The Swiss Mushroom Melt Grilled Cheese

Ingredients

• 2 slices french bread
• ¾ cup mushrooms
• Butter
• Thyme
• Salt & Pepper
• Garlic powder
• ¼ cup beef stock
• White wine vinegar
• Worcestershire sauce
• ½ cup grated swiss cheese

preparation

1. Slice large mushrooms in half, leave the rest whole.
2. Saute mushrooms in a pan on low-medium heat with 1-2 tbsp butter.
3. Once mushrooms have nearly finished sauteing, give a light sprinkle of thyme, sprinkle some garlic powder, and salt & pepper to taste. Stir spices in.
4. Pour in beef stock and white wine vinegar (could also use red wine vinegar, or wine if it’s handy!).
5. Add some Worcestershire sauce (about 4-5 drops, more if you like).
6. Cook mushrooms until stock has reduced and thickened.
7. Now for the sandwich!
8. Butter all sides of your bread.
9. Place layer of grated Swiss cheese on bread.
10. Top with mushrooms.
11. Add another layer of Swiss Cheese and top with bread.
12. In a pan on medium heat (lower heat if your bread is browning, but cheese isn’t melting enough), cook grilled cheese until golden brown and cheese is melted.
13. Dig in!

RECIPE CRABMEAT SPREAD

Ingredients

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 tbsp. milk
1 (7.5 oz) can crabmeat or 1 cup imitation crabmeat
1/2 tsp. grated horseradish
2 tbsp. green onions, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
pinch each of garlic and onion powder
large pinch ground celery seed or 1 tsp. chopped fresh celery leaves
1 tsp. dry or 1 tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
pinch of paprika
2 tbsp. bread crumbs or Panko
1 tbsp. butter

  preparation

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Melt butter and toss with breadcrumbs and paprika.

Mix together all remaining ingredients well. Spread evenly in a small baking or casserole dish or a Pyrex pie dish. Sprinkle with buttered bread crumbs and a pinch of parsley. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Bake for 10-15 minutes. Serve while still warm with pita pockets and lettuce or plain with fancy crackers or flatbread.

RECIPE BEER DIP

Ingredients

2 (8 oz) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1 (1 oz) pkg. Ranch dressing mix (dry)
2 c. shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
2 tbsp. chopped green onions or chives (optional)
1/3 c. beer

 preparation

Combine cream cheese and dry Ranch dressing mix with cheese and onions or chives. Stir together well and add beer. Mixture will seem to be too liquid but it will set up in the refrigerator if you leave it to chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.

RECIPE PECAN PARTY MIX

Ingredients

3/4 cup brown sugar
5 cups Crispix
3/4 cup butter
1 cup whole pecans
2 1/2 cups Rice Chex

 

preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine Rice Chex, Crispix and pecans in a 9x13-inch pan. Boil and stir for 2 minutes the brown sugar and butter. Pour over mixture in 9x13-inch pan.

Bake for 8 minutes in well-heated oven. Stir frequently while mixture is cooling.

 

RECIPE SHRIMP DIP

Ingredients

1 (about 5 oz) can cocktail shrimp, drained, chopped
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup Heinz Chili Sauce
2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. prepared grated horseradish
dash of Tabasco sauce or Frank's Hot Sauce

preparation

Chop shrimp into very small pieces and combine well with remaining ingredients (may use a food processor but do not over-process - use pulse mode only).Use as a dip and serve with raw vegetable sticks, tortilla chips, bagel slices, or crackers.
 

PARTY SIZE CHEESE SPREAD

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
2 pounds soft American cheese spread
1 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup prepared English mustard (not dry)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco (more or less, to taste)
6 tablespoons Kirsch

 preparation

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter until softened, gradually adding cheese spread. Beat in Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic powder, Tabasco and Kirsch. Pack into a cheese crock and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Serve with crackers and/or chips. Recipe may be halved.

Yields 6 cups.

 

 

RECIPE BITE SIZED PARTY PIZZAS

Ingredients

2 8 oz. cans flaky refrigerator biscuits
1 8 to 10 oz pkg. pepperoni slices
1 12-16 oz jar pasta or pizza sauce
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning and garlic powder (optional)
pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 cup (or more) Parmesan cheese
8-10 oz. pkg shredded mozzarella

 

 preparation

 

Combine Italian seasoning, garlic powder and pepper flakes. (Note: If you're feeling lazy, just use the squeeze jar pizza sauce right out of the bottle - this is also good for kids and teenagers).

Remove biscuits from the can and separate each biscuit into 4 pieces by splitting between the layers. A can of 12 biscuits will make 48 layers.

Arrange the layers on an oiled cookie sheet (may be lined with foil for easy clean-up). Add a teaspoon or so of sauce to the top of each biscuit layer; spread out using the back of a spoon. Top with one or two slices of pepperoni and sprinkle with both cheeses.

Bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 6-8 minutes, or until golden brown on edges and cheese is bubbly.

Note: These can be made up in advance and frozen on cookie sheets before baking. Once frozen, store in ziploc bags.

Reheat at 375°F for 10-12 minutes, or until done.