Here is a recipe from my Grandma – my dad’s mom.  Most of my recipes from Grandma are simple, but super-flavorful – and this one is no exception!

Grandma’s Cheese Ball

1 jar Old English Cheese
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
4 ounces of bleu cheese crumbles
2 tablespoons onion, grated
1 large garlic clove, grated
1 cup chopped pecans
Parsley, for garnish

Combine the Old English cheese and the cream cheese, blending until completely combined.  Fold in the bleu cheese crumbles, the onion, and the garlic.  Place the mixture in plastic wrap, forming it roughly into a ball.  Chill for at least 1 hour, or until firm enough to handle.

Roll the cheese ball in the chopped pecans until completely coated.  Garnish with parsley.

Sometimes, making an appetizer doesn’t have to be as difficult or complicated as you think it does.  Try the delicious combination of a log of brie cheese drizzled with honey and topped with toasted walnuts.  It’s simple but incredibly elegant.  Most of all, the delicate blend of flavors is absolutely mouth-watering. . .

Brie with Walnuts and Honey

1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 round (or log!) of brie
1/3 cup honey (local is best!)
Water crackers

Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat.  Add the chopped walnuts.  Dry-toast the nuts for about 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly.  The nuts will turn lightly golden and become very fragrant when they are ready! Be careful not to burn them!

Place the brie on your cheese board or serving plate.  Drizzle with the honey.  Sprinkle the toasted walnuts on  top.  Serve with water crackers.

This is a really fun and easy appetizer that never fails to please a crowd!  The flaky crescent rolls provide a wonderfully flavorful nest for layers of zesty basil pesto.  You won’t believe how simple it is to make these beautiful little treats.

This is a recipe that you can go wild and crazy with . . . substitute your own flavorful fillings and let me know what you come up with!  Maybe some pimento cheese? Or some olive tapenade? Alfredo sauce perhaps? Sundried tomato pesto?  The possibilities are endless, so get creative!

Pesto Pinwheels

1 8-ounce package of refrigerated crescent roll dough
1/2 cup basil pesto
1 egg
1/4 cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and grease a baking sheet.

Open the package of crescent roll dough and unroll it into a rectangle.  Gently push together the perforations of the dough so that you have one continuous rectangle of dough.  Use a spatula to spread the pesto evenly over the rectangle.  Roll the dough back up in the same direction as it was rolled up in the package.

Use a serrated knife to slice the roll into 1/2″ pieces.  Lay the pieces flat on the prepared baking sheet, about 1″ apart.

In a small  bowl, beat the egg until frothy with a fork.  Brush the egg lightly on top of each pinwheel.  Sprinkle all of them with the grated parmigiano reggiano cheese.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until puffed up and lightly golden brown.  Remove from pan and serve immediately.

I’m not sure what it is about this appetizer, but for some reason, men seem to always love it!!!  It’s been a favorite of my husband’s for a long time.  There is something so unique about the mixture of the salty cured ham and the sweet chunks of melon.  It makes a wonderfully light and fresh addition to any menu!

Prosciutto-Wrapped Melon

12 ounces of cantaloupe, cut into bite-sized pieces
12 ounces of honeydew melon, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 lb. prosciutto ham, very thinly sliced
Toothpicks

Wrap each piece of melon with a slice of prociutto and secure with a toothpick.  Garnish with extra fruit, if desired.

This is a wonderful and (gasp!) healthy dip that features black-eyed peas and other delicious beans in a light dressing tossed with some fresh herbs.  I tasted something similar to this concoction at a party and decided to try to re-create it for myself!  The husband really liked this one . . .

Poor Man’s Caviar Dip

1 14-ounce can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15.5-ounce can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 14-ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups cooked corn or 1 15-ounce can white corn, drained
1 cup finely chopped sweet onion
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil

1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
3 shakes hot sauce

Combine all the beans, the corn, the onion, the garlic, and the herbs in a large bowl, and set aside.

In a seal-able container, combine the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, mustard, and hot sauce.  Seal and shake vigorously until completely combined.  Pour the dressing over the bean mixture.  Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight, before serving so that all the flavors can meld.  Serve with tortilla chips (or just a spoon).  Enjoy!!

It’s that time of year, dear readers: when visitors drop in unexpectedly; when we find ourselves invited to four holiday parties, all on the same day; when neighbors exchange tokens of gratitude; when season’s greetings call to be exemplified in the form of a small gift.  It’s that time of year when having a large batch of Party Snack Mix on hand will save you over and over again.

This wonderful mix is full of flavor, and fun to make.  It’s a great snack to have on hand when guests drop by.  A cheerfully decorated bag of this party treat makes a great hostess gift for all your holiday parties.  Plus, it’s a great token gift for neighbors and friends.

I try to come up with a handy-dandy treat every year to serve as this life-saver during the holidays.  Last year, I made Marvelous marbled Peppermint Bark for my neighbors and co-workers.  But this year, I’m all over the Party Snack Mix.  I  basically worked with the traditional Chex Party Mix but switched it up with my favorite additions (um, hello, you know I had to add Cheez-Its!!!) and my own custom spice blend.  I hope you enjoy this holiday treat!

Party Snack Mix

Inspired by the Original Chex Party Mix

2 cups Corn Chex cereal
2 cups Rice Chex cereal
2 cups Wheat Chex cereal
2 cups plain Cheerios
1 cup pecan halves
1 cup walnut halves
2 cups bite-sized pretzels
2 cups Cheez-Its
1 cup butter
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a very large container, combine the Chex cereals, the Cheerios, the pecans, the walnuts, the pretzels,and the Cheez-Its.

Next, melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the oil, the Worcestershire, celery salt, garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, paprika, pepper, and salt, stirring until everything is incorporated.

Pour the butter mixture over the cereal mixture, tossing lightly until all pieces are lightly coated.

For Microwave: Microwave the mixture (in batches if necessary) for 6-7 minutes, stopping every two minutes to stir the mixture. Spread evenly on paper towels until the mixture is completely cooled. Store in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.

For Oven: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.  Spread the mixture evenly on a large baking sheet.  Bake for 60 minutes, stirring the mixture every 15 minutes.  Spread evenly on paper towels until the mixture is completely cooled. Store in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.

Looking for an appetizer to bring to a holiday party? Tired of the same-old-same-old?  Try something zesty and bold . . . this spicy black bean dip is sure to keep your party warm on a cold winter night!

Spicy Black Bean Dip

1 15-ounce can black beans
3 cloves of garlic
2 teaspoons cumin
3-4 shakes of hot sauce (optional)
1 teaspoon fresh or canned jalapeno, finely diced
1 tablespoon grated onion
Salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream and cilantro for garnish

First, drain the black beans, reserving their liquid in a bowl.

In the bowl of your food processor, combine the beans, the garlic, the cumin, and the hot sauce. Blend until smooth. Adjust the texture to your liking by using the reserved bean liquid to thin the dip. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with sour cream and cilantro, and serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

I ended up with a large amount of arugula after I bought a big batch for a recipe I made recently.  Well, I’m not one to let perfectly good greens go to waste, so I decided to put my leftover arugula to good use.  I have seen so many different green used in various forms of pesto, that I decided to try substituting arugula in my regular basil pesto recipe.  It turned out to be delicious! I tossed it with pasta and parmesan cheese – such a zesty and brightly flavored dish!  Arugula has a bit of bite to it, so it really shined in this pesto.

Arugula Pesto

3 teaspoons salt
3.5 ounces arugula leaves, stems removed
3 large garlic cloves
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

First, fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside.

Next, bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil and add the salt. Add the arugula, stirring to submerge. As soon as the water returns to a boil, remove the pot from the heat. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the arugula to the ice bath so that the cooking process stops. Once it has cooled, remove the arugula to paper towels to dry. Squeeze any excess water from the leaves.

Add the arugula and the garlic cloves to the bowl of a food processor or blender. Process until the texture is fine. Then gradually stream in the olive oil and process until the mixture is smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Yield about 1/2 cup.

Toss with pasta or drizzle over boiled potatoes, just like basil pesto!

Then, I decided to use some of my leftover arugula pesto to make a beautiful green appetizer.  I had read online that some arugula pesto recipes use chick peas to make the pesto thick, and a bit less pungent.  Well, instead of using the chick peas in my pesto, I decided to turn my pesto into a beautifully green and vibrantly spicy hummus! This is a perfect appetizer for Halloween – glorious green goop!

Arugula Hummus

1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (aka chick peas)
1/2 cup arugula pesto
1 tablespoon tahini
Salt and pepper to taste

First, drain the garbanzo beans, reserving the liquid in a bowl.

In the bowl of the food processor, measure the arugula pesto, the tahini, and the chick peas. Process until smooth. Adjust the thickness/thinnest of the texture to your liking using the reserved bean liquid. Blend to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving, so that the flavors can meld. Serve with pita or chips.

I find that the pita chips that you can buy at the grocery store tend to be wayyyyyyyy to salty.  I much prefer to make my own pita toasties to serve with hummus and other dips.  Here is my favorite way to make them!!

Pita Toasties

4-6 pitas
1-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Cut each pita into 6 wedges.  Spread evenly on a baking sheet.  Brush or spray the pita wedges with the olive oil.  Then sprinkle with garlic salt.  Bake for about 8-10 minutes, until toasty and lightly golden brown.  Serve with hummus, roasted red pepper hummus, or arugula hummus.  Enjoy!

It’s that season again . . . the crisp hint of chill in the air, the tips of the leaves are just beginning to turn colors, you feel the need for that last-minute reach for an extra blanket at night.

Yep, it’s football season!!! And that means tailgating. Here is a delicious dip that we enjoyed at our own tailgate this past weekend. It was the Georgia Bulldogs’ first home game, and it was a great one! Enjoy the recipe and the season.

Taco Dip
from my Aunt Cathie

1 lb. ground beef
1 1.25-ounce package dry taco seasoning mix
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1 cup shredded cheddar jack cheese
1/4 cup sliced black olives
Cilantro or green onion, chopped (optional)
Tortilla chips (I like Frito Scoops for this)

Brown ground beef and drain all grease. Add the taco seasoning mix and set aside.

Beat cream cheese with sour cream. Spread mixture in a pan. Cover with the meat. Top with chopped green pepper, chopped tomatoes, shredded cheddar jack cheese and black olives. Garnish with cilantro or green onions. Serve with tortilla chips for dipping.

Tip: Add a layer of refried beans, black beans, and/or guacamole for a delicious seven-layer Mexican dip!

As soon as I heard that there was such thing as a “beer dip,” I knew I was interested. Two of my favorite things in life are undeniably beer and cheese. Most dishes that bring these two heavenly ingredients together make me an extremely happy camper. After perusing several recipes for this heavenly dish, I decided upon incorporating several of my favorite ingredients into one to-die-for dip.

Beer Dip

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
2 5-ounce jars of Old English Cheese (or 10 ounces Cheese Whiz)
1 1-ounce package dry ranch dressing mix
1/2 cup beer (go ahead, you can drink the rest)
1/2 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
Pretzels, crackers, or chips for dipping

In your microwave, heat the cream cheese and Old English Cheese for about 40 seconds on high. This will make it easier to blend them together, using a whisk, with the ranch dressing. Add the beer gradually as you whisk the mixture together, until you reach your desired consistency for the dip. You may not use it all. If so, feel free to drink the remaining beer.

Pour into the serving bowl. Sprinkle your toasted pecans evenly over the surface of the dip. Chill for 1 hour or up to 2 days. Serve with pretzels, crackers, or chips!