Appetizers!

The Appetizer Party was lots of fun. Great food, great socializing, what more could you want? Thanks to everyone who came and brought food!  I heard several people say they would make all of these recipes again. Please enjoy them as much as we did...

Just as a reminder the top three favorites (no particular order) are marked in red with *

* Ranch Cheese Ball Becca Froerer
 
2 pkgs. Cream cheese
1 C. grated sharp cheddar cheese 
1 T. sliced green onions (green only)
2 T. powder ranch dressing mix
1 6 oz. pkg. 

Sliced almonds toasted (Bake @ 350º for 5 minutes.) Combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese, green onions and dressing mix a little at a time to taste. Roll in sliced almonds. 

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*Cranberry Dip with a Kick Natalie Chandler

1 pkg. fresh cranberries
3/4c. sugar little bundle cilantro
1 jalepeno pepper (no seeds, as much or little for hotness)
2 (8oz) cream cheese

Put first 4 ingredients in food processor and blend well. Spread cream cheese onto the surface of a serving platter and pour cranberry mixture over the top. Serve with Club crackers.

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*Bacon Wrapped Smokies Tracey Andreasen 

1 package smokies
1-2 packages bacon
brown sugar

Cut bacon strips into 3 or 4 pieces (depending on the length of bacon). Wrap bacon around smokies and secure with toothpick. Put in a cake pan. Sprinkle brown sugar over smokies (approximately 1 cup brown sugar to every pound of smokies). Bake at 350 for 1 hour and
bacon is cooked. Checking and stirring every 15 min. 

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Enchilada Dip Debbie James

2 cups Seasoned Hamburger Mix, thawed (recipe for this is listed below)
1 can (15 ounces) chili with beans
1 can (10 ounces) enchilada sauce
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
¾ cup corn chips
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
tortilla chips

In a large bowl, combine the hamburger mix, chili, enchilada sauce, tomato sauce, and corn chips. Transfer to a greased shallow 2-qt. Baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.

Dollop with sour cream; spread carefully. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 3-5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Serve with the tortilla chips. Yield: 10-12 servings.


Seasoned Hamburger Mix (Recipe for the meat used in the Enchilada Dip)

4 pounds ground beef
2 large onions, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic salt

In a large skillet, cook beef and onions in two batches over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. In a large bowl, combine the beef mixture, salt, oregano, pepper, and garlic salt. Freeze in 2-cup portions for up to 3 months. Yield: 5 portions (10 cups total).

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Spinach Artichoke Dip Sonrisa Parker

8.5 oz can artichoke hearts, chopped and drained
10 oz frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1 C monterrey jack cheese, shredded
1/2 C parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 C mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix all ingredients together. Spread mixture in casserole dish bake until hot and bubbly
  
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Homemade Salsa Shelly Passy

1-15 oz can diced tomatoes

1-15 oz can crushed tomatoes

1-4 oz can mild green chilies

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. crushed red pepper

1 bunch green onion, chopped

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Mix all together. Serve with chips and enjoy!

Cranberry dip with a kick (Natalie Chandler)

1 pkg. fresh cranberries

3/4c. sugar

little bundle cilantro

1 jalepeno pepper (no seeds, as much or little for hotness)

2 (8oz) cream cheese

Put first 4 ingredients in food processor and blend well. Spread cream cheese onto the surface of a serving platter and pour cranberry mixture over the top.  Serve with Club crackers. 

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Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos Joree Nelson
Source: OurBestBites.com
 

1/3 cup (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 cup green salsa
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 Tablespoons sliced green onions
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup grated pepperjack cheese
about 12 small corn or flour tortillas (we liked flour better)
kosher salt
cooking spray
 
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.
Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder and mix well. Add cilantro, green onions, chicken and pepperjack cheese and combine well.
You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.
The corn tortillas are harder to roll without cracking. For the corn tortillas: work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.
Place 3 Tablespoons of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.Then roll it up as tight as you can.Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.
Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Makes around 12 taquitos.

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Crab Stuffed Mushrooms Jamie Taraskiewicz

1 lb mushrooms
7 oz crab meat (i use imitation)
5 green oinions thinly sliced (substitute with red onions if green onions are unavailable)
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise 
ground black pepper

Finely chop crab and mushroom stems, mix in green onions, herbs and pepper. Add mayonnaise and parmesan cheese. Stuff into mushrooms (mushrooms will be over flowing). Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. 

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Greek Pizza Sara Soelberg

cooked and cooled pizza crust (homemade or purchased). 

Toppings
tomatoes
cucumbers
feta
olives
red onions 
Greek salad dressing

Pizza Sauce
1/2 c greek yogurt
2 T mayo
1 T dill weed
1/2 tsp garlic salt

Combine sauce ingredients. Spread sauce on pizza crust and generously top with toppings.



   

Soups and Breads

This was a smaller party so we did not vote on our favorites and everything was very tasty. 

Cheesy Potato and Corn Chowder

2 Tbs butter
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
2 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
3 cups peeled and cubed potatoes
1 (15 oz) can whole kernel corn (we like more corn so I usually add another can but it's totally up to you)
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies (optional)
1 (2.5 oz) pkg country style gravy mix
2 cups milk (or 1 cup milk and 1 cup and 1/2 of cream for creamier soup)
1 cup Valveeta cheese

**if you want to add bacon to the soup, which is really good, then fry up about 6-8 pieces of bacon and drain on a paper towel. Then, instead of using the butter, fry up the celery and onions in the bacon grease and continue with the directions as normal. Really good!!**

Directions
In large saucepan, melt margarine over medium high heat. Add celery and onion; cook and stir until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add chicken broth; bring to a boil. Add potatoes; cook over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes or until potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally.
Stir in corn and chiles; return to boiling. Dissolve gravy mix in milk; stir into boiling mixture. Add cheese; cook and stir over low heat until cheese is melted.

Note
You can also do one can of corn kernels and one can of creamed corn and that is tasty as well. Gives it a little sweetness with all the other salty. And also, make sure you get the gravy mix WITHOUT the sausage bits

Whole Wheat Bread Bowls

2 cups lukewarm water

1/8 cup active dry yeast
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 large egg, slightly beaten

Directions
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, add warm water, yeast, honey and olive oil, quickly mixing with a spoon. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until yeast gets foamy. In a separate bowl, measure out flour and salt.

Add in flour gradually with the mixer on low speed. Knead with the dough hook (I used the two lowest speeds for this) for 10-12 minutes, occasionally pulling the dough off with your hands and placing it back in the bowl. Remove dough from bowl (it will be sticky) and place it on a floured workspace. Knead it a few times by hand, adding a few sprinkles of flour until it's elastic and no longer super sticky. Oil a bowl with olive oil and place the bread in the bowl, flipping it to coat. Cover and set in a warm place (I set it on top of my oven, turned on) to rise for 1.5 hours.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

After 1.5 hours, punch down dough and form into a large round, using more flour if needed to decrease the stickiness again. Cut the round into 4 equal pieces and roll them into balls. Place on a baking sheet, cover and let rise for 20-30 more minutes. Take the dough balls and roll them into tighter balls again, then brush each with beaten egg. Gently score the top of each loaf, then bake for 40-45 minutes, or until golden. Let cool completely, then using a serrated knife, cut a round out of the middle and fill with soup!

Note
The bread bowls in the picture are smaller than what the recipe calls for (for tasting purposes). If making smaller bowels cut baking time in half. 

Taco Soup

1 lb. cooked chicken breast (cut into bite-sized pieces)
48 oz. chicken broth
45 oz. (3 15oz. cans) Northern Beans
4 oz. mild diced green chiles
10&3/4 oz. cream of chicken soup
1/2 T. ground cumin
1/2 T. oregano
pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large pot and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.
Serve with grated cheese, guacamole, fresh salsa, sour cream, and tortilla chips.

Tomato Basil Soup 

3 cups diced tomatoes with juice (you can use canned)

1 cup finely diced celery

1 cup finely diced carrots

1 Tbsp fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried

4 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup flour

1 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup finely diced onions

4 Tbsp fresh basil or 1 Tbsp dried

1/2 bay leaf

1/2 cup butter

2 cups half and half, warmed (if you want you can use whole milk, evaporated milk instead…or even skim if you want to skinny it up)

1 tsp salt

1.  Heat oil in 4 quart soup pot.  Add celery, onions and carrots.  Saute 5 minutes.  Add basil, oregano, bay leaf, tomatoes, and chicken broth.  Bring it to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until carrots are tender (15 minutes).

2.  While soup simmers, prepare a roux.  Melt butter over low heat, add flour and cook, stirring constantly, 5-7 minutes.  Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup.  Add another 3 cups and stir until smooth.  Add back into soup pot.

3.  Simmer, stirring constantly, until soup begins to thicken.  Add Parmesan cheese and whisk to blend.  Stir warmed half and half, salt and pepper.  Simmer over low heat 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

- See more at: http://utah.todaysmama.com/2012/03/20/tomato-basil-parmesan-soup-in-the-slow-cooker-or-on-the-stove-top/#sthash.EsGW79PY.dpuf

3 cups diced tomatoes with juice (you can use canned)
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced carrots
1 Tbsp fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup flour
1 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup finely diced onions
4 Tbsp fresh basil or 1 Tbsp dried
1/2 bay leaf
1/2 cup butter
2 cups half and half, warmed (if you want you can use whole milk, evaporated milk instead…or even skim if you want to skinny it up)
1 tsp salt 1.

Directions
Heat oil in 4 quart soup pot. Add celery, onions and carrots. Saute 5 minutes. Add basil, oregano, bay leaf, tomatoes, and chicken broth. Bring it to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until carrots are tender (15 minutes). 2. While soup simmers, prepare a roux. Melt butter over low heat, add flour and cook, stirring constantly, 5-7 minutes. Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup. Add another 3 cups and stir until smooth. Add back into soup pot. 3. Simmer, stirring constantly, until soup begins to thicken. Add Parmesan cheese and whisk to blend. Stir warmed half and half, salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Note
It makes a lot, so sometimes I used 1-2 cups of chicken broth, and it still tastes the exact same. 
The same goes for the half-and-half; I'll sometimes substitute it for cream and it tastes equally good.