This delicious cheese spread was a big hit when we brought it to a St. Patrick’s Day party earlier this month. The sharp cheddar balanced by the mellow stout is a perfect mach with hearty rye toast. With flavors reminiscent of rarebit sauce on toast, this is a perfect appetizer for a casual dinner party!

Guinness-Cheddar Cheese Spread
Adapted from The Galley Gourmet

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup Guinness Stout
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
12 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
2 tablespoons finely chopped yellow onion
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
A pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
1 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, with extra for garnish
Bite-sized rye bread, buttered and toasted

In the bowl of a food processor (or in a bowl using an immersion blender, as we did) combine the butter, cream cheese, Guinness, mustard, and Worcestershire, blending until fully combined. Next, add cheddar cheese, the onion, black pepper, and cayenne. Puree until smooth and fully combined. Stir in the parsley. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but up to 3 days. Allow the mixture to return to room temperature before serving. Garnish with a sprig of fresh parsley and serve with freshly toasted rye bread.

Happy New Year, dear readers!! Best wishes for a wonderful 2011 to you all!!

My mom has been making this recipe since the 1970s when, she says, it was “all the rage.” We have tweaked the original to suit our family’s tastes. It is a delicious and festive appetizer that we often serve during the holidays. My whole family gets excited and hovers around the famous cheese ring. I believe that the combination of cheese, jam, and nuts on a cracker is a Southern thing – if you haven’t tried it, it will change your life!!

Cheddar Cheese Ring
based on Rosalynn Carter’s Cheddar Cheese Ring

1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated
1 cup pecans, chopped and toasted
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup mayonnaise
Strawberry jam
Crackers

Toss together the shredded cheese, pecans, onion, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the mayo gradually, using only enough so that the mixture comes together in a mold-able dough-like ball. Use your hands to shape the cheese mixture into a ring on your serving platter. The ring should be about 6″ from edge to edge. You can cover and refrigerate the ring at this stage for up to 48 hours.

Fill the center of the ring with the strawberry jam. Serve with crackers. For those who aren’t familiar with this setup, you smear some cheese on the cracker and then top with a dab of jam. Enjoy!!

I am sad to announce, dear readers, the passing of a much-loved blog that I and many others have enjoyed over the past several years. For unknown reasons, Katie has taken down her food blog, Good Things Catered. In celebration of and appreciation for her contribution to the food blogging community, to our kitchens, and to our imaginations, I am sharing one of my favorite Good Things Catered recipes with you all.

I hope you will enjoy this delicious dip. Katie amped up the flavor of this classic appetizer by roasting the artichokes before adding them in to the creamy, earthy goodness of spinach blended with a variety of cheeses. This is a great recipe to have on hand during the holidays, when guests are dropping by unexpectedly or when we are called on to bring a dish to a neighborhood party. You can even mix these ingredients together up to three days in advance and then warm the dip in the oven just before serving.

Roasted Artichoke and Spinach Dip
from the now deceased blog, Good Things Catered

2 14-ounce cans of premium artichoke hearts (frozen works, too)
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
16 ounces baby spinach leaves (frozen works, too)
1 medium onion, minced
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/4 cup mayonnaise
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature (I subbed goat cheese – divine!)
1 1/2 cups assorted cheeses, grated (I used paremsan, cheddar, mozzarella, and romano)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoons minced thyme leaves
A pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated (I used a combo of parm and cheddar)

Preheat your  oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil.

Toss drained artichokes with one tablespoon of the olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Spread the artichokes out over the baking sheet and roast, stirring occasionally. Until browned at the edges, about 25 minutes. Let the artichoke cool and chop coarsely.

Meanwhile heat one tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Sautée spinach until wilted. Drain thoroughly and remove from the pan.

Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and add the onion. Cook for until softened, about 5 -7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer the onion and garlic to a bowl with spinach.

Stir in the mayonnaise, cream cheese, grated cheeses, lemon juice, thyme, and cayenne and thoroughly combine. Gently fold in the artichokes and season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the mixture to a large baking dish and sprinkle the top with parmesan. (At this stage, you can cover and refrigerate the dip for up to three days if needed.)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Bake the prepared dip uncovered until hot throughout and top is golden brown, about 20-25 mins. Let cool at least 5 minutes before serving. Served with tortilla chips or sturdy crackers. Enjoy!

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.