Appetizers

Whether you call them starters, hors d'oeuvres, appetizers or antipasto, their role is the same: keeping starving diners at bay until the main dish is ready to serve.

• Almond Raisin balls

  brent

  0:15:00
  Chop almonds and peanuts. Slice the raisins in halves or quarters. Make a ball with raisins, peanut and milk chocolate about a third the size of a golf ball. Coat the ball with chopped peanuts, roll in chocolate and roll in chopped almonds. Repeat the process until your ingredients are gone. Refrigerate an hour or so to help the balls hold together.

• Bacon Cream Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

  brent

  0:20:00
  In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Stir in the bacon, onion and garlic powder. Spoon into mushroom caps. Place on an ungreased broiler pan. Broil 4-6 inches from the heat for 4-6 minutes or until heated through. Serve warm.

• Black Bean Quesadillas

  brent

  0:25:00
  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine the beans, garlic, broth and cilantro. Using a fork, crush the beans slightly and set aside. In a blender or using an immersion blender, blend the goat cheese and cottage cheese until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Spread half of the bean mixture over each tortilla and top with half of the cheese mixture. Sprinkle each tortilla with spinach, onion and salsa. Place one tortilla on a baking sheet and position the other on top of it. Sprinkle with mozzarella and bake for about 12 minutes, or until bubbling and heated through. Serve immediately.

• Chicken Quesadilla

  brent

  0:45:00
  Grill the chicken breast until done (no pink), add salt, pepper, butter or whatever while grilling. Combine 1/8 stick of butter, chopped bell pepper and chopped onions in a skillet on low heat until slightly brown. Cut the grilled chicken into small cubes and mix into the peppers and onions. After stirring together for a minute, pour the mixture onto a plate. Next, warm each tortilla on the frying pan, then divide the cheese and the chicken mixture evenly between the two tortillas. Fold each in half and heat in the frying pan until the cheese melts and the tortillas are slightly crispy. Adding a little butter to the pan at this time also adds a nice flavor.

• Cocktail Smokies

  brent

  1:05:00
  Put all ingredients into crock pot. Sir all ingredients together as jelly melts. Simmer for 1 hour. Serve warm. Serving Size: 12.

• Egg Rolls

  brent

  0:45:00
  Combine flour, salt and eggs. Stir in water a little at a time until a smooth, thin batter. Heat 1 ts salad oil in 7 inch skillet over medium heat. Pour in 1/4 cup batter. Rotate skillet until batter covers bottom, then let it cook until surface is set; do not turn. When set, carefully slide it onto paper toweling. If wrapper sticks, roll one edge of it over and loosen bottom with a spatula. Wipe any particles from bottom of skillet. Repeat until all batter is used up letting each wrapper cool on its own piece of paper toweling. Fill with favorite egg roll filling and refrigerate uncovered for 1 hour. Fry in 1\\" of oil in skillet at 375 degrees two at a time until well …

• Four Cheese Crackers

  brent

  0:25:00
  Using a food processor: pulse flour, salt and butter together until flour holds together (or use a pastry cutter). Remove batter from processor and place it in a mixing bowl Add the seeds and enough water to incorporate but don't make the batter sticky. You can mix the dough with your hands or a wooden spoon Lightly flour your workspace (a large cutting board or tabletop will do just fine) Roll dough out with rolling pin to about 1/4" thickness Flour a cookie sheet with rye flour or fine cornmeal Place dough on cookie sheet and score dough with a knife or pizza cutter Bake about 10 min until they are a golden color

• Lil Smokies in Sauce

  brent

  0:25:00
  Put together in crock pot and cook. I find them better if cooked for a long period, or cooked, cooled and warmed again later.

• Monkey Bread

  brent

  0:55:00
  Put sugar and cinnamon in bowl. Shake up. Quarter biscuits and drop in. Add nuts. Melt one stick of butter in bundt pan. 1/2 stick of butter on top of oven. Layer of sugar mixture on top of butter and layer of biscuits. Cook on 350 for 35-40 min. Pour sugar mixture on top. Pour 1/2 stick butter on top of mixture.

• Pigs in Blanket

  brent

  0:24:00
  Cut crescent roll dough into small strips about 3/4" by 2-3". For fastest results, cut the dough before unrolling. Wrap each piece of sausage in a piece of dough and cook until dough is golden brown (350 degrees at 14 minutes or so).

• Rye Crackers

  brent

  0:25:00
  Using a food processor: pulse flour, salt and butter together until flour holds together (or use a pastry cutter). Remove batter from processor and place it in a mixing bowl. Add the seeds and enough water to incorporate but don't make the batter sticky. You can mix the dough with your hands or a wooden spoon. Lightly flour your workspace (a large cutting board or tabletop will do just fine) Roll dough out with rolling pin to about 1/4" thickness Flour a cookie sheet with rye flour or fine cornmeal Place dough on cookie sheet and score dough with a knife or pizza cutter Bake about 10 min until they are a golden color

• Sausage and Cheese Balls

  brent

  0:32:00
  Mix well. Roll into small balls. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes. Yields 130

• Simple Black Bean Salsa

  brent

  0:15:00
  In a large bowl, combine the ingredients and stir with a fork, slightly mashing the beans. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

• Simple Crackers

  brent

  0:25:00
  1. Preheat the oven to 400. 2. Lightly grease two large cookie sheets. Combine the dry ingredients, and then stir in the water, oil and mix until a smooth dough forms. 3. Divide the dough in half and flatten each half on a cookie sheet. Use a small rolling pin or even your fingers for a rustic, uneven look. Once the dough is spread thin, use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter to cut the dough into squares. The elasticity in the dough will make the crackers shrink slightly and pull away from each other; this makes them easy to bake without sticking together. 4. Brush lightly with an egg wash (one egg white and 2 tablespoons of water) or spray lightly with olive oil. 5. Sprinkle …

• Summertime Bruschetta

  brent

  0:25:00
  In a large mixing bowl, combine the tomato, minced garlic, basil, parsley, lemon juice, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. Toss well and set aside for at least 3 hours. Just before serving, grill or toast the bread and rub one side with garlic. Place a dollop of the tomato mixture on top of each one.

• The Original Chex Party Mix

  brent

  0:15:00
  1. In large microwavable bowl, mix cereals, nuts, pretzels and bagel chips; set aside. In small microwavable bowl, microwave butter uncovered on High about 40 seconds or until melted. Stir in seasonings. Pour over cereal mixture; stir until evenly coated. 2. Microwave uncovered on High 5 to 6 minutes, thoroughly stirring every 2 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool. Store in airtight container. Oven Directions Heat oven to 250°F. In large bowl, mix cereals, nuts, pretzels and bagel chips; set aside. In ungreased large roasting pan, melt butter in oven. Stir in seasonings. Gradually stir in cereal mixture until evenly coated. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool, about 15 minutes. Store in airtight container. 24 servings (1/2 cup each)

• Tomato and Basil Pizza

  brent

  0:25:00
  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the tortillas on baking sheets and bake for 1 minutes, until crisp. Spread the sauce evenly over the tortillas, leaving a 1/2 in border, and sprinkle each with the basil. Top each with a layer of tomato slices. Sprinkle each with garlic and then cheese and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, umtil the crust is crisp and golden. Serve immediately.

• Tropical Fruit Salad

  brent

  0:05:00
  Place the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss gently to coat with juices. Serve lightly chilled.