Appetizers - Five-Spice Popcorn

Spices Rule. Popcorn Rules.
This Recipe RULES.

5-Spice Popcorn!

Ingredients

• 2.5 qt Popped Popcorn
• 1 cup Chow Mein Noodles *
• 1/2 cup Peanuts
• 1/3 cup Peanut Oil
• 1 teaspoon Five-Spice Powder
• 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Sesame or Regular Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (YEAAAAAAAHHHH)
• 1/8 teaspoon Sugar
  

Equipment

• Large Roasting Pan
• Mixing Bowl
  

Directions

1. Keep popcorn, noodles and peanuts warm in large roasting pan
2. Combine remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly
3. Slowly pour over popcorn mixture, tossing to blend
4. Heat in 300º oven for 5-10 min, stirring once
5. Allow to cool, Store in covered containers.

Serves whomever wants to be Gassy after the Movies

Appetizers- HOT Artichoke Dip!

Screw you, Applebee's-like Dining Franchise!
(photo ©Applebee's IP LLC)

HOT Artichoke Dip

Ingredients

• 1 can (14 oz) Artichoke Hearts - drained, chopped
• 1 cup Miracle Whip salad dressing
• 1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 Garlic Clove - minced
• Green Onions *
  
• Diced Tomato *
• 1 pkg (10 oz) Chopped Spinach- thawed, well-drained*
• Optional Sides: Sour Cream, Marinara
  

*Optional

Equipment

• Mixing Bowl
• 9-inch Pie Plate
  

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350º
2. Mix all ingredients; spoon into 9-inch pie plate
3. Bake 20-25 min. or until lightly browned.
4. Sprinkle with sliced green onions and chopped tomato, if desired. Serve with tortilla chips (YESS!!!!) or Crackers (eh, okay). Makes 2 cups.

w/ Spinach?

1. Stir 1 package BIRDS EYE Chopped Spinach, thawed, well-drained, into artichoke mixture. Bake as Directed.

I swear one day I will OWN as a $%*#in' Franchise Chef.

Appetizers - Cheese & Bacon hor d'oeuvres

[insert positive taste-related comment]

Cheese & Bacon hor d'oeuvres

Ingredients

• 1 pkg English Muffins
• 1 stick Margarine
• 1 jar Old English Cheese Spread
• 1.5 tsp Mayo
• 3/4 tbsp Onion - minced
  
• 1/4 tsp Seasoned Salt
• 8 slices Bacon - cooked + crumbled

Equipment

• Mixing Bowl
• Cookie Sheet
  

Directions

1. Split muffins in half.
2. Mix together rest of ingredients, spread on muffins.
3. Put on cookie sheet in freezer for 30 min.
4. Take out of freezer, cut into pieces (6), freeze again.
5. Bake at 375º for 15-20 min.

Serves 6 of the Salt-Happiest People You Know

Appetizers- Pizza Sticks

Not REALLY Sticky
NOTE: These end up looking more like pretzels than the crap above

Pizza Sticks

Ingredients

• 1 11 oz can Pillsbury Soft Breadsticks
• 24 thin Pepperoni Slices (1.5" Diameter)
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1/2 cup Pizza Sauce, heated
  

Equipment

• Ungreased Cooking Sheet
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
   
2. Separate and unroll breadsticks.
3. Place 3 pepperoni slices on single layer over one half of each breadstick. Fold remaining half of breadstick over top; seal end with a Twist!
4. Place breadsticks on ungreased cooking sheet.
5. Combine cheese, Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Sprinkle evenly over each breadstick.
6. Bake in oven for 15-20 min. or until golden brown (duh). Serve with Pizza Sauce.

Makes 8 rockin' Pizza Sticks

Appetizers - Spinach Cheese Balls with Pasta Sauce

WARNING: STOLE THIS ONE FROM A WEBSITE!

Spinach-Cheese Balls with Pasta Sauce
20 min
5 min
35 to 40 balls

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (9 oz.) box Green Giant® frozen spinach
• 1 large egg, slightly beaten
• 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons Crisco® Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 (15 oz.) container ricotta cheese
• 2 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
• Crisco® Pure Vegetable Oil, for deep frying
• 3/4 cup Progresso® Italian style bread crumbs
• 1 (25.5 oz.) jar Muir Glen® organic garden vegetable pasta sauce, heated

DIRECTIONS:
1.REMOVE frozen spinach from pouch; place in colander. Rinse with warm water until thawed; drain well. Squeeze spinach dry with paper towel.

2.MIX egg, both cheeses, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, sour cream, oil and ricotta cheese in large bowl until well blended. Add spinach to cheese mixture; mix well. Stir in flour, 1 cup at a time, until well blended.

3.FILL a 10-inch skillet half full with oil; heat over medium heat until candy/deep-fry thermometer reads 350°F (or use deep fryer, add oil to fill line and heat to 350°F).

4.PLACE bread crumbs in small bowl. Shape spinach-cheese mixture into 1-1/2 inch balls (about 40), using about 1-1/2 tablespoons for each; roll in bread crumbs and place on cookie sheet.

5.FRY 6 balls at a time for 4 to 6 minutes, turning as necessary, until golden brown. With slotted spoon, remove balls from skillet; place on paper towels to drain. Cool 2 minutes before serving; serve with warm pasta sauce for dipping.

Crisco

Appetizers- Cheese Balls

Heh..."Balls"

Cheese Balls

Ingredients

• 4 pkgs Cream Cheese (8 oz) - Softened
• 1 jar Cheddar Cheese Spread (8oz)
• 1/2 lb Crumbled Bleu Cheese
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 cup Nuts*
• 1 cup Parsley*

* Do not mix in Step 1

Equipment

• Mixin' Bowl
• Servin' Tray
  

Directions

1. Mix all Ingredients * <--Except Those Two
2. Refigerate overnite
3. Form into Balls (heheh)
4. Roll Balls (heheh) in Nuts (heheh) & Parsley
5. Reform into Balls (heheh)

heheheheheheehh...

Appetizers- Hot Crab Dip

I brake for Seafoood *Honk Honk*

Hot Crab Dip

Ingredients

• 1 pkg Cream Cheese (8 oz) - softened - w/ 1 tablespoon Milk
• 6.5 oz can Alaskan King Crab
• 2 tablespoon Onion - finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon Cream Style Horseradish
• 1/3 cup Almonds
  
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• Dash of Pepper

To Serve with:

• Sesame Crackers or Sesame Sticks on Side.

Equipment

• Mixing Bowl
• Casserole Dish
  

Directions

1. Mix together (minus Almonds), blend well.
2. Put in Casserole dish
3. Sprinkle 1/3 cup Sliced Almonds on top.
4. Bake at 375º.
5. Serve w/ Sesame Sticks or Sesame Crackers. Serve hot & keep hot.

Serves Everybody who digs Shellfish

Appetizers- Cheese Spread

This is a cheesy caption.

Cheese Spread

Ingredients

• 8 oz of Cream Cheese (1 package)
  
• 8 oz Cheddar Cheese Spread
• 1 stick Margarine or Butter
• 1 tablespoon Dried Onion

Equipment

• Mixing Bowl
• Electric Mixer

Directions

1. Mix with electric mixer
2. Refrigerate over night
3. Convince yourself you missed a step, go back look, realize you didn't, then Enjoy.

Serves You Only if you Don't Tell Anyone You Made It

Appetizers- OLD SCHOOL Chex Party Mix

This is OLD SCHOOL, meaning from the 90's, meaning Unhealthy too!!
I brought this in as the treat for my Bday party in 4th Grade...biiiiiiig letdown to those calorie hogs back then.

OLD SCHOOL Chex Party Mix!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Margarine or Butter - melted
• 4.5 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 1.25 teaspoons Seasoned Salt
• 8 cups favorite Chex - Corn, Rice, Wheat, etc. (Or Chex Mix?!? OVERKILL!)
  
• 1 cup Mixed Nuts or Peanuts
• 1 cup Pretzels

Equipment

• Mixing Bowl
• Large Microwave Safe Bowl
  
• Smaller Microwave Safe Bowl (for melting Butter)
• GLAD-LOCK Zipper Bag
• Sumpin' to Scrape Bowl with - Ex: Spoon
• Absorbent Paper
• Airtight Container
• Roasting Pan*

* for Conventional Oven Directions
Microwave Directions

1. Combine margarine, Worcestershire sauce and seasoned salt; mix well. Pour cereals, nuts and pretzels into large GLAD-LOCK Zipper Bag.
2. Pour margarine mixture over cereal mixture inside Zipper Bag. Seal top of bag securely. Shake bag until all pieces are evenly coated.
3. Pour contents of bag into large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH 5-6 minutes, stirring thoroughly every 2 Minutes. Whilst stirring, make sure to scrape sides and bottom of bowl. Spread on absorbent paper to cool. Store in airtight container.

Conventional Oven Directions - Crispier, Tastier IMHO

1. Preheat oven to 250º
2. Follow steps 1 and 2 above.
3. Pour contents of Bag into open roasting pan. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool and store as directed above.

Makes 10 Cups

Appetizers- Bleu Cheesecake

Oh man...this one sounds like it's made out of Moon

"Sacre Bleu" Cheesecake

Ingredients

• Butter
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/3 cup fine Bread Crumbs
• 3.5 packages (8 oz) of Cream Cheese - Room Temp *
• 4 large Eggs *
  
• 1/3 cup Heavy Cream *
• 1/2 lb Bacon
• 1 medium Onion - finely chopped
• 1/2 lb Bleu Cheese - crumbled
• Salt + Pepper
• 2 or 3 drops Tobasco/Frank's Red Hot sauce

* The Basic Mixture

Equipment

• 2 Medium Pans
• 1 "slightly Larger" Pan -- Depth of 2" or so
• Pot for Boiling Water
  
• Mixing Bowl
  
• Cooling Rack
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300º
2. Prepare basic Cheesecake Mix (*) and set aside
3. Butter inside of metal pan. Sprinkle with combined crumbs & Parmesan. Shake crumbs around bottom & sides until coated. Shake out excess crumbs.
4. Saute bacon until very crisp. Chop finely and set aside. Save Bacon Fat in pan.
   
5. Saute onion in 1 tbsp of bacon fat until wilted.
6. To basic mixture add bacon, onion, bleu cheese, salt/pepper to taste & Tobasco. Blend thoroughly.
7. Pour batter into prepared pan & shake gently to gel the mixture
8. Set pan into a slightly larger pan & pour boiling water into large pan the depth of 2". DO NOT LET EDGES OF PAN TOUCH.
   
9. Bake in preheated oven 1 hr. 40 min. At the end of that time, turn off oven & let sit inside 1 hr. longer.
10. Lift cake out of its water bath & place it on a rack. Cool at least 2 hours before unmoulding.
11. Eat & Whatnot.

Serves plenty

Appetizers- Ginger Meatballs

"Ginger Meatballs" sounds like a good name for a Pet

Ginger Meatballs

Ingredients

• 3 lbs Ground Chuck
• 3 cans Tomato Sauce - 15 oz
• 1.5 cans Water
• 20 Ginger Snaps - finely crushed
• 1.5 Lemons - juice of
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 med. Onion - diced
• 1 clove fresh Garlic
• Salt, Pepper & Oregano to taste
• 6 whole Cloves
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 3 slices Bread
• Milk
  

Equipment

• Large Pot
• Mixing Bowl
  

Directions

1. Bring all to a Boil in Large Pot EXCEPT: Meat, Ginger Snaps, Lemon Juice, Bread, Milk
2. Mix meat - 3 slices of bread which have been soaked in milk, add salt, pepper & oregano to taste. Roll into small meatballs.
3. Brown meatballs. Cook in sauce 1/2 hour. Add Ginger Snaps & Lemon Juice, cook 1/2 hour more. Special Tip: Freezing will improve the Taste.
4. Mix Sauce with Meatballs. Serve as hor devours.

Serves "Many New Year's Eve Party Attendees"

Appetizers- White Trash

Depending on your Style, you'll end up liking One over the Other

White Trash

Ingredients

• 6 cups Corn Chex or Rice Chex
• 1 can Peanuts
• 3/4 bag Pretzel Sticks - broken into smaller piece
• 2 lbs White Chocolate Discs
• 3 tbsp Oil
• Optional: Any other sweet/salty and crunchy delights you think would add to the recipe. EXAMPLES: Peanut M&Ms, Peanut Butter Cup Chunks, Crumbled Butterfinger, etc.
  

Equipment

• Large Pan (for melting)
• Mixing Bowl
  
• Wax Paper
• Cookie Sheet

Directions

1. Mix Chex, Nuts & Pretzel Sticks in Mixing Bowl.
2. Melt White Chocolate Discs with Oil in Pan.
   
3. Pour Melted Chocolate Mix over Chex, Nuts & Sticks. Mix.
4. Spread out over Wax Paper on Cookie Sheet to dry.
5. Break up cooled mixture and store in refrigerator for Future Snacking.

"Yee-Haw" that sounds Tasty!

Appetizers- Artichoke Dip

Kiss my grits T.G.I.Friday's-like chain restaurants!

Artichoke Dip

Ingredients

• 2 cans Artichokes in brine (Drained)
• 1 cup Mayonnaise
• 1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• Ritz Crackers OR Santitas Tortilla Chips
  

Equipment

• Medium Casserole Dish

Directions

1. Drain Artichokes and cut into pieces
2. Mix with above ingredients (mayo, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder)
3. Bake at 350º for 15 minutes until brown
4. Serve hot with Ritz Crackers* on the side

*Y'know...the original recipe calls for this, but I don't like Ritz Crackers. Honestly, I'd rather have NACHOS. so, yeah, it is recommended you have your daily dose of NACHOS when serving this recipe.

Appetizers- Clams Casino

*Droooooooooool..........*

Clams Casino

Ingredients

• .5 Green Pepper, chopped
• .5 Red Pepper, chopped
• .5 stalk Celery
  
• 4 slices Bacon - cooked & crumbled
• Parmesan Cheese
• 1 small Garlic Clove, chopped fine
• 2 cans Clams - drained (save Juice and add as needed)
• 1 stack Ritz Crackers, crumbled
  
• Dash of Lemon Juice
• Parsley
• Paprika'
• Optional - 8 Empty Clam 1/2 Shells
  

Equipment

• 1.5 qt Casserole Dish

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients - Save Parsley and Paprika - together in Casserole Dish.
2. Bake at 350º for 30 minutes.
3. Top with Parsley and Paprika, serve Warm - either from Casserole Dish OR from Clam 1/2 Shells, adding Parsley and Paprika to each individual serving.

Serves 8 - I assume - Booyah

Appetizers- Hot Spicy Pretzels

Hot Spicy Pretzels

Ack! I feel HOT just LOOKING at them!
(Not that I'm not Hot to begin with...muwahahaha.)

Ingredients

• 1 cup Vegetable Oil
• 2 teaspoons Cayenne Pepper
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Salt
• 1 pack Dip (1 oz of 3 tablespoons)
  
• 2 lbs Unsalted Pretzels

Equipment

• Baking Sheet
• Large Mixing Bowl
  

Directions

1. Mix ingredients together in a large bowl.
2. Spread out Spicy Pretzels evenly on baking sheet.
3. Bake pretzels at 250º for 90 minutes. Stir every 30 minutes to keep the coating from sticking to itself thus turning the pretzels to a clump.
4. Cool, Eat, Snack on, Munch and try not to eat it all in One Day.

Serves whoever is Hungry

Appetizers- Stromboli

This May or May Not be a professional photo of Mom/My Godmother's Stromboli...
you wouldn't know though, so HAH!

STROMBOLI
from the Kitchen of: Marinella Truelson


Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs. Genoa Salami (or other Meat)
• 2 lbs. Thinly-Sliced Swiss Cheese (or other Cheese)
• 5 lbs Frozen Bread Dough - Thawed 4-6 hours or overnite
• Egg
• Dried Parsley
• Marinara for dipping
  

Equipment

• Cookie Sheet
• Egg Brush

Directions

1. Cut each loaf in two. Roll into Rectangles.
2. Cover rectangles with thinly-sliced Swiss & Genoa Salami
3. Roll 'jelly-roll' style.
4. Place roll on cookie sheet SEAM SIDE DOWN with ends tucked in. Brush with Egg & Dried Parsley.
5. Bake at 350º for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top.
6. Cool completely. Slice. Serve with side of Marinara!
   

Makes 10 Servings!
(exciting)