A-1 Appetizers
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Directions: Caramelized Onion Focaccia
Ingredients: |
Directions:
Melt butter in skillet. Add onions and cook until tender. Season with salt and pepper. Add marsala and brown sugar and allow to simmer until thick and caramelized. Spread over focaccio or other crust. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 375 until onions are bubbly and cheese melts. This recipe can also be used as a main dish.
Cheese-Topped Mushrooms
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh mushroom
1 pound bulk pork sausage
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped cranberries (optional)
Fresh snipped parsley (optional)
Directions:
Rinse mushrooms and pat dry; remove stems. Chop stems. Combine stems, sausage, garlic and chopped parsley in a medium skillet; cook until sausage is browned, stirring often. Drain pan drippings. Stir in cheese, mixing well. Fill mushroom caps with sausage mixture. Place in a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Garnish with cranberries and snipped parsley, if desired. Recipe serves 8 as an appetizer.
Easy Pesto Pinwheels
Ingredients:
8-ounce can Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls
1/3 cup pesto
1/4 cup chopped roasted red bell peppers
Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Unroll dough into 2 long rectangles. Firmly press perforations to seal. Spread rectangles with pesto to within 1/4 inch of edges; sprinkle with bell peppers.
Starting at shortest side, roll up each rectangle; pinch edges to seal. Cut each roll into 8 slices. Place, cut side down, on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 13 to 17 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.
Recipe makes 16 appetizers.
Fruit Pizza
Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2-1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
8 ounces cream cheese
8 ounces whipped topping
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/8 teaspoon vanilla
Extras: Halved grapes, sliced bananas, blueberries, pineapple tidbits, orange sections and a red cherry
Mix butter, sugar, eggs, flour, salt, baking soda, sour cream and grated lemon rind into a dough, and divide mixture in half. Press each half into a 12-inch pizza pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Mix cream cheese, whipped topping, confectioners' sugar and vanilla and spread over the cooled dough. Place fruit on top, beginning at the outside edge, and put a cherry in the middle when finished. Each pizza serves 12. Tip: Blueberry pie filling can be used instead of fresh fruit.
Potato Bites
It's not often that a recipe this simple makes you look like a gourmet cook, but this one does!
Ingredients:
1 pound round red new potatoes
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
Suggested garnishes: Capers, roasted red pepper strips, fresh dill sprigs or caviar
Rinse potatoes. Take a small slice off each end of each potato; cut potatoes in half. In 2-quart saucepan, boil potatoes until fork tender, about 10 minutes. Remove potato halves and arrange, end side down, on a platter. Top each potato half with a small dollop of sour cream, and add your favorite garnish. Recipe yields about 14 Bites.
Praline Cheese Balls
Ingredients:
Three, 8-ounce packages cream cheese
Two, 5 - or 8-ounce containers sharp cold pack cheese spread
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
3 tablespoons praline-flavored liqueur or other nutty-flavored liqueur
1 6-ounce bag chopped pecans
Pecan halves for garnish
Directions:
Put cheeses in large bowl and let stand at room temperature approximately 30 minutes to soften. Add garlic salt, onion powder, curry powder and liqueur and mix until very well blended. Cover lightly and put in refrigerator to set, approximately 30 minutes. Spread chopped pecans on a large piece of waxed paper. Separate cheese into two 5- to 6-inch balls or 1 large ball. Place cheese mixture on nuts, roll gently to cover and shape. Put on serving dish. Garnish with pecan halves around edge. If desired, drizzle 1 tablespoon praline liqueur over top for additional flavor. Chill to set again. Serve at room temperature with choice of crackers.
