Hot Virginia Dip
Sue Suter
Millersville, PA
Makes 4 cups
Prep Time: 20-30 minutes
Baking Time: 20-25 minutes
1 cup chopped pecans
2 Tbsp. butter
2 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened
4 Tbsp. milk
5 ozs. dried beef, chopped
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 cup sour cream
4 tsp. chopped onion
1. In skillet, sauté pecans in butter. Set aside.
2. Combine remaining ingredients. Spread in greased baking dish.
3. Sprinkle sautéed pecans over top.
4. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes.
Ham Dip
John D. Allen
Rye, CO
Makes 4 cups, or 8-10 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Chilling Time: 8 hours, or overnight
8 ozs. finely chopped cooked ham
1½ cups mayonnaise
1⅓ cups sour cream
2 Tbsp. chopped onion
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp. dill seed
2 tsp. Beau Monde Seasoning
1. Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
2. Refrigerate for 8 hours.
3. Serve with crackers, chips, or cocktail rye bread.
Sausage Bean Dip
Sherlyn Hess
Millersville, PA
Makes 6 cups, or about 12 appetizer-sized servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes on stove-top, or 3 hours in slow cooker
½ lb. bulk sausage
½ lb. hot sausage, squeezed out of casing
⅔ cup chopped onions
2 16-oz. cans B&B beans
1 cup barbecue sauce
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1. Brown sausage and onions in skillet. Drain.
2. Combine all ingredients in food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
3. Heat in slow cooker for 3 hours on low, or in a saucepan on the stove for 15 minutes.
4. Serve warm with crackers, nachos, or tortilla chips. Appetizers and Snacks
Baked Clam Dip
Barbara Lukan
Ridgewood, New York
Makes 1 cup
Prep Time: 5-8 minutes
Baking Time: 30 minutes
6.5-oz. can minced clams
¼ cup bread crumbs
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. parsley
⅛ tsp. dried oregano
⅛ tsp. salt
1 tsp. chopped onion
2 Tbsp. oil
Parmesan cheese
crackers
1. Combine all but Parmesan cheese and crackers. Pour into small greased baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese.
2. Bake at 275° for 25-30 minutes.
3. Serve with crackers.
A Tip —
Keep spatulas, wire whisks, wooden spoons, etc. near the stove, within arms’ reach.
Dilly Crab Dip
Joyce M Shackelford
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Makes 1½ cups
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Chilling Time: 2-8 hours
½ cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
½ cup sour cream
1 cup flaked crabmeat, divided
1 tsp. dried dill weed
2 tsp. finely chopped onion or scallion
½ tsp. finely shredded lime peel
1 tsp. lime juice
dash of bottled hot pepper sauce
dash ground red pepper, optional
salt and pepper to taste
1. Stir together mayonnaise, sour cream, ⅔ cup crabmeat, dill weed, onion, lime peel, lime juice, hot pepper sauce, and red pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight.
3. Just before serving, sprinkle with reserved crabmeat.
4. Serve with warm or chilled artichokes or crackers.
Tip: Canned or frozen crab meat may be used.
Cheese and Shrimp Strudel
D. Fern Ruth, Chalfont, PA
Makes 16-18 slices
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Baking Time: 20-25 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
half a 17.25-oz. pkg. (1 sheet) frozen puff pastry, thawed
1½ cups (6 ozs.) shredded Swiss cheese
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup thinly sliced green onion
1 cup (4 ozs.) cooked shrimp, chopped, or 4.5-oz. can shrimp, rinsed, drained, and chopped
1 egg, beaten
1. On a lightly floured surface, roll the thawed puff pastry to a 10 x 18 rectangle.
2. Place rectangle of pastry on lightly greased, large baking sheet.
3. In a medium-sized bowl, stir together cheese, sour cream, onion, shrimp, and half the beaten egg (about 2 Tbsp.).
4. Spread the mixture lengthwise down half of the rectangle. Brush edges of pastry (using pastry brush) with some of the remaining beaten egg.
5. Carefully fold dough over the filling and seal edges with the tines of a fork. Brush top and sides of strudel with remaining egg.
6. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes, or until golden.
7. Remove from oven and cool 20 minutes before slicing.
8. With a very sharp knife, slice slightly on the diagonal.
Tip: You can also make this with crabmeat, or a combination of shrimp and crab.
This is part of our late evening meal of oyster stew and varied appetizers and desserts at our family homestead, following Christmas Eve services at church.
Salmon Spread
Erma Brubaker
Harrisonburg, VA
Makes 1½ cups, or 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
2 6-oz. cans salmon (without bones or black skin)
8 ozs. light cream cheese
1 Tbsp. dried onion
1 Tbsp. light hickory smoke
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. horseradish
1. In mixing bowl, mix together salmon, cream cheese, onion, hickory smoke, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and horseradish.
2. Beat together for 2 minutes or until smooth.
3. Serve with your favorite crackers.
Raspberry Bean Dip
Nancy Wagner Graves
Manhattan, KS
Makes 2½ cups
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Baking Time: 20-30 minutes
15.5-oz. can black beans, drained
8 ozs. cream cheese, sliced thin
1 small red onion, chopped
½ jar (15.75-oz. size) Roasted Raspberry Chipotle sauce*
8 ozs. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1. In 9 x 9 greased baking dish, layer ingredients in order given above.
2. Bake at 325° for 20-30 minutes, or until bubbly.
*Look for this in the hot sauce and steak sauce aisle of the grocery store. If you can’t find this sauce (made by Bronco Bob’s), look for Raspberry Chipotle Grilling Sauce (by Harry & David), or for raspberry salsa.
Texas Caviar
Reita F. Yoder
Carlsbad, NM
Makes about 8 cups, or about 20 appetizer-sized servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: Overnight
2 15-oz. cans black-eyed peas, drained
15-oz. can white hominy, drained
1 medium onion, chopped
2 jalapeños, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp. black pepper
¼ cup minced parsley
1 large tomato, chopped
8-oz. bottle Italian salad dressing
1. Combine all ingredients and refrigerate overnight.
2. Drain before serving.
3. Serve with corn chips.
Bleu Cheese Cheesecake
Shari Jensen, Fountain, CO
Makes 12 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Baking Time: 48-53 minutes
Chilling Time: 3-24 hours
2 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese, at room temperature
8 ozs. bleu cheese, crumbled, at room temperature
2 cups sour cream, divided
3 large eggs
2 Tbsp. dried parsley
2 Tbsp. dried onion flakes
1 tsp. garlic salt
¼ tsp. white pepper
a variety of crackers and/or sliced French bread
1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the cheeses.
2. When thoroughly creamed, add ⅔ cup sour cream, eggs, parsley, onion flakes, garlic salt, and pepper. Beat well.
3. Pour into 9” springform pan. Bake at 300° for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
4. Remove from oven. Cool on rack 5 minutes.
5. Carefully spread remaining sour cream on top of cheesecake to within ½” of edge.
6. Return to oven and bake 8 minutes longer. Don’t let the sour cream topping brown.
7. Remove from oven. Cool completely without removing from pan. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for 3-24 hours.
8. Remove from refrigerator. Open the springform pan, using a knife to slip around the edge of the pan to loosen if necessary.
9. Place on platter. Surround with a variety of crackers and/or slices of French bread.
Tips:
1 You can serve this sliced into 12 wedges for a first course, along with a tossed green salad. Or serve it on a platter with a knife for spreading the crackers.
2. Don’t worry if the top cracks after baking. It will be covered with sour cream.
3. Melt down leftovers and thin with a bit of milk. Use it as a topping for baked potatoes, steaks, or veggies.
4. The baked cheesecake freezes well. Cut it into quarters. Place the quarters on a cookie sheet. Freeze. Remove from freezer, wrap each quarter in plastic wrap while frozen and then in freezer wrap. You can keep it in the freezer for up to 6 weeks.
Hot Cheese Dip
Renee D. Groff
Manheim, PA
Makes about 7 cups, or 10-12 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Baking Time: 25 minutes
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups mayonnaise
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
4-oz. can chopped green chilies, drained
1½ ozs. sliced pepperoni
½ cup sliced black olives
1. Combine cheeses, mayonnaise, onion, and green chilies.
2. Pour into greased 8 x 12 baking dish or 9” or 10” pie pan.
3. Top with pepperoni and black olives.
4. Bake at 325° for 25 minutes.
5. Serve warm with crackers and/or corn chips.
Spinach Dip
Karen Stoltzfus
Alto, MI
Makes 4½ cups
Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
1 envelope dry vegetable soup mix
8 ozs. sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
8-oz. can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1. Combine all ingredients.
2. Serve with crackers.
Dill Weed Dip for Vegetables
Hannah D. Burkholder
Bridgewater, VA
Makes 1 ¼ cups
Prep Time: 15 minutes
⅔ cup sour cream
⅔ cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley
1 Tbsp. grated onion
1 Tbsp. dried dill weed
¼ tsp. dry mustard
1. Mix all ingredients together; then refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. Serve with cut-up fresh vegetables.
Tip: If you think of it, prepare this a day or two before you plan to use it. The flavors are enhanced by some time together!
Healthy Hummus
Barbara Forrester Landis
Lititz, PA
Makes 1½ cups, or 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
1½ cups drained canned Great Northern beans
¼ red onion, chopped
1 tsp. fresh minced garlic
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp. Kosher salt, or to taste
1 tsp. black pepper, or to taste
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1. In a food processor, puree beans until they are halfway between chunky and smooth.
2. Add onion, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
3. Puree while drizzling in olive oil.
4. Add more or less olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste.
5. Serve with crackers or pita chips. Or spread in tortilla wraps with roasted vegetables, or with cheese and salsa.
Note: The hummus should be spreadable.
Fresh Fruit Dip
Christie Detamore-Hunsberger
Harrisonburg, VA
Makes 1 cup
Prep Time: 5 minutes
8 ozs. sour cream or vanilla yogurt
1 Tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
¼ tsp. vanilla
Combine all ingredients and chill.
A Tip —
When you find a recipe that you love, make a notation in the cookbook that it is a great recipe.
Peanut-Buttery Fresh Fruit Dip
Mary Jane Musser
Manheim, PA
Makes 3 cups
Prep Time: 5 minutes
1 cup peanut butter
8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup milk
1. Mix all ingredients together until well blended. Chill.
2. Serve with sliced apples.
Fruit Dip
Wanda Marshall
Massillon, OH
Makes 2 cups
Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
1 pint sour cream
¼ cup brown sugar
12 macaroon cookies, crushed or broken
1. If the cookies are hard, crush with a rolling pin. If softer, break into small pieces.
2. Mix together sour cream and brown sugar. If using hard cookies, stir in small pieces and allow to stand for 5 hours or longer. If using soft cookies, stir in cookie pieces just before serving.
3. Serve as a dipping sauce for bite-sized chunks of pineapple, cantaloupe, kiwi, and watermelon.
Cranberry Appetizer
Christie Detamore-Hunsberger
Harrisonburg, VA
Makes 8 cups, or 12-14 servings
Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
8- or 12-oz. pkg. fresh cranberries
½ cup apricot preserves
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
⅓ cup toasted slivered almonds
8-oz. pkg. cream cheese
1. In saucepan over medium heat, bring sugar and water to a boil without stirring. Boil 5 minutes.
2. Add cranberries and cook until the berries pop, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Add preserves, lemon juice, and almonds. Cool.
4. Place cream cheese block on a serving dish. Pour cranberry mixture over cheese. Serve with crackers.
Zingy Cheese Spread
Lois Gae E. Kuh
Penfield, NY
Makes 2 cups
Prep Time: 5-7 minutes
10-oz. jar pineapple marmalade
10-oz. jar applesauce
5½-6-oz. jar white horseradish
3 Tbsp. dry mustard
2 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese
1. Combine marmalade, applesauce, horseradish, and dry mustard until well mixed.
2. Place blocks of cheese on a serving plate. Pour zingy mixture over cream cheese.
3. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
4. Serve with cut-up fresh vegetables or a variety of snack crackers.
Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball
Carol Sommers
Millersburg, OH
Carisa Funk
Hillsboro, KS
Makes 2 cups
Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
Chilling Time: 3 hours
8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
½ cup butter (no substitutes), softened
¼ tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
¾ cup confectioners sugar
¾ cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
¾ cup finely chopped pecans
graham crackers or graham cracker sticks
1. In mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until fluffy.
2. Gradually add brown sugar and confectioners sugar, and beat just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips by hand.
3. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
4. Place cream cheese mixture on a large piece of plastic wrap. Shape into a ball and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
5. Just before serving, roll cheese ball in pecans.
6. Serve with graham crackers.
Artichoke Appetizer
Joyce Bowman
Lady Lake, FL
Makes 10 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Baking Time: 8-10 minutes
14-oz. can artichokes, drained
¾ cup mayonnaise (light or regular)
¾ cup Parmesan cheese
1 tube refrigerated biscuits, 10-biscuit size
1. Cut artichokes in pieces. Set aside.
2. Mix mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese together. Set aside.
3. Snip or cut each biscuit in thirds and press each lightly into a square shape. Spread mayonnaise mixture on each biscuit piece. Top each with a piece of artichoke.
4. Place on lightly greased baking sheet.
5. Bake at 400° for 8-10 minutes. Watch carefully so they don’t burn.
Note: After the biscuits have been baked, you can cool them and then place them in freezer bags and store them in the freezer until you need them. To serve, heat them in the microwave.
Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms
Kim Stoll, Abbeville, SC
Makes 6 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Baking Time: 15 minutes
12 large, fresh mushrooms
1 tsp. melted butter
½ cup crabmeat, chopped fine
¼ cup cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated
dash of pepper
½ tsp. garlic powder
1. Clean mushrooms and remove stems.
2. Mix remaining ingredients together in a bowl.
3. Dip mushrooms in melted butter and place each one in a muffin tin cup, bottom-side up.
4. Fill mushrooms with crab-cheese mixture.
5. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes.
Variations:
1. You can substitute other cheese for the Monterey Jack, such as Colby or mozzarella.
2. Instead of using mushroom caps, cut slices of bread into quarters, dip in the melted butter, and push down into the individual cups in a mini-muffin pan. Fill the center of each bread cup with the crab mixture. Bake according to directions above.
Stuffed Mushrooms
Hannah D. Burkholder
Bridgewater, VA
Makes 20 mushrooms, or enough for 5 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
2 ozs. (about 1½ cups) Swiss cheese, shredded
1 hard-cooked egg, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. fine bread crumbs
½ clove garlic, finely chopped
½ stick (4 Tbsp.) butter, softened
1 lb. fresh mushrooms, stems removed
1 stick (8 Tbsp.) butter, melted
1. In mixing bowl, combine cheese, egg, bread crumbs, garlic, and ½ stick softened butter. Blend thoroughly.
2. Dip each mushroom cap in 1 stick melted butter; then fill each with cheese mixture. Place in long baking pan, stuffed side up.
3. Broil for 5 minutes or until the caps sizzle.
A Tip —
Don’t put cold water in a hot pan. It can cause a pan to warp.
Hot Buffalo Wing Dip
Barbara Kuhns
Millersburg, OH
Makes about 8 cups
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Baking Time: 45 minutes
2 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese, at room temperature
8 ozs. Ranch dressing
12 ozs. hot wing sauce
3 cups grilled chicken, cubed
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1. Combine cream cheese, Ranch dressing, and hot wing sauce. Mix well.
2. Add chicken and cheddar cheese. Pour into greased baking dish.
3. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.
4. Serve warm with tortilla chips or celery.
Chicken Wraps
Marlene Fonken, Upland, CA
Makes 3 cups
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Chilling Time: 2 hours
Wraps:
2 large chicken breasts
1¾ cups chicken broth
¼ cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 lb. large leaves of fresh spinach
Dip:
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
½ tsp. ground ginger
4 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1. To make the wraps, combine chicken, broth, ¼ cup soy sauce, and 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce in a skillet or saucepan. Simmer until chicken is just cooked. Cool and cut meat into chunks.
2. Wash spinach. Pour boiling water over the leaves. Immediately drain and cool.
3. Place a chunk of chicken on stem end of spinach leaf. Roll leaf over. Fold ends in and continue to roll. Secure with toothpick and chill.
4. To make dip, mix together all dip ingredients and chill.
5. Serve stuffed leaves with dip.
Tip: To toast sesame seeds, spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes.
Variation: If you prefer less Worcestershire sauce, reduce the amount in the wraps to 1 tsp., and in the dip to 1 tsp.
Party Pinwheels
Della Yoder, Kalona, IA
Makes 36 pieces
Prep. Time: 20-25 minutes
Chilling Time: 2 hours
1-oz. packet Original Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
2 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened
2 green onions, minced
4 12” flour tortillas
4-oz. jar diced pimentos, drained
4-oz. can diced green chilies, drained
2.25-oz. can diced black olives, drained
1. Mix together ranch mix, cream cheese, and green onions. Spread onto tortillas.
2. Sprinkle equal amounts of vegetables over cream cheese mixture.
3. Roll up tortillas tightly. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
4. Cut tortillas into 1” slices. Discard ends. Serve with spirals facing up.
Crab Delight
Renee D. Groff
Manheim, PA
Makes 12-15 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
9 slices white bread
7.5-oz. can crabmeat, flaked
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. dill weed
½ tsp. salt
1. Cut crusts off bread. Cut each slice into 4 squares, strips, or triangles.
2. Mix crabmeat, onion, cheese, mayonnaise, dill weed, and salt. Spread on bread.
3. Place spread bread on lightly greased cookie sheet. Broil several minutes until golden and bubbly.
Tip: For parties I use cookie cutters to create shapes to fit the occasion. Freezing the bread first makes for easier cutting.
Feta Bruschetta
Lena Sheaffer
Port Matilda, PA
Makes 10 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Baking Time: 20 minutes
¼ cup butter, melted
¼ cup olive or vegetable oil
10 slices French bread, cut 1” thick
4-oz. pkg. crumbled feta cheese
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil, or 1 tsp. dried basil
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
1. Combine butter and oil. Brush on both sides of bread. Place on baking sheet.
2. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned.
3. Combine feta cheese, garlic, and basil. Sprinkle over toast. Top with tomato.
4. Bake 8-10 minutes longer, or until heated through. Serve warm.
Variation: Mix chopped red pepper into Step 3, along with any other of your favorite herbs.
Garlic Bread
Barbara Yoder
Christiana, PA
Makes 10 servings
Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
Baking Time: 40 minutes
1 loaf unsliced Italian bread
10-12 slices of Colby, cheddar, Swiss, or Monterey Jack cheese
1 tsp. minced garlic
½ tsp. seasoning salt
½ tsp. lemon juice
1½ tsp. poppy seeds
¼ cup butter
1 cup chopped mushrooms, optional
1 small onion finely chopped
1. With a very sharp knife, cut down diagonally through the loaf, making slices approximately 1” apart. Do not cut through the bottom of the loaf. Then cut slits on the diagonal in the opposite direction, also about 1” apart, also without cutting completely through the bottom of the loaf.
2. Place loaf on large piece of foil. Place slices of cheese in grooves going the one direction.
3. Place remaining ingredients in microwave-safe bowl. Stir until well mixed. Cover and microwave on high for 2 minutes.
4. Spoon evenly over bread.
5. Wrap loaf in foil, pinching closed so no ingredients ooze out while baking. Place on a cookie sheet to catch any drippings. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes.
Ham and Cheese Sticky Buns
Rosanne Weiler
Myerstown, PA
Makes 12 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Baking Time: 20 minutes
24 party-size potato rolls
1 lb. sliced Swiss cheese
½ lb. sliced ham
1 cup butter
⅓ cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. prepared mustard
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1. Slice rolls in half and place bottoms in 9 x 13 pan.
2. Layer on cheese and ham, and top with roll tops.
3. Melt butter and add sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and poppy seeds. Bring to boil and let boil 2 minutes.
4. Immediately pour over rolls and bake at 350° for 20 minutes.
Tip: These can be made ahead and heated when ready to serve.
When I serve these as an appetizer, everyone comes back for seconds!
Tangy Ham and Cheese Wraps
Cheryl Lapp, Parkesburg, PA
Makes 8 appetizer servings, or 4 main-dish servings
Prep Time: 20-30 minutes
4 10” flour tortillas
8-oz. container onion and chive cream cheese spread
4-oz. jar apricot jam, optional
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 lb. thinly sliced ham
leaf lettuce
1. Spread tortillas with cream cheese and apricot jam.
2 Top with carrots and shredded cheese.
3. Layer on ham and lettuce.
4. Roll up and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
5. Cut in half, or serve whole.
Tip: You can make these up to 12-14 hours ahead of your serving time.
Variation: If you prefer less meat, ½ lb. ham works well.