SAUSAGE STUFFED JALAPENO POPPERS

I have made these jalapeño poppers for a number of different events. They are great to take to any party. They've been a hit at halloween, super bowl, thanksgiving appetizers, etc. You just can't go wrong with these delicious flavors. You can play with the sausage mixture to add more heat or lighten it up.

These are easy to make and always a big hit!!




Even those people that don't love Jalapeños, love these. They aren't as spicy when they are baked and really add a nice flavor.

HERICOTS VERTS WITH CANNELLINI BEANS AND A SHALLOT VINAIGRETTE

I was most looking forward to adding this new dish to our Thanksgiving menu this year. It was such a hit and will definitely be making it to the table at more holiday gatherings.

I really liked that I could make this ahead and it is served cold, so one less thing on the stove or the oven when it's time to serve the food.

Everyone loved it! A great/healthy alternative to the traditional green bean casserole.


This is a beautiful salad with lots of color. You're guests will be so impressed!!

HUMMUS WITH TAHINI

I love Hummus. It's one of my daily snacks. I eat it on pita bread, pita chips or baby carrots. It's great to serve at parties, too. This is a very simple thing to make and can be made in advance as I think it's better the next day.

CHRISTMAS DIP

This is the cheese log / dip recipe that went along with the penguins. It is one of the best cheese logs I've ever had. The recipe is from Allrecipes and is called the Christmas Dip. I'll post it here. I made this a little different in that I put it in a small bowl that I had lined with saran wrap. I put in a layer of cream cheese first, so that when I inverted it out onto the platter, it would be totally white, iceberg like. typically it has cranberries and pistachios all over it. This was delicious!!
Also, this says "Christmas Dip" but I think it can be served at anytime of the year it's so yummy.

CREAM CHEESE PENGUIN APPETIZER

This might sound kind of strange to be making penguins as an appetizer, but they are just adorable! I made them for a holiday party one year and made a cheese log recipe (posted separately) that I formed into an iceberg for the back of the platter. I covered the platter with panko to give it a snowy look and voila, the cutest appetizer I've ever made. It was a huge hit at the party. Not only were they adorable, but yummy too! (That still sounds strange, that the penguins were yummy) Anyway, here's how they looked.