Pimento Cheese Appetizers

I have a simple and festive appetizer to share today!

I whipped together some pimento cheese and spread it on some fun Christmas bread shapes ....I used  a few cookie cutters. Then I added some more pimento for decorations.

Pimento Cheese

4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

3 Tbsp. chopped pimento

3 Tbsp. mayo

Mix together. Cut cookie cutter shapes out of bread and spread on top.

Have a great day!

Red, White, and Blue Cheesecake Berries

I tried another fun find from Pinterest...this time cheesecake strawberries.

Very simple to make! First I cut the strawberries in half lengthwise, leaving on the green stem. To get them to stand on the plate, I cut just a sliver off from the bottom.

I mixed 4 oz. of softened cream cheese with 1/4 c. powdered sugar and 1/4 tsp. almond flavoring. (you could use vanilla too) I cut the corner of a baggie and piped some down the center of each strawberry. 

Then decorated the top with fresh blueberries!

These went fast! They were SO pretty on a plate, and SO delicious!

Red, White, and Blue Cheesecake Berries

(adapted from The Kitchen is my Playground)

12 large strawberries,cut in half lengthwise

22 blueberries

4 oz. softened cream cheese

1/4 c. powdered sugar

1/4 tsp. almond(or vanilla)

Mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar and almond flavoring. Pipe on top of strawberry halves and decorate with blueberries.

Red White and Blue Strawberries.....pinned it and tried it

It's the beginning of the holiday weekend and I made a few red,white and blue strawberries to kick it off!

So festive and FUN!

They taste as good as they look,too!

 I dipped them into some Ghirardelli White Melting Wafers, then into some blue sugar I found in the Hobby Lobby baking isles.

Of course, I saw the idea on Pinterest, had to give it a try, so I pinned it, tried it, and LOVED it!

Crispy Potato Slabs

I love to make these almost as much as I love to eat them!

My favorite is to dip them into some ranch, with BBQ sauce as my second favorite.

They are crispy on the outside and depending in how thick you cut them, have a soft delicious center!

Crispy Potato Slabs

large Russet potatoes

olive oil

kosher salt

Wash and scrub the potatoes. Cut in 1/6 "slices. Toss with olive oil and arrange on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt and bake at 425 for 35 to 45 minutes until brown and crispy.

Cilantro Cream Cheese Bruschetta

Hi everyone!

I found another recipe I forgot to share last summer when the garden tomatoes were so plentiful. Brent and I enjoyed this quite often along with some soup or salad. We are big cilantro fans, so this became a favorite quickly. I like the toasted bread with the warm cheese and cold tomato mixture..a nice combo of flavors and textures. Can't wait to make it this summer too!

Cilantro Cream Cheese Bruschetta

12 slices french bread

1/2 c. chopped tomato

2 Tbsp. green onions, sliced

1 Tbsp. chopped ripe olives

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

Place bread on un greased baking sheet and broil 6-8 minutes until golden brown. Remove. Cream the cream cheese and cilantro. Combine the olives, onions, and tomatoes. Spread the cream cheese on top of the sliced bread, Broil 3 minutes longer until cheese is melted.Top with tomato mixture.

Mini Corn Dog Muffins

Wow, these were delish!

My daughter gave me this recipe, and I tried it for an appetizer one night.

Everyone LOVED them!

 They DID taste just like a corn dog...a mini one. I had a bit of trouble getting some of them out of the mini muffin tins, so next time I will make sure I really grease them well, and not fill them as full.

 It made 24, and they were gone before I knew it!

Mini Corn Dog Muffins

1 package (81/2 oz.) corn muffin mix
4 hot dogs, each cut in 6 pieces
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Prepare batter as directed. Stir in cheese. Spoon into 24 well greased mini muffin tins. Place a hot dog slice in the middle of each. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.

PB and Chocolate Chip Dip

Need a quick snack or something to take to a get together? This is a simple dip that packs lots of flavor. I like that it's made with yogurt instead of cream cheese,too.

The chocolate chips look pretty big in the photo...but they are the mini ones!

PB and Mini Chocolate chip dip

1/2 c. vanilla yogurt

1/2 c. peanut butter

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 c. mini chocolate chips

Combine the yogurt, peanut butter and cinnamon. Stir in the chocolate chips. serve with apple slices or pretzels.

Bacon Wrapped Tots

My last post was about the awesome recipe book my daughter made me, and I shared one of the recipes from it. Today I have another recipe to share, REALLY quick and easy, with only 4 ingredients. 

But wow, sometimes the simplest is the BEST! 

Bacon wrapped tator tots with a sweet and slightly spicy glaze? The combo is addicting. I think my favorite is the slight kick from the red pepper flakes. 

They make a perfect appetizer! They really took just a few minutes to put together, and actually just a few minutes to eat too! Haha! They were that good!

Bacon Wrapped Tots

16 strips bacon, cut in half

32 frozen tater tots, thawed 10 minutes

1/2 c. maple syrup

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

Partially cook bacon, drain. Combine the maple syrup and red pepper flakes. Dip the bacon and wrap around the tots, secure with a tooth pick. Place on a greased rack and bake at 400 for 15 to 20 minutes until crisp.

Banana Bites....pinned it and tried it

These were so fun!

Food Network had this idea on Pinterest, and I thought they looked like a cute treat. 

EZ too! I eat a banana with peanut butter almost every day for a snack, pretty boring, I guess.

But this sure gave a new lift to my every day snack!

Of course I liked the one with the mini chocolate chips the best. They were all great combo's and there are so many other things you could find in your cupboards to use too. Sprinkles, chopped nuts, crushed potato chips,chopped snickers, any candy or dried fruits actually. M & M's would be fun, or even candy corn.

Food Network had just the granola on the banana bites and listed it about 160 calories for 1/2 tsp. peanut butter on each. ( each banana is cut in 4 pieces)

I'm sure kids would LOVE making and eating this, but hey...so did I!

Banana Bites

 bananas

mini chocolate chips

dried cherries

granola

coconut

Cut the banana into 4 pieces. Top each with peanut butter and add toppings.

Strawberry Dip? Salad? Dessert? It's all three!

I'm not sure why this sweet strawberry delight is called a dip, as I think of it more like a fruit salad. Either way you serve it, it's scrumptious! It's also great on top of a slice of angel food cake. It makes a light and pretty summertime dessert. Actually, it would be perfect for Valentines Day too!

With just 3 ingredients it sure is simple to prepare. You can substitute just about any combo of crushed fruit and yogurt, but we like strawberry the best!

Strawberry Dip

1 1/2 c. fresh strawberries, mashed ( drain if there is a lot of liquid)

1 (8 oz.)  strawberry yogurt ( you can use whatever you have on hand)

1 c. whipped topping

Mix the strawberries and yogurt. Fold in whipped topping. Serve with fresh cut fruit, or as a topping for angel food cake.

Paula's spinach artichoke dip

Once again, I couldn't find the recipe I usually make..this time for Spinach artichoke dip. I was just too lazy to go through all of my recipes, so I googled it and Paula's popped up. ( I really need to do some serious organizing!)

I LOVED Paula's! It was a bit more chunky and not as creamy as the one I normally make, but I loved this thicker dip! The pepper jack added a nice touch, it's one of our favorite cheeses. I will definitely make this again.

I could eat it for all 3 meals in a day...and well.. I did...I need to get my veggies in some way!






Paula's Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach,thawed and squeezed dry
2 cans (13 3/4 oz.) artichoke hearts, chopped very fine
1/2 c. mayo
1/2 c. sour cream
1 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 c. grated pepper jack cheese

Combine the mayo, sour cream and Parmesan cheese. Stir in the chopped spinach and artichoke hearts. Pour into a greased casserole, top with pepper jack cheese and bake at 350 for 30 minutes until bubbly.

BBQ meatballs

I think this is one of my all time favorite recipes for meatballs, for several reasons. I'll start with the taste, which after all is most important! The flavor and texture are perfect, and the BBQ sauce is sweet and slightly smokey. They are SO moist....just melt in your mouth good! I have served this many times, and everyone loves them.

The other reason why I like this recipe is the convenience. It just takes minutes to shape them and get them into the freezer.

Another bonus is that this makes a TON of meatballs! I love having them in the freezer, ready for a meal or an appetizer. Whipping up the BBQ sauce is easy, and an hour later they are ready to serve.

This recipe is found in just about every old church cookbook I have, so I guess I'm not the only one who loves them!

BBQ Meatballs

3 lb. burger
1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
1 c. dry oatmeal
1 c. soda cracker crumbs
2 eggs
1/2 c. finely chopped onion
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. chili powder

Combine everything and shape into walnut size balls. Place on wax paper lined cookie sheets and freeze until solid. Store in freezer bags until ready to use.

BBQ Sauce

2 c. ketchup
1 c. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. liquid smoke
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Combine and stir until sugar is dissolved. Place meatballs in a greased 9 x 13 pan, pour sauce on top and bake at 350 for 1 hour. Makes 80 meatballs.

EZ Spicy Dip

Here's an EZ 3 ingredient dip!

It's slightly spicy and just plain delicious with tortilla chips. We also like to use it as a topping for taco's. I've used it to make a layered taco dip,and taco salad,too. I always have the ingredients on hand, so I make it quite often!

EZ Spicy Dip

1 pt. sour cream

1 (4 oz.) can green chilies

1 envelope taco seasoning

Mix and chill overnight. Makes 2 1/2 cups.

Mediterranean Appetizers...pinned it and tried it

These were so good! I pinned it, tried it, and loved it!

First, they are so cute on a tray:

Very festive looking.

Second, the combo of flavors is delicious.

Pinterest always has such fun ideas!

Mediterranean Appetizers

Beth Celestine

cucumber

roasted red pepper hummus

kalamata olives, halved

cherry tomatoes,halved

feta cheese

Cut the cucumber into 1/2 inch pieces. Scoop out the seeds leaving room for a tsp.of hummus. Put an olive half,cherry tomato half inside. Sprinkle with feta cheese.

Pepper Jack Dip

For something so simple with such few ingredients, this dip sure packs alot of flavor! We couldn't stop eating it. It's wonderful served warm.

Rich and creamy with just the right kick, it's a fun snack!

Pepper Jack Dip

1/2 c. mayo

1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies ( I used less)

4 green onions, sliced

8 oz. jack cheese, shredded

1/2 c. plain yogurt

Combine all ingredients except yogurt. Microwave until warm and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in yogurt and serve warm with chips.

Crock pot kielbasa

I found this recipe in an old Taste of Home magazine....I had some ginger ale on hand so I gave it a try. I made just a third of the recipe, and we enjoyed the slightly sweet glaze over the spicy sausage. I thought it be more caramelized with the brown sugar, so I was a bit surprised. The glaze was very light with a mild sweet taste. I love trying out different recipes, you never know what to expect!

Crock Pot Kielbasa

3 lbs. fully cooked kielbasa, sliced

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 1/2 c. ginger ale

Cook 4-5 hours on low or until heated through.

Pineapple salsa

We love salsa and chips!

I'm always trying different recipes and buying different brands. My favorite thing to buy at craft fairs are jars of home made salsa.

This recipe sounded interesting, and I had all the ingredients on hand so I whipped up a batch. I loved the sweet and spicy combo! I always add more cilantro, as we love it so much....

Pineapple Salsa

2 c. chopped pineapple

2 to 3 medium tomatoes ,seeded and diced

1/2 c. chopped onion

1/2 c. cilantro, chopped

1 jalapeno, chopped ( I used less)

1/2 Tbsp. olive oil ( I added more)

3/4 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. minced garlic ( I used garlic salt added to taste)

Mix well and chill.

Peanut Butter Apple Dip

Pinned it, tried it, and loved it!

This combo is a winner..and pretty healthy,too. You can adjust the honey and cinnamon to your liking. Brent likes things pretty sweet, so I added more honey for him!

PB Apple Dip

1 3/4 c. plain Greek yogurt

3 Tbsp. peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1 Tbsp. honey

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Mix and serve with apples!

Andee's Marshmallow treats

Pinned it, tried it,and LOVED it!

I saw these floating around on Pinterest and thought they would be fun for a quick St.Patty's day treat. They are so easy, just two ingredients! First, broil the marshmallows until golden, then add a mint in the center. Enjoy!

They taste even better as a smore!

Orange Cranberry Snack Mix

I love the taste of this Chex snack mix. The combo of the sweet orange, spicy cinnamon, tart cranberries and crunchy walnuts is so delicious!

A handful of this makes a great snack!

Orange Cranberry Snack Mix

4 c. rice chex

2 c. pretzels

1/3 c. orange juice concentrate

1/4 c. butter,melted

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

2/3 c. dried cranberries

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

In a big bowl combine the chex and pretzels.Melt the butter, and add the brown sugar, orange juice concentrate,and spices. Pour over the chex and stir well. Place on a foil lined cookie sheet and bake at 250 for 30-40 minutes, stir every 10 minutes. The last 10 minutes add the walnuts. Remove and add the cranberries, and cool on wax paper. Store in an airtight container.