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	BACON SWISS PETITES Petite Rye Bread 2 cups shredded Swiss 8 slices of bacon (cooked, drained and crumbled) 1/4 cup chopped green onion 1/2 cup mayonnaise Dash of salt, pepper and garlic Paprika BLEND all ingredients together and spread onto Party rye slices. Toast under broiler until bubbly. Serve immediately. BAKED ARTICHOKE DIP 1 (14-oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 3/4 cup mayonnaise 1 clove garlic, minced (or 1/4 tsp. garlic powder) 1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 1/8 tsp. hot sauce COMBINE all ingredients, stirring well; spoon into a lightly greased 1-qt. casserole. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with crackers. Makes 2 cups. BRIE BUTTER This simple spread is excellent served with sliced apples, pears, peaches, or thin slices of French bread. The brie should be very ripe for the smoothest spread and best flavor. 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs or 1 teaspoon of minced garlic can be added to the recipe for more flavor, or to make a variety of spreads to offer. The spread can be made up to three days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Return to room temperature before serving. 8 ounces brie 1/4 pound butter 1/4 cup white wine PLACE the ingredients together in a blender or food processor and process until well blended. Serve immediately or store tightly covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Serve at room temperature with French baguettes, apples, pears, peaches, or crackers. Serves 6. Preparation Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 5 minutes BRUSCHETTA 1 loaf coarse, hearty bread, sliced 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 clove garlic 8 ounces brie cheese, sliced 3 fresh tomatoes, chopped 1/4 cup fresh basil, torn DRIZZLE bread slices with olive oil. Toast in a toaster oven until crisp. Remove from oven and rub the garlic clove over the warm toast. Place brie on toast, return to oven and heat until cheese melts. Top with tomatoes and basil and eat at once! Serves 4. (CHEESE) WELSH RABBIT FONDUE ¼ cup butter or margarine ¼ cut flour ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper ¼ teaspoon dry mustard ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 ½ cup milk 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese Dippers IN a saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Blend in flour, salt, pepper, dry mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat; stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in cheese; heat over low heat, stirring constantly until cheese melts. Pour into fondue pot; transfer pot to source of heat at table. Adjust heat as necessary. Dippers: Lil Smokies, tiny whole cooked potatoes, cherry tomatoes, bread cubes, tiny cooked meatballs. CHILI CHEESE DIP 1 LB of browned hamburger 2 cans of chili no beans Velveeta Cheese BROWN hamburger. Place hamburger, chili no beans, and cheese in crock pot on low. Cheese will melt. Mix and serve with tortilla chips. CLASSIC GUACAMOLE This is a very simple, plain guacamole that lets the wonderful flavor of the ingredients really shine. Make sure to use really ripe avocados, fresh lime juice, and a really good olive oil for a dip that can't be beat! If you make this ahead of time, make sure to store one of the avocado pits in the bowl to prevent the avocado from browning. 2 ripe peeled and mashed avocados juice of 1 lime 2 tablespoons chopped onion 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste) MIX together all of the ingredients until smooth. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Makes about 3 cups dip. Preparation Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 5 minutes EASY HERB CHEESE DIP Need a quick dip in a hurry? Here is the perfect one that people always go crazy for. It always amazes me how many people ask for the recipe for this dip when I serve it when it is so very simple. If you do not have creme fraiche you can substitute sour cream. However, do not use dried herbs in this dip as they cannot be substituted. You can use your favorite variety of herbs in any proportion to equal 1/4 cup if desired. 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature 2 tablespoons creme fraiche 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chervil 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil BEAT all of the ingredients until well blended. Serve at room temperature with crudites, crackers, bread slices, or potato chips. Serves 6. Preparation Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 5 minutes FAVORITE CHICKEN QUESADILLAS Quesadillas are quick and easy to make and fun to eat. Adults and children love them (although sometimes with different ingredients!) and they make great party fare. Serve them as a main dish or as a great appetizer. They also make wonderful snacks or light lunches. 2 tablespoons oil 1/4 cup chopped onions 1 small minced garlic clove 1/4 cup chopped bell peppers 2 minced chile peppers (to taste) 3 chopped plum tomatoes Oil for frying 8 flour tortillas 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 11/2 cups cooked chicken Salsa Sour cream IN a medium heavy skillet sauté the onions, garlic, and peppers in the 2 tablespoons oil until soft. Add the chile peppers and tomatoes and simmer for a few minutes more. Add the chicken and stir well to combine. Heat a thin layer of oil in a heavy medium sized pan over medium low heat, Place a tortilla in the pan and sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Add about a quarter of the chicken mixture and top with another 1/4 cup cheese. Cover with another tortilla and cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Flip the quesadilla over and cook for an additional two minutes. Remove from the heat and cut into wedges. Keep warm while frying the remaining quesadillas. Serve with salsa and sour cream. Serves 4. Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 40 minutes GINGER TERIYAKI CHICKEN WINGS These can me made ahead of time and taken to the party and reheated in their microwave. Its also inexpensive and everyone loves chicken wings! 2 lbs. chicken Wing drumettes 2 tbsp. ginger 2-3 tbsp. teriyaki sauce salt & pepper to taste HEAT oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken wings in large bowl with the ginger, teriyaki sauce, salt & pepper. Stir all together until wings are well coated with the seasonings. Let sit covered for 5-10 minutes. Place well coated wings on baking sheet or in baking pan and place in oven and back for 20 minutes. Turn, bake an additional 20 minutes or until center of wings are done. Serve Hot along or with your favorite dipping hot sauce! Makes 15-18 wings. HEALTHY CHICKEN QUESADILLAS Looking for a lighter version of this favorite Mexican recipe? Here is a great recipe that has all of that great quesadilla flavor with a lot less fat than the traditional version. Try them, they are great! 2 tablespoons chicken broth 1/4 cup chopped onions 1 small minced garlic clove 1/4 cup chopped bell peppers 2 minced chile peppers (to taste) 3 chopped plum tomatoes Nonstick cooking spray 8 flour tortillas 1 cup shredded low fat cheddar cheese 11/2 cups cooked chicken Salsa Fat free sour cream IN a medium heavy skillet sauté the onions, garlic, and peppers in the 2 tablespoons chicken broth until soft. Add the chile peppers and tomatoes and simmer for a few minutes more until the liquid has evaporated. Add the chicken and stir well to combine. Spray a cold skillet with the nonstick spray and heat over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the pan and sprinkle with 1/8 cup cheese. Add about a quarter of the chicken mixture and top with another 1/8 cup cheese. Cover with another tortilla and cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Flip the quesadilla over and cook for an additional two minutes. Remove from the heat and cut into wedges. Keep warm while frying the remaining quesadillas. Serve with salsa and fat free sour cream. Serves 4. Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 40 minutes ITALIAN SHRIMP DIP 3 ounces softened cream cheese 1 cup sour cream 1 package Italian salad dressing mix powder 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 can drained shrimp MIX together everything until smooth. Serve with crackers and vegetables. Serves 8. Preparation Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 5 minutes ITALIAN VEGETABLE DIP A great dip to enjoy all year round, this dip is especially lovely in the summer served with fresh vegetables. If you are in a super hurry you can mix and serve the dip immediately, but the flavor is better after sitting for a while. 1 cup mayonnaise 1 cup sour cream 1 6 ounce packet Italian salad dressing mix 2 seeded and chopped plum tomatoes 1/2 diced red bell pepper 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions 1/4 cup minced fresh Italian parsley Assorted cut up vegetables Italian breadsticks MIX together the mayonnaise, sour cream, salad dressing mix, tomatoes, bell pepper, scallions, and parsley. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 48 hours before serving with the cut up vegetables and breadsticks. Preparation Time: 10 minutes Chilling Time: 2 hours Total Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes LIGHT ARTICHOKE DIP This dip has a great flavor and is made lower in fat by using reduced calorie mayonnaise and Asiago cheese, which is lower in fat than the original recipe, which used Parmesan cheese. Jarred unmarinated artichoke hearts or even fresh artichoke hearts can be used instead of the frozen artichoke hearts if desired. You can also add 1 box frozen spinach that has been thawed and squeezed dry for a marvelous spinach-artichoke dip. 2 boxes frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted and drained 2 cups fat free mayonnaise 1 bunch thinly sliced scallions 1 teaspoon white pepper 1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika 2 cups grated Asiago cheese COARSELY chop the artichoke hearts and place in a medium ovenproof serving dish. Add the mayonnaise, scallions, grated cheese, and spices. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes and serve with sturdy crackers or bread rounds. Tortilla chips also go well with this dish. Serves 6. Preparation Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 35 minutes MEXICAN DIP 1 pkg cream cheese 1/4 sup thick & chunky salsa 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese 2 tbsp pitted black olives 1 tbsp chopped cilantro PLACE the unwrapped block of cream cheese on microwaveable plate; top with salsa, shredded cheese and olives. Microwave on HIGH 45 seconds to 1 minute or until cheddar cheese is melted; sprinkle with cilantro.Serve with choice of crackers. This can be made in advance; cover tightly and refrigerate until needed and then microwave. MEXICAN FONDUE Ole! If you love fondues and Mexican food, so this recipe is a very happy marriage. Try serving it with tortilla chips and sliced vegetables (awesome with lightly steamed zucchini) or even dense bread cubes. Choose a light bodied beer for this as a darker heavier beer will overpower the fondue. 3/4 cup Mexican beer 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese 1/3 cup minced green chiles MIX together all of the ingredients in a fondue pot or heavy saucepan. Stirring frequently, warm until the mixture is smooth and the cheese melts. Keep warm for serving in the fondue pot or on the stove. Serves 6. Preparation Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 20 minutes ORANGE PEKOE TEA POPSICLES MAKE Orange Pekoe Simple Syrup: 1 quart water 4 cups sugar 6 bags orange pekoe tea BOIL water and sugar until dissolved, and steep 6 bags orange pekoe tea for approximately 5 minutes, taking care not to overboil. Cool, and set aside. MAKE Popsicles: 5 cups orange pekoe simple syrup 4 cups orange juice 1 cup water MIX ingredients and strain. Pour into popsicle molds, insert wooden sticks, and freeze. Serves 8. PARMESEAN SPINACH SPREAD Mix up this spread ahead, and bake it just before serving. 1 (10-oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed 1 (3-oz.) package cream cheese, softened 3/4 cup mayonnaise 1-1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided 1/4 cup minced onion 1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning 1 tsp. hot sauce 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper 1/2 tsp. paprika DRAIN spinach well. Combine cream cheese and mayonnaise in a bowl. Add spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, onion, and next 4 ingredients; stir well. Spoon into a greased 1-qt. casserole. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and paprika; bake 10 more minutes. Serve with crackers. Makes 2-1/4 cups. PINEAPPLE PEACAN CHEESE BALL 2 (8 oz.) pkgs. of cream cheese (softened) 8 oz. crushed pineapple (drained) 1/2 cup shredded cheese Jack/Cheddar blend 1/2 cup chopped green pepper (fine) 1/2 cup chopped green onion 1 tea. lemon pepper 1 tea. seasoned salt pinch of garlic 1/2 tea. Worcestershire sauce 2 cups chopped pecans BEAT cheese until smooth and stir in pineapple, pepper, onion, spices and 1/2 cup nuts. Chill thoroughly! Roll in or garnish with remaining nuts. PIZZA FONDUE Easily the most popular dish at a party, this "fondue" is terribly addictive. Serve it with Fat Free Herbed Bread Cubes and also use low fat ingredients like fat free pizza sauce and cheeses and it always comes out great and makes for a healthy appetizer - or in our case, dinner! Any variety of pizza toppings can be used with excellent results. You may like the added oomph of cooking onions and peppers (and in this example, sausage and mushrooms) and using it as a base for the fondue, but in a pinch just tossing together some sauce, cheese, and cooked ingredients is also great and super fast. 1/2 pound hot or medium Italian sausage 1 large chopped onion 1 large chopped red or green bell pepper 6 ounces sliced mushrooms 2 minced garlic cloves 32 ounces pizza sauce 1 tablespoon cornstarch 2 teaspoons crumbled Italian herbs Salt Freshly ground pepper 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese Fat Free Herbed Bread Cubes, bread cubes, crackers, or breadsticks BROWN the sausage in a large heavy skillet and drain most of the fat from the pan. Remove the sausage and set aside. In the remaining fat, saute the onions over medium heat until soft. Add the peppers and saute for a few minutes more. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute until the mushrooms soften and release their liquid. Add the pizza sauce, cornstarch, herbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook over medium-high heat until the mixture thickens. Add the cheeses and mix well. Keep warm over low heat, or in a fondue pot or crockpot until ready to serve. Serve with the bread cubes or other dippers. Serves 6. Preparation Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 25 minutes RASPBERRY BRIE ON RYE 2 (7-inch-round) loaves rye bread 1 (15-oz) round Brie cheese 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam 1/4 cup sliced almonds USING a large serrated knife, slice off about 1/2 inch from top of 1 bread loaf. Reserve top of loaf for another use. Place Brie on top of bread; trace around outer edge of cheese with knife. Remove cheese, and set aside. Using traced mark as a guide, cut bread vertically 2 inches deep. Remove bread from circle and set aside. Slice rind from cheese and place cheese in bread cavity; spread with jam and sprinkle with almonds. Place on baking sheet and bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 25 minutes or until cheese is very soft. Meanwhile, cut second loaf and reserved bread circle into 1-inch cubes. Serve immediately with bread cubes. FAST AND EASY SNACK 1 can Crescent Rolls 1/2 cup shredded cheese (your choice...I use Jack and Mozzarella) 1 cup sliced (cooked) Canadian bacon 1 small can of pineapple tidbits drained (reserve juice) 1 Tab. brown sugar ROLL out dough onto a greased or sprayed cookie sheet. Mix 1/4 cup of juice and the brown sugar. Brush over dough liberally. Sprinkle dough with cheese. Add bacon and pineapple. Roll dough into a log. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until nicely browned. Let it sit for about 5 minutes and slice. SAUSAGE ROLLS 1 can Pillsbury Buttery Crescent Rolls 1 package Jimmy Dean (or any brand) bulk sausage PLACE the dough on surface and pinch together seams, spread dough out to make as large as possible. Place UNCOOKED bulk sausage on dough, covering all of the dough. Roll dough towards you to form a long tube. When sliced it will make a spiral roll. Cut 1/2 inch or a little less and place on a slightly greased cookie sheet one inch apart. Bake at 425 degrees for 12 - 15 minutes or until sausage is fully cooked. Serve hot, can be refrigerated and heated later in the microwave. TORTILLA DELIGHTS 22 flour tortillas 8 oz. cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup sour cream 5 green onions, chopped 2 Tab. lime juice 1 Jalapeno, chopped 2 Tab. Picante sauce 1/2 tea. garlic powder Mix all ingredients and spread on tortillas. Roll tortillas and place in plastic wrap. Chill for several hours. Cut into 1" pieces and serve with Picante sauce. STEAMED SHRIMP This is a great appetizer for tropical themed parties. 1 cup water 2 cloves of garlic 2 tbsp. lemon juice 1/4 cup butter (cut into pieces) 1 lb. of medium sized shrimp (in shell, head removed) 2 1/2 tbsp. Old Bay Seasoning Blend Place water, garlic, lemon juice & butter pieces in a microwaveable dish. Microwave on HIGH for 1-1 1/2 minutes or until everything is melted. Stir. Place shrimp in dish and stir everything together. Make sure shrimp is rolled completely into the melted mixture. Cover and Microwave on HIGH for 5-9 minutes, stirring shrimp every 2 minutes until shrimps are pink in color. (personally I prefer my shrimp served cold or chilled, others like them slightly warm). Makes 4-6 appetizers. TORTILLA SCOOPS These really easy chips are great with salsa, guacamole, or other dips. They are more flavorful than traditional tortilla chips, and are wonderful served as a nacho base. The mixture of spices is really to taste and depends on what you are going to be using the chips for. There are no measurements because it is actually best to just shake the spices directly onto the hot chips for the best and most even coverage. 12 6-inch corn tortillas Vegetable oil Salt Cayenne pepper Paprika Garlic powder CUT each tortilla into six wedges. Fry the tortillas in small batches at about 350 degrees, turning frequently until crisp. Quickly remove the crisps and drain on paper towels. Season as desired. Can be made up to two days ahead of time. Serves 6. Preparation Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 25 minutes WHITE BEAN DIP WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES 3 (15-ounce) cans white beans, drained & rinsed 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1/2 cup olive oil 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely minced 3 cloves garlic, finely minced 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 tablespoon dried basil 1 teaspoon salt Freshly ground pepper to taste PUREE beans in a food processor with the lemon juice. With machine running, drizzle in the oil; run until smooth. Scrape the mixture into a bowl, then stir in the tomatoes, garlic, cumin, chili powder and basil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crackers or fresh vegetables. Makes about 3 cups.