Avocado Cucumber Tomato Appetizers

Avocado Cucumber Tomato Appetizers

1 avocado peeled and mashed
1 cucumber cut into thick slices
1 lime juiced
seasalt or kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper
grape tomatoes slices
garlic powder

Wash all vegetables and fruit. Juice lime. Peel avocado and remove skin. Mash avocado in a small bowl, add the juice of one lime, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, freshly grated black pepper and salt to taste. Smash with a fork leaving some chunks. Slice cucumber in thick slices and slice the grape tomatoes thick round to place on top.
Assembly:

Start with cucumber on the bottom, add a tablespoon of avocado mixture, top with sliced tomato.Pretty delicious, healthy and quick appetizers. Serve them on chilled romaine lettuce for presentation (if you don't eat them all before they hit the plate!)

Black Bean & Avocado Salsa

1 can or 2 c. frozen corn
1 can black beans (drained)
1 can sliced olives (drained)
1 pkg Italian Seasons dressing (make according to package directions)
3-4 Roma tomatoes
2-3 Avocados
Fresh cilantro

Mix everything together except for avocados and tomatoes and cilantro. Chill 2-3 hours. Add avocados and tomatoes and cilantro just before serving.

Stephanie's Cranberry Salsa

Cranberry Salsa Dip with Cream Cheese

Ingredients:

1 (12-ounce bag) or 3 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup minced green onions
2 small (approximately 2 tablespoons) jalapeno chili peppers, cored, seeded and minced
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves minced
2 tablespoons finely-grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese
Cranberries and/or cilantro sprigs for garnish

Preparation:

Rinse, drain, and pick over cranberries, (discarding all that are soft or bruised). Place them in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped but not mushy.
Place crushed cranberries in a bowl; mix together with onions, jalapeno peppers, sugar, cilantro leaves, ginger, and lemon juice. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours so flavors develop (salsa will be too sharp and tart to begin with).
On a serving plate, place cream cheese; cover with the dip. Garnish, if desired, and served with crackers.
Makes 1 1/2 cups.

Vegetable Pizza

2 Cans Refrigerated Crescent Roll Dough
2- 8 oz. Pkg Cream Cheese, Softened
1 Envelope Buttermilk Ranch Style Salad Dressing
1/2 C. Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. Milk
1/2 C. Each-- Finely chopped Broccoli, Cauliflower, Celery, Shredded Carrots, Radishes, Onion, or whatever veggies you like  (I might have used green peppers, broccoli, and cauliflower at M & M...can't remember).
1 C. Grated Cheddar or Mozzarella Cheese (I used Cheddar)
1 C. Chopped Tomatoes-(I add these on top of the cheese just before serving)

Unroll 2 cans of dough and arrange on large cookie sheet.  Press edges of dough together to form a solid layer.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minues.  Cool.

Combine:  Cream cheese, salad dressing mix, mayo, and milk.  Beat until smooth.   Spread creamed mixture on cooled crust.  Sprinkle vegetables evenly over cream cheese layer.  Top with grated cheese.  Chill until served.  Add tomatoes just before serving.  I use cherry  or grape tomatoes-quartered.

Marshmallow Popcorn

2 bags of extra butter microwave popcorn 

4 cups mini marshmallows

2 cups cinnamon bears - cut in thirds

Combine in a bowl large enough to mix.

Over medium heat, combine:

1 cup butter

1 1/3 cups white sugar

1/2 cup Karo syrup

Bring to a boil.  Boil for 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and add 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Pour over popcorn mixture and mix well.  Spread on a large tray or cookie sheet.

Mini Gingersnap

Ingredients:

2 ¼ cup shortening
3 cups sugar
¾ cup molasses (I use full flavor)
3 eggs
6 cups flour
1 ½ tsp salt
2 T soda
2 tsp ginger
3 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp cloves

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt shortening in a 3 - 4 quart saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and let cool. Add sugar, molasses, and egg. Beat well. Sift together flour, soda, and spices. Add to first mixture. Mix well; chill. Form into 1/2" balls and place on a greased cookie sheet 1" apart. If you would like a little sparkle to your cookie, roll in sugar OR top each cookie with a bit of raw sugar before baking. Flatten with the bottom of a glass and bake for 8 - 10 minutes (surface should just begin to show cracks). DO not over bake. These are not crispy cookies. They should be soft and chewy.

use with Gingersnap dip

Gingersnap Dip

Ingredients:

1-8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
½ tsp vanilla extract
1-8 oz carton frozen whipped topping, thawed

Method:

In a small mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice. Beat in whipped topping until blended. Refrigerate until serving.

serve with mini gingersnaps

Baked Cheesy Dip

Ingredients:

8 oz. sour cream
8 oz. cream cheese
16 oz. cheddar cheese, grated
4 oz. chopped green chilies
Green onion
1 c. chopped ham
1/2 pound chopped bacon
1 round bread loaf, hollowed out

Method:

Mix first seven ingredients together and put into the hollowed out bread loaf. Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for one hour. Serve with leftover bread or chips.

Chicken Salad Pumpkin Bread sandwiches

You have to trust me - these are super yummy.
A sweet/savory mix of fall goodness!

2 cans of chicken meat
1/4 cup of sliced almonds
Mayonnaise
green onions, sliced
celery, finely sliced
salt and pepper to taste
pumpkin bread, sliced

Make chicken salad by draining chicken, and combining with mayonnaise, green onions, celery and salt and pepper. (use quantities to your taste - less onions if you like less onions, etc.) It should be a fairly fine mixture - not too chunky. Make sandwiches using the pumpkin bread.

Bacon Wraps

2 cans whole water chestnuts
1 package bacon
1 jar salsa
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap each water chestnut with 1/2 strip of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Set into a shallow baking dish. Put into the oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine salsa, mayonnaise and brown sugar. Bring just to a boil and remove from heat. Remove water chestnuts from oven and transfer to a new pan. (or drain excess bacon grease if you want to use the same pan). pour sauce mixture over water chestnuts and return to oven for approximately 20 minutes or until bacon is crispy.

Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

5 tablespoons sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
pinch of cayenne
1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil

Preheat oven to 250°. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In bowl combine 3 tablespoons of sugar, salt, cumin, cinnamon, ginger and cayenne. Heat peanut oil in a non-stick skillet over high heat. Add pumpkin seeds and 2 tablespoons sugar. Cook until sugar melts and pumpkin seeds begin to carmelize. (about 45 -60 seconds). Transfer to bowl of sugar and spices and toss to coat.

Spiced pumpkin seeds

1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
2 cups raw pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 275°. Combine butter, salt, garlic salt, worcestershire sauce and pumpkin seeds. Mix and place in baking dish. Bake for one hour, stirring occasionally.

Shrimp Cream Cheese Dip

2 packages of cream cheese
1 can of shrimp pieces (alternatively you can use crab meat)
garlic salt to taste
One sheep herders bread round, hallowed out

Combine all ingredients and put into hallowed out bread round.cover with foil and bake at 200° for two hours.

Sweet Meatballs

Sweet Meatballs

1 lg can diced tomatoes
1 cup brown sugar
1 medium onion diced
18-20 ginger snap cookies crushed
1/2 package prepared meatballs

Place in crockpot and cook on low for 4 hours. Serve over rice.

Chex Pumpkin Pie Crunch

1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups cinnamon chex cereal
2 cups wheat chex cereal
2 cups honey nut chex cereal
8 oz pecans

Mix brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice. Set aside. Melt butter and add vanilla. In a large bowl, combine cereals and pecans. Pour butter mixture over cereal and stir. Add sugar mixture and evenly coat everything. Microwave on high 5 minutes, stirring every minute. Spread on cookie sheet to dry.

Lime Fruit Dip

Ingredients:

* 2 eggs
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 4 tablespoons cornstarch
* 6 oz. frozen limeade concentrate, undiluted
* 2 -3 drops green food coloring 1
* cup heavy cream, whipped

Method:

Beat eggs and combine in top of double boiler with sugar, cornstarch and limeade. Cook until thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in food coloring. Let cool. Whip cream and fold into cooled limeade mixture. Serve with fresh fruit. Keep in refrigerator.

Strawberry Fruit Dip

Ingredients:

* 1 container (8 oz.) whipped topping
* 1 container (6 oz.) strawberry flavored yogurt
* 1/4 cup strawberries, crushed (opt.)

Method:

Mix together all ingredients and chill. Serve with fresh fruit. Note: Whipped cream can be used instead of the whipped topping. Also, try using different flavored yogurts instead of strawberry depending of the type of fruit you are serving it with.

Tropical Fruit Dip

Ingredients:

* 1 /2 cup sour cream
* 1 cup milk
* 1 package (3.4 oz.) instant vanilla pudding and pie filling mix
* 1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple, undrained
* 1/3 cup shredded coconut

Method:

Mix together sour cream, milk, and pudding mix. Stir in pineapple and coconut. Chill in refrigerator 45 minutes before serving. Serve with fresh fruit.

Spiced pumpkin seeds

1 1/2 tablespoons margarine, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cups raw whole pumpkin seeds

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
2. Combine the margarine, salt, garlic salt, Worcestershire sauce and pumpkin seeds. Mix thoroughly and place in shallow baking dish.
3. Bake for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Shirley's Salsa

1 can 26 oz crushed tomatoes
2 cans 15 oz diced tomatoes
1-2 jalepenos diced
3/4 onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
3 cloves garlic, minced
juice of one lime
salt and pepper to taste

put onion, cilantro, garlic and juice in processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add 2 cans of diced tomatoes andpulse for 2-3 seconds. add to a bowl with crushed tomatoes stir and season to taste with salt and pepper. don't refridgerate. :)