Nifty
Nibbles for the Holiday Hostess
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Submit your
favorite recipes to: Reader Recipes;
P.O. Box 2340; Glen Allen, VA
23058-2340. Or send your recipe by e-mail to [email protected]. |
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Snowman Cheese Ball
From Nita Wise of Columbia, S.C.
Ingredients:
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3 pkgs. (8-oz. size) cream cheese, softened |
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4 cups shredded cheddar cheese (16 oz.) |
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2 T basil pesto |
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1 T grated onion |
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1⁄4 t yellow mustard |
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2 drops red pepper sauce |
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1 container (4-oz.) whipped cream cheese,
softened |
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Decorations (see suggestions) |
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Assorted crackers |
Directions: Mix cream cheese and cheddar cheese;
divide into 3 equal parts. Combine 2 parts to equal two-thirds of mixture;
mix in pesto. Mix onion, mustard and pepper sauce into remaining one-third
mixture.
Cover each cheese mixture and refrigerate about 4
hours or until firm enough to shape. Shape each cheese mixture into a
ball. Wrap each ball, label and freeze. May be frozen up to 1 month ahead.
About 12 hours before serving, remove balls from
freezer. Thaw in wrappers in refrigerator.
Arrange balls on serving plate with smaller ball on
top for head of snowman. Frost snowman with whipped cream cheese before
serving. Decorate as desired. Chill for 4 hours. Serve with crackers.
Store covered in refrigerator. Makes 7 cups spread.
Use your imagination to decorate your snowman. You
can use fresh rosemary and dried cranberries (crown), chopped olive pieces
or raisins (eyes and buttons), pimento or red bell pepper (mouth),
radicchio or carrot ribbon (scarf), and asparagus spears or celery sticks
(arms).
PIMENTO WHEELS
From Ann Miller of West Augusta
Ingredients:
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8 10-inch flour tortillas |
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16 oz. cream cheese (softened) |
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1 pkg. powdered ranch dressing mix |
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1 large jar of pimentos |
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1 can green chilies |
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1 can sliced black olives |
Directions: Mix cream cheese and ranch dressing until
smooth; spread evenly over flour tortillas.
Drain olives, chilies and pimentos on paper towels; sprinkle evenly
over all of the flour tortillas. Roll tortillas up and refrigerate for at
least 2 hours. Slice the ends of the tortillas and cut the rest into
1⁄2-inch slices and serve.
MEXICAN CHEESE BITES
From Velma McGregor of Gretna
Ingredients:
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1 1⁄2 cups Bisquick baking mix |
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1⁄4 cup dairy sour cream |
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1 egg |
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4-oz. can chopped green chilies (drained) |
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1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 oz.) |
Directions: Mix baking mix, sour cream, egg and
chilies. Stir in cheese, cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours. Preheat oven
to 400˚. Drop mixture (by rounded teaspoon) about 2 inches apart onto
a greased or oil-sprayed cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until
golden brown. Serve with taco sauce or salsa. Makes about 4 dozen.
THE BEST CHIPPED BEEF DIP
From Nan Finch of Brodnax
Ingredients:
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2 cups sour cream |
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1 cup mayonnaise |
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3 oz. chipped beef (finely chopped) |
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1⁄2 t garlic powder |
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1 t dried parsley |
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1 t dill seed |
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1 T onion (chopped very fine) |
Directions: Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Chill
about 3 hours. Serve with crackers or potato chips.
PERFECT PIGLETS
From Ila Smith of Martinsburg
Ingredients:
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1 lb. lean bulk sausage (uncooked) |
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3 cups Bisquick baking mix |
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10 oz. sharp cheddar cheese (grated) |
Directions: Mix all ingredients together by hand and
form into small balls. Bake at 375˚ for 15 minutes near the top of
the oven on an ungreased cookie sheet. Balls may be frozen if desired and
thawing is not necessary. Place on cookie sheet and warm for 10 minutes at
300˚; then continue baking for 10-15 minutes at 375˚.
HOLIDAY FRUIT DIP
From Dot Swartz of Harrisonburg
Ingredients:
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8-oz. carton low-fat vanilla yogurt |
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1⁄4 T ground nutmeg |
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1⁄2 cup cranberry-orange relish |
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1⁄4 T ground ginger |
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1⁄4 t cinnamon |
Directions: In a small bowl, combine yogurt with the
remaining ingredients. Mix until well blended. Cover and chill. Serve with
assorted fruits for dipping (apple slices, strawberries, orange sections,
etc.). If desired, garnish with a strawberry and mint sprigs. Yields 1
1⁄4 cups.
HERSHEY BAR BARS
From Rebecca Gfrerer of Barboursville
Ingredients:
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1 1⁄2 cups (3 sticks) butter, unsalted,
room temperature |
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1 1⁄4 cup white granulated sugar |
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2 eggs |
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3 t vanilla |
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3⁄4 t salt (less if using salted butter) |
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3 3⁄4 cups white all-purpose flour |
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3 Hershey bars (8-oz. size) |
Directions: Combine butter and sugar. Mix in eggs,
vanilla, salt and flour. Pat half of mixture in bottom of buttered
9x13-inch pan. Place bars on top. Put rest of dough over bars. If dough is
hard to work with because it�s too sticky, put in refrigerator for about
15 minutes or lay a sheet of wax paper over the dough and spread it
through the wax paper. Make ridges along the edges with a fork dipped in
water. Bake about 25 minutes at 350˚ or until edges are a little
brown. Cut while warm. When cool, you can sift confectioners sugar over
the top.
WHITE MARSHMALLOW CANDY
From Jean Shahan of Powhatan
Ingredients:
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2 lbs. white bark |
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1 cup crunchy peanut butter |
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2 cups dry-roasted peanuts |
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2 cups Rice Krispies |
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2 cups mini-marshmallows |
Directions: Add white bark and peanut butter to
double boiler; melt � stirring as needed. Remove from heat. Combine
peanuts and cereal in bowl; pour melted white bark and peanut butter over
mixture. Stir in marshmallows. Drop by teaspoonfuls on wax paper. Chill.
GOOEY BUTTER BARS
From Lin Kogle of Mineral
Ingredients:
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1 yellow cake mix (use dry) |
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1 stick butter or margarine |
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3 eggs |
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8 oz. cream cheese, softened |
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1 box 10x sugar |
Directions: Mix yellow cake mix, butter or margarine
and 1 egg together; press into bottom of 9x13-inch pan to make crust. Beat
cream cheese, 2 eggs and sugar together until smooth and pour over the
crust. Bake at 350˚ for 45 minutes. After it cools slightly, sprinkle
powdered sugar over top (optional). When completely cool, cut into squares
and serve. Makes about 48 bars. Refrigerate leftovers after one day; can
also be frozen.
LEMON WAFERS
From Lucy Blazson of Lignum
Ingredients:
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1 1⁄2 T butter |
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1⁄2 cup sugar |
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1 egg |
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1 t lemon extract |
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3⁄4 cup flour |
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1⁄8 t salt |
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1 t baking powder |
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3 T milk |
Directions: Cream butter; add sugar; beat in egg and
lemon extract. Sift flour with baking powder; add alternately with milk to
sugar mixture; beating well. Drop by teaspoon on a greased baking sheet.
Bake at 350˚ for 15 minutes. Makes 24 wafers.
BUTTERSCOTCH CRUNCH
From Nadine Pruitt of Tangier
Ingredients:
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1 small pkg. butterscotch chips |
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3 T peanut butter |
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3 cups cornflakes |
Directions: Melt chips and peanut butter in a double
boiler. Pour over cornflakes and stir until coated. Drop by teaspoon on
wax paper. Chill for 30 minutes.
BUTTERSCOTCH STICKY BUNS
From Nadine Pruitt of Tangier
Ingredients:
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1⁄2 cup pecans (chopped) |
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20-24 frozen dinner rolls |
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1 small pkg. butterscotch pudding (not instant) |
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6 T margarine |
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1⁄2 cup brown sugar |
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1 t cinnamon |
Directions: Lightly grease a tube pan. Sprinkle nuts
on bottom and then put rolls on top of nuts.
Sprinkle rolls with dry pudding mix. Melt margarine; add brown
sugar and cinnamon. Pour over rolls and let rise overnight. Bake at 350�
for 30 minutes. Invert pan on a platter.
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