Cooking Basic

This appetizer will look like it took hours to make and will impress your company. It takes about 15 minutes from start to finish and a few minutes to devour. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 8 Slices (1/4 inch thick) baguette
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 - 6.5 oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
• 1/4 Cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make crostini: Brush baguette slices on both sides with a total of 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet, and bake, turning over once, until golden, 10-12 minutes. Cool.

Meanwhile, make topping: Finely chop artichokes, and combine in a bowl with Parmesan, parsley, and remaining tablespoon oil.

Dividing evenly, spoon topping onto crostini, and garnish with additional Parmesan.

This recipe came from Everyday Food -from the kitchens of Martha Stewart Living magazine. Yes I know some of you cringe at the sound of her name but once you get past that and dive into the magazine you will find many great easy dishes like, Green Beans with Caramelized Shallots.

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 6 Shallots, peeled and thinly sliced into rings
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 Lb. green beans trimmed

Directions

In a medium saucepan melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat; swirl to coat bottom on pan. Add shallots; cover. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, until golden down, 15-20 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook green beans until fork-tender, 4-6 minutes. Drain; return to pot. Toss with remaining tablespoon of butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer green beans to a serving dish; top with caramelized shallots. Serve and enjoy!

Shrimp dip is close to one of the easiest appetizers I know how to make. This is another great recipe passed down to me from my Mom.

Ingredients

• 2 - 8 oz. packages of cream cheese - soft
• 2 Cans drained medium shrimp
• 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 Bunch chopped green onions
• 1/2 Teaspoon Worcestershire’s sauce (found in the condiments aisle of your local grocery store)
• 1 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/2 Teaspoons cayenne powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

Combine all ingredients gently with mixer and serve with crackers. Yes it’s that easy!

The combination of ingredients may sound a little odd but they combine to make a delicious sweet salad. This dish usually made an appearance at Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner - a Midwestern dish.

Ingredients

• 1 Pkg lemon Jell-O
• 1 Cup hot water
• 1 Cup sugar
• 1 Small can crushed pineapple
• 1 Cup crushed walnuts
• 1 Cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 - 12 oz. container Cool Whip

Directions

Dissolve Jell-o in hot water. Stir in pineapple and add sugar. Bring to boil and let stand in refrigerator until partially jelled. Add cheese, nuts and fold in softened cool whip. Let stand in refrigerator until ready to serve. Serve cold.

Just like the black bean dip recipe, the white bean dip is also an easy recipe for an appetizer for any party or pot-luck.

Ingredients

• 1 -15 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 Cup olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons
• 1/4 Cup fresh Italian parsley leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Place the beans, garlic, lemon juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, and parsley in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with pita chips or crackers of your choice.

Credit: Food Network & Giada De Laurentiis

Asparagus is by far one of my favorite veggies and this dish combines it with snap peas. A delicious side for any main course and as easy as can be. Credit to Ina Garten who is more commonly know as Barefoot Contessa.

Ingredients

• 1 Pound asparagus
• 3/4 Pound sugar snap peas
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher Salt to taste
• Ground black pepper to taste
• Sea Salt for serving

Directions

Cut off the tough ends of the asparagus and slide the stalks diagonally into 2-inch pieces. Snap off the stem ends of the snap peas and pull the string down the length of the vegetable.

Warm the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat and add the asparagus and snap peas. Add the salt, pepper to taste. Cook for approximately 5-10 minutes until al dente, tossing occasionally. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve hot.

I found this recipe while watching Food Network one weekend. Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh are Party Line with the Hearty Boys and a bag of chips! Yet another easy party and potluck dish, enjoy.

Ingredients

• 1 Plum tomato, diced
• 2 Tablespoons diced red onion
• 1 Tablespoon cilantro, chopped, plus springs for garnish
• 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained
• 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 Tablespoons hot sauce
• Dash of salt
• Tortilla chips, for dipping

Directions

Place the tomato, onion and cilantro into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until well chopped. Add the black beans, cumin, hot sauce and salt, to taste, and pulse until the mixture is mostly smooth. Scrape into a decorative bowl and garnish with cilantro springs. Serve with tortilla chips.

This is a great, easy way to make a treat for the late night sweet tooth. Growing up the grocery store was a long drive away so my Mom and I would whip up this tasty sweet treat.

Ingredients

• 2 Cups flour
• 1 Teaspoon salt
• 2/3 Cup plus 2 tablespoons shortening-Crisco
• 4-5 Tablespoons cold water
• 2 Tablespoons melted butter
• Cinnamon and sugar mixture

Directions

First measure flour and salt into bowl. Cut in shortening using a pastry blender or a fork. Next add water and continue to mix. Place mixture on cookie sheet and roll flat to desired thinness using a rolling pin. Brush or drizzle butter over all of the crust evenly. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar mixture on the top until you have a dark even coating. Bake at 350 degrees just until crust starts to turn a light brown-approximately 15 minutes. Enjoy!

I have to give good ol’ Paula Deen credit for this great party favorite. I ran across this on Food Network’s website.

Ingredients

• 1 Can crabmeat
• 1 Cup grated pepper jack cheese
• 3/4 Cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 Cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 Teaspoon hot sauce
• 1/2 Teaspoon dry mustard

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine all of the ingredients in a casserole dish and gently stir until throughly mixed. Bake for 40 minutes. Serve hot with crackers of your choice.

This is a fresh recipe for guacamole for those who do not want to overpower the taste of avocados with spices. I have to give Buffy credit for this one. Keep it simple guacamole ole!

Ingredients

• 3 Large ripe avocados pealed (Save the pit of one avocado)
• 1 Small white onion grated
• ¼ Teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 Medium tomato chopped
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Teaspoon lemon or lime juice

Directions

Mix all ingredients together either using a mixer or a fork until desired consistency. Place the pit of one avocado on the top to keep the guacamole from turning a brownish color. Serve chilled.