PINECONE CHEESE BALL 1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups blanched whole almonds Place almonds in a 9-inch square pan; bake at 300 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Cool and set aside. Combine cream cheese, and next 7 ingredients; cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Divide mixture in half; form each half into a pinecone shape, and place on a serving dish. Holding the narrow end of each almond, start at the narrow end of the cheese ball, pressing almonds into mixture at light angles and forming overlapping rows. Continue until each cheese ball is covered completely and resembles a pinecone. Garnish with pine springs. SMOKY SALMON SPREAD 1 can (14 ¾ oz) Salmon Drain salmon. Beat cream cheese with lemon juice, cream , and dill week until light and fluffy. Beat in salmon and green onions until thoroughly combined. Season with liwuid smoke to taste. Chill several hours. Serve as a spread on crackers or with French bread rounds or use as a sandwich spread. Makes about 3 ½ cups. CHILLI CHEESECAKE 1 cup crushed tortilla chips Preheat over to 325 degrees. Combine tortilla chips and butter. Press into the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan. Bake 15 minutes removed but leave oven on. In large bowl, blend the cream cheese and eggs. Add green chilies, cheeses. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 minutes. Do not overcook. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the inside edge and remove side from pan. Spread sour cream over the top and decorate with the tomatoes, green onions and olives. Serve with tortilla chips. FIESTA CHEESECAKE 1 ½ cups finely crushed yellow corn tortilla chips Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine crushed chips and melted butter. Press mixture into bottom of 9-inch spring form pan and bake for 15 minutes. Set aside and cool. Beat cream cheese at medium speed for 3 minutes or until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in Monterey Jack, chiles, and the rep pepper. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until firm in the center. Chill overnight. Transfer from pan to serving platter and top with sour cream. Combine all vegetables to create pico de gallo and sprinkle on top and around platter. Serve with tortilla chips. CREAM CHEESE STRAWBERRIES 8-oz cream cheese, softened Combine the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla and beat well. Spoon mix into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe into strawberries. Garnish with almond silvers and fresh mint leaves Grand Daddy's Favorite Combine 2 cans artichokes, quartered, with 1 pint mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip but real mayonnaise), and 1 pint of grated Parmesan cheese. Mix well, put in buttered casserole dish. Bake until firm, about 1 hour, at 350 degrees. CHILI CHEESE SPREAD Combine 1 -8oz package cream cheese, softened, with 1 envelope chili seasonings mix and 3 Tablespoons salsa. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixed until smooth. Stir in 1 cups chopped pecans and 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Divide mixture in half; shape into log or ball. Roll each in remaining 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese . Wrap in plastic, cover with aluminum foil. Freeze up to 3 months. SWEET SOUR MEAT BALLS CALLA LILLY SANDWICHES Combine almonds and food coloring and shake until all almonds are coated yellow. CHEX PARTY MIX Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Heat ½ cup butter in large shallow roasting pan until melted. Remove. Stir in 1 ¼ teaspoons seasoned salt and 4 ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce. Add 2 cups Corn Chex, 2 cups Rice Chex, 2 cups Bran Chex, 2 cups Wheat Chex, 1 cup salted mixed nuts and/or pretzel sticks. Mix until all pieces are coated. Heat in over 1 hour. Stir every 15minutes. Spread on absorbent paper to cool. SWEET AND SPICY PECANS Toss 2 cups pecan halves in 2 Tablespoons melted butter. Combine 1 Tablespoon sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon chili powder, ¼ teaspoon dried crushed red pepper, 1/8 teaspoon salt. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool. SEVEN LAYER SOUTHWESTERN DIP 3 cups shredded lettuce Line 12-inch platter with shredded lettuce. Stir together black beans, sweet pepper, green onions. Spoon atop lettuce leaving a lettuce border. Dollop sour cream atop the bean mixture; gently spread in a smooth layer atop beans, leaving a border. Sprinkle with lime zest. Drain excess liquid from salsa. Stir in avocado and spoon atop sour cream layer leaving a border. Sprinkle cheese atop. Top with t a layer of chopped olives and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve immediately or chill up to 3 hours. Homemade tortilla Chips: Cut 6-inch tortillas into wedges. Place in single layer on ungreased baking sheets. Bake in 350 degrees oven about 10-15 minutes until crisp. ARTICHOKES with KING CRAB DIP Prepare artichokes for stuffing. Clip ends of leaves and remove damaged leaves.Boil until tender. Remove choke leaves. Creamy King Crab Dip Drain canned crab and slice. Blend sour cream into softened cream cheese. Spoon crab dip into artichokes. CREAM PUFFS with FILLINGS 1 cup boiling water Bring water to boil and add butter. Bring to a boil; reduce heat; add flour all at once, stirring rapidly. Cook, stirring, until mixture thickens and leaves sides of pan, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Beat until mixture looks satiny and breaks off when the spoon is raised. Drop by teaspoonfuls about 1 inch apart onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees 30 minutes until done; cool. Deviled Cheese Filling Blue Cheese Filling JOHN’S ROASTED PECANS ½ cup butter Preheat oven to 250 degrees . Use a 14 x 10 x 2 inch nonstick pan. Melt butter in pan; then add all additional ingredients except the pecans. Stir and then heat ingredients in oven for 5 minutes and stir again. Stir in pecans, making sure all pecans are covered with sauce. Bake in oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Sprinkle with seasoned salt the last two stirrings. When all liquid is evaporated (about 1 hour), remove pecans from oven and spread on paper towels to cool. Add additional seasoned salt to taste. BABY GOUDA DIP ZESTY Cut a wide circle on top of a small Gouda cheese and scoop out the cheese leaving only a firm shell. CHILI CHEESE SPREAD 1-8 oz cream cheese, softened Combine cream cheese, chili seasoning and salsa. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Stir in pecans and 1 cup cheese. Divide mix in half; shape each into a cheese log or ball. Roll each in remaining cheese. Wrap in plastic; cover with aluminum foil and freeze up to 3 months. APPLE CHEESE BALL 8 oz white Cheddar cheese, shredded Process the first 4 ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Chill 30 minutes. Shape cheese mixture into a ball, indentation in the op to resemble an apple. Chill 30 minutes. |