Sandy's Salsa

1- 28 oz. can peeled plum tomatoes (or diced)

2 cans Rotel

2 bunches cilantro

2 jalapenos, seeded

5 cloves garlic

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. pepper

1 fresh squeezed lime juice

2 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. sugar

1 red onion

Put all in blender or food processor. Pulse 30 seconds.

Avacado Egg Rolls

1 large Avocado

1 TB. sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil

1 tsp. chopped fresh cilantro

1/8 tsp. salt

3 egg roll wraps

1 egg  

Dipping Sauce

1/4 tsp. white vinegar

1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup honey

1 pinch powdered saffron

1/2 cup chopped cashews

2/3 cup fresh cilantro

2 cloves garlic

1 TB sugar

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 cup olive oil

1. In a bowl, stir together vinegars, honey and saffron. Heat for one minute in the microwave.
2. Puree this mixture in a blender adding cashews, 2/3 cup cilantro, garlic, sugar, pepper and cumin. Pour into a bowl and add the oil. Stir and refrigerate.
3. In a bowl, stir together avocado, tomatoes, 1 tsp. cilantro and salt. Add 1/3 of the mixture onto the center of each egg roll wrapper.
4. Position the wrapper so the corner is pointing towards you. Fold the bottom corner up over the filling. Fold remaining corners up over the filling and brushing the corners with egg to secure in place. Roll up from the bottom folding the top corner over all. Seal with egg and repeat for remaining wrappers.
5. Fry egg rolls for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Serve with dipping sauce.

 

Garlic Artichoke Dip

2 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened

1 c. mayonnaise

1 c. (packed) shredded Parmesan cheese (try to get a wedge and grate it yourself; the pre-shredded stuff in a bag doesn’t melt well)

1 12-oz. jar MARINATED artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

6-7 cloves garlic, minced

• Preheat oven to 350. 
• In a large bowl, mix the softened cream cheese with the mayonnaise and shredded Parmesan cheese.
• Gently add in the chopped artichoke hearts and minced garlic. 
• Place the mixture into a 9″ pie plate (or divided evenly among smaller dishes) and bake for 25-30 minutes or until it’s lightly browned and bubbly on top. Serve hot with slices of bread and/or tortilla chips.

Chicken and Avacado Salad

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded into large pieces
2 medium avocados, diced
1 T + 1 T fresh squeezed lime juice
salt, to taste
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 T mayo

• Shred the chicken apart until you have 2 cups of chicken shredded into fairly large chunks.
• Dice the avocados into medium-sized pieces
• Mix with 1 T of the lime juice, and season avocado with salt to taste. 
• Finely chop the cilantro. 
• Mix mayo and 1 T lime juice to make the dressing.
• Put the chicken into a bowl large enough to hold all the salad ingredients. 
• Add the dressing and toss until all the chicken is coated. 
• Add the avocado and any lime juice in the bottom of the bowl and gently combine with the chicken. 
• Add the chopped cilantro and gently mix into the salad, just until it is barely combined.
• Serve right away or chill for a while before serving. 
• This could also be served inside pita bread or croissant, or inside crisp lettuce cups.

Cilantro Jalapeno Dip

6 to 8 jalapenos
1 bushel cilantro (meaning a huge handful)
1 packet of dry Ranch dressing mix
1 cup Sour Cream
1 cup Mayonnaise

Puree the jalapenos and cilantro in a food processor until it looks like a paste

Be sure to scoop out the seeds of the jalapenos if you want a mild dip

Mix together the cilantro and jalapeno puree mixture with 1 cup of mayonnaise and 1 cup of sour cream mix

Chill for about an hour and serve

Guacamole Bruchetta

½ loaf French bread
1 clove garlic
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 tomatoes, medium chopped
2 avocados, medium chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
¼ cup chopped cilantro
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

• Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
• Slice the French bread on the diagonal into ½" rounds and place on a baking sheet.
• Toast the sliced bread in the oven for 3 minutes, then flip each piece over and toast an additional 3 minutes.
• Remove the toasted bread from the oven and immediately rub with the clove of garlic (it works best to first cut a small tip off the garlic clove so that the oils will seep out).
• Brush the tops of the garlic-rubbed toasts with olive oil and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the chopped tomatoes, avocado, onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper. Mix together gently making sure the avocado is well coated in the lime juice.
• Spoon a portion of the mixture onto each of the garlic toasts and serve.

Ham & Cheese Sliders

12 freshly baked rolls or store bought soft dinner rolls
12 slices fresh swiss cheese
1 lb thin sliced deli ham, smoked or honey baked
mayonnaise
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 TBSP onion flakes
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp ground mustard

•  Slice rolls in half. 
• Spread a little mayo on one side of the bun. 
•  Place a few slices of ham and top with cheese on the bottom of the bun. Cover with the top half of the bun. 
• Place tightly into a 9x13 baking dish. 
• In a small bowl, combine butter, onion flakes, poppy seeds, Worcestershire sauce and ground mustard. Pour over sandwiches. (I double this)
• Cover with plastic wrap and marinade in the fridge for 4-8 hours. 
• Preheat oven to 350º and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve hot.

Chicken Roll Ups

1 pkg cream cheese
2 tubes of crescent rolls (8 count)
2 chicken breasts, shredded
1.5 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 c shredded Monterrey jack cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch mix
butter, melted
bread crumbs

• Boil chicken and shred
• Combine cream cheese, chicken, cheeses, salt, pepper, and half a pkg Hidden Valley Ranch mix
• Spoon mixture onto crescents, roll them up and seal
• Brush tops of rolls with butter and top with bread crumbs
• Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees
• *To reheat, set oven to 325 degrees and bake for 15 minutes

Calzones

2 loafs frozen bread dough, thawed
1/2 lb sliced salami
1/2 lb sliced ham
2 c mozzarella cheese
marinara sauce
1 Tbsp butter, melted
garlic salt to taste

• Roll out each loaf of dough into an 8" x 12" rectangle.
• Layer salami and ham down the center lengthwise.
• Top meats with cheese.
• Fold short ends of each loaf in about 1/2" and seal. Roll from the long sides and pinch well to seal entire loaf.
• Place on a baking tray sprinkled with cornmeal.
• Brush melted butter on top of loaf and sprinkle with garlic salt.
• Bake in the over at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.
• Cut each loaf into 8 slices and serve with marinara sauce.

Warm Bacon Cheese Spread

1 round loaf sour dough bread
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese softened
1 1/2 c. sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
3/4 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 c. chopped green onion
Crackers

• Cut off top and hollow out the bread, leaving a 1 inch shell.  Cut the removed bread and top into cubes. 

• In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese.  Add sour cream, cheddar cheese, and Worcestershire sauce until combined; stir in bacon and onions. Spoon into bread shell.

• Wrap in heavy duty aluminum foil.  Bake at 325 for 1 hour or until heated through.  Serve with crackers and reserved bread cubes.

Cranberry Blue Cheese Spread

1/2 c dried cranberries
1 c boiling water
1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
6 oz blue cheese, coarsley crumbled
2 green onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 c coarsley chopped pecans
Assorted crackers

• Place dried berries in a small bowl.
• Pour boiling water over berries.
• Let stand 1 minute; drain & set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese & blue cheese on medium speed until nearly smooth.
• Stir in drained berries, green onions, and garlic just until combined.
• Transfer spread to a serving bowl.
• Cover & refrigerate up to 4 hours before serving.
• Sprinkle with pecans before serving.

Mushroom Logs

2 (8 oz) cans crescent dinner rolls
1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 (4 oz) can mushroom stems and pieces, drained & chopped
1 tsp seasoned salt
1 egg beaten
1-2 Tbsp poppy seeds

• Separate crescent dough into 8 rectangles; press perforations to seal.
• Combine cream cheese, mushrooms and salt, mixing well.
• Spread mushroom mixture over each rectangle.
• roll up each rectangle, jellyroll fashion; pinch seams to seal.
• Slice into 1 inch pieces.
• Place seam side down on ungreased baking sheet.
• Brush each log with beaten egg, and sprinkle with poppy seeds.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Warm Bacon Cheese Spread

1 round loaf (1 lb) sourdough bread
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1.5 c (12 oz) sour cream
2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1.5 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 c chopped green onions
Assorted crackers

• Cut the top fourth off the loaf of bread; carefully hollow out bottom, leaving 1 inch shell.
• In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese.
• Add the sour cream, cheddar cheese, and Worcestershire sauce until combined.
• Stir in bacon and onions.
• Spoon into bread shell.
• Wrap in a piece of heavy duty foil.
• Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.
• Serve with crackers.

Spinach Dip

8 oz fresh baby spinach (or frozen), chopped
8 oz cream cheese (chives flavor)
1/2 cup mayo
2-4 tbsp chopped green onions
8 oz Parmesan cheese, shredded
Garlic salt & pepper to taste

• Mix all ingredients EXCEPT half of the Parmesan cheese.
• Spread mixture into dish & sprinkle Parmesan on top.
• Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes.
  

Crack Dip

1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 can rotel
1/2 lb Italian sausage, browned

• After cooking sausage, mix everything together.
  
• Can be served cold or hot.
  
• Serves 4.
• *Don't judge the name!
  

Turkey Wraps

Tomato Basil wraps
Creaming Parmesan Dressing (See recipe)
Shaved turkey
Provolone Cheese
Mashed avocados seasoned with lemon pepper

• Spread Parmesan dressing on wraps (don't go to edges)
• Layer turkey, Provolone & avocados
• Roll wraps up tightly
• Refrigerate so they stay firm
  

Stuffed Mushrooms

24 large fresh mushrooms
8 oz spreadable chive & onion cream cheese
4 oz blue cheese
4 green onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 c bacon bits

• Mix all ingredients & stuff into mushrooms
• Bake at 375 for 18-22 minutes
  

Pepperoni Pesto Popovers

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp corn meal
1 can (8oz) Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations refrigerated seamless dough sheet
1/8 tsp garlic salt
1/4 c basil pesto
1 pkg pepperoni
1/2 c shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese

• Heat oven to 375.
• Get a muffin pan & brush olive oil on bottom & side of each cup.
• Sprinkle 1/2 tsp corn meal over bottom & side of each cup.
• Unroll dough sheet on cutting board.
  
• Sprinkle with garlic salt.
• Spread with pesto.
• Top with pepperoni (3 rows of 6).
  
• Sprinkle with cheese.
• Using pizza cutter, cut dough in half lengthwise.
• Then cut each half crosswise into thirds (you should have 6 equal pieces).
• Starting at short end, roll up each piece.
• Place seam side down in each cup so center of dough piece is on bottom & ends of dough are facing up (filling will show).
• Bake 20-25 minutes until tops are golden brown.
  
• Using a knife, remove popovers & let cool 5 minutes.
  

Cheese Fondue

1/2 c milk
(2) 8 oz pkg cream cheese, cubed
1.5 c grated Parmesan cheese (I probably used the whole bag)
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 loaf of french bread, cubed

• In a large sauce pan, cook & melt the milk & cream cheese over low heat until melted.
• Stir in Parmesan & garlic salt until melted.
• Transfer to a fondue pot or mini slow cooker.
• Serve with bread cubes
  

Deviled Eggs

6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled & cut lengthwise
1/4 c light mayo
1/2 tsp dried ground mustard
1/2 tsp white vinegar
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Paprika for garnish

• Remove all egg yolks to a bowl & smash up.
• Add all ingredients EXCEPT paprika & mix well.
• Fill the empty egg white shells with the mixture & sprinkle lightly with paprika.
• Cover lightly with plastic wrap & refrigerate for up to 1 day before serving.