Slow Cooker Nacho Cheese Dip

I use a crock-pot to cook this in
For this recipe you will need:

• Large block of Velveeta Cheese (I believe it is 2 pounds)
• 1 can of Rotel (tomato and green chilies)
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 lb. of ground beef that's been browned and seasoned with some salt, pepper and garlic powder (optional)

Chop the velveeta into cubes, and place in crockpot, pour rotel and cream of mushroom soup over the cheese and add browned ground beef. Stir together.  Set the crockpot to low temp and cook stirring occasionally until it is melted. it will take about around 30 minutes to an hour or so. Pour into serving bowls and serve with tortilla chips.

I first tried this recipe at my mother-in-law's house when she hosted my baby shower way back in 1990. I've loved it since then! It's easy, delicious and it will feed a crowd. 

Enjoy!

Pigs in a Blanket

For this recipe you will need:

• Package of Cocktail Smokies (tiny sausage wieners)
• 2 packages Refrigerated Cresent Rolls

Preheat oven to 375 degrees or according to your cresent roll cooking directions...Unroll package of cresent rolls, and cut into pieces that will fit around the cocktail smokies. Wrap the cocktail smokies, place on a baking sheet and cook for about 8-10 minutes or according to the cresent roll cooking instructions. 
Enjoy!

Cocktail Meatballs

For this recipe you will need:

• Ground Beef (1 to 2 pounds depending on how many people you will be serving)
• 12 oz. bottle of Chilli Sauce (found in the condiment section of the grocery store, near the ketchup ect)
• 2 cups of Grape Jelly
• Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Dried Onions

 Put the ground beef in a large bowl, generously sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried onion. Mix together and then form the ground beef into 1 inch round balls. Place them in a skillet, cook on medium heat until they are well browned and no longer pink inside. Remove from skillet and drain on a plate. Now, in the same skillet, add the bottle of chilli sauce and grape jelly. Stir these together until  they are melted and are mixed well.  Put the meatballs back into the skillet and gently stir them in the sauce.  Simmer covered on low for a couple of hours, stirring occasionally....the longer they cook the better flavor they will have. Serve these warm with toothpicks nearby.
Enjoy!

Sour Cream and Chives Bite Sized Baked Chicken....Wonderful Party Appetizer

You will need:

• Boneless chicken breasts or strips ( I buy 1 and 1/2 pounds of boneless chicken breast to feed our family of 4, we eat this chicken served as a meal, and I serve 2 veggies and bread with it.) You can adjust the amount of chicken and other ingredients based on the size of people you are feeding. I'd say for appetizers this amount here would feed probably 6-8 people if you are serving other goodies to go with them.
• Bag of sour cream and chives potatoes chips and a gallon size zipoc bag for crushing the chips
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tablespoons Milk
• 1/2 stick of butter
• nonstick cooking spray

1. Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Rinse chicken breast and cut them into bite size pieces, (if you'd like to save yourself the trouble of doing this step, you can buy boneless breasts that have been sliced into chicken strips.
3. Mix the egg and milk in a bowl, and add chicken and stir
4. Open bag of chips and put them inside of a ziploc bag and crush them with your hands until they are in tiny pieces. This is your breading for your chicken.
5. Now add your chicken to the bag to coat the chiken well, then them on the prepared pan one by one.
6. Melt butter and drizzle over the top of the chicken
7. Cook in a 350 degree preheated oven for about 35 -45 min. until golden brown. The size that you cut your chicken into will determine the cooking time. Be sure the inside is no longer pink.

Enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce, honey mustard tastes great!
Tips: You can use whatever kind of chips you like, for a different variation on this recipe, I also love to use crushed cornflake crumbs sometimes too.

Easy Homemade Guacamole Dip

This is such an easy dip, and delicious served with tortilla chips. This is a wonderful appetizer when you are serving tacos or burritos.....

All you will need is 2 avocados (make sure that they are somewhat soft to the touch, when you are choosing these), a garlic glove, (chopped fine), a sprinkle of garlic power, and salt and pepper to taste.....

halve the avocados, and remove the seed.....

Scoop the flesh out of the shell into a small bowl and mash it well, with the back of a fork .....mix in other ingredients and salt and pepper to taste....

Serve with tortilla chips.... serve right away or chill in the fridge if you'd like it cold. This is best eaten fresh the same day that it is prepared....because.....I will tell you... that if this isn't eaten the same day as it is prepared.... the next day it will have turned a not so appetizing darker green on top. I have tried using lemon juice mixed in with the dip and this doesn't help....it always turns dark green the next day. This is best served fresh, the same day that it is prepared.....fix it just before serving.

2 Avocados yields enough dip for about 4 people as an appetizer. By the way you can add a dash of lemon or lime juice for added flavor if you'd like to. I sometimes do, if I have it on hand. This time I did not. Sometimes a cook has to improvise right? I didn't add any and we didn't taste the difference. Hope you will like this dip..... we really enjoy it.

Broccoli Salad~

 You will need: 

• 3 crowns of Broccoli, cut off of the stems and chopped, 
• 6 cherry tomatoes halved (optional) 
• 1/4 of a Red Onion, 
• 4 slices of cooked Bacon, (I use the Oscar Meyer fully cooked microwaveable, to save time), 
• 1/2 box of snack size raisins, 
• 1 cup of grated Medium Cheddar Cheese , 
• 1/4 cup of Sugar, 
• 1 cup of Mayonnaise,  
• 2 Tablespoons of White Vinegar

Mix it all up in a medium sized bowl and then transfer it......to a large serving bowl....

or individual bowls......this makes a colorful appetizer or side dish....

Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Ball~ Appetizer Recipe

You will need: 8 oz. softened cream cheese, 

• about a cup a grated medium cheddar cheese, 
• some green onion, I use one (put the amount you want according to your taste), 
• a dash of worcestershire sauce,  
• about 1/4 teas. of garlic powder or sprinkle to taste

Mix it all together in a bowl, use the back of your spoon to mash it together.... after it's mixed well......Then form a ball with your hands.....

and it will look like this when you are done....serve it with your favorite crackers.....(I like to use Townhouse crackers or Ritz crackers) and you have yourself a wonderful appetizer and party favorite.

Enjoy~