Baked Brie Bites

Recipe and pic from plainchicken.com

mini phyllo cups

brie, cubed

brown sugar

chopped pecans

honey

Preheat oven to 350.

Place a cube of brie in each phyllo tart.  Sprinkle each tart with approximately 1/2 tsp brown sugar.  Top with approximately 1/2 tsp chopped pecans and a dollop of honey.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, until brie is melted. (use more or less of each ingredient according to your preference)

Tortilla Chips

Corn Tortillas
Flour Tortillas
Veg Oil or Shortening
Sea Salt to taste


Cut tortillas to make chip size. Fry over stove in hot oil/shortening. Sprinkle sea salt over chips right as they get out of the hot oil. Serve with dips like salsa, guacamole, bean dip, cheese dip, etc.

For sweet chips, fry up the flour tortillas. Sprinkle/coat with cinnamon and sugar in large bowl right as they get out of hot oil. Store in bag. Can serve with vanilla ice cream, sprinkled with cinnamon and some honey to make "Semi-Fried Ice Cream".

Dulce De Leche (Brazillian Canned Caramel)

• Sweetened Condensed Milk, canned (use however many you like according to how much you need)


• Crock pot/slow cooker

Take labels off the cans. DO NOT OPEN CANS.

Put cans in slow cooker.

Fill the crock pot with water til a few inches higher than top of cans.

Cover and set on low heat; Cook for 8-10 hours.

When time is up, carefully take out cans from crock pot.

Let cool for about 40 minutes.

Open and enjoy!

I used cut green apples and banana chunks to serve with this caramel dip. You can also use some pretzels, graham crackers, or really anything you can dunk in to make a yummy treat. You can also put on top of ice cream sundaes or cakes. By the way, this was THE easiest thing I have ever made...so simple! :-)

Ploughman's Plate

This is usually what a ploughman, or a farmer, would take out to the field with him for lunch while working.

• Fruit, such as apples, grapes, strawberries, etc.
• Sharp white cheddar cheese (I used the less expensive medium yellow cheddar)
• Stilton cheese (optional)
• bread (I used french bread) cut into pieces
• Branston Pickled Relish (pickled & spiced fruits and veggies in a jar. May find at commissary, or specialty food stores)
• McVitie's Digestives (graham cracker type crackers)
• Pickled onion (optional)

Basically just slice up the cheese, apples and bread. Serve on a plate or platter along with other fruits, Digestives, pickled relish, and pickled onion.

Usually, people eat the cheese and pickled relish ontop of cracker or bread, along with fruit. Tastes nice all together.

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

• English (Seedless) Cucumbers, sliced thinly
• sandwich bread
• cream cheese
• sea salt
• white or black pepper

Take sliced cucumbers and put on top of paper towel, then put a paper towel on top of cucumbers to soak up the excess water.

Spread cream cheese onto both sides of bread. Place 4 or 5 slices of cucumber on one cream cheese bread piece.

Sprinkle salt and pepper on top of cucumbers. Place other bread slice on top, covering cucumbers.

Cut crusts off all sides of sandwich. Then cut crust-less sandwich in half.

May be placed in a container and refrigerated for one day.

Baked Pita Chips

2 or more packages of Pita Bread (try to get the ones without the pocket)

EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

Sea Salt

Dried herbs like Basil, parsley, garlic (optional)


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut pita/flat bread into chip size triangle pieces, like a pizza.
Pour some EVOO onto a foil lined baking sheet.
Put cut pita pieces onto baking sheet; spread and stir around in EVOO until both sides are evenly coated.
Place each pita triangle flat onto baking sheet, trying not to stack pieces.
Sprinkle desired amount of Sea Salt, herbs & garlic (dried) on top of pita.
Bake @ 400 deg F for about 10 min, or until golden brown. If you like a crispier chip, go a bit longer. If you desire a softer chip, bake for a bit less time.

Goes great with hummus of every flavor, homemade dips, and/or Tayana's Gorgonzola (or blue cheese) Dip recipe. We also like to serve these pitas (& dip) with fresh veggies & greek pitted green olives w/ garlic (I got mine at olive cart near deli at Safeway). I found the Kontos Nan flat bread and other types of Pita Bread in bakery area near hamburger buns in Safeway.

Pizza Rolls

Frozen dinner rolls
Pizza toppings (pepperoni, peppers, onions, etc)
Pizza Sauce
Cheese
Garlic Bread Sprinkle
Parmesan Cheese
Butter

Thaw dinner rolls and cut in half. Roll into squares. Put a dab of pizza sauce, toppings and cheese on the roll and fold up into a roll. Melt butter and spread on top. Sprinkle with garlic and Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 until browned on top.

Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips

Ingredients

• 2 kiwis, peeled and diced
• 2 Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored and diced
• 8 ounces raspberries
• 1 pound strawberries
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor
•  
• 10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
• butter flavored cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar

Directions

1. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Spray again with cooking spray.
4. Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.

**I only used half the sugar called for, and I think it would have been fine with less.  

Bruschetta

Recipe submitted by Erin Callahan

2 tomatoes, cubed
1 teaspoon dried basil
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
Balsamic vinegar
Crushed Red Pepper flakes (optional)

For hot bruschetta: In a pan, heat tomatoes, oil, garlic and spices until heated through and a little soupy (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat. Add a splash of Balsamic vinegar and crushed red pepper flakes to taste. Add Parmesan cheese. Serve over toasted french baguette slices.

For cold bruschetta: In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients. Cover and chill in the refrigerator 8 hours, or overnight, before serving. Serve over toasted french baguette slices.

BLT & Gorgonzola Stromboli

Recipe originally submitted by Jenae Montoya

Ingredients:

• Pillsbury Classic Pizza Dough, 2 tubes
• Oscar Meyer Turkey Bacon, cooked & crumbled (about 5 strips)
• Red Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, cut in half (1/2 container)
• Romain Lettuce, julienned
• Gorgonzola cheese
• EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
• Balsamic Vinegar
• butter
• salt & pepper to taste (I use coarse sea salt or coarse uniodized kosher salt)

Instructions:

1. Heat oven according to dough recipe on cannister. Take out dough, stretch and roll, making it all even. Place on non-stick or foil lined cookie pan.
2. Brush flat dough with EVOO on top (this will be the inside of the stromboli) .
3. Add 1/2 crumbled bacon & 1/2 the cut tomatoes on the 2 rolled out doughs. (Divide bacon & tomatoes evenly to go onto both rolled out doughs)
4. Sprinkle salt & pepper to taste on top.
5. Add some of the gorgonzola cheese, crumbled, on top of bacon & tomatoes.
6. Roll one side of dough (with filling) to the other side, pinching sides together. Should be 2 long tubes (looks like really long burritos!) Pinch and close ends of dough also.
7. Rub soft butter or brush melted butter on tops of filled dough. May add some salt on top if you like.
8. Bake in oven according to dough directions, or until golden brown and fully cooked on inside.
9. Cut strombolis (cooked filled dough) at an angle for fancy effect.
10. Julien cut (thinly cut) Romain lettuce and put on serving tray/dish. Place diagonally cut stromboli ontop lettuce.
11. Sprinkle some more crumbled Gorgonzola cheese on top of dish/food.
12. Lastly, right before serving, drizzle EVOO & Balsamic Vinegar on top of food. May also sprinkle some more salt & pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

PS: You can use whatever ingredients you want to fill the dough!

Strawberry Cheesecake Brownies

Recipe originally submitted by Jenae Montoya

Ingredients

• Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
• 1 (19.5 oz.) package Pillsbury® Classic Traditional Fudge Brownie
• 1/2 cup Crisco® Pure Vegetable Oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 large eggs, divided
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup Smucker's® Seedless Strawberry Jam

Instructions

1. HEAT oven to 350°F. Spray a 13x9-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray. Combine brownie mix, oil, water and 2 eggs in large bowl; stir 50 strokes with spoon. Stir in nuts, if desired. Spread into prepared pan. Bake 20 minutes.
2. HEAT cream cheese until fluffy in large bowl. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk. Mix in remaining 2 eggs, lemon juice and vanilla until smooth. Pour evenly over warm brownie.
3. STIR jam until smooth. Drop by teaspoonfuls over surface of filling. With a knife, swirl jam gently through filling to create marble effect. Bake additional 35 to 40 minutes or until top is lightly browned. Cool 1 hour. Loosely cover and chill in refrigerator for 2 hours or more. Cut into bars.
   

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Recipe originally submitted by Julie Thompson

Super easy and yummy!

1 ½ c. or 1 bottle chili sauce (the sweet kind found by the ketchup in the store)
½ c. cider vinegar
1/3 c. apricot preserves (room temp for easier mixing)
3 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp. minced garlic

Mix together in bowl then pour into large non-stick skillet. Then add:

1 cup diced green pepper
24 oz. frozen meatballs (beef or turkey)

Cook covered 20-25 minutes on medium heat, stirring half way through cooking time. For thicker sauce uncover during last 10 minutes.
Also can do in the crock pot, but won’t thicken in crock pot. Holds well if made on the stovetop, and then held in crock pot on low. Serve by themselves as an appetizer with tooth picks or as a meal with rice or vegetables.

Party Pita Wedges

Recipe originally submitted by Karalee Merrill

2 regular sized pita pockets (6 inch)
2 large cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
16 slices pepperoni
4 round slices provolone cheese
1/3 cup medium chunky salsa

In a heatproof cup or bowl heat olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper in microwave on high for 40 seconds. Remove and add butter. Stir and set aside.

Using kitchen scissors, cut pita pockets into 4 pizza slice shaped wedges (slice in half, then slice each half again to make the wedges). Cut again along curved outer edge to separate into 2. Brush both sides of the pita wedges with warm olive oil mixture, coating well.

Place wedges crust side down on a baking sheet. Spread 1 teaspoon of salsa to top each wedge. Cut provolone slices into 4 wedge shapes and place one on top of each. Top with a slice of pepperoni, if desired. Drizzle with any remaining olive oil and sprinkle lightly with coarse sea salt.

Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown and cheese is bubbly. Serve while still warm.

Makes 16 wedges