Appetizers

Hot Artichoke Dip #1 (Penny)

1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
Dash garlic powder
2 tablespoons green onion, chopped

Drain and chop artichoke hearts. Combine artichoke hearts with cheeses, mayonnaise, garlic and onions. Place in 1-1/2 quart casserole dish, and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Serve on sturdy crackers such as Triscuits.

Hot Artichoke Dip #2 (Paul)

1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 clove garlic (crushed)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 large package cream cheese
Paprika

Combine and heat (covered) in 350 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes or microwave on high setting for seven minutes. Serve with crackers, potato chips or vegetables.

Spinach Dip (Cindy)

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 package frozen chopped spinach
2-3 chopped green onions
1 can water chestnuts, chopped
1 package Knorr vegetable soup mix
1 round loaf sour dough bread

Thaw frozen spinach and drain well. Finely chop green onions and water chestnuts. Combine all ingredients, except for sour dough bread, and refrigerate overnight. Next day, carve center out of sour dough bread, leaving shell about 1 to 1-1/2 inches thick. Pour dip into carved-out bread shell. Cut up remaining bread into chunks. Dip is eaten with chunks of bread, tearing it out of shell as you go.

Crab Mousse (Cindy)

1 10-ounce can cream of mushroom soup
6 ounces cream cheese
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
1 cup mayonnaise
5-ounce can crab meat
1/4 teaspoon curry powder

Heat mushroom soup and cream cheese together, stirring until smooth. Add gelatin to cold water and soften five minutes. Blend these two mixtures. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Spray 4-cup mold with PAM. Pour into mold and chill overnight.

Reuben Spread (Penny)

5 ounces corned beef, chopped
16-ounce can sauerkraut, drained and chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
8 ounces shredded Swiss cheese

Mix all ingredients together. Bake in covered casserole dish for 30 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees or microwave in medium setting for eight to ten minutes. Serve with cocktail rye bread or rye crackers.

Penny says that 8 ounces of sauerkraut also worked well.

World-Famous Bean Dip (Lana)

First layer: 1 can bean dip

Second layer: Guacamole (peel, remove seed, and mash 2-3 avocados with 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 2 tablespoon mayonnaise

Third layer: Small carton sour cream mixed with 1 tablespoon taco seasoning mix

Top with 1 cup grated jack cheese and 1 cup grated cheddar cheese, three tomatoes (chopped and drained), two onions (chopped), and one small can sliced olives. Serve with tortilla chips.

Salmon Party Log (Sheila)

1-pound can (2 cups) salmon
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated onion
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/2 cup chopped nuts
3 tablespoons snipped parsley

Drain and flake salmon, removing skin and bones. Combine salmon with next six ingredients and mix thoroughly. Chill several hours. Combine parsley and nuts. Shape salmon mixture into 8 x 2 inch log and roll in nut mixture. Chill well. Serve with crackers.

Cheese Dip (Penny)

16 ounces cream cheese
8 ounces crushed pineapple (drained)
2 tablespoons finely chopped green pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped onion

Mix all ingredients. Garnish with chopped nuts on top.

Susan Bufano's Southern Cheese Wafers (Sheila)

1/2 pound grated or shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 stick butter or margarine
1 cup self-rising flour
Dash salt
6 drops Tabasco sauce
1 cup Rice Crispies cereal

Soften butter and cut into 1-inch pieces. Add all other ingredients, and mix well in a large bowl. Form into small balls, and place on greased cookie sheet. Mash the balls gently with a fork. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until beginning to brown.

Cheese wafers are very popular in the South.

Hot Shrimp Dip #1 (Sheila)

Mix together and bring to a boil:
      1 can cream of mushroom soup
      1 envelope unflavored gelatin
      >3 tablespoons water

Remove from stove and add:
      8 ounces cream cheese, softened
      1 cup mayonnaise
      1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
      3/4 cup celery, finely chopped
      2 cans tiny shrimp

Serve with crackers.

Hot Shrimp Dip #2 (Paul)

1/2 pound Velveeta cheese
Chopped green onion to taste
1 can broken shrimp
1 cup mayonnaise

Mix all ingredients in sauce pan over medium heat. Stir constantly until all cheese has melted. Serve hot.

Antipasto (Paul)

3 regular cans tuna fish, drained
1 bottle chili sauce
1 10-ounce bottle ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 small bottle gherkins, cut into chunks
1 small bottle sweet white onions, halved
2 regular cans mushroom pieces
1/2 cup lemon juice
Dash horseradish, optional

Mix together and store in refrigerator.

Cold Shrimp Dip (Paul)

1 3-ounce package cream cheese
1 can broken shrimp
Chopped green onion to taste
Mayonnaise (enough to obtain desired consistency)

Mix all ingredients together. Chill and serve.

Shrimp Cracker Dip (Paul)

1 10-ounce can tomato soup
1 small package cream cheese
1-1/2 teaspoon unflavored (Knox) gelatin (2 packets to make it firmer) dissolved in 1/2 cup cold water (or as directed on box)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon salt
1 can rinsed and mashed shrimp
1 can whole shrimp (optional addition)

Bring tomato soup to boil, add cream cheese and beat until smooth. Bring back to boil. Add remaining ingredients in order. Pour into bowl sprayed with Pam. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Fruit Dip Refresher (Paul)

1 small package cream cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup orange marmalade
Apple chunks
Banana chunks
Orange and grapefruit sections

Combine softened cream cheese and mayonnaise, mixing until well-blended. Stir in marmalade. Chill. Serve with fruit dippers. Makes one cup.

Stuffed Gouda Cheese (Lana)

1 baby gouda cheese (16 ounce size)
1/2 cup dark beer
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup butter, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Cut about 1/2 inch off the top of the gouda cheese and discard. Hollow out cheese, leaving shell intact. Cut cheese into small chunks, and place in blender. Add remaining ingredients, and blend until smooth. Stuff cheese shell with mixture.

Pastrami Torte (Lana)

1/4 pound very thinly sliced pastrami
3 packages (4 ounce size) herb cheese
3 tablespoons minced parsley
Toasted bagel slices

Line bottom and sides of 3" x 5-1/2" loaf pan with a single, slightly overlapping layer of pastrami slices that extend a little over the pan rim. Spoon 1/6 of the cheese in dollops evenly into pan. Press cheese into an even layer, holding meat in place. Sprinkle with parsley. Cover cheese with a layer of pastrami, pressing evenly. Repeat layers, using all the cheese and parsley. tap pan sharply against edge of counter to settle loaf firmly into pan. Fold overhang of pastrami onto cheese, then cover cheese with remaining pastrami, patting into place. Cover and chill until loaf feels firm when pressed, at least four hours or overnight. Invert load onto platter. Slice, and serve with bagel slices.

Cheese Puffs (Lana)

2 cups grated sharp cheese
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
Dash cayenne pepper
50 small stuffed green olives

Blend cheese with softened butter. Stir in flour and seasoning (which has been previously sifted together). Mix well. Shape one teaspoon mixture around each olive. Cover completely. Arrange on baking sheet and chill until firm. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

Deviled Eggs (Sheila)

Halve 6 hard-cooked eggs lengthwise . Remove yolks and mash with 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon prepared mustard, 1/8 teaspoon salt and dash pepper. Refill whites and serve chilled.

No party in the South is complete without deviled eggs

Mexican Appetizers (Sharon)

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese
4-ounce can chopped green chilies
4-ounce can chopped black olives
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
10 flour tortillas

Mix first six ingredients together. Spread thinly over tortillas. Roll and wrap in foil. Refrigerate overnight. Cut into 1/2 inch sections. Serve with picante sauce.