When you're sitting around with friends or enjoying Friday night movies with your family, what are your favorite kinds of snacks?
Is there one thing everyone always requests?
Around here we have 3 all-time-favorites. Stuffed Mushrooms, Steamed Clams & Carol's Santa Fe dip.
In my opinion, mushrooms are delicious stuffed with anything; let this recipe be a springboard for your own wonderful ideas.
I get the fresh clams at COSTCO for a great price and they're foolproof to prepare. Why pay through the nose for these at seafood restaurants when you can save a bundle making them at home?
And seriously, it doesn't get any easier than Carol's dip. You can customize it and make it your signature party dip. There's no going wrong with that recipe.
So next time you're popping a bottle of wine and chilling with your favorite people, give these snack foods a try. You won't be sorry.
Stuffed Mushrooms
--makes 2 dozen
1/2 pound spicy Italian pork sausage*, cooked and drained
24 fresh mushrooms (get the big ones if you can, they'll hold more stuff)
4 green onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup butter
1 cup bread crumbs (just put 2 slices in the blender and spin---crusts and all)
1 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese (or for less spicy, use cheddar or Monterey jack)
Salt & pepper --just a little shake or two
*Spice fiends can put several dashes of hot sauce in also!
Set oven to 350 degrees to heat up.
Remove mushrooms stems. Chop the stems up small. Set empty mushroom "caps" aside.
In a big skillet, saute the chopped up stems, onions, and garlic in the butter for 5 minutes over medium heat.
Stir in sausage*, bread crumbs, 1/2 cup cheese (not all of it), salt & pepper.
Spoon some of this into the mushroom caps.
Put them on a big cookie sheet lined with foil (no cleanup required) and sprinkle with the other 1/2 cup of cheese.
Bake for about 25 minutes.
Serve with your favorite beer and a movie.
*I made these with leftover crableg meat and they were wonderful. I would do it again! Same recipe except omit the sausage and use 1/2 lb. crabmeat instead. :)
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Clams Ala Rob
50-60 small clams in shell, scrubbed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup white wine
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
French bread loaf, optional, but perfect to soak up the juices!
Wash clams to remove any dirt or sand.In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic; saute for 1 minute, or until tender. Pour in the white wine. Boil until wine has reduced to half its original volume.Add clams, cover, and steam till clams start to open. Add butter, cover, and cook till most or all of the clams open. Discard any that do not open. Transfer clams and juice to 2 large bowls. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with warm French bread.
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Carol's Santa Fe Dip
8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened
1 can (15 oz.) HORMEL HOT CHILI
8 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded
Tortilla chips or FRITO SCOOPS
Spread softened cream cheese on the bottom of a glass pie plate. Next, pour chili over top of cream cheese, spread to cover, then cover cream cheese with shredded Cheddar. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve hot with chips.
Note: This recipe has a lot of easy options. You can-
1) Top it with diced ripe black olives after baking.
2) Substitute shredded Pepper Jack for more ZIP!
3) Stir Ortega diced green chilies (4 oz can) into the softened cream cheese, before Step 1.
4) Add several dashes of TOBASCO sauce for heat.
5) Serve with crisp carrot sticks or bread sticks.
This is a super party recipe you can make at home, cover with foil, and bake (uncovered) when you arrive at the party. It can be doubled by using twice the amount of everything and baked in a 9 x 13 pan. Use a disposable foil pan and no clean up or take home is required. Enjoy.
