#3656 - Cajun Gumbo Dip

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/4 cup butter
6 green onions (sliced)
2 ribs of celery (chopped)
1/4 cup chopped red bell peppers
1/4 cup chopped green bell peppers
1/4 cup chopped orange bell peppers
1/4 cup chopped yellow bell peppers
1 1/2 lbs. large raw shrimp (peeled and chopped)
1 garlic clove (minced)
1 1/2 tsp. creole seasoning
1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened and cubed)
3/4 cup sliced pickled okra
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for sprinkling)
2 TBSP chopped fresh parsley
good quality crackers

In a Dutch oven over medium heat add butter--melt. Add sliced green onions, chopped celery and all four colors of chopped bell peppers--cook/stir until tender. Add chopped shrimp, minced garlic and creole seasoning--cook/stir for 2 minutes. Turn heat back to low and add cream cheese--cook/stir until cream cheese is melted. Remove from heat--add sliced okra and 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese--stir to mix. Pour the mixture into a greased 2qt. baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, then sprinkle more grated Parmesan cheese over the top and return to oven 5-10 minutes longer or until hot and bubbling. Serve hot with good quality crackers.

#3654 - Multi Colored Pasta Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 16oz. box multi-colored rotini pasta
1 zucchini (washed and sliced, peeled before slicing if you wish)
1/4 cup sliced black olives
1/2 lb. cooked ham (cut into bite sized pieces)
6oz. pepperoni slices (quartered)
1/2 of a red bell pepper (chopped)
1 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 tsp. oregano
salt and pepper (to your taste)
1 cup Italian salad dressing (more if necessary)
fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 small container cherry tomatoes (quartered)

Cook and drain pasta in salted water but DO NOT RINSE. In a large bowl add sliced zucchini, sliced black olives, ham pieces, pepperoni pieces, chopped red bell peppers, chopped celery, sliced green onions, oregano, salad dressing and drained pasta--toss well. Taste--adjust seasonings and add salt/pepper as necessary. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, add cherry tomato pieces and shredded mozzarella cheese--stir well. Sprinkle fresh grated Parmesan cheese over the top before serving. If salad is too dry, add a little more Italian salad dressing.

#3520 - Green Onion Potatoes

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 TBSP canola oil
3 potatoes (washed, peeled and sliced)
1 tsp. butter (more if you wish)
1 garlic clove (minced)
2 green onions (chopped)
1 TBSP fresh chopped parsley
paprika (to your taste)
salt (to your taste)
pepper (to your taste)

In a cast iron skillet over medium heat add canola oil--tilt skillet to cover the bottom with oil. Add the sliced potatoes--cover with a lid. Cook 2 minutes at a time, then stir the potatoes. Continue cooking/stirring until potatoes are tender. Add butter, salt, pepper and paprika--cook until butter is melted, then stir well. Add minced garlic, chopped parsley and green onions--stir. Cook uncovered for 4-5 more minutes.

#3262 - Cream Cheese Bean Dip

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
2 - 16oz. containers spicy black bean dip
2 - 8oz. shredded Mexican three cheese blend shredded cheese
green onions (sliced)
1 or 2 containers cherry OR grape tomatoes
sliced black olives (drained)
Tostitos scoop chips

In a bowl add cream cheese--mix with a spoon until spreadable. In a 9 x 13 glass baking dish make repeating layers of cream cheese, then bean dip, then shredded cheese. Once all ingredients have been used, sprinkle sliced green onions all over the top. Spread sliced black olives over the top. When ready to serve, cut each tomato into four pieces and spread the tomatoes all over the top. Serve with scoop chips.

#3153 - Tomato Egg Muffins

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 hard boiled eggs
1/3 cup shredded cheese (your choice of type)
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup mayo
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
4 English muffins (sliced)
8 tomato slices

Peel hard boiled eggs and chop the eggs. In a bowl add chopped eggs, shredded cheese, sliced green onions, mayo, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt and pepper--stir well to mix. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight. The next day toast the 8 English muffin halves, place one sliced tomato on each muffin half and spread the egg mixture evenly over all of the tomatoes. Place them on a cookie sheet, turn oven to broil, place cookie sheet under the broiler and broil for 4-6 minutes or until bubbling hot. Serve hot.

#2885 - Parmesan Rye Snacks

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup mayo
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
2 green onions (finely chopped)
1 loaf sliced cocktail rye bread (snack size)

In a bowl add mayo, Parmesan cheese, cream cheese and chopped onions--stir until mixed and smooth. Spread the mixture on the bread pieces and place them on a greased cookie sheet. Move your oven rack all the way to the top and preheat the oven to broil. Place the cookie sheet all the way on the top rack--broil for 1-2 minutes or until bubbling hot. Remove from oven--cool slightly before serving.

#1224 - Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 cups (or more) cubed French bread (1/2" cubes)
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 TBSP water
2 TBSP mayo
2 1/2 tsp. white sugar
2 tsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. red pepper
3 cups (or more) lettuce pieces
1 to 2 cups chopped cherry or grape tomatoes
2 TBSP chopped green onions
4 (or more) slices cooked/drained bacon (crumbled)

Spread French bread cubes on a pan (one with a lip) and spray them with Pam. Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes, stir them, then bake another 5 minutes until golden brown--set aside. In a bowl add vinegar, water, mayo, white sugar, olive oil, salt, pepper, red pepper--stir with a whisk until mixed. In a large salad bowl add lettuce, onions, chopped tomatoes--toss. Pour the dressing over the top of the salad--toss. Just before serving spread French bread cubes and crumbled bacon on top. Double the dressing ingredients if you want more dressing.

#1145 - Mandarin Orange Salad

(by Aunt Eileen [Knouse] Carter)

1/2 cup almond slivers
3 TBSP white sugar
1/2 head iceberg lettuce (washed and torn into bite sized pieces)
1/2 bunch Romaine lettuce (washed and torn into bite sized pieces)
1 cup chopped celery
2 green onions (chopped)
1 - 11oz. can Dole mandarin orange slices (drained)
Dressing: 1/2 tsp. salt; 1/4 tsp. pepper; 1/4 cup canola oil; 1 TBSP chopped parsley; 1 TBSP white sugar; 2 TBSP cider vinegar

In a saucepan over low heat add 3 TBSP white sugar and almond slivers--cook and stir until sugar melts and almonds become coated with sugar (watch it carefully--it burns easily)--set aside to cool. In a small bowl add salt, pepper, canola oil, chopped parsley, 1 TBSP white sugar and cider vinegar--stir until mixed and refrigerate it until cold. In a large salad serving bowl add lettuce, celery and chopped green onions--toss. When ready too eat add sugared almonds and drained mandarin oranges on top of salad. Pour dressing over the top--toss to coat.

#1138 - Nachos and Black Beans

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 bag Tostitos scoops nacho chips
1 - 16oz. can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 jar mild, medium or hot salsa dip
1 - 10oz. package frozen whole kernel corn (thawed)
4 green onions (chopped)
2 cups shredded cheese of your choice
1 chopped tomato

Spread nacho chips in a single layer on cookie sheets. In a bowl add beans, corn, salsa and green onions--stir. Use a spoon to put some of the bean mixture on each individual nacho chip. Sprinkle shredded cheese on each of the nacho chips. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese melts. Remove from oven and sprinkle a few chopped tomatoes on top of each nacho chip (on top of the melted cheese).

#1087 - Shrimp Cocktail Dip

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese
1/2 cup Breakstone's sour cream
1/4 cup mayo
1 cup good quality cocktail sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
10oz. of baby shrimp (FULLY COOKED)
2 green onions (chopped into very small pieces--you can add more or less to your taste)
1 tomato (chopped into bite sized pieces)
fresh ground pepper (optional)

If shrimp is frozen, dump shrimp into a bowl and add warm water. Keep draining the water and adding more warm water until the shrimp are at room temperature--drain and set aside. If you use shrimp from a can, drain and rinse well--set aside. In a bowl add softened cream cheese, sour cream and mayo--stir until well mixed--you can use a mixer if you want it really smooth. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly on to a dinner plate. Use a spoon to gently spread the cocktail sauce on top of the cream cheese layer. Sprinkle the chopped tomatoes on top of cocktail sauce layer (grind a little pepper on top of tomatoes if you wish). Sprinkle chopped green onions on top of the tomato layer. Sprinkle shrimp on top of the green onions layer. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on top of the shrimp layer. Carefully cover the plate with Saran Wrap and refrigerate until cold. Serve with good quality crackers.

#895 - Italian Potato Skins

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 large baking potato for each person you are serving
1 bag shredded cheese blend cheese (we like Sargento's Six Cheese Italian)
1 diced tomato
fresh green onions (chopped into very small pieces)
salt and pepper
Italian seasoning

Bake the potatoes a few at a time in the microwave until tender (make sure you poke each potato multiple times with a fork to vent). Cut each potato in half (lengthwise). Scoop out the potato flesh from the center (leaving a bit close to the skin)--you can discard the potato flesh or save it for something else. Grease a cookie sheet and place the potato skins on the cookie sheet. Set your oven to "broil" and place the cookie sheet on the top rack. Watch them closely--once they start to get crispy, remove from oven and fill each with diced tomato, green onions, shredded cheese blend, and salt/pepper/Italian seasoning to your taste. Return to oven until cheese has melted.

#440 - Twice Baked Potatoes

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 large baking potatoes
8 slices bacon
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup green onions (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash outside of potatoes. Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 1 hour (you can wrap them in aluminum foil if you wish). While they are baking, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook bacon over medium heat until brown. Drain, crumble and set bacon aside. When potatoes are done cool them for 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the potato flesh into a large bowl--save the skins. To the potato flesh add sour cream, milk, butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/4 cup green onions (optional). Mix by hand until well blended and creamy. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins. Top each with remaining green onions and bacon. Place them on a cookie sheet. Bake for another 12 minutes, remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining cheese, return to oven and bake until cheese is melted.

#322 - Teriyaki Chicken Wings

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/3 cup water
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. ginger
2 green onions - thinly sliced
16 chicken wings, separated at the joints, wing tips discarded

Combine water, pepper, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, balsamic vinegar, and ginger in a small saucepan. Gently heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Stir in green onions. Place chicken wings in a large ziploc freezer bag. Pour in the teriyaki marinade. Squeeze out the air and seal. Turn bag to distribute the marinade over the wings. Refrigerate overnight. The next day, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan with foil. Place chicken wings on the foil and cover with the marinade from the bag. Cover pan with more foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes to crisp up the skin.