Tried and True Appetizers

So, I've been hearing that others want to get in on the "tried and true" recipe action. Since I already have them typed up, I will begin posting some of the recipes as I find an extra few minutes here and there. Here are some appetizers that will blow you away.

Apple Dip

• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened

• 3/4 C. brown sugar, packed

• 1/2 C. powdered sugar

• 1 tsp. vanilla

Mix until smooth. Stir in 1 C. Heath bits. (optional)

Bacon-Wrapped Smokies

• 1 pound sliced bacon, cut into thirds

• 1 (14 ounce) package beef cocktail wieners

• 3/4 cup brown sugar, or to taste

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Refrigerate 2/3 of the bacon until needed. It is easier to wrap the wieners with cold bacon. Wrap each cocktail wiener with a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Place on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle brown sugar generously over all.

Bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven, until the sugar is bubbly. To serve, place the wieners in a slow cooker and keep on the low setting. 

BBQ Smokies 

• 2 pkgs. Lil’ smokies

• 1 bottle of Stubb’s BBQ sauce

• ½ Brown sugar

• ½ grape jelly

Dump all ingredients in crockpot and cook on low. Stir occasionally, until ready to serve.

Chicken & Cheese Quesadillas

• 1 lb. boneless chicken breasts

• Salt and pepper

• 2 T. vegetable oil

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 1 red pepper, chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tsp. cumin

• 1/4 C. cilantro, minced

• 1 1/2 tsp. Tabasco

• Flour tortillas

• Mexican cheese, shredded

Heat oven to 475 degrees. Heat skillet over medium with 1 T. oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place in skillet. Cook until brown on both sides and remove from pan. Add 1 T. oil, onion, bell pepper, and salt to skillet and cook until softened. Stir in garlic, cumin, cilantro and Tabasco and toss with chicken. Spread 1/4 C. of filling over half of each tortilla, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Sprinkle cheese on top and sprinkle the plain half of the tortilla with vegetable spray and fold over. Press the edges to seal it and arrange on baking sheets. Spray the tops with vegetable spray to make them golden. Bake 10-15 minutes. 

Cocktail Meatballs

• 2 lbs of ground beef

• 1 cup breadcrumbs (seasoned)

• ½ cup milk

• 1/4 onion, minced

• Salt and pepper to taste

Sauce:

• ½ cup dark Karo

• ½ cup ketchup

• ¼ cup mustard

Mix together all the ingredients for the meat (above) by hand. Roll into small

meatballs. Fry in a skillet with a little oil. Drain meatballs and set aside. Wisk

together all the ingredients for the sauce (above). Pour sauce over meatballs and

simmer for 10 minutes

Coffee Punch

• 3 C. strong coffee

• 2 C. sugar

• 1 pint heavy cream (or ½ and ½)

• 1 qt. milk

• 2 T. vanilla

Dissolve sugar in hot coffee. Cool and add other ingredients. Freeze. Remove from freezer 2 hours before serving. Mix and serve icy. 

Easy Salsa

• 1 Can Rotel (drained)

• 2 Cans Whole Peeled Tomatoes (drained)

• 1 jalapeno (if you use the canned kind, 2 T, more if you like it really hot)

• 1/4 C. diced onion

• 3/4 tsp. garlic salt (or chopped garlic)

• 1/2 tsp. cumin

• 1/4 tsp. sugar

• a good handful of cilantro

• spritz of lime juice

Blend together for a couple seconds. Serve with chips. Add sugar to cool it down if it’s too spicy. Also, simmer all ingredients on stovetop before blending for a more “roasted” flavor.

Sausage & Cream Cheese Goodness

• 2 cans crescent rolls

• 1 lb. sausage, browned

• 1 block cream cheese

Soften cream cheese in microwave and mix in sausage. On cookie sheet spread out crescent rolls to make 1 big rectangle, get rid of seams. Spread the sausage/cream cheese mixture over the pastry, leave a 1/2"-1" space along edge. Spread out the 2nd can of crescent rolls into 1 piece and lay it over top of the mixture. Press edges together all around the rectangle and bake according to the direction on crescents.

Spinach Dip

• 4 garlic cloves

• 1 pkg. frozen, chopped spinach (thawed and drained)

• 1 container Alfredo pasta sauce

• 1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese

• 1/3 C. grated Parmesan cheese

• ½ package cream cheese, softened

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients and put in an oven safe serving dish. Cover with foil and bake in the oven 30 minutes or until cheese are hot and bubbly! Serve warm with chips.