A Few Appetizers

When I was growing up, appetizers before a holiday meal meant a fancy cut glass dish with celery and carrot sticks and green and black olives.  Now, there have been holidays where we eat a meal's worth of appetizers before anyone sits down to the actual meal!  Yes, there are the usual chips, dip, salsa and veggie trays, but here are a few favorites I'd like to share with you.

SAUSAGE CHEESE BALLS



This is one I got from an Officer's Wives Cookbook, back when I was first married.  Cocktail parties were all the rage and so were the finger foods that went with them.  When I came back to NJ, I introduced these to my family and they are a hit. This is one of those recipes that I always make sure I have the ingredients for on hand.  It makes up so fast.  Great for unexpected guests, or to take along to a gathering.

1 pound package bulk breakfast sausage - like Jimmy Dean

10 oz chedder shredded.

3 1/4 cups Bisquick

 

Note:  Sausage comes in one pound or 12 ounce packages.  If you can't find the pound, and use the 12 ounce size instead, decrease the amount of bisquick to 2 3/4 cups. 

 

 

Let the sausage come to room temperature.  Put raw sausage, shredded cheese and bisquick into a bowl and mix. You can use your hands, but I have learned over the years that my kitchen aid mixer works really well to get it all blended.  Form into small balls about the size of a walnut.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 15 minutes.  These freeze really well.  Make ahead, freeze and you will always have them on hand!  Enjoy!

 

 

STUFFED MUSHROOMS

 

We actually eat these as a side dish with our Thanksgiving dinner, but they make a great appetizer. 

 

15 large white mushrooms

1/2 small onion-finely chopped

2 cloves garlic - finely chopped

2 T fresh parsley - finely chopped

1 cup bread crumbs

1/2 to 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Olive oil

 

Clean mushrooms and remove stems.  Chop stems finely.  Add 2 T olive oil to a skillet.  Saute mushroom stems, onion and garlic for about 15 minutes.  Make sure any liquid from the mushrooms has cooked away.  Add mushroom mixture to a bowl with bread crumbs, cheese and parsley.  Add 2 T olive oil to the mixture and mix well.  Spoon the stuffing into each mushroom packing it well and mounding it high.  Put mushrooms in shallow baking pan or sided cookie sheet that has been coated with olive oil or cooking spray.  Drizzle mushrooms  with olive oil.  Cook at 350 for about 25 minutes.  These can be prepared the day before and cooked the next day, or cooked ahead and reheated.

 

 

SUPER EASY TEX-MEX HOT DIP

 

This is another one that always impressed everyone, yet it is sooooo easy.  The only drawback is that its best if kept warm while serving.  I have one of those electric hot trays (I think it was a shower gift and I got married in 1968) that still works and is perfect.  Or serve in an oven proof dish that you can put a candle under.

 

1 8oz pkg cream cheese

1 small jar salsa

1 can black beans drained and rinsed

1 can corn, drained

8 oz shreeded cheddar or chedder/jack mix

 

Put the cream cheese into an oven proof pan (I use good old corning wear)  and soften in the microwave for about 30 to 40 seconds.  Spread over the bottom of the pan.  Mix the salsa, beans, and corn in a bowl and pour over the cream cheese.  Top with shredded cheddar.  Bake at 350 for about 30  minutes or until the cheese is melted.  Serve with tortilla chips or crackers.  Yum!!!!