Hors D'ourves and appetizers?

Here are some of my tried and true, always asked for appetizer recipes...

Cream Cheese Cracker Spread:

5 green onions with tops, chopped

1 lg. can black olives, chopped well

1 cup finely grated sharp cheddar cheese

3-8oz. cream cheese, softened

Dash garlic powder

Dash onion powder

Salt

Pepper

Blend all ingredients together (I use a hand mixer). Serve in a pretty bowl with crackers.

Chicken Wings

We're all about easy! I buy the best sauce I can find for the flavor I want (terriaki, BBQ, etc.), then put the wings and the sauce in the crock pot until done (about 4-6 hours). If they're done sooner, I turn the crockpot to 'warm' and let them simmer. Yum!

This is the best and easiest dip recipe, and people always rave! I tell them it’s really hard to make (lol):

Cream Cheese Salsa Dip

2 large blocks of cream cheese

1 large jar Pace picante (medium)-use most of the jar

Soften cream cheese and mix with hand mixer until smooth. Add picante and mix with hand mixer. Leave in frig for a few hours to blend flavors. Serve with chips.

I know it seems too simple to be great, but it is!

Crab Dip is easy and very good.

1pkg Softened Cream Cheese

2 Tbsp Minced Onions

1/3 C. Bottled Chili Sauce

1 Can of Crab meat

Parsley Flakes to Garnish

Mix onion with cream cheese and spread on serving plate. Top with chili sauce. Sprinkle rinsed drained crabmeat on sauce & garnish with parsley flakes. Serve with Ritz crackers.

Takes about 5 minutes to put together .. and is always a hit!

This is also great!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

2 (5 ounce) cans chicken, drained

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup ranch dressing

3/4 cup red hot sauce

shredded cheddar cheese (you decide the amount)

--Beat cream cheese, ranch dressing, and red hot sauce. Fold in shredded chicken. Spread mixture into pie plate sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Add cheddar to top and bake an additional 10-15 minutes. *Serve with fritos or tortilla chips*

Nacho Dip

1 1/2 pounds ground beef, browned

1 can cream mushroom soup

1/4 cup butter

2 lb Velveeta, cubed

2 cups Pace Chunky Salsa, (medium is our favorite, mild or hot if you like)

3 Tbsp Chili Powder

Put all into crock pot. Cook on low 1-1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve with tortilla chips. Yummy!

I hope you find one or more you like...and impress the ladies!!

My personal favorite is Spinach Artichoke Dip. I serve it at all my parties and my girlfriends always want me to make it for their parties. It's a big hit! And I will gladly share my recipe with you!

Ingredients:

2 cups frozen spinach

2 packages cream cheese at room temperature

2 cans artichoke hearts, drained.

1 clove fresh garlic, minced

2 TBS Mayo

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Shredded Parmesan

Directions:

Thaw the spinach under running water (in a strainer). Dry the spinach by placing it in several paper towels and twisting until the water is all squeezed out.

Add the garlic and artichoke hearts into a food processor. Blend until hearts are broken down. Add in mayo, grated parmesan and cream cheese. Blend. Add in spinach and blend very briefly.

Pour your mixture into oven proof dishes. I recommend you purchase some really nice ones if you don't have any because you are going to be serving your dip in whatever dish you cook it in.

Have your oven preheated to 350. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Sprinkle shredded Parmesan on top of each dish and then place under the broiler for 5 minutes until cheese is gooey. Serve immediately! :)

Hint: I use three clear glass oven-proof bowls for this recipe. I place two in the fridge, cooking just the one at first, and cook them as needed. If you are pulling them from the fridge, increase the initial cooking time by ten minutes.

At my parties meatballs are always a favorite but in your case to make them a little more savory try using some vidalia onion sauce(in the produce section or on aisle with the salad dressing) and cheddar cheese. The pre-cooked meatballs work fine. cook the meatballs according to the package and in a sauce pan warm the onion sauce and melt the cheese in the sauce the shreds work better pour over the meatballs and let them simmer in the oven...

Something candy might be excellent. Try a chocolate fondue - Mix one million can Hershey's syrup with one million can Sweetened Condensed Milk,and a sprint of salt. Microwave on prime for three one million/two to four mins, and stir after two mins. Stir in one million one million/two teaspoon vanilla. Serve hot with pretzels, marshmallows, fruit, cubes of spongecake, graham crackers, and so on.

Try a Pecan Praline Ice Cream, they are so enticing.

Tons of geat recipes. http://appetizer.betterrecipes.com/

Desserts? Try this site. Can't go wrong. http://kraftfoods.com/

Here's just one sample.

http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/chips-ahoy-ic...

Korean Sesame Chicken Wings

1½ lbs. chicken wings, cut in half and tips removed

2 Tbsp. all purpose flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

3/4 tsp salt, optional

2 Tbsp. sugar

1½ tsp sesame seeds, toasted

1 clove garlic, minced

1 scallion, chopped

1 egg, beaten

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

½ cup peanut oil, for frying

Wash chicken wings and pat dry. Mix remaining ingredients, except oil in a bowl. Add chicken, turn to coat, cover and marinate wings in refrigerator 3 hours or overnight. Remove wings, pat dry and discard marinade. Deep fry about 4 minutes until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

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Seven Layer Fiesta Dip

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

1 Tbsp. taco seasoning mix

1 cup prepared guacamole

1 cup salsa

1 cup shredded lettuce

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

½ cup chopped green onions

1 (2-oz) can sliced black olives

Mix cream cheese and seasoning mix. Spread on bottom of 9 inch pie plate or quiche dish. Layer guacamole, salsa, lettuce, cheese, onions and olives over cream cheese mixture. Serve immediately with sturdy corn chips. Refrigerate any remaining dip.

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Bacon Rollups

1 can whole water chestnuts

1 pound bacon

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup chili sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

Cut each bacon strip into thirds, wrap chestnut and secure with toothpick. Mix mayonnaise, chili sauce and brown sugar and pour over bacon rollups. Bake at 350F for 45 minutes. Serves 6.

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Edna’s Armadillo Eggs

Mix together:

½ lb. Owens Hot Sausage

½ lb. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1½ cups Bisquick

And enough water to be able to pat these into little pancakes.

Seed a whole pickled jalapeno pepper and place a small piece of monterey jack cheese inside the pepper. Place stuffed jalapeno on top of a little pancake and close pancake to seal, forming into the shape of an egg.

Brush eggs with an egg wash (1 egg beat with 1 Tbsp. water). Bake in a slow oven (about 325ºF) for 25-30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Creamy Shrimp & Dill Puffs

1/3 cup whipped cream cheese

1/2 tsp Dill Weed, divided

1/4 tsp Ground Ginger

1 Tbsp. chopped green onions

1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls

3/4 cup chopped precooked shrimp

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix cream cheese, 1/4 teaspoon dill, and ginger in a small bowl. Stir in green onions. Set aside.

2. Unroll crescent dough; separate into 8 triangles. Cut each triangle in half to make 16 triangles. Stretch dough slightly and place crescent triangles into standard-size muffin pans so that the bottom of the muffin cup is covered and crescent corners are lying outside the cup.

3. Divide shrimp evenly into cups (about 1 heaping teaspoon per cup). Top each cup with 1/2 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture. Loosely fold dough corners into center; pinch corners together and twist to seal tightly. Lightly sprinkle tops with remaining 1/4 teaspoon dill. Bake, uncovered, 15-17 minutes or until crisp and golden-brown.

Make-Ahead Tip: We recommend baking the day of serving, but if you prefer to make ahead, cover well and freeze unbaked puffs up to 1 week. Bake as directed above (do not thaw before baking).

--McCormick Spices

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VEGGIE GARDEN SQUARES

2 (8 oz) cans crescent roll dough

2 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

½ cup mayo

1 (1 oz) package dry ranch dressing mix

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

¼ cup sliced black olives

½ cup each of: broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, green bell pepper, red or green onions, crumbled bacon (this is a very forgiving recipe, so use whatever veggie combination you like or have on-hand)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Roll out crescent dough onto a large baking sheet. Stretch and flatten to form a single rectangular shape on the baking sheet. Bake 10-13 minutes in preheated oven, or until golden brown. Allow to cool.

3. Combine cream cheese and mayo with the package of ranch dressing mix.

4. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the cooled crust. Arrange cheese, olives and veggies on top cheese mixture like a pizza. Chill for at least 30 minutes to firm. Cut into squares or bite size pieces to serve.

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Creamy Artichoke Dip:

2 cans artichokes

1cup sour cream

1cup shredded cheese (mozzarella)

1 Knorr Leak soup

1 cup mayonnaise

Drain and chop artichokes. In a bowl mix in artichokes, sour cream, cheese, Leak soup and mayonnaise. Mix very well. Pour in oven proof dish. Bake at 375 for about 30 to 40 minutes utill bubbly and golden

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Basil & Tomato Feta Bruschetta

1 loaf (1 lb.) French bread, cut into 36 slices

2 Tbsp. oil

1 lb. plum tomatoes, chopped (about 2-1/2 cups)

1 pkg. (4 oz.) ATHENOS Crumbled Feta Cheese with Basil & Tomato, finely chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped red onions

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1 Tbsp. chopped pitted ripe olives