Appetizers & Dips - March 2010

So March is gone, but my mind is still there I guess. March’s theme for our recipe club is Appetizers & Dips.

I very rarely ever use an appetizer for its intended purpose before dinner, so it’s always fun for me to have reasons to hunt down new recipes and try them. I’ve learned that finger foods make the perfect buffets for large groups. It cuts down on the need for full serving set-ups (knife, fork, spoon, etc), seating (everyone can stand, wander or sit as they choose), and serving (you can just “set it out”). And, guests can graze as long and as often as they want. Win-win for me. When I find myself required to serve very large groups (150 or more) it’s sometimes the only viable way to do it—especially with a smaller serving crew. It takes less people to restock and tend a buffet than serve dinner to a crowd.

One of our family-favorite buffets is the potluck appetizer buffet. Everybody brings “stuff”, whether it’s something they’ve always wanted to try, a new recipe, or an old favorite. We put it all out on the counter and dig in. It’s so much fun! There are sweet, savory, ethnic, wow…it makes my mouth water just thinking about it. No one seems to care if we are heavy on one type or have a huge variety. It’s a party. New Years Eve is our big one, but we also do an appetizer buffet in the Spring and the Fall, and sometimes around Christmas.

If you do this with family or friends it might be a good idea to bring recipes printed up for a recipe exchange.

Here’s my favorite part; my kids would eat food in an appetizer that I couldn’t get them to eat anywhere else. It became a really great way to broaden their taste horizons without making it an ordeal. Our favorite Tex-Mex Dip (that’s 7-layer to you) has at least one ingredient in it that every single person in my family dislikes, and yet we all love it and eat it without picking or scraping off. Try them on some hummus, add jicama to your veggie tray. Be brave! (Or, if all else fails, tell them it’s special and rare and you hadn’t planned on serving them any. They’ll be dying to try it.)

Tex-Mex Dip
Dill Dip
Cranberry BBQ Meatballs
Melanie's Cheese Ball

Tex-Mex Dip

Tex-Mex Dip
(This is my favorite 7-layer dip recipe. I got it about 28 years ago and it’s still the winner for me. It makes a much thinner presentation than you are used to seeing, but you get lots of goodness in every bite!)

Layer on a platter in this order:

Beans - use a regular size can of refried beans and just keep spreading until it is a thin layer on the platter.
Guacamole - use a good store bought or make your own. It’s about a cup and a half.
1 cup sour cream mixed with 1 pkg (or 4 Tbsp) taco seasoning
1 bunch green onions, chopped fine
Tomato, chopped - about 3 medium
shredded cheese – 1 to 2 cups
2 small cans sliced black olives

Serve with tortilla chips. Keep refrigerated until serving.

*I usually set out a spatula as a server with this. The platter should be at least 12 inches in diam., but doesn’t need to be very tall. A 9x13 pan would be too small.

Dill Dip

Dill Dip

2 cups sour cream
2 cups mayo (I prefer Best Foods)
2 Tbsp dried parsley2 Tbsp dried onion flakes
2 tsp dried dill weed
1 tsp seasoned salt

Mix well. Refrigerate to blend seasonings. Serve with fresh vegetables.

*For some odd reason I always dye this a very light green. Go figure.

Cranberry BBQ Meatballs

Cranberry BBQ Meatballs

1 (16oz) can jellied cranberry sauce
1 Cup BBQ sauce
½ Cup dried chopped onion
Meatballs (Frozen or your favorite recipe)

Cook meatballs; as many as you want depending on how saucy you like them. Mix cranberry sauce, bbq sauce and onion in saucepan on the stove until hot and onion softens. Mix with hot meatballs and serve.

*This is good and easy, my two favorite things, and also tastes just a little different. A nice change.

Melanie's Cheese Ball

Melanie’s Cheese Ball
(A shout-out to my sister Marilyn’s family for bringing this into the recipe treasury)

2 (8oz each) pkgs cream cheese, softened
*1 (3oz) pkg corned beef lunch meat slices, diced
1 bunch (6?) green onions, diced fine
½ tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp mayo
Dash of garlic salt

Cream all ingredients together; roll in parsley or chopped nuts if desired. Chill. Serve with crackers.

*I’ve used pastrami and beef as substitutes in a bind, but it’s worth it to find the good stuff.

This is my favorite cheese ball!

By popular request...

I've asked LoriJean if she would post her cake recipes--which she has graciously consented to do. I got so many compliments on the cakes at our last "to-do" (and I completely agree) that I wanted her to put them up here for (my) convenience.

May I present...

Stake Conference Cakes

Stake Conference Cakes

One of the many Stake Conference blessings that Liz and I enoy is the opportunity to feed the Stake Choir and the Leadership between sessions. Liz has an amazing Hosting Committee with great recipes that we share with each other and various other friends that may ask. So...that being said, and with much gratitude to all who waxed enthusiastic over the dessert cakes, here are the recipes. You might start thinking "hey - they all sound alike!" Well, they are. And you can do this with any boxed cake mix.

Basic Box Cake Recipe

1 Boxed Cake mix
2 Small Boxes Instant Pudding (in a complimentary flavor)
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup sour cream

Beat until well mixed, pour into prepared bundt or cake pan, (I just spray oil. I never flour) bake at 350 or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Set to cool for 20 minutes exactly then you can remove from the pan with no trouble.

Lemon Poppyseed Cake

I used a Lemon Cake mix, 2 boxes lemon pudding, 2 tlbsp poppyseed. The glaze was 4 cups of powdered sugar and 3 - 4 tlbsp lemon juice.

Apple Spice Cake

I used a Spike Cake mix, 1 box butterscotch pudding, 1 box vanilla pudding, and an addititional tblsp of cinamon in the cake mix. I also cubed 2 tart apples, tossed them in about a tablespoon of flour and added them to the cake mix just before pouring it in the pan. The flour will keep the apple pieces from sinking in the mix. I didn't add nuts because its wise to avoid nuts when serving lots of people (allergy issues), but walnuts and pecan are particularly delish with this mix. The frosting was a typical buttercream with the addition of a tlbsp of cinnamon.

Chocolate Cake

I used a devil's food cake mix, and two chocolate pudding mixes. For the frosting I melted the butter in a buttercream frosting recipe until almost liquid, added 3 tlbsp of cocoa and then beat the frosting until it was light an fluffy.

I hope you enjoy!