Baked Cheese Herb Dip, a Great Holiday Appetizer

Hot cheese dips are always a big hit at parties.  I've previously shared my all-time favorite cheese dip; my mom makes it at Christmas time each year.  This one is a bit different with an addition of herbs and mozzarella cheese instead of cheddar. The combination of cheeses, herbs, and a little bit of tomato garnish makes for a delightful dip.  Serve it warm with some toasted baguette slices, or Triscuit crackers would also work.

Baked Cheese Herb Dip

1 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
12 oz shredded Monterey jack cheese
about 1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 tomato, diced

Preheat oven to 350F.  In a medium mixing bowl, combine sour cream, mustard and thyme.  Add cheeses and chopped basil leaves.  Spoon into a small baking dish or pie plate.  Bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

source:  slightly adapted from Inspired Taste

Miniature Veggie Quiche Recipe

Last night I hosted a neighborhood get together for the ladies who live right around our home.  We had a great time visiting and it was the first time most of us had ever met, so we had  a lot to talk about!

I made some appetizers and two different types of truffles {recipes coming soon!}.  I have always loved quiche, and the miniature ones served at various parties are always my favorite.  Well, I found a great recipe for making your own!  They are a lot less expensive than the frozen ones you buy in the store, equally as delicious, and you can change the ingredients to fit your flavors. {Just fill with your favorite quiche fillings -- ham, bacon, sausage, just cheese--the possibilities are endless}.

Disclaimer:  I never purchase store bought pie crust.  They don't taste good to me, and somehow I always ruin them.  However, when preparing for a party in the middle of the week, with three small children under foot, store bought was the best way to go.  So, I apologize in advance that these are not completely 'from scratch'.  Definitely feel free to make your own crust, although for a quiche, it would be best to use a tart crust dough.  And, the crust doesn't stand out in a quiche like in a pie, so the flavors of the quiche definitely masked the flavor of the store bought crust.

Miniature Veggie Quiche

1 (15-oz) box refrigerated pie crusts {or 2 homemade tart dough recipes}
2 tablespoons butter
6 oz. finely chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic
6 large eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon dry mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 cup Italian blend shredded cheese {you can also use Swiss, Parmesan, or cheddar}

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease 2 24-cup mini muffin pans.  Unroll pie crusts onto a lightly floured surface.  Using a 2 1/2-inch cutter {such as a ravioli cutter} cut out circles of dough, rolling out scraps until dough has been used up.  You should be able to get 40 quiches.  Place in the muffin tins and press down to form to the pan.

Heat butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add mushrooms, onions, pepper, and garlic.  Saute' for a few minutes, until tender.  Place a small amount of veggie mixture in the bottom of each crust.  Sprinkle a little bit of the cheese over the veggies.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, half-and-half, mustard, salt and pepper.  Carefully pour into prepared crusts, making sure not to spill over the edges.  {There will most likely be some of the egg mixture leftover.  This is okay.  Save it and make an omelet later}.

Bake for 25 minutes.  Cool slightly in pan before removing.  Serve warm.

source: slightly adapted from Southern Lady Magazine

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Baked Pimento Cheese Dip

Seeing that I live in the South, only miles from the home of the Masters, it's only fair that I have something on my blog about Pimento Cheese.  I've always somewhat mocked this spread, finding it a horrid looking addition to potlucks, ladies' teas, and afternoon weddings.  Boy was wrong!  I love this stuff.   My friend brought over a tub of Palmetto Cheese for our  4th of July feast and I couldn't get enough of it.  I ate it for lunch for days afterward, and finally had to throw the remaining bits out when I read the fat content.

Pimento cheese is normally served cold, so when I searched for recipes online I was delighted to find one that required baking--a perfect addition to a party.  This truly is delicious, and oh, so easy!  And, if you're wanting a cold recipe, stay tuned; I'm going to try one out very soon!

Baked Pimento Cheese Dip

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/2 (12-ounce) jar of roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
8 oz. pepper jack cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350F.  Mix together first four ingredients.  Stir in cheeses.  Spoon into a 2-qt. baking dish.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and bubbly.  Serve with tortilla chips or French bread cubes.

source: Southern Living

Asparagus Bites: Quick 3 Ingredient Appetizer

"What are ya doin' New Year's, New Year's Eve?"

Do you know this song?  That's the only part I know, and I remember my dad singing it almost every year, about this time, as we discussed our plans for New Year's Eve.  At this point, I don't have any plans, and that's OK with me.  If something comes up, great, but if not, I'll probably be in bed at my usual 9:30 bedtime, reading a good book, enjoying the peace and quiet.  For those of you who have a party to attend, this is one of the easiest appetizers to make!  With just three ingredients, you can put it together in about 20 minutes, and everyone will love it.  {My 2 year old devoured these!}

Asparagus Bites

16 oz. packaged deli ham {the rectangular kind works best}

8 oz. cream cheese {not cream cheese spread}

can of asparagus {you could try fresh asparagus too}

In a microwaveable bowl, soften the cream cheese so that it is easy to spread.  Lay ham out on a clean work space.  Spread with a layer of cream cheese. Place one asparagus spear on one end of the ham and roll up.  Refrigerate for 1-2 hours, until cream cheese hardens again.  Place rolled up ham slices on cutting board, and slice with a serrated knife into bite size pieces.  Arrange on platter and serve chilled.

source: my sweet mother-in-law {she made these for us when she was here a few weeks ago}

Spicy Crab Dip

For some reason last week, my husband kept begging me to make crab dip.  You'd think he was the one with pregnancy cravings!  I do try to please my husband, so I made him some dip and we devoured it.  The jack cheese adds a bit of kick and makes it really tasty.  This would be a perfect appetizer for a holiday gathering.  It would also be great with artichokes added or even some spinach.  Making dip is so easy, all you need are a few basic ingredients and some creativity.

Crab Dip

Printable Version

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 roasted red peppers, diced

3 green onions, chopped

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup monterey jack cheese

8 oz crab meat {imitation is okay}

In a medium sized mixing bowl combine cream cheese and mayonnaise.  Stir in peppers, green onions, garlic powder and cheese.  Gently fold in crab meat.  Spoon into a greased baking dish.  Bake at 350F for 30 minutes, or until bubbly and browned on top.  Serve with crackers, tortilla chips or bread slices. 

Day 29:Cheese Dip

There is one cheese dip that trumps all others and I'm going to share the recipe with you right now.  This would definitely get eaten up at a football party, holiday party, or any other event where food is involved.  It's easy to make, great leftover, and delicious.

 


I've been wanting to share this recipe with you all month, but just like making this apple pie for myself wouldn't be a good idea, neither would making this dip.  You see, it's loaded with fat and grease (which equals yummy) and even though I'm pregnant, I try not to give into all of my cravings.  I waited for my parents to be in town so they could help me devour it, and they did.  Normally I make it with green chiles, but my husband doesn't care for those so I left them out.  I would recommend NOT leaving them out as they add quite a bit of flavor to the dip.

Hope you enjoy this as much as we did!

Cheese Dip
Printable Version

8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
8 oz. mild cheddar cheese, grated
8 oz. monterey jack cheese, grated
24 oz. sour cream
1 small can green chiles

Preheat oven to 375F.  Lightly grease an 8x8 baking dish.  Lay 1/3 of sharp cheddar cheese on the bottom of the dish.  Place 1/3 of green chiles on top of this.  Then, spread 1/3 of the sour cream over this.  Next, sprinkle the mild cheddar, and top with monterey jack.  Repeat layers in this order 2 more times.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Serve hot with tortilla chips.

source: my mom

*Yes, I did just throw in an announcement about being pregnant in the midst of sharing with you a cheese dip recipe.  We are absolutely thrilled and so thankful for another little one that will make his/her appearnce at the end of April.*

Day 25: Soft Pretzel Bites

A couple weeks ago we were visiting my sister and her husband and decided to go out to dinner to Mellow Mushroom, a favorite pizza joint.  It was pretty busy in there that night, so we ordered some appetizers:  2 different kinds of soft pretzels.  They were good, but I hated having to pull apart a small portion of a big pretzel every time I wanted a little taste.  So, I decided to recreate these, but on a smaller scale.  I present to you homemade soft pretzel bites, 3 different ways:  salted, Parmesan cheese, and cinnamon/sugar.

I was shocked at how EASY it is to make soft pretzels!  They do require yeast, but there is no rising time or even a ton of kneading and rolling out the dough.  Basically, you mix the ingredients together, shape it as you want, bake, and 'accessorize'.  These would make fantastic appetizers for a football game, after school snacks, or as an addition to your family movie night.  Enjoy!

Soft Pretzel Bites
Printable Version

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 package yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 425F.  Measure warm water into medium mixing bowl.  Sprinkle yeast into water and stir until dissolved.  Add salt, sugar and flour.  Mix until well combined.

Knead on a floured surface until easy to handle and not sticky.

Shape into logs with your hands.

Cut into small rectangles.

Place on greased cookie sheet.

Brush with beaten egg.

Bake for 11-15 minutes, until golden brown.

For Parmesan Bites:
Dip top of bites into melted butter.

Then, dip into cheese.

Serve with marinara sauce

For Salted Bites:
Dip top of bites into water.

  Sprinkle with coarse sea salt.

Serve with honey mustard dressing.

For Cinnamon Sugar Bites:
Mix together 1/4 cup sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon.  Dip top of bites into melted butter.

Then, dip into cinnamon sugar mixture.

Best if served warm.


source: church cookbook, Leanna's recipe for soft pretzels.  Toppings were my idea, inspired by Mellow Mushroom.

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Creamy Caramel Fruit Dip

Fall officially begins in just two days, so that means lots of fall recipes to come, some decorating and enjoying my favorite time of year!  I first made this dip about two years ago for my older sister's baby shower and loved it.  It's not your typical sticky caramel dip (although I love that kind too), so it feels a bit lighter and perhaps healthier.  You could use it for all kinds of fruit, but being traditional, I just prefer to use it for apple slices.

This recipe comes from the amazing lady who catered our wedding, and I've never been disappointed by anything she's made!  When I came across the recipe in the cookbook from my parents' church, I knew it would be great when I saw that she had submitted it.  Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Creamy Caramel Fruit Dip
Printable Version

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 cup milk
1 (4 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons lemon juice

In a medium size mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and brown sugar with an electric mixer until creamy.  Add the sour cream, milk, pudding mix, vanilla and lemon juice, beating well after each addition.  Chill, covered, until ready to serve.  Yield: approximately 4 cups.

The original recipe calls for reduced fat cream cheese and sour cream, but I just used the full fat versions, so perhaps my twist is not as healthy as hers.

source: A New Taste of our Heritage (church cookbook)

Blueberry Chicken Salad with Sage Butter Biscuits

This chicken salad came about as some other of my recipes do, simply because I'm trying to use what I have on hand, instead of going to the store and spending more money.  Does anyone else do this?  We were going to small group and everyone was supposed to bring an appetizer.  My mind was drawing a blank, though, so a friend inspired me by suggesting chicken salad in cream puffs (which, by the way, would be awesome--I just didn't want to spend the time to make the cream puffs, but someone really should tackle this!), which made me decide on chicken salad.

I found a great recipe tucked away in my collection that I had saved from a Better Homes & Gardens magazine in 2008.  I altered the chicken salad recipe a bit, but kept the original biscuit recipe.  There weren't any sandwiches left after our dinner, so I guess you could say that everyone liked them.

Chicken salad recipes are wonderful, but everyone has a different opinion on the proportions of dressing to chicken and other ingredients.  The recipe below is what I used, so you may need to adjust it to fit your own chicken salad preference.

These would be great for a shower, luncheon, or just make the chicken salad and serve it on a bed of lettuce. Hope you all enjoy!

Blueberry Chicken Salad:
2 cooked chicken breasts, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons sour cream
Blueberries
Craisins
Slivered Almonds
chopped fresh chives
salt and pepper to taste

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine chicken, mayonnaise and sour cream.  Gently stir in as many blueberries, craisins, almonds and chives as you desire.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Chill for at least an hour before using.  Spoon onto Sage Butter Biscuits (recipe below).

recipe adapted from Better Homes &Gardens, April, 2008

Sage Butter Biscuits:
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup chilled, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 425F.  In a small bowl, whisk together milk and egg until blended; set aside.  Blend flour, baking powder, salt, sage and pepper with a pastry knife, or in a food processor.  Add cold butter and pulse or quickly blend with pastry knife until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Do not overmix.  Add milk mixture and process just until moist clumps begin to form.  Transfer dough to a floured surface.

Knead dough until it holds together (this part was tricky for me because my dough was super moist.  I probably added about 1/2 cup of flour to the dough by the time I was done kneading it) about 6 turns.  Roll out dough to 1/2-inch thickness.  Using a floured biscuit cutter, or the rim of a small drinking glass, cut out biscuits.  Reroll scraps and cut remaining biscuits.  Transfer to a large nonstick or lightly greased baking sheet.

Bake until golden brown, 10-12 minutes.  Slice in half and spoon in Blueberry Chicken Salad.

recipe slightly adapted from Better Homes & Gardens, April, 2008


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