Beer Cheese Dip

Ingredients

1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened

1 (8oz) package Velveeta, diced

1/2 can beer, room temperature

1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

In a medium bowl, whip together cream cheese, Velveeta, beer and garlic. Continue whipping until smooth. Serve with potato chips, warm bread, pretzels, or fresh veggies.

Variation: If the above recipe is too boring, add a package of ranch dip mix. Yum!

10 Minute Appetizer 3-Ways

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (8 oz.) softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup whip dressing 

Mix & match your recipe from these options...

1/2 cup Chunky Salsa

1 cup chopped tomatoes

1 cup shredded lettuce 

1 cup Mexican Style shredded cheese

1 cup chopped tomatoes 

1 cup chopped cucumbers

1/4 cup chopped black olives 

1 cup crumbled Feta Cheese with Garlic & Herb

1/4 cup pesto 

1/4 cup chopped artichokes

1 cup chopped roasted red peppers

1 cup shredded Italian cheese

1/2 cup spaghetti or pizza sauce

1/4 cup chopped Pepperoni

1/2 cup chopped green peppers

1 cup shredded Italian cheese

Mix cream cheese and dressing until blended; spread onto serving dish.

Add toppings.

Sprinkle with 1 cup cheese.

Serve with crackers or fresh vegetables.

Stuffed Pizza Bites

Ingredients
1 roll refrigerated pizza dough
2 Tbl. grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbl. olive oil or melted butter for brushing tops
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
Mozzarella cheese, diced or grated
Pizza toppings of your choice: ie, ham and pineapple, pepperoni slices, sausage, etc.

Marinara/pizza sauce for dipping

Preheat oven to heat specified on pizza dough package (usually it's 400 degrees).

In a bowl, mix together garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and Parmesean cheese. Set aside for later.

Unroll your pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so it's about 12" by 8". You're going to want to cut it into 24 squares, so just eyeball it if you need to. Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 24 squares.

Place cheese and desired toppings on each square. Remember that you want to be able to close up the squares, so don't overstuff them.

When all of your dough squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully lift up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings. Pinch to make sure each ball is sealed shut and then place them seam side down in a lightly sprayed pie pan (or similar sized dish).

Brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil or melted butter and then sprinkle with the garlic, Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese mixture.

Cook them in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Keep an eye on them! Doughs vary, so I'd check them after even 10 minutes.

Serve warm with warmed marinara sauce on the side for dipping.

Peanut Butter & Yogurt Dip

Ingredients

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt

6 cups assorted fruit (apple slices, bananas, strawberries, peaches, etc.)

Combine peanut butter and yogurt in medium bowl.  Use as a dip for fruit or try topping with whole grain granola.

Sweet Chili Cream Cheese Dip

Place an 8oz package cream cheese in center of pie plate
Let soften
Surround cream cheese with veggies, crackers, tortilla chips, or pretzel sticks
Pour 1/2 cup Frank's RedHot Sweet Chili Sauce over cream cheese just before serving

From franksredhot.com

Zucchini Chips

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Homemade Breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1/8 tsp black pepper
heaping 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup cold milk (I used oat milk)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 1/2 cups sliced zucchini (about 2 small zucchinis)
Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a medium bowl combine breadcrumbs, cheese (if using) and black pepper.
In separate bowl add flour, milk and vinegar. Gently stir until combined but do not over stir.
Dip zucchini slices in flour mixture and then dredge in breadcrumb mixture.
Place coated zucchini slices on a baking sheet (I line mine with non stick foil for easy clean up!) and bake for 30 minutes, flipping the slices over once halfway through cooking, or until browned and crisp.
Nutritional Info:

Makes 2 servings.

Nutrients per serving: Calories: 224.5, Cal. from Fat: 33.5, Total Fat: 3.5g, Sat. Fat: 0g, Carbs: 41.5g, Fiber: 6.5g, Sugars: 12g, Protein: 9g, Sodium: 459mg, Chol: 0mg

Notes:

These chips are best eaten right out of the oven. They don’t save well.

From The Joy of Clean Eating

Phyllo Onion Rolls

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 cups grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese
2 onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/8 tsp. pepper
18 (9" x 14") sheets filo dough, thawed
More melted butter (I use about 1/3 cup)
Preparation:
In medium bowl, mix cream cheese and Gruyere. Set aside. In heavy skillet, sauté onions in 1/4 cup butter until very soft and beginning to brown, 10-15 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook another 1 minute. Cool 20 minutes. Mix together onion mixture and cheese mixture and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Place one sheet filo dough on work surface. Brush with melted butter. Lay another sheet on top, brush with butter, and put one more sheet on top.
Take the onion mixture, divide it into six parts, and form a roll about 1 inch in diameter down one long edge of the stacked filo. Roll up carefully and place on cookie sheet. Brush thoroughly with more butter. Repeat with remaining filo and filling, making six rolls total. I place three rolls on each cookie sheet. Cover well with plastic wrap and chill overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees F and remove the rolls from the refrigerator. Bake for 10-17 minutes or until rolls begin to brown and cheese filling melts. Let stand 5 minutes, then, using a very sharp knife, cut rolls into 1" pieces. Let cool for 5-10 minutes, then serve. The onion filling right out of the oven is super-hot. Serves 8-10.

You can also freeze these rolls. Wrap well in freezer wrap, label, and freeze up to 3 months. To bake frozen rolls, place rolls on cookie sheets and bake at 375 degrees F for 15-23 minutes or until the rolls are beginning to brown and crisp and cheese melts. Proceed as directed above.

Grilled Pineapple

1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup lime juice

Fresh pineapple rings from produce section OR canned pineapple rings in juice
Preheat grill, while waiting:
Mix honey and lime, brush both sides of rings with mixture
Grill rings for 3 - 4 minutes, turning halfway to get grill marks on both sides
Brush with more honey-lime mixture while still hot

These make a great appetizer or dessert, and they are excellent on Hawaiian style hamburgers.

Avocado Dip

8oz container fat free or low fat sour cream
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/8 teaspoon hot sauce
1 large ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and mashed<

In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, onion, hot sauce and avocado. Mix to blend the ingredients evenly. Serve with baked tortilla chips or sliced vegetables.

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Tomato Bacon Biscuit Cups

Makes 20

One package store bought buttermilk biscuit dough
5 slices Bacon
One large tomato, diced
Half of a sweet onion, diced
1/2 c. fat free sour cream
3 oz. grated mozzarella
1/4c. diced green onions
Coarsely ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and coat a mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy and drain on paper towels.
In a mixing bowl combine the tomatoes, onion, onions, sour cream, cheese, black pepper, and then crumble your cooked bacon into the bowl.Combine thoroughly and set aside.
Remove the biscuit dough from the package and divide each biscuit in half horizontally.
Push each half down into a cup of the muffin pan then scoop a heaping teaspoonful of the tomato/bacon mixture into the biscuit cup.

Fill all twenty biscuit cups and then bake for 18 minutes or until golden brown.

Seven Layer Dip

1 can refried beans
Small can chopped green chilies
2 tsp fresh lime juice
1 ½ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp ground cumin
Salt
Pre-made, low sodium guacamole
1 8oz container fat free sour cream
 1 8oz jar salsa (drain if runny)
½ cup sliced black olives, drained
2 cups Pepper Jack , Sharp Cheddar or Mexican Blend Cheese
2/3 cup thinly sliced green onion

Mix beans, chilies, lime juice, chili powder, cumin & pinch of salt in small bowl.
Spread bean mixture, then guacamole, then sour cream, and finally salsa over bottom of 9x9 or similar sized dish.
Sprinkle with olives, then cheese. (Dip can be covered and refrigerated up to 2 days)
Sprinkle with green onion and serve


I have taken this to many parties and potlucks and it is always a big hit. Sometimes I cheat and skip the chopped green chilies because they are not always easy to find. Also, you can substitute pico de gallo instead of salsa, delicious!

Mini Pizzas

3 tubes refrigerated prepared buttermilk biscuits
Nonstick vegetable cooking spray
1 package pepperoni
1 cup pasta sauce
1 cup shredded part-skim mozarella cheese

Bake biscuits according to package instructions. Allow to cool.
Spray cookie sheet with nonstick spray.
Cut biscuits in half and arrange, split side up, on a cookie sheet. Set aside.
Bring oven heat to 400 degrees.
Spread sauce evenly over biscuit halves.
Sprinkle with cheese.
Top with one pepperoni
Bake for 12 minutes, or until topping is golden brown.

Excellent appetizer or party snack!