Layered Mexican Dip

1 can refried Beans  (hot and spicy)
3 avocados  (blend with a little lemon juice until creamy)

Combine:
2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 packet of taco seasoning

green onions
diced tomatoes
olives
shredded cheddar cheese

Layer in the order given in a 9 x 13 pan.  Serve with chips.

Sandwich Loaf

by Nancy

Trim crust from 1 loaf unsliced sandwich bread.  Cut lengthwise (horizontally) into 4 slices.  Spread 3 slices with softened butter.  Place 1 slice on serving plate, then spread with salmon filling.  Top with 2nd slice and then spread with chicken-olive spread.  Top with 3rd slice and spread with golden cheese spread.  Top with unbuttered bread slice.

Salmon Filling:  Mix:

 1 can (7 3/4 oz) salmon, drained and flaked

1/2 c. chopped celery

1 1/2 t. lemon juice

1/4 t. salt

1/8 t. pepper

1/4 c. mayonnaise

1 hard-cooked egg, chopped

Chicken-Olive Spread:  Mix:

1 1/2 c. finely chopped chicken

1/4 c. finely chopped celery

2 T. chopped green olives

1/4 t. salt

1/2 c. + 2 T. mayonnaise

Golden Cheese Spread:  Mix:

2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese (about 8 oz)

1  3 oz. package cream cheese, softened

1/4 c. mayonnaise

1/2 t. Worcestershire suace

1/8 t. onion salt

1/8 t. garlic salt

1/8 t. celery salt

Mix:

2  8 oz packages of cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. light cream

few drops yellow food coloring (optional)

Frost the outside of the entire loaf with this mixture.  Chill until set (about 30 minutes.  Wrap loaf with a damp cloth and chill at least 2 1/2 hours.  Slice vertically to serve.  Makes 12-14 servings)

Hummus

by Nancy

3 c. cooked chickpeas (or 2   15 oz cans, 1 drained)

3/4-1 c. water or liquid from one of the cans of chickpeas

2-4 peeled garlic cloves

2 T. tahini (or 4 T. sesame seeds)

2-4 T. fresh lemon juice

1/4-1 T. cumin

1/4 t. smoked paprika

1/8 - 1/2 t. chipotle chili powder or cayenne pepper

salt to taste

Place all ingredients except salt in the blender, in order listed, using the smaller amounts.  If the mixture is too thick, add water a little at a time.  Blend until hummus is completely smooth.  Taste the hummus and add additional seasonings and salt to taste.  Store in sealed container in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.  Use within a week.

You can add other ingredients to the basic hummus to suit your own tastes, such as:

roasted red peppers

sun-dried tomatoes

chipotle chile peppers

green onions

caramelized onions

roasted garlic

Liquid Smoke

spinach

balsamic vinegar

olives

jalapeño peppers

Use it as a dip for chips or vegetables, or a spread for sandwiches.

Cucumber Sandwiches

by Jana

3 oz. cream cheese
1 T. Minced herbs
1 oz. cream
1/4 t. Salt
1/8 t. Pepper
Bread
Very thinly sliced cucumber

Blend cream cheese, seasonings, and cream.  Assemble sandwiches in suitably attractive fashion.

Tortilla Roll-ups

by Jana

8 oz. cream cheese

1/2 c. mayonnaise

4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

1 package Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing mix

1 bunch green onions, sliced

1 green pepper, diced

1 package large flour tortillas

Mix cream cheese with remaining ingredients except tortillas.  Spread mixture on tortillas.  Roll up jelly roll style.  Refrigerate over night and then slice into 1 inch pieces.  Secure with toothpicks.

Smoky Salmon Spread

by Elverda

1  15 oz can salmon

1   8 oz package cream cheese, softened

1 T. lemon juice

2 t. grated onion

2 t. prepared horseradish

1/4 t. liquid smoke

1/8 t. salt

3 drops hot pepper sauce

1/3 c. chopped pecans

assorted crackers

Drain and flake salmon.  Combine salmon, cream cheese, lemon juice, onion, horseradish, liquid smoke, salt and hot pepper sauce.  Blend together thoroughly.  Chill several hours.  Shape salmon mixture into a ball.  Roll in nuts.  Chill.  Serve as a spread with crisp crackers.  Makes about 2 1/2 c.

Smoked Salmon

by Robert Lincoln

Salmon

Salt

Sugar

Cut salmon into 1 inch strips the long way of the salmon.  Rub mixture of half salt and half sugar into meat, then put in plastic tub or large crock overnight to draw the moisture out.  Next morning wash excess salt and sugar off.  Spread out on towels on counter top to dry.  A fan helps the process.  Hang strips in smokehouse and smoke about 4 hours or so.  It will not be completely smoked by then, but is fine if you can it immediately.  Otherwise, 12 to 14 hours of smoking will be required.

Salmon Dip

by Roger

2 tall cans salmon, drained

1 c. Miracle Whip

1 minced onion

chopped dill pickles to taste

sweet pickle relish to taste

lemon juice to taste

1 lemon

Mix all but the lemon together in a steel bowl.  Cut lemon into wedges, (about 8 per lemon) and crush slightly to break cells.  Place on top of dip.  Refrigerate overnight.  Serve with crackers.

Pickled Beets

by Roma

3 c. vinegar

2 c. water

2 1/2 c. sugar

2 5. whole allspice

1  three inch whole cinnamon stick

1/2 t. whole cloves

1 t. salt

cooked beets, sliced or chunked

Combine ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer 15 minutes.  Add previously cooked and peeled beets and simmer 5 minutes.  Pack beets into hot sterilized jars.   Bring syrup to a boil, then pour over beets and seal immediately.  If preferred, spices can be tied in cloth during cooking, and taken out before packing in jars.  If there is not quite enough syrup to cover the last jar, add boiling vinegar.  Makes 4-5 quarts of pickled beets.

~It wouldn't be a proper family gathering without the pickled beets!  Even those who didn't especially care for pickles loved these beets.  You can use a similar recipe and substitute carrots or cauliflower for the beets.

Mustard Pickles

by Ruby Viola Kotter Freeman

4 quarts cucumbers, tiny and larger ones cut up

2 quarts small onions

2 quarts cut up cauliflower

 Prepare and sprinkle with

1 c. salt

and cover with water.  Let stand overnight.  Drain and rinse with cold water.

Heat:

2 quarts vinegar and pour over pickles and bring to a boil.  

Add:

2 green peppers

2 red peppers

Mix together:

2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. white sugar

1 c. Colemans Mustard

1 c. flour

1 T. turmeric

1 T. celery seed

Make to a paste with cold vinegar and dilute well with hot vinegar off pickles and add:

2 t. powdered alum

Then add mixture to the pickles and simmer 3/4 hour

DO NOT BOIL.  Bottle pickles.

Marinated Tomatoes

by Kristin

5 large tomatoes

1/4 c. oil

1 1/2 T. lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. oregano

Peel and slice tomatoes.  Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over.  Toss to coat and chill.

Kids Cracker Stuff

by Roma

1 pkg powdered ranch dressing

3/4 c. Orvil Redenbachers popcorn oil

1 t. garlic salt

1/2 t. dill weed

1 t. lemon pepper

Mix and pour over:

1 box Bugles

1 Box Corn Chex

1 box small oyster crackers or Goldfish

1 box pretzels

1 box cheese nips

1 box small Ritz crackers

1 can mixed nuts

(or substitute other similar things, such as other Chex cereals, small crackers, Cheerios, etc.)

Mix in a large container, using both hands.  Sometimes we mix it in a garbage bag.

~This is FAR tastier than store bought Chex mix!

Fresh Cucumber Pickles

by Roma

Cucumber, peeled and sliced

Onion, sliced

vinegar

water

Peel and slice cucumber and onion into a jar.  Fill with equal parts of water and vinegar.  Pepper, sugar, or other spices can be added if desired.  Eat within a day for best flavor and texture.

~To make the pickles pretty, Roma would peel the cucumber and then run the tines of a fork down the sides of the cucumber before slicing it.  Nancy likes to make them with red or purple onions as the colors look nice together.  Some people like to add a bit of sugar or sweetener to the pickles.

~These pickles are so refreshing on a hot summer day!

Cream Puffs

by Kathleen

Bring to a rolling boil:

1 c. hot water

1 T. sugar

1/2 c. butter

1/2 t. salt

Add all at one:

1 c. flour

Beat with wooden spoon until mixture leaves side of pan and forms a smooth ball.  Remove from heat and quickly beat in, one at a time, beating smooth after each addition:

4 eggs

Continue beating until mixture is thick and smooth.  Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto lightly greased baking sheet.  Bake large puffs at 450ºF for 15 minutes then lower heat to 350ºF for 20-25 minutes.  Bake small puffs at 450ºF for 10 minutes then at 350ºF five minutes longer or until golden in color.  After cooling cut off tops and fill with chicken salad, pudding, ice cream or whipped cream.

~These cream puffs appeared at many special events such as baby showers, wedding showers and receptions.  At one baby shower they were made with necks to look like storks!

Cheese Stuffed Celery

by Roma

Celery

1 jar Old English Cheese Spread

Miracle Whip 

Clean and dry celery stalks and cut into pieces 3-5 inches long.  Cream together cheese spread and an equal amount of Miracle Whip.  Spread cheese mixture on each piece of celery.

~Cheese Stuffed Celery was a special holiday dinner treat when the family got together for Christmas or Thanksgiving.

BLT Cracker Spread

by Jana

1 c. mayonnaise

2   8 oz. pkgs softened cream cheese

1 1/2 t. coarsely ground pepper

1 c. shredded lettuce

7 slices (3/4 c.) bacon, cooked and crumbled

1/2 c. chopped tomatoes

1/4 c. chopped green onions

3/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese

crackers

Combine mayonnaise, cream cheese and pepper in small mixing bowl.  Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until smooth (1-2 minutes).  Spread mayonnaise mixture onto bottom of a 9 inch round serving dish.  Top with lettuce, bacon, tomatoes, green onions and cheese.  Serve with crackers.

Apple Brickle Dip

by Kristin

1  8 oz. package softened cream cheese

1/4 c. firmly packed dark brown sugar

2 T. granulated sugar, to taste

1 t. vanilla

1/4 t. nutmeg

1/2 c. English Toffee Bits

3 medium tart apples, cored and  cut into wedges

Mix together cream cheese, sugars, vanilla and nutmeg.  Fold in toffee bits.  Serve with apple wedges.

8 Day Sweet Pickles

by Roma

14 dill size cucumbers

boiling water

Wash cucumbers and pack in a pan or kettle.  Pour boiling water on them 4 mornings in a row, fresh each day.  (Drain and boil fresh water each day.)  On 5th day, slice to desired thickness (1/8-1/4 inch)

Boil together:

3 c. white vinegar

1 c. water

2 t. salt

2 t. whole allspice

6 c. sugar

green coloring (to suit)

Pour over cucumbers the next 4 mornings.  Drain into pan and bring to a boil each morning and pour back over cucumber slices.  On 8th day, bring to a boil.  Bottle and seal.

7 Layer Dip

by Kristin

2 cans refried beans

1 envelope taco seasoning

2 c. guacamole dip

2 c. sour cream

grated cheese

1 small can sliced olives

1-2 chopped tomatoes

1-2 sliced green onions

Mix beans and taco seasoning.  Spread in a 9 x 13 pan. Carefully spread guacamole dip over the beans. Spread sour cream over dip. Then layer cheese, olives, tomatoes and onions.  Serve with tortilla chips.  Best if refrigerated overnight.

~7 Layer Dip tastes great at "Craft Weekend" or any other time for that matter.