Pineapple Cream Cheese Spread

3/4 c. crushed pineapple (drained)
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese (softened)
1 tbsp. Miracle Whip
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. pineapple juice

Mix ingredients together & store in the refrigerator. Great as a spread for stuffed celery. 

Creamy Giardiniera Dip

From the kitchen of Joellen Fitzgerald

Ingredients

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about ½ cup)
½ cup sour cream
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup drained coarsely chopped oil-based giardiniera (plus more for serving and oil from the jar for drizzling)
Crackers like Triscuits or other favorites.

Directions

Process 8 oz. cream cheese, Parmesan, and sour cream in a food processor until combined and smooth; season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Add 1 cup drained coarsely chopped oil-based giardiniera and pulse until incorporated but dip is not completely smooth.

Transfer dip to a small bowl. Top with chopped giardiniera and drizzle with some oil from the jar.

Serve with Triscuits or other crackers.

Can be made one day ahead by making the dip without the toppings and refrigerate. Add toppings before serving.

Quiche Bites

Crust

• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
• 2 1/2 to 3 tablespoons ice water

Filling

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 minced shallot
• 1/2 cup grated zucchini
• 2 tablespoons minced roasted red peppers
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup grated Fontina cheese
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup half-and-half
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1. Dough:  Whisk together flour and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in the cold butter, leaving some dime-sized chunks intact. Sprinkle the mixture with ice water, a tablespoon at a time, while fluffing with a fork. When the dough comes together as a shaggy mass, gather it and turn it out onto a piece of parchment. Use the paper to fold the dough over on itself three or four times, until it comes together. Pat it into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Filling: In a small skillet over medium heat, combine oil and shallot; cook until the shallot is translucent. Add the zucchini and cook until soft. Remove from the heat, stir in the red pepper, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Let cool to room temperature before stirring in the cheese.
3. Whisk together the egg, half-and-half, salt, and Worcestershire sauce in a large measuring cup with a spout.
4. Assemble: Preheat the oven to 400°F.
5. Roll out the dough to 1/16″ thick and cut into 2 3/4″ circles; stack and reroll the scraps as needed. Cut a slit from the center to the edge of each circle of pastry and tuck the dough into the wells of a mini muffin pan. Press the seam together to seal.
6. Place a teaspoon of the vegetable mixture inside each of the pastry shells. Pour the egg mixture over the top until it’s just below the rim of the pastry.
7. Bake for 15 minutes, until the edges of the crust are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before taking out of the pan

Brie Sliders

From the Kitchen of Karen Johnson

Ingredients

1 pack Hawaiian Rolls 12 ct.
1 wheel Brie Cheese
1/2 cup Pesto
1/2 cup Sundried Tomatoes in oil
2 tbsp. Parmesan Cheese optional
1 tbsp. Fresh Parsley optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a large piece of aluminum foil with non-stick spray.

Remove the Hawaiian rolls from the packaging and place it in the center of the foil. With a small knife, cut a hole out of the top of each individual roll and remove the bread (similar to making a bread bowl). Do not slice the rolls in half or pull them apart. Use the excess bread for croutons or to dip in brie fondue.

Add 1 teaspoon or so of pesto to the center of each slider roll. You can also brush extra pesto over the tops of the roll as well.

Dice the brie into 12 pieces (with or without rind). Place one piece of brie into the hole of each roll.

Top each roll with a few sundried tomatoes along with a little bit of the oil.

Tightly wrap the foil around the hawaiian roll brie sliders and place it into the oven directly on the oven rack. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the brie cheese is melted and heated through.

Remove the brie sliders from the oven and let them rest 5-10 min. Use a serrated bread knife to easily slice and separate them. Place them onto a platter for serving. Sprinkle with parmesan and parsley if using.

Pepper Jam

Ingredients:

1 Green bell pepper
1 Red bell pepper
9 to 10 medium sized jalapeno peppers (can substitute hot Hungarian wax peppers)
6 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
3 ounce package of liquid pectin

Directions

1. Seed and finely chop peppers.  (For a spicier jam, keep about 1/2 of the jalapeno pepper seeds.)
2. Place all peppers in a heavy 3 quart pot.  Add cider vinegar and sugar.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Add pectin and bring to a rolling boil for one minute.
3. Take off heat.  You can using your favorite canning method.  Or put into freezer containers.  Let sit for 24 hours to thicken.  Then freeze until ready to use.  Makes about 7 to 8 cups of jam.

Cranberry Feta Tortilla Roll Ups

From the Kitchen of Ananda Leinartas

INGREDIENTS

• 1 5oz package dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 8 ounce cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 4 10 inch flour tortillas

DIRECTIONS

• In a small bowl combine cream cheese, feta, & green onion.  Stir in cranberries
• Divide the mixture evenly between the tortillas. Roll each tortilla up tightly. Wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least 1 to 2 hours.
• Slice each roll into 1 inch slices and serve.

(Using spinach tortillas at Christmas makes a nice festive treat!)

Tortilla Roll Ups

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 (1 ounce) package dry ranch dressing mix\
• ¹⁄₂ cup red bell pepper, minced
• ¹⁄₄ cup green onion, sliced
• ¹⁄₄ cup chopped olives
• ¹⁄₂ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 to 5 (10 inch) flour tortillas

DIRECTIONS

• In a mixing bowl or food processer beat softened cream cheese and ranch dressing mix until smooth.
• Spread about 1/2 cup of mixture on each tortilla.
• Sprinkle vegetables & cheese on each tortilla.
• Roll each tortilla and wrap in plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Slice into 1/2 inch pieces.

Cowboy Caviar

From the kitchen of Leela Leinartas

Ingredients

3 Roma tomatoes seeds removed, diced
2 ripe avocados diced
1/3 cup red onion diced
1 15 oz can black beans rinsed and drained
1 15 oz can black eyed peas rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups frozen sweet corn thawed
1 bell pepper diced
1 jalapeno pepper seeds removed, diced into very small pieces
⅓ cup Cilantro finely chopped

Dressing
1/3 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons lime juice fresh preferred
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Tortilla chips for serving.

Combine the vegetables in a medium sized bowl.  Mix the salad dressing ingredients together and combine thoroughly.  Add to the vegetables and mix well.  Serve immediately or cool in the refrigerator for an hour or so.

White Bean Basil Dip

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups cooked cannellini beans (or one 15 ounce can), rinsed
1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Put all the ingredients in food processor and process until smooth.

Can be served with chips or vegetables.  Can also be used as a sandwich spread.

Cheese Puff Soufflé

From the kitchen of Maureen Ossyra

My mother didn’t eat much but she really liked this recipe.  It is a bit involved to make. But it requires that you freeze it, so it is easy to make ahead.

Ingredients
2 ½ loaves white bread
1 pound butter
2 1 pound jars sharp cheddar cheese spread, softened
1 ½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. beau monde
1 tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 tsp. onion powder
dash cayenne
1 ½ tsp. dill weed

Directions
Beat butter until soft.  Add cheese, blend well.  Add spices.

Trim crusts off of slices of bread.   Make ‘sandwiches’ with 3 slices of bread and butter mixture.  Cut in fours & ice top and sides.  Wrap in foil or wax paper and freeze.

When ready to bake, thaw for 15 minutes.  Bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes.

Summer Salad Pizza

From the kitchen of Kathy Bossier

Ingredients
2 (8-oz.) cans Pillsbury® Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls
1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese
2/3 cups mayonnaise
1 tsp. minced onion
1 tsp. dill weed
Fresh vegetables like fresh chopped mushrooms; chopped tomatoes; broccoli florets; chopped green bell pepper; chopped green onions; chopped carrots, cucumbers.

Directions
HEAT oven to 375°F. Separate dough into 4 long rectangles. Place rectangles crosswise in ungreased 15x10x1-inch baking pan; press over bottom and 1 inch up sides to form crust. Seal perforations.

BAKE at 375°F. for 14 to 19 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 30 minutes or until completely cooled.

COMBINE cream cheese, mayonnaise and spices; blend until smooth. Spread evenly over cooled crust. Arrange fresh vegetables over crust.

CUT into small squares and serve. Store in refrigerator.

Sun-Dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Tartlets

Ingredients

1 prepared pie crust dough (enough for one 9-inch pie)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled goat cheese
1/4 cup chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
2 tablespoons prepared basil pesto sauce
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
Directions

Heat oven to 375°F. Divide dough into 20-24 pieces.  Press each piece on the bottom and up the sides in an ungreased mini muffin cup.

In small bowl, mix mayonnaise, goat cheese, tomatoes, onion flakes and pesto. Spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons mayonnaise mixture into each dough-lined cup. Sprinkle each with Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 375°F. for 10 to 16 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from muffin cups. Cool 5 minutes before serving.