a little of each

A family's cookbook

Butter Mints December 27, 2012

Filed under: Appetizers — alittlemoreofeach @ 1:05 pm
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Ingredients

  • ½ (8 oz) package cream cheese
  • 2 Tbl butter
  • 1 (16 oz) package powdered sugar
  • ¼ tsp peppermint extract
  • ¼ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Melt cream cheese and butter in large saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Gradually stir in powdered sugar. Add peppermint and vanilla extracts, stirring until well-blended. Divide cream cheese mixture into 10 (1/4 cup) portions. Roll each into a 12-inch rope. Cut into ½” pieces. Let stand in the fridge or freezer, uncovered, 4 hours or until firm. (Food coloring can be added if you want to be fancy.)

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Sugar and Spice Pecans

Filed under: Appetizers — alittlemoreofeach @ 1:04 pm
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spiced pecans

Ingredients

  • 1 lb pecan halves or pieces
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbl water
  • 1 egg white

Instructions

Combine sugar, cinnamon and salt; set aside. Beat egg white and water together and toss in pecans. Coat well. Add sugar mixture and stir to cover pecans completely. Spread on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 300 for 35 – 40 minutes, stirring two times while baking. Cool well and store in an air tight container. (Walnuts also work well.)

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Pumpkin Dip

Filed under: Appetizers — alittlemoreofeach @ 1:03 pm
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Ingredients

  • ¾ cup (6 oz) low-fat cream cheese
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup canned pumpkin
  • 2 tsp maple syrup
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg
  • apple slices (Granny Smith worked well)

Instructions

Place first three ingredients in a medium bowl and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add syrup and spices and beat until smooth. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Serve with apple slices.

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Spicy Cranberry Sauce with Cream Cheese

Filed under: Appetizers — alittlemoreofeach @ 1:03 pm
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Ingredients

  • 1 (16 oz) can whole-berry cranberry sauce
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup minced onion
  • 2 Tbl prepared horseradish
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese

Instructions

Stir together the first five ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Remove from heat. Cover and chill for one hour or up to three days. When ready to serve, spoon sauce over cream cheese on a plate. Garnish with rosemary sprigs. Serve with assorted crackers.

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Raspberry Pepper Jelly Torte

Filed under: Appetizers — alittlemoreofeach @ 1:02 pm
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Ingredients

  • 1 lb butter, softened
  • 1 lb cream cheese, softened
  • 1 ½ pints raspberry pepper jelly

Instructions

Line a loaf pan or small square pan with plastic wrap, overlapping the sides. Cream butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Starting with the cream cheese mix, layer the cheese mix and jelly ending with the cream cheese mix. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours. Serve with Cuban bread slices or crackers.

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Goat Cheese and Honey

Filed under: Appetizers — alittlemoreofeach @ 1:01 pm
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Ingredients

  • 1 log of goat cheese
  • 3 Tbl olive oil
  • ¼ cup honey, or to taste
  • crostini or crackers

Instructions

Place the goat cheese on a serving plate and drizzle first with the olive oil and then with the honey. Garnish and serve at room temperature with crostini or a variety of crackers.

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Pepperoni and Asiago Pinwheels

Filed under: Appetizers — alittlemoreofeach @ 1:00 pm
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Ingredients

  • ½ cup grated Asiago cheese
  • ¾ tsp dried thyme
  • ¾ tsp dried oregano
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed (1/2 of 17.3 oz package)
  • 2 Tbl honey-Dijon mustard
  • 2 oz packaged sliced pepperoni (about 24 slices)
  • 1 large egg, beaten to blend

Instructions

Mix first four ingredients and set aside. Cut puff pastry crosswise in half to form two rectangles. Spread one Tbl mustard over one pastry rectangle leaving a 1-inch border along one edge. Place half of pepperoni in a single layer atop mustard. Top pepperoni with one-half of the cheese. Brush plain border with beaten egg. Starting at side opposite of plain border, roll up pastry, sealing at egg-coated edge. Transfer seam-side down to a baking sheet. Repeat process with other pastry rectangle. Chill both rolls until firm, at least 30 minutes, or wrap and chill for a day. (Rolls can be wrapped and frozen at this point. Defrost overnight in refrigerator before proceeding.) Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment and spray with cooking spray. Cut each pastry roll into about 30 ¼-inch thick rounds. Place on baking sheets and bake for about 30 minutes.

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Cindy’s Chili con Queso

Filed under: Appetizers — alittlemoreofeach @ 12:34 pm
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Ingredients

  • 2 lbs Velveeta cheese, cubed
  • 1 medium onion, chopped fine*
  • 2 (4 1/2 oz) cans chopped green chiles*
  • 3 tomatoes, diced*
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed*
  • 1 cup Picante sauce
  • 1 tsp garlic salt

Instructions

Combine all ingredients together in fondue pot or top of double boiler. Cook and stir until cheese melts and onion is tender. Serve hot with corn or flour Tostitos.

*To speed things up, sauté these ingredients first before adding to cheese.

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Chili Dip

Filed under: Appetizers — alittlemoreofeach @ 12:33 pm
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Ingredients

  • 1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese
  • 1 jar of Bush’s chili without the beans
  • 1 (8 oz) package sharp cheddar, shredded
  • Fresh cilantro

Instructions

Spread the cream cheese in the bottom of a glass or ceramic pie plate. Spoon the chile over the cream cheese and sprinkle the cheddar on top. Microwave the dish on High until it is bubbly, a few minutes.

Sprinkle the chopped cilantro on top and serve it with tortilla chips.

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Queso Fundido

Filed under: Appetizers — alittlemoreofeach @ 12:32 pm
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Ingredients

  • ½ lb muenster cheese
  • ¼ lb chorizo
  • 6 flour tortillas

Instructions

Slice cheese into thin strips. Peel chorizo and fry in skillet until it crumbles. Drain.

In a buttered flat casserole, arrange ½ of the cheese slices. Cover them with chorizo and the remaining cheese.

Place under the broiler about four inches from the heat, and broil until the cheese melts. Cut tortillas into quarters and heat according to package directions.

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