Snowman Dip - Appetizer

Here is another recipe that I prepared for Christmas last year. I always look forward to my time with family! Christmas is extra special! I love everything about Christmas! Recipes like this, are always fun and create lasting memories. I prepared this adorably festive dip for my family's 2016 Christmas party. For the complete recipe follow this link...Snowman Dip Recipe

Halloween 2013

My Daughter Alisha took the photos at our Halloween party this year. Thank you Alisha! 

My daughter Ashley made the sausage balls, we called them mystery meatballs. She found the recipe on Pinterest.

Cream Cheese Sausage Balls

1 lb. mild or hot sausage, uncooked

8-oz. cream cheese, softened

1-1/4 cups Bisquick all-purpose baking mix

4-oz. cheddar cheese, shredded

Full recipe can be found here

My sister made these for our family Halloween party several years ago. What a great idea and so cute! I made them for our Halloween party this year. They are filled with chicken spaghetti. The original recipe uses spaghetti and meat sauce. The original recipe can be found here...Taste of Home.

They were fun to make. Everyone enjoyed these cute and tasty, little pepper pumpkins.

Worms For Brains
10 large orange sweet peppers
Shredded cheddar cheese
3- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, baked and shredded
1 box spaghetti
1/2 to 1 cup chicken broth
1- (8oz.) box Velvetta cheese
1 can cream of chicken or mushroom soup
1 can Rotel mild tomatoes and jalapeno peppers
 
     Wash peppers well and dry. Cut top from each pepper just as you would do a jack-o-lantern. Clean out all seeds. Carve eyes, nose and mouth in the front of each pepper. Set aside. Prepare the chicken spaghetti. Cook spaghetti in boiling water until Al Dente. Drain. Over low heat, add velvetta cheese, cream of chicken soup and 1/2 to 1 cup chicken broth. Stir occasionally until velvetta cheese is melted and all ingredients are well blended. Add additional chicken broth if needed for a creamy consistency. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill each pepper with chicken spaghetti. Replace top of each pepper and bake for minutes or until heated through.

My family really enjoys these sweet-sour sausage bites. For our Halloween party we called them, snake bites.

Sweet -Sour Sausage Bites

1/2 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/2 slices

1 can (20 ounce) pineapple chunks

4 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup water

1/3 cup white vinegar

1 large green pepper, cut into 3/4 -inch pieces

1/2 cup maraschino cherries

* Full recipe can be found here

This recipe for party wings is another great recipe from Taste of Home.

We call them, bat wings and we enjoy making them for Halloween. 

Party Chicken Wings

12 whole chicken wings (about 2 pounds)

3/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon garlic powder

* Full recipe can be found here

Anyone for poison mushrooms? We like creating fun names for our Halloween party foods and beverages. My daughter Alisha made these stuffed mushrooms for the party. Very good! 

Stuffed Mushrooms

20 large button mushrooms, scrubbed, do not soak in water

8-oz. cream cheese, softened

1 lb. pork sausage, cooked, well drained

1 package ranch dressing mix

milk, (optional)

* Hull mushrooms by twisting off stem, wipe/rinse clean, do not soak in water.

* Heat cream cheese on low until creamy, add cooked sausage and ranch mix. Stir until well blended. Add a little milk, if mixture is too thick

* Spoon into mushrooms, place on a cookie sheet and bake for 10-20 minutes or until tops are golden brown.

* Mushrooms should be tan when cooked through.

Our fruit bat tray with fruit fluff, sometime we call it ghost goo (recipe here). Fruit trays are great any time. Everyone enjoys them.

Caramel apple dip. My sister Denise made these and gave me the recipe.

I wanted to make them for our party so everyone could take one home, to enjoy later.

This is another recipe found on Pinterest. 

Caramel Cream Cheese Apple Dip

1 (8-oz.) block cream cheese, softened

1 container caramel sauce (approximately 16.oz)

1 package heath bits

Granny smith apple

* Full recipe can be found here

This is another family favorite recipe, that I got from my sister Denise. She adds scoops of orange sherbet for even more flavor. And the green and orange colors are perfect for Halloween.

It's Brew Ha Ha Punch. But we renamed it Goblin's Brew. 

Brew Ha Ha Punch

2 cups sugar

2 quarts water

2 (0.13-ounce) envelopes lime drink mix

1 (46-ounce) can pineapple juice

1 quart ginger ale

* Full recipe can be found here

Not So Creepy Cupcakes. This is Nana's Pumpkin Cake recipe, found here. We used it to make cupcakes.

Chicken Cheese Ball

   

Chicken Cheese Ball

2 - (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened (I used Kraft Philadelphia cream cheese)

1 - 1-oz.) package ranch dressing mix (I used Hidden Valley ranch salad dressing and seasoning mix)

1 - (10-oz. or 12.5-oz) can chicken breast (I used Swanson white premium chunk chicken breast)

2 - (1-oz.) package pecan chips ( I used Fisher pecan chips)

Crackers of your choice

~ In a medium bowl , combine cream cheese and ranch dressing mix. Mix very well to evenly distribute ranch dressing mix throughout the cream cheese.
~ Add chicken, mix thoroughly.
~ Chill for at least 1 hour or overnight, this makes rolling the cheese ball a easier.
~ If desired, use half of the cream cheese-chicken mixture and roll into 2 small cheese balls or use entire amount to make 1 large cheese ball.
~ Sprinkle pecan chips on a plate.
~ Roll cheese ball(s) in pecan chips until completely coated.
~ Use remaining pecans to sprinkle around base of the cheese ball(s).
~ Serve with your favorite crackers.

 In a medium bowl , combine cream cheese and ranch dressing mix.

Mix very well to evenly distribute ranch dressing mix throughout the cream cheese.

Add chicken, mix thoroughly.

Chicken mixed well with the cream cheese and ready to chill.

Chill for at least one hour or overnight. This makes rolling the cheese mixture into a ball much easier. You can use half of the mixture and make two small cheese balls or use entire mixture for one large cheese ball. I chose to make one large cheese ball. Roll chilled mixture into a large cheese ball.

  

Sprinkle pecan chips on a plate and roll chilled chicken cheese ball in pecan chips until completly covered. Sprinkle remaining pecans around base of the cheese ball, if desired. You can also roll this cheese ball in finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese or crushed cracker crumbs, such as wheat thins finely crushed.

You can also place your favorite crackers around the base of the chicken cheese ball for a nice presentation.

This is a delicious cheese ball. Great served any time you need an appetizer. 

* Recipe Source: Recipe Adapted From Allrecipes.com *