Appetizers

Oriental Party Weiners

1 c. grape jelly
1 pkg. cocktail weiners
1 can pineapple, chunks
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 c. vinegar
2 tsp. dry mustard
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (or to taste)

Place all but weiners in sauce pan. Heat to boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Stir in weiners. Cook slowly for 5 minutes or until heated through. If there is a need, just keep warm over low heat in chafing dish. Use picks for serving.

Pecan Dip 1 pkg. cream cheese 2 Tbsp. milk 1/4 c. finely chopped green onions 1/4 c. finely chopped bell pepper 1 small jar beef (chip with scissors) 1/2 c. sour cream 2 Tbsp. butter 1/2 c. finely chopped pecans Mix together cream cheese and milk. Add onions, bell pepper, chipped beef adn sour cream. Put in casserole. Saute pecans in butter and sprinkle on top of casserole.. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes. Serve hot with crackers.

Crab Dip 1 (8oz) pkg. cream cheese 1 Tbsp. milk 1 (6 1/2 oz) can flaked crab meat 1 small onion 4 Tbsp. cream style horseradish 1/4 tsp. salt dash pepper Cream cheese should be soft. Combine all ingredients; blend well. Spoon into lightly greased oven proof dish and sprinkle with sliced almonds. Bake in 375F oven for 15 minutes. Serve with firm cracker, Triscuits are great for these.

Easy Weiner Babies

1 lb. little Smokies
2 lb. bacon

Syrup:

1 c. red jelly (can use grape jelly)
1 c. maple syrup
2 c. brown sugar

Cut bacon strips in pieces that will wrap around your little Smokies and be able to secure with a tooth pick. Now do that securing!

Place weiners in a shallow pan. Bake in 250 F oven for 1 hour.

Mix your syrup ingredients and heat until it comes to a boil.

Pour syrup over your weiners.

Bake at 250 for for an additional hour.

Then transfer to crockpot to keep them warm, and serve from crockpot.

Be sure for the bacon wrapped weiners, cut your bacon into the size needed for wrapping and then put it back into the fridge. It is so much easier to wrap those weiners if your bacon is cold!

Strawberry Picnic Queens

There are many discussions about this recipe and whether or not the filling is firm enough to hold up. Let me tell you, the recipe is perfect if you prepare it correctly. DO NOT put your filling in the food processor or mixer. Just mix it with a fork. Every little bit of cream cheese doesn't have to be completely smooht or completely combine with the powder sugar. Please, just mix the filling with a fork until it looks smooth enough to pipe. I have show you examples below of the filling and if mixed properly yours will turn out just like mine. It will hold its shape and can be made a day in advance.

Strawberry Queens

12 large, fresh strawberries, washed
3 oz cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp confectioner's sugar
1 Tbsp sour cream

fresh mint leaves for garnish (optional)

Remove stems from strawberries to form a flat base. Place berries on cutting surface, pointed end facing up. With a sharp knife, carefully slice each berry in half vertically to within a 1/4 inch of base. Cut each half into three wedges to form 6 petals. (Don't slice through the base.) Pull petals apart slightly.

In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar and sour cream; beat until light and fluffy. ( I mix then beat mine with a simple fork, you don't won't to put this mixture in a food processor, not necessary.) With a pastry bag and star tip or small spoon, fill strawberries with cream cheese mixture.

A plastic zipper sandwich bag can be used instead of a pastry bag by filling with cream cheese mixture and squeezing out excess air before sealing. Carefully cut one corner off of the bottom of the bag and squeeze mixture out through the cut.

For added sweetness, you can use strawberry flavored cream cheese instead of plain.

The consistency of your mixture should be firm, here is mine:

It will hold its shape nicely