Holiday Appetizers

I will be serving finger foods for an event this weekend and I am searching for ideas.

These are several appetizers I am considering.

Roasted Red Pepper,

stuffed with a Mozzarella bite,

toasted on a baguette,

with a garnish of green onion.

Goat Cheese Stuffed

Bacon Wrapped

Dates

Use a broiler pan to allow grease to drain.

Boursin, Prosciutto Fillo Cups

1 Package Athens mini Fillo Shells (makes 15)

(1) 5.2 oz. pkg. Garlic & Herb Boursin Cheese

6 slices Prosciutto Diced and crispy fried

1/2 cup sliced green onions, more for garnish.

Mix Prosciutto, Green onion and Boursin.

Fill thawed Fillo cups, garnish with more green onions.

Refrigerate until serving.

Spinach Artichoke Fillo Bites

6 oz. Cream Cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese

(1) 10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, cooked drained and liquid squeezed out

1 cup quartered artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed, roughly chopped.

1/4 Teaspoon cayenne pepper

Salt & Pepper to taste

45-60 Athens Mini Fillo Shells (3-4 packages)

Mix cream cheese, parmesan cheese, sour cream, drained spinach, chopped artichokes, and cayenne pepper.  Salt & pepper to taste.

When you are ready to serve, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Fill Fillo shells with heaping teaspoon, rounded on top. Bake 10-12 minutes or until heated through and golden brown on top. 

English Muffin Appetizers

1 Jar Old English best (or 6 oz. Cheddar Cheese)
½ C Butter
1 ½ Teaspoon Mayo
1 ½ Tsp Garlic Powder
1 Can Crab Meat
Spread on 6 English Muffins (12 halves)
Broil till Crusty – Allow to cool – Cut to bite size

These are all tried and true.  Hope you enjoy.  ~~Shelly

Goat Cheese stuffed Dates wrapped in Bacon

 

Bacon Wrapped Dates with Goat Cheese 

– a simple 3-ingredient appetizer that will blow you away! 

Enjoy with a crowd of friends!

Ingredients

• 8 slices bacon (I find that thin bacon works better)
• 16 dates
• 4 ounces goat cheese
• toothpicks

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Slice the dates lengthwise on one side to create an opening. Remove the pit.
3. Using a spoon, stuff a small amount of goat cheese into the cavity of each date and press the sides together to close.
4. Cut the bacon slices in half. Wrap each date with a slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick.
5. Arrange evenly on a baking sheet with raised edges (otherwise grease will get everywhere) and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the dates and use the toothpick to turn each one so it’s laying on its side. Bake for another 5-8 minutes, until browned to your liking, and turn the dates to the other side and repeat. Remove from the oven, place on a paper towel lined plate, and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Take these to the next level by putting a little honey bourbon glaze on top. Just mix about 1/4 cup of honey with 1 tablespoon of bourbon and brush the mixture on the dates when they come right out of the oven. 

For crispier, browned bacon, set the oven temperature at 375. For crispier bacon, bake longer. Usually my bacon pieces wrap around the dates 1.5 times. If it’s wrapping more than twice around the date, trim your bacon slices so they’re a little shorter. If that bacon layer is too thick, it won’t cook. Keep leftovers in the fridge.

From:  Pinchofyum.com

21 Velveeta Recipes - Fast and Affordable



What's for dinner?

Here are 21 quick and easy, budget-friendly Velveeta Cheese recipes.

Mac and Cheesy Cheese

Some ideas are ways to quickly “jazz” up a pre-packaged product for a homemade taste that’s great.

Velveeta Cheese is a staple in most homes and has been since the early 1900’s when it was first made. Its velvety smooth texture and ability to melt well make it a great addition to many recipes and its long shelf like means no waste due to spoilage.

Try some of these delicious Velveeta Cheese recipes and quickly see how adding in some Velveeta Cheese can create rich and creamy yumminess! Ah … the comforts of comfort food.

Velveeta Cheese Recipes – Appetizers:

1. Beefy Queso Dip (of course) – Brown and drain 1 lb of lean ground beef. Add 1 can of well drained Rotel Tomatoes, 1 can of cream soup (cream of mushroom, cheddar or chicken). Stir well on medium heat until blended. Finally add 1 box of Velveeta Cheese cubed. Stir until melted and creamy. Turn to the lowest heat and keep on stove and serve in small dip bowls. Or, after browning ground beef everything can be placed in a crock pot. Heat on high until melted and then lower heat to low or warm setting. Serve with your favorite Tortilla Chips or Frito Scoops.

2. Sausage Dip – Brown a pack of Italian sausage, drain. Add 1 can well drained Rotel tomatoes and 1/2 package Velveeta Cheese. A great twist with a different flavor. This is thicker and great served with Scoops or Fritos.

3. Chili Cheese Dip – Add cubed Velveeta Cheese to a can of Chili and microwave until melted and hot. Stirring occasionally. Serve with Tortilla Chips or Frito Scoops.

4. Fruit & Cheese Poppers – Simply cube it up and incorporate it on a cheese tray with other cheese selections and fruit. Or a fun idea is to cube the cheese and place a grape on top and stick it with a toothpick to hold in place. Guests can grab and pop in their mouth. No need for serving utensils.

Velveeta Cheese Recipes – Main Meals:

5. Velveeta Rotel Chicken Spaghetti – 

Here is the recipe: 

Ingredients

Rotisserie Chicken (de-boned & chopped) or you can you can use boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 can Rotel Tomatoes & Green Chilies (do not completely drain). Or, if you do NOT like things with a little “kick” you can substitute regular diced tomatoes.

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 Lb Box of Velveeta Cheese Cubed

⅓ cup of Milk

¾  Box of Spaghetti or Penne Pasta

¾ ~ Stick of Real Butter

1 Medium Red Bell Pepper Finely Chopped

1 Chopped Jalapeno (you can leave this out if you want a more mild dish, or substitute with red or green bell pepper).

1 Medium onion chopped

Instructions

Cook spaghetti or penne pasta according to directions on box.

Melt butter, sauté bell pepper, jalapeno pepper and onion

Add Velveeta Cheese and Rotel Tomatoes, soup and milk, to sautéed bell pepper, japaleno (optional) and onion mixture. Mix thoroughly over medium heat.

Add pasta and mix together.

Last, add the chopped chicken and give it one last mix. The cheese does not need to completely melt as it will do so in the oven.

Pour Rotel chicken spaghetti into casserole dish and bake at 350 for 30 minutes

Notes

To add extra kick to your Velveeta Rotel Chicken Spaghetti, you can also a small dash of Zatarain’s Liquid Crab Boil. Be careful as it does add kick. I hope you enjoy this Velveeta Rotel Chicken Spaghetti recipe. It’s great served with some cornbread and a green salad. This is one of those absolutely yummy comfort food dishes. Bon Appetit.

6. Mac and Cheesy Cheese – Jazz up a boxed mac and cheese by adding a bit of Velveeta Cheese for an instant taste of home made. Through in some Parmesan cheese or other cheese you have on hand for an even more “gourmet” taste. Place it in a casserole dish, top with a little more Velveeta is you like and then bake at 350 degrees for a few minutes until the cheese is melted, a bit browned and bubbly.

7. Beefy Salsa Mac – Make a boxed mac and cheese as directed. Add some ground beef and add a cup or so of salsa or a drained can of Rotel Tomatoes.

8. Fiesta Scrambled Eggs – Mix 8 – 10 eggs with a large tablespoon of sour cream (instead of milk). Add 1 can well drained Rotel Tomatoes and approximately 1 to 1-1/2 cups Velveeta Cheese cubes. Vary amount based on number of eggs. I use 2 eggs per person. Cook scrambled eggs as usual and stir occasionally until cheese is melted. A delicious twist on scrambled eggs.

9. Cheesy Broccoli Potato – Add Velveeta Cheese and some steamed broccoli to a baked potato for a quick meal.

10. Cheesy Potato – Same as above but without the broccoli.

11. Grilled Cheese – Just butter up some bread and place a slice of Velveeta Cheese (from the boxed variety not the sliced singles) in between and grill it up.

12. Hot Dogs & Crescent Rolls – Take a pack of Crescent Rolls and roll them out and carefully break apart as indicated. Place 1 hotdog and a narrow slice of Velveeta Cheese in each and roll shut, pinching slightly to seal. Bake as directed on package.

13. Velveeta Cheese Fondue – Melt Velveeta Cheese in fondue pot. Can also added some fresh grated Parmesan cheese or other cheeses you may have on hand. Stir until melted. Season as desired. Serve with cubed up French Bread and slices of Granny Smith apples (tart goes great with the cheese).

14. Stuffed Peppers – Add Velveeta Cheese to your favorite stuffed pepper recipe. You can add a slice to the top or add a few cubes to the stuffing in each pepper.

15. Nachos – Top a plate of nacho chips with browned ground beef, salsa and top with Velveeta

Cheese. You can place in the oven for a quick melt or even microwave for 1-2 minutes to melt the cheese.

16. Stuffed Cheese Burger – Top a grilled burger with a bit or stuff the burger with a cube or two. If stuffing, be sure to seal the edges really well so it stays inside the burger and doesn’t ooze out. You can also add a slice to any sandwich for some cheesy goodness.

17. Broccoli Cheese Soup – Cook 2 packages broccoli florets with 2 15 oz. cans of chicken broth until tender. Puree with a hand blender and then add 8-12 oz. Cubed Velveeta Cheese. Stir until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. OR, you can simply use a broccoli soup starter mix and cook as directed and added the cubed Velveeta at the end and stir on low until melted. Super easy.

18. Potato Cheese Soup – Can prepare like Broccoli Cheese Soup (above), replacing the broccoli with the potato.

Velveeta Cheese Recipes – Sides:

19. Cheesy Cornbread Muffins – Add some cubed Velveeta Cheese and a finely diced Jalapeno

Pepper to a box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix and you will forever change the way you eat corn bread. These are great and can be served with any one of these meal ideas.

20. Broccoli Rice Casserole – Make a package of Uncle Ben’s or Lipton’s Broccoli Cheddar Rice as Directed. Add 2 cups steamed and chopped broccoli and 1 to 1-1/2 cups cubed Velveeta Cheese. Stir all together and place in a baking dish and heat at 350 degrees just till hot and bubbly approximately 20 minutes or so.  You can also add a sautéed onion if you’d like.

21. Broccoli with Cheese Sauce – Simply melt the Velveeta in the microwave and pour over or toss the prepared steamed broccoli.



Bacon Wrapped Scallops with Brown Sugar

 

Delicious, sweet, salty, and springy scallops.

They are hands-down on of my all time favorite foods.

Ingredients

• 4 strips bacon, *approximately - used 1/2 slice of bacon for each scallop.
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 lb scallops
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp pepper, fresh cracked
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp ginger

Instructions

1. Pat scallops dry with a paper towel. 
2. In a large pan, start to crisp bacon. Cook bacon until golden brown - but still soft and pliable. 
3. In a small bowl, mix salt, pepper, and garlic and then sprinkle generously over scallops. 
4. Wrap each scallop with 1/2 bacon strip and secure by pushing a toothpick through the bacon and scallop. 
5. In another small bowl, mix brown sugar and ginger. 
6. Sprinkle brown sugar and ginger mixture all over scallop, but reserve much of the sugar and ginger to sprinkle after the scallops flip once. 
7. Heat butter in large pan until foamy and melted. 
8. Add scallops to pan and cook on medium high heat. Flip after 5-6 minutes, sprinkle with more sugar and ginger, and continue repeating steps until scallops are cooked. 
9. Serve immediately. 

From:  Sweetcsdesigns.com
Step by step directions, plus more delicious recipes, from author Courtney O'Dell.

Thai Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce



I've always enjoyed Chicken Satay, but I've never made them myself.

So now's my chance.

Of course, there would have to be one ingredient that I'm unfamiliar with.  You can find tamarind paste in an Asian or Indian Market. Or, I was able to find a substitute recipe for the Tamarind paste.

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade
     Bamboo Skewers

    
     1 pound chicken
     1/2 cup coconut milk
     2 TBL curry Powder
     1 Teas salt
     1 Teas sugar
    
     Peanut Sauce
     3/4 cup coconut milk
     1 TBL red curry paste
     2 TBL fish sauce
     3 TBL peanut butter
     3 TBL sugar
     1 TBL tamarind paste  * 

    Chicken Marinade

     In Medium bowl, mix ingredients together, cut chicken into strips, add chicken to bowl, mix to 

     coat well and let marinade several hours.

     Peanut Sauce

     Add well stirred coconut milk to a pan, on a medium low heat.  As the milk warms, add the curry paste, mixing to
      break up.  When you see the red oil shimmering, add the rest of the ingredients.

    * Tamarind Paste Substitute

     1 TBL chopped dates
     1 TBL Chopped Prunes
     1 TBL Chopped Dried Apricots
     1 TBL Lemon Juice

Place all fruit into a small bowl and pour enough boiling water over them to cover completely.  Let stand 5 minutes, drain water.  Place drained fruit and the lemon juice into a food processor.  Blend to a thick paste.  Store in fridge.
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