Appetizers
Time to start the party!
Appetizers are the entire meal for me sometimes. Most are easy, inexpensive and you can make them ahead.
Bacon Wrapped Crackers
Bacon Wrapped Crackers
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Ingredients
1 sleeve of club style crackers
1 pound thin or regular sliced bacon
½ cup dark or light brown sugar (packed tight in the measuring cup)
1 teaspoon black or cayenne pepper
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No one will guess that these are so easy to prepare. Make plenty…they go fast.
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Directions
Preheat the oven to Bake on 250. Carefully break apart the crackers. Cut the bacon in half. Mix the sugar and pepper together in a small dish.
Place a teaspoon of the sugar on the middle of the salted side of the cracker. Wrap the bacon around the cracker trying to completely cover the cracker. If you mess up just dump the sugar back in the bowl and start over. Put the wrapped cracker on a rack on the jelly roll pan. Leave a little space between each cracker on the rack. Once you have wrapped the crackers put the pan in the oven for about 2 hours. These are good right out of the oven or at room temperature so you can make them ahead of time. Store in the refrigerator.
Cheesy Corn Dip
Cheesy Corn Dip
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Ingredients
1 can kernal corn, drained
1 Small container regualr or Lite pimento cheese spread
1/3 cup sour cream, if on hand
Or 1/3 cup mayonnaise, on hand
Pinch of Cayenne pepper if you like the heat
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My friend, Jan Campbell, introduced me to this recipe. It is a crowd pleaser!
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Directions
Mix corn into cheese spread. If you have sour cream or mayonnaise, add one of those also. Chill for a half hour if you have the time. Serve with corn chips.
Georgia Vidalia Onion Dip
Georgia Vidalia Onion Dip
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Ingredients
2 cups of chopped Georgia Vidalia onions (They vary in size to by 1 ½ - 2 pounds. Any extra will not go to waste.)
2 cups of mayo
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese (pre-grated is fine)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black or cayenne pepper
Crackers or pita chips
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Take advantage of the lower price for Vidalia onions in May and June.
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Directions
Preheat the oven to Bake on 350. Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl with a large spoon. Put in an oven safe casserole dish and bake for 20 minutes. It will be all melty and gooey. Serve with a bowl of crackers or pita chips.
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You can make them ahead of time by storing the mix in the refrigerator and heating it up when you are ready to serve.
Five Spice Chicken Wings
Five Spice Chicken Wings
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Ingredients
20 2 piece wings cut into 40 pieces
4 T Five Spice seasoning
1 T dry ground ginger
1 t cayenne pepper
1/3 cup jarred teriyaki sauce
1 T honey
1 – 2 T Texas Pete
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These wings will give your local wing place a run for their money. I made these for my dear friends, the Schmissrauters, who loved our now closed, local wing hang out. My goal was to replicate their favorite wings.
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Directions
Mix together dry rub of Five Spice, Ginger, Cayenne. Coat wings with dry rub. I usually put the wings in either a large bowl or large zip bag to mix up with the rub. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or more if possible. Just need to re-chill the chicken. Preheat oven to 450.
Place wings on a rack that is placed on top of a foil lined cookie sheet or jelly roll pan (for easy clean up). Just be certain the pan has edges to keep any fat from dripping onto the floor of the oven. Bake 30 minutes. Remove to platter and immediately brush on the sauce mixture of Teriyaki, Honey and Texas Pete. Serve warm. You can hold in a warm oven of 170 for an hour or so if you want to make these before your guests arrive.