Mom's Cheese Spread

My mom has a go-to cheese spread that she makes whenever she has to bring a dish.  It's super easy and takes almost no time.

Cheddar Cheese Spread:

1 package of cream cheese

1 package of cheddar cheese spread

1 package of powdered Italian dressing

Mix everything together and serve with pita chips.

Parmesan Potato Fans

Potatoes are an easy side dish.  It's a good thing because we are still using some of the last batch of Yukon Gold potatoes from Mr. T's boss.  This dish is adapted from a potato dish that my mom made when I was a kid.

This dish would make a great appetizer if you used little new potatoes.

Parmesan Potato Fans:

(from my Mom)

4 potatoes- whatever kind you like

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon season salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 375* F.  Mix the olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder together in a bowl.

Cut the potatoes,about 3/4 of the way through.  Be careful not to cut them all the way through.  I make about 8 slices.

Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and brush with the olive oil mixture.  Bake for about an hour, or until the potatoes are cooked all the way through.

Onion Rings

I made onion rings for the first time the other day.  I was worried when I started out but they turned out really good!  (If i do say so myself)


I used a cast iron dutch oven to fry these in.  It's a really heavy pot and I felt like I didn't have to worry about splatter quite as much.

Onion Rings:

(Mom)

3 sweet onions, peeled and sliced

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon Old Bay

Oil for frying (vegetable, peanut, etc)

Salt

In a wide, shallow dish mix the flour with the Old Bay seasoning.  Pour the milk in a second dish.

In a deep pot or dutch oven add the oil and heat on a medium high until around 360 degrees.

Take each onion ring and toss in the flour mixture.  Then dip in the milk and then toss back in the flour.  Carefully drop the rings into the oil and fry until golden brown.  I only fried 2-3 at a time so the oil temperature would stay hot.

Drain the rings on paper towels or racks and sprinkle with salt while still hot.

If you like spicy onion rings feel free to add some hot sauce to the milk.

Blue Cheese Bacon Bites

This is another quick and easy appetizer that you can make if guests show unexpectedly. 

Blue Cheese Bacon Bites:(Mom)


Cook six slices of bacon about half done and drain. Chop into small pieces.
1 can of biscuits cut into quarters. Arrange in a baking dish.
1/4 cup soft butter
4 oz blue cheese


Mix cheese with butter and spread evenly over biscuit tops. Sprinkle with chopped bacon.

Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

These are so good and seriously easy!  I love blue cheese so I usually add some extra when I pull them out of the oven.

Seafood Sauce

I got this one from my mom.  It's simple and amazingly good.  It's great on shrimp, chicken, and fish but also really good on steamed broccoli, greens, lima beans, and anything else you could think of.

Seafood Basting Sauce:
(Mom)

1-2 T Old Bay Seasoning
1 stick real Butter
1 finely diced small onion
2 finely diced garlic cloves
juice of one lemon.
Saute onion and garlic in butter . Add Old Bay and lemon and stir until incorporated.

Use as a glaze on grilled, baked or broiled fish, shrimp, crab, or scallops. If you like mild flavor, cut back on the Old Bay.

Mom's Bean Dip

Whenever we had friends coming over after school my mom would whip out this bean dip.  She would either layer it in a regular Pyrex mixing bowl so all of the layers would show or mix everything together with a topping of cheese and lettuce.  Either way, it was amazing.  She would always load it up with tons of veggies so we would end up getting our daily allowance in.

Mom's Bean Dip:


2 cans vegetarian refried beans
1/2 cup mayo
1 cup sour cream
2 diced fresh tomatoes
1-2 cups shredded lettuce
1 onion chopped
1 package taco seasoning mix
4 chopped seeded jalapeno peppers
2 cups shredded jack cheese

Mix up 3/4 cheese with beans,3/4 sour cream,mayo,taco mix, 3/4 onions and 3/4 tomatoes.

Place in a colorful bowl on a platter. Top the dip with remaining cheese,onion,sour cream,tomatoes, lettuce, and peppers.

Serve with tortilla chips and blue corn chips.