread
15
Hot Crab Dip
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 pinch garlic salt
1 tablespoon milk
1/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 lb. crabmeat
paprika
Remove cartilage from crab meat. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, sour
cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and garlic
salt until smooth. Add enough milk to make mixture creamy. Stir in 2
tablespoons of the grated cheese. Fold crab meat into cream cheese mixture.
Pour into greased 1-quart casserole. Top with remaining cheese and dust with
paprika. Bake at 325F until mixture is bubbly and browned on top, about 30
minutes. Serve with tortilla chips and/or crackers.
Hot Crab Dip
16
Hot Mexican Spinach Dip
1 (16 ounce) jar salsa
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, diced and softened
1 cup evaporated milk
1 (2.25 ounce) can chopped black olives, drained
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400F. In a medium baking dish, mix together salsa, chopped
spinach, Monterey Jack cheese, cream cheese, evaporated milk, black olives,
red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Bake mixture in the preheated oven 12 to
15 minutes, or until bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips.
Hot Mexican Spinach Dip
17
Kettle Corn
2/3 cup raw popcorn
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup sugar
Place oil and popcorn in a large skillet that has a tight fitting lid. The
popcorn should barely cover the bottom surface. Heat over medium until the
first kernel starts to pop. Quickly stir in the sugar until dissolved. Cover
and continuously shake skillet while holding top. Be careful, this will burn
much quicker than regular popcorn. When you think all is popped, remove from
heat. Spoon the popped corn into a bowl while shaking once in a while to let
the uncooked kernels settle. Salt lightly, and break up into pieces.
(Note: This may take a little practice, but well worth the effort!)
Kettle Corn
18
Mexican Pizza
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried minced onion
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1-1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons water
8 small (6-inch diameter) flour tortillas
1 cup Crisco shortening or cooking oil
1 (16 oz.) can refried beans
1/3 cup diced tomato
2/3 cup mild picante salsa
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup sliced black olives
Cook the ground beef over medium heat until brown, then drain off the excess
fat from the pan. Add salt, onions, paprika, chili powder and water, then
let mixture simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Stir often.
Heat oil or Crisco shortening in a frying pan over medium-high heat. If oil
begins to smoke, it is too hot. When oil is hot, fry each tortilla for about
30-45 seconds per side and set aside on paper towels. When frying each
tortilla, be sure to pop any bubbles that form so that tortilla lays flat in
oil. Tortillas should become golden brown. Heat up refried beans in a small
pan over the stove or in the microwave.
Preheat oven to 400F. When meat and tortillas are done, stack each pizza
by first spreading about 1/3 cup refried beans on the face of one tortilla.
Next spread 1/4 to 1/3 cup of meat, then another tortilla. Coat your pizzas
with two tablespoons of salsa on each, then split up the tomatoes and
stack them on top. Next divide up the cheese, onions and olives, stacking
in that order. Place pizzas in your hot oven for 8-12 minutes or until cheese
on top is melted. Makes 4 pizzas.
Mexican Pizza
19
Raspberry Chicken Wings
1 1/2 cups seedless raspberry jam
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1 (5 lb.) pkg. frozen chicken wings, thawed
Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a small
saucepan, combine jam, vinegar, soy sauce and red pepper over medium heat.
Stir until smooth. In a large bowl, toss chicken wings with half of the jam
mixture. Place on the baking sheet and bake 50 minutes. Brush wings with
remaining jam mixture and bake 8 to 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer
pink inside and outside is glazed. Serve immediately.
Raspberry Chicken Wings
20
Reuben Pizza
6 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 small Bobolis (baked cheese pizza crusts) (two 8-ounce packages)
12 ounces shredded Swiss cheese
12 ounces thinly sliced corned beef
2 2/3 cups drained jar-packed sauerkraut
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
Position rack in center of oven. Place baking sheet on rack and preheat to
450F for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, spread 1 tablespoon mustard on each Boboli.
Sprinkle each with 1 1/2 ounces (about 1/3 cup packed) cheese. Arrange 3
ounces corned beef over, folding slices to fit if necessary. Spread 1/2
tablespoon mustard over beef. Arrange 2/3 cup sauerkraut over. Spread 1 1/2
ounces cheese over, pressing to adhere. Sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon
caraway seeds. Place pizzas on hot baking sheet. Bake until heated through
and cheese on top melts and is beginning to color, about 12 minutes.
Reuben Pizza
21
Six-Layer Mediterranean Dip
8 ounces prepared hummus
1 1/4 sour cream, divided
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 ripe avocado, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup peeled and chopped cucumbers
salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste
6 ounces crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons minced kalamata olives
pita chips
Combine 1/4 cup sour cream with the prepared hummus, then spread mixture on
the bottom of a 9 inch pie dish. Combine remaining sour cream and cumin and
spread over the hummus layer. Toss together the garlic powder, salt, lemon
juice, chopped tomatoes, and avocado, then spread over the yogurt layer. Add
a layer of the cucumbers and sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. Add a
layer of feta, then finish it all off with olives. Let chill for an hour before serving
with pita chips.
Six-Layer Mediterranean Dip
22
Smoked Oyster Deviled Eggs
1 (3 3/4 oz.) can smoked oysters
9 hard-cooked eggs
6 tablespoons mayonnaise or salad dressing
2 tablespoons snipped chives
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Snipped chives
Drain oysters; pat with paper towels to remove as much oil as possible.
Coarsely chop. Halve hard-cooked eggs lengthwise. Remove yolks and set
whites aside. Place egg yolks in a bowl; mash with a fork. Add mayonnaise,
the 2 tablespoons snipped chives, mustard, pepper, and chopped oysters. Mix
well. Pipe or spoon egg yolk mixture into egg white halves. Garnish with
snipped chives.
Smoked Oyster Deviled Eggs
23
Tortilla Pinwheels
1/4 Cup Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/2 Cup Salsa
1/4 Cup chopped green onion tops
1/2 Teaspoon chili powder
4 Flour Tortillas, 6-inch
In a small bowl, stir together the cream cheese and cheddar cheese with a
fork until the cheeser is incorporated. Stir in the salsa, green onion, and
chili powder. Spread the mixture evenly on the tortillas. Roll up and chill.
Slice into rounds.
Tortilla Pinwheels
24
