Appetizer Articles

Creamy Tuscan Dip

Creamy Tuscan Dip
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
¾ cup sour cream
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
6 ounces spinach, thawed and drained

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 1-quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl add the 8 ounces cream cheese, and ¾ cup sour cream. Mix with a hand mixer and blend until smooth.
Add the 1 teaspoon garlic, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning.
Fold in ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes, and 6 ounces spinach, until combined.

Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until it is heated throughout and bubbly.

Serve warm with sliced bread, a baguette, or crackers.

Spider with spinach dip

Spider with spinach dip

2 balls pizza dough (thawed if frozen) (I made my own pizza dough)

1 large egg

1/4 c. grated Parmesan (1 oz)

2 tbsp. grated Parmesan (1 oz)

1 large pitted black olive ( didn't have any

)

2 c. marinara sauce (I used spinach dip)

Heat oven to 375°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Make the spider: Cut 1 ball of dough in half. Shape one half into a 5-in. ball to make the spider body. Cut a 1 1/2-in. strip from the remaining half and shape into a 2 1/2-in. ball to make the head. Cut the remaining dough into 8 strips and roll each strip into a 6-in. rope to make the legs.

Arrange the body, legs and head on one of the prepared baking sheets to resemble a spider, gently pressing all of the pieces of dough together. Brush the entire spider with some of the egg. Sprinkle the legs with 2 Tbsp Parmesan. Place 2 of the olive slices on the top of the head for eyes and 2 on the bottom for pincers. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes (covering the legs with foil if browning too quickly).

Meanwhile, make the spider leg sticks: Cut the remaining ball of dough into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a 3/4-in.-thick rope. Cut each rope into various lengths. Taper one end of each piece and slightly bend the other to resemble legs. Place on the second baking sheet. Brush with the remaining egg and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile warm the marinara sauce. Using a knife, hollow out the body of the spider and fill with the warm sauce. Serve with the leg sticks.

Mexican Dip

Mexican Dip

FOR THE SEASONING:

1 lb lean ground beef
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
OR
1 tablespoon taco seasoning

INGREDIENTS

1 (15 oz) can refried beans
1 cup salsa of choice
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies
1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

FOR TOPPING AND SERVING:

Diced tomato
Sliced green onion
Fresh cilantro, minced
Sour cream
Sliced black olives
Tortilla chips

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x9-inch baking dish with non stick spray.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, and season with cumin, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, and salt and cook until browned and no longer pink, 6-8 minutes.
Add beans and stir to combine. Spread evenly across bottom of prepared baking dish.
Top with salsa, followed by green chilies. Bake 30 minutes.
Top with cheese and return to oven just long enough to melt cheese, 8-10 minutes.
Top with tomato, green onion, cilantro, sour cream and black olives, and serve with tortilla chips.

Little Smokies Wrapped in Bacon

Little Smokies Wrapped in Bacon

Ingredients

1 pound bacon (not thick sliced)

1 package (14 oz) little smoked sausages

1 cup brown sugar, packed

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Instructions

Cut the bacon into thirds.

Tightly wrap one piece of bacon around one little smokie. Place seam down in a glass 13x9 dish. Repeat with remaining little smokies.

Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar. There should be a thin layer over all the little smokies. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Uncover little smokies and bake for 40-50 minutes. Bacon should be crispy and sugar deeply caramelized.

Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls

Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls

1 pound ribeye steak, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup provolone cheese, shredded
12 egg roll wrappers
Vegetable oil, for frying
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the thinly sliced ribeye steak and cook until it's no longer pink, about 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
In the same skillet, add the sliced onion and green bell pepper. Sauté until they are soft and slightly caramelized, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Lay an egg roll wrapper on a clean surface with one corner facing you. Place a spoonful of the cooked steak in the center of the wrapper, followed by a spoonful of the sautéed onions and green bell peppers.
Sprinkle a generous amount of shredded provolone cheese on top of the steak and veggies.
Fold the bottom corner of the wrapper over the filling, then fold in the sides, and roll it up tightly.
Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan or fryer to 350°F (175°C). Carefully add the egg rolls and fry until they are golden brown and crispy, about 3-4 minutes per side.
Remove the egg rolls with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil.
Serve the delicious Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls hot with your favorite dipping sauce