Artichoke Dip Serves: 6
2 (14oz) cans artichoke hearts, drained
1 cup Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic, minced
Dash Tabasco pepper sauce
Chop the artichokes and mix with remaining ingredients. Bake at 350 until hot and bubbly 30-45 minutes. I prefer to mix this together and let sit overnight in fridge. Bake before serving. I serve this with pita chips or baked baguette slices.
Blue Cheese and Date Cream Cheese Spread Serves: 10-12
3 (8oz) pkg cream cheese
4 oz blue cheese
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 (8oz) pkg dates, chopped
1 cup pecans, toasted
Preheat oven to 300 and toast pecans 3-4 minutes. Mix cream cheese, blue cheese, cheddar cheese and chopped dates together. You may make this as a spread or make into one large or 2 small cheese balls, roll in pecans, otherwise sprinkle nuts on top for spread. This can be made 2 days ahead. Do not roll in nuts or sprinkle on top until the day you are serving. I’ve served this with water crackers and the honey Wheatables crackers. I personally am not a huge fan of blue cheese, but the flavor combos here are really good-creamy, crunchy, salty and sweet J If you make this into 2 cheese balls, you could wrap one well and freeze for a future get-together, since you only need a serving for 5-6.
Click the link above for the recipe. My cousin has made these, but she used a 3 inch circle so the recipe made 8 tartlets instead of 4 tarts. They were very yummy and great for a wine night we had. You can get puff pastry dough in the freezer section.
Click the link above for the recipe. Obviously, you don’t have to get whole foods brand of these ingredients, but the idea is yummy! You don’t have to grill them either. Saute the chopped veggies in a skillet then bake the pizzas maybe 10 minutes. Instead of eggplant, I would use mushrooms probably instead; very tasty.
Very easy.
Patrizio’s Bruschetta (from the North Texas Restaurant) Serves: 6-8
1 loaf baguette
2 garlic cloves, chopped
½ cup olive oil
½ cup butter (1 stick)
3 tomatoes, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
½ cup chopped fresh basil
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Slice the bread diagonally into 1 inch slices. Sauté 2 garlic cloves in 1 Tablespoon of the olive oil in a small skillet. Add the butter and heat until butter melts. Spread on the bread slices and place on a cookie sheet.
Combine the tomatoes, 6 garlic cloves, basil and remaining olive oil in a large bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.
Broil the bread slices for 4 minutes or until light brown. WATCH CLOSELY. Remove from the broiler and adjust oven to 400 degrees. Top the bread slices with the tomato mixtures and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 5 minutes.
Hot Crab Dip Serves: 6-8
1 (6oz) can crab meat
8 oz cream cheese
2 Tbs Hellmann’s mayonnaise
2 dashes lemon juice
¼ onion, chopped
½ cup chopped fresh Italian or flat-leaf parsley
1 (2oz) package sliced almonds, toasted*
Paprika, to sprinkle on top
Lemon wedges
Combine the crab meat with the cream cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice and onion in a bowl and mix well. Spoon into a 6x6 or similar baking dish. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Top with parsley and almonds. Garnish with paprika and lemon wedges on the side. Serve hot with crackers.
*an easy way to toast any kind of nut, is to put them on a large plate and microwave in 2 minute increments, stirring after each 2 minutes until browned.
Baked Brie with Brown Sugar and Almonds Serves: 8-10
1 (8oz) round of Brie Cheese
½ cup sliced almonds
¼ cup brown sugar
Cut off and discard the top rind of the cheese. Place the cheese cut side up in a heat-proof serving dish. Mix the almonds and brown sugar in a bowl and sprinkle on top of the cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes. Serve with toasted baguette slices, sliced apples or crackers. Variation-you could also use 3 Tablespoons raspberry jam instead of the brown sugar. Spread the jam on the cheese and top with the almonds before baking.
Pesto Baked Brie with Sun-dried tomatoes Serves: 8-10
1 (8oz) round of Brie Cheese
1/3 cup prepared or homemade pesto
1/3 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
Cut off and discard the top rind of cheese. Place the cheese cut side up in a heat-proof serving dish. Spoon on the pesto and top with the sun-dried tomatoes. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-12 minutes. Serve with toasted baguette slices, pita chips or crackers.
Happy Appetizing!! ;)
Kristen
