Family Recipes

Dips and Appetizers

Brushetta with Portobellos
Traditional Chex Party Mix
Clam Dip
Cheese Puffs
Cream Cheese and Deviled Ham
Olive and Cheese Ball
Pepperoni Pinwheels
Salmon Spread
Stuffed Mushroom Caps

Brushetta with Portobellos

From Bertolli Olive Oil and Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb small portobello mushrooms, stems removed and thinly sliced
2 loaves French or Italian bread, diagonally cut into 3/4" slices
2 large clove garlic, peeled
1 20-oz jar tomato and basil pasta sauce
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
In 12" skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat and cook mushrooms, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile broil bread slices until golden, rub with garlic. Evenly spoon unheated pasta sauce over bread, tehn top with mushrooms and black pepper. Garnish, if desired, with sliced fresh basil.


Traditional Chex Party Mix

1/2 cup margarine or butter
1-1/4 teaspoons seasoned salt (garlic)
4-1/2 teaspoons worchestershire sauce
2-2/3 cups Corn Chex
2-2/3 cups Rice Chex
2-2/3 cups Wheat Chex
1 cup salted peanuts or mixed nuts
1 cup small pretzel stixs

Preheat 250 degree oven. Melt butter in large shallow roasting pan (15x10x2) in oven. Remove. Stir in seasoned salt and worchestershire sauce. Gradually add cereals, nuts, and pretzels, mixing until all pieces are coated. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on absorbent paper (or brown paper bag) to cool.


Clam Dip

1 garlic clove
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
Dash freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup drained canned minced clams (7-7 1/2 oz can)
1/2 cup clam broth

Mince garlic clove and place in bowl. Place the cream cheese in the bowl, cream it with a spoon until smooth, and gradually add the remaining ingredients, blending well.


Cheese Puffs


Recipe courtesy of John Greene

1 cup water
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs
3 cans of cheese (aerosol)

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Heat water and butter to a rolling boil in large saucepan. Stir in flour. Stir vigorously over low heat until mixture forms a ball (about a minute).
Remove from heat. Beat in eggs (all at once) until smooth and glossy. Drop dough by slightly rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake about 25 minutes until golden brown and dry. Remove puffs to wire rack; cool slowly away from draft.
After puffs are cooled, put in hole in each and squeeze in the cheese. Put puffs in the refrigerator for at least a hour. These can be made a couple of days ahead of time.


Cream Cheese and Deviled Ham

1 3-oz package cream cheese, softened
6 tablespoons deviled ham
5 tablespoons chopped carrots
5 tablespoons chopped green onions
5 tablespoons chopped parsley
salt and pepper

Blend all ingredients together. Serve on crackers.


Olive and Cheese Ball

1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
8-oz blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup margarine, softened
2/3 cup chopped olives (4-1/2 oz can), well drained
1 tablespoon minced chives
1/3 cup chopped walnuts or toasted diced almonds

Blend cheeses and butter. Stir in olives and chives. Chill slightly for easier shaping. Form into ball on serving dish. Chill thoroughly. Just before serving, sprinkle chopped nuts over ball.


Pepperoni Pinwheels

1 cup pepperoni, finely chopped
1 cup mozzarella or swiss cheese, shredded
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 - 8oz packages refrigerated crescent dinner rolls (plain, rye or italian)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In small bowl, blend pepperoni, cheese, egg, and oregano. Separate rolls into 8 rectangles. Press perforations to seal. Spread 1/4 cup pepperoni mixture on each rectangle. Starting at short side, roll up and seal. Cut into 4-5 pieces. Place outside down on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes. Serve warm.

Tips: make ahead, wrap and refrigerate up to 2 hours. Cut and bake as directed. To reheat: wrap in foil. heat at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.


Smoked Salmon Spread

1-15 oz. can salmon, drained and flaked
1-8 oz. package cream cheese
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon onions, grated
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Combine first six ingredients in a medium bowl; stir well. Transfer mixture to a serving bowl; cover and chill thoroughly. Sprinkle with parsley before serving


Stuffed Mushroom Caps


Recipe courtesy of Ellen Buchman

Medium to Large white button mushrooms
3-4 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
3-4 tablespoons grated romano or parmesan cheese
3-4 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Filling
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts
1 bunch finely chopped parsley
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or parmesan cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated swiss or jarlsberg cheese
1/2 cup tamari or soy sauce
dash of white wine
salt and pepper
sundried tomatoes (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Clean mushrooms and separate stalks from caps. Put mushroom caps in a large bowl and gently toss with the 3-4 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce. Set aside to marinade.
In a food processor, finely chop mushroom stalks and toasted walnuts. When it is a mixture of finely chopped brownness, place mixture in a large bowl. Add the remaining filling ingredients. Mix until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste. You can add sundried tomatoes for color.
Drain marinated mushroom caps and place on a baking sheet. Liberally stuff filling into each cap. Sprinkle with the 3-4 tablespoons grated romano or parmesan cheese. Bake for 40-50 minutes until brown and bubbly.
Place cooked mushrooms on a serving tray and sprinkle with 3-4 tablespoons parsley.


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