Looking for a great appetizer recipe!?

These are delicious and unique. You could cook them at home, but they would still want to be heated up before serving - not sure if that's an issue. At least they are easy to transport (no liquids, doesn't matter if they fall over, etc.). I get rave responses when serving these.

Spanish Devils (freaking AMAZING - everyone loved these, even non-date eaters) Note: these use the pre-cooked Chorizo (for eating as opposed to for cooking as was explained to me at the Spanish store)

24 Medjool dates (approx 1 lb. package)

2 ounces dry chorizo, skinned and finely chopped (1/3 cup)

3 ounces Italian Fontina cheese, shredded ( 1/2 cup)

Preheat oven to 350°. Make a small slash in each date and remove the pits, keeping the dates intact. Mix cheese and chorizo together in a bow. Fill each date with chorizo and cheese, pinch them closed and set them on a baking sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes, until the cheese is melted. If they are large, cut each date in half crosswise, transfer the Spanish devils to a platter and serve warm. The stuffed dates can be refrigerated overnight. Bake them before serving.

Hot crackers are always a fun and easy appetizer to make for any party! The ingredients are: saltine crackers, dry ranch dressing, 1/4 cup of canola oil (per baggie), and crushed red peppers. Pour the canola oil into a regular plastic lunch baggie and mix in the contents of one package of dry ranch dressing. Mix these two ingredients well and then sprinkle as many crushed red peppers as desired. Mix those around a little bit, then add about 10 - 15 saltine crackers (per baggie) and shake very well. After shaking them around, let them sit for about ten minutes (you can begin to make another bag while you wait) then pull the crackers out of the bag. Pat the excess mixture and peppers off with a paper towel and then let them dry a little. My friends and I love making these for parties - no party is complete without them! Hope this helped!

Scallop puffs

Ingredients

1/2 lb fresh sea scallops

1/4 cup Hellmann's or Best Foods mayonnaise

1/4 cup freshly grated Gruyère

1/2 teaspoon Dijon

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

coarse salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 large egg white

8 slices best-quality white sandwich bread, toasted lightly, crusts removed and quartered

Method

Preheat the broiler

Poach the scallops in salted water in a saucepan, 5 minutes. Drain and cut scallops into 1/2 inch pieces.

In a bowl combine the mayonnaise, Gruyère, Dijon, lemon juice, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Add the scallops and toss to combine. Beat the egg white until it just holds stiff peaks; fold beaten egg whites into scallop mixture. Top each square of bread with a heaping teaspoon of the scallop mixture. Arrange 1/2 inch apart of baking sheets and broil 6 inches below brolier 1 to 2 minutes or until the topping is bubbling and lightly golden [do not allow the edges of the toasts to burn].

Makes 32 hors d'oeuvres

HOT SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE DIP

1 pkg, 8 oz, cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup ea: mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese

1 large clove garlic, minced

3/4 teaspoon dry basil

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1 can, 14 oz, artichoke hearts packed in rine, drained and coarsesly chopped

1 cup frozen spinach, thawed, well drained, or couple handfuls fresh spinach, chopped

1-1/2 cups mozzarealla chees, shredded

Blend cream cheese, mayo, Parmesan, garlic, basil and garlic salt. Add artichokes and spinach. Bake in sparayed casserole at 350 for 10 minutes. Top with mozzarella and cook about 30 minutes total until cheese is golden and bubbly. Serve with crackers or crudites. Serves 12.

Yes, this can be made ahead and frozen. Simply adjust baking time or thaw in frig the night before.

There are several websites you could check out by doing a search for appetizers. Two of my favorites are:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Main.aspx

http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/recipe-collection...

They both have photos and reviews from people who have actually tried the recipes which are very helpful.

This dip always is always a big hit for me. Check it out at this link:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2525631/s...

Go for Spirulina Juice.. have a healthy new year..

Pondicherry Spirulina Farms ( www.pyfarms.com ) cultivating pure natural spirulina.. very good one..w

My aunt always brings these little tortilla wheels, I call them, to family functions and I love them!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Taco-Treat/Detail.asp...

terriaki meatballs or ambrosia salad:)