Fruit Salsa And Cinnamon Chips

2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Golden Delicious apples − peeled, cored, and diced
1 (8 ounce) package raspberries
1 pound strawberries
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor
10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
butter flavored cooking spray
2 cups cinnamon sugar

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350F. Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Spray again with cooking spray. Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla
wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit and spice mixture.

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

1 pound large mushrooms
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons prepared Dijon−style mustard
6 1/2 ounces crabmeat
1/4 cup chopped water chestnuts
2 tablespoons chopped pimento peppers
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 400F. Remove stems from the mushrooms, retaining the caps. Chop the stems. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Brush the mushroom caps with melted butter. In the remaining butter, cook and stir the chopped mushroom stems and onions until tender. Gradually mix the cream cheese and mustard into the saucepan. Continue stirring until smooth. Stir in the crabmeat, water chestnuts and pimentos. Heat until warm. Stuff the mushroom caps with the crabmeat mixture. Sprinkle the stuffed caps with Parmesan cheese. In a shallow pan, bake the caps at 400F for 10 to 15 minutes or
until hot.

Cocktail Meatballs

1 pound lean ground beef
1 egg
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup bread crumbs
3 tablespoons minced onion
1 (8 ounce) can jellied cranberry sauce
3/4 cup chili sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, egg, water, bread crumbs, and minced onion. Roll into small meatballs. Bake at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once. In a slow cooker or large saucepan over low heat, blend the cranberry sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar, and lemon juice. Add meatballs, and simmer for 1 hour before serving.

Chocolate Fondue

8 ounces good quality chocolate
8 ounces heavy whipping cream.
1 shot grand mariner or liqueur of choice.
Heat cream and liqueur in dessert fondue pot on medium heat. Add chocolate and stir until chocolate is melted. Place dessert pot over a tea candle to keep warm. Serve with a seasonal fruit plate, marshmallows and pound cake or cookies.

Chicken Pate

3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1/2 cup onions, finely chopped
1 (8 oz.) whipped cream cheese
1/4 cup mayonaise
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup sherry
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
juice of 1 lemon
Cook chicken breasts in boiling water for 30 − 45 minutes. When cooled cut up chicken into cubes. In medium bowl combine all ingredients. Place mixture into small jello mold or small loaf pan. Make sure to coat pan with oil so mixture will come out smoothly. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Serve with crackers.

Cheese And Artichoke Fondue

1−1/2 cups diced processed American cheese
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon all−purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1−1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/4 cup roasted red peppers, drained and diced
Mix American cheese, milk, Worcestershire sauce, flour and mustard in a
3−quart saucepan. Cook over medium−low heat, stirring occasionally, until
cheese is melted. Stir in Cheddar cheese until melted. Stir in artichoke
hearts and bell peppers. Transfer cheese mixture to fondue pot. Keep warm
over low flame. Serve with dippers

Cheese & Olive Bruschetta

1/2 cup mayonnaise (or salad dressing)
1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
2 medium tomatoes, seeded,finely chopped
1/4 cup black olives, chopped
1/4 cup parmesan cheese (preferably freshly grated)
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 baguette, fresh, about 2 1/2" round and 27" long
1/3 cup butter, softened
Mix the first 8 ingredients (this can be done the day ahead and
refrigerated). Cut the baguette into 1" slices. Butter one side. Arrange on
a cookie sheet, buttered side up. Divide the mixture among the slices and
spread. Bake in 350F oven for about 15 minutes and the cheese has melted.

Caramel Snack Mix

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup white corn syrup
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup almonds
1 (12 ounce) package crispy corn and rice cereal
Preheat oven to 275F. Spray a large roasting pan with non−stick cooking
spray. In a medium−size microwave safe bowl, mix butter, white corn syrup
and brown sugar. Place the mixture in the microwave and cook 2 minutes, or
until butter melts. Place the cereal, pecans and almonds into the prepared
roasting pan. Pour the melted butter mixture over the cereal and nuts and
mix gently until the cereal and nuts are coated. Bake for 1 hour, stirring
every 15 minutes. As the snack mix is cooling, be sure to continue to stir
so that the mix will not harden into one big lump.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

3 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cubed
1 cup hickory flavored barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon molasses
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 (12 inch) pre−baked pizza crust
1 cup smoked Gouda cheese, shredded
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
Preheat oven to 425F. In a saucepan over medium high heat, combine chicken,
barbeque sauce, honey, molasses, brown sugar and cilantro. Bring to a boil.
Spread chicken mixture evenly over pizza crust, and top with cheese and
onions. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Appetizers and Snacks

− You can buy frozen chopped onion or green peppers for a quick recipe
shortcut, or since they freeze so well, chop a whole bunch at once
and freeze them in single servings.
− When making many meatballs a fast and simple way is to shape the
meat mixture into a log and cut off slices. The slices roll easily
into balls. Another option is to pat the meat into a square and cut
it into cubes which again easily roll into meatballs of uniform size.
− Stop tomato stains on your Tupperware by using with nonstick cooking
spray before pouring in tomato−based sauces.
− Strawberries will stay fresher when kept in a colander in the
refrigerator. Don't wash until just before using.
− Freeze ripe bananas for later use. First peel, and then wrap tightly
in plastic wrap and store in freezer bags.
− Corn on the cob will be simple to shuck if you wash them with cold
water, place in a plastic bag and freeze for an hour or so
before shucking.
− Freeze lemon peel. Use when a recipe calls for fresh lemon rind.
− Whole lemons will yield much more juice if stored in a tightly
sealed jar of water in the refrigerator.
− Dissolve 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin in a little bit of water and
beat it into whipping cream to keep it from turning watery.
− Grind up or dice leftover roast beef, stew meat, etc. Add to scrambled
eggs along with cubed leftover potatoes for an easy breakfast.
− Make your own "instant" oatmeal by running regular oatmeal in a
blender. Blending makes the oatmeal the same as "instant."