A Trio of Great Snack Ideas!

So, I'm finding that more than just my sister is checking out my blog for recipe ideas. I'm happy to share recipes with more of you, just don't hate me if you've purchased ingredients and then don't like the dish! It's a lot of pressure putting what you like to eat out there and then have some one else's taste buds not agree! So I apologize - but it's all part of the culinary journey isn't it? You have to try it to see if it's a "keeper" for your family.

The holidays are upon us! I wanted to post 3 really easy snack dishes with ingredients that you can keep on hand for last minute guests. Each of these have been made in my house no fewer than 1001 times!

One of my favs - Red Pepper Jelly! My Aunt Janice makes fab red pepper jelly and cans it at home. It truly rocks, but because she is so far away now, I have to settle with what I find at the grocery store!

Ingredients:

1 jar of Red Pepper Jelly (this is the brand I use - I usually find it at Winn Dixie in the PB&J isle)

1 block of cream cheese (or a small tub of whipped cream cheese)

1 box of Wheat Thins (this is hands down the best cracker to use with this!)

Place softened cream cheese on a plate or small platter. I usually flatten it spread it into about a 6 inch circle. Spread red pepper jelly straight from the jar over the cream cheese. I usually try to have the same ratio of jelly as the cream cheese. Serve with Wheat Thins. (I will take no blame at how addicting this dip can be)

Next up is for you shrimp lovers. We have a divided house on this one.....a couple of my kids are not fans of shrimp. I however love it! And it looks pretty!

Ingredients:

Block of cream cheese or whipped cream cheese (wow, we don't do much low-cal here do we?)

1 bottle of cocktail sauce (found near the ketsup)

1 can of tiny shrimp, well drained (found near canned tuna)

1 box of Keebler's Club crackers (or cracker of choice)

Place softened cream cheese on a plate or small platter. Flatten and spread the cream cheese into a pretty thin circle (if I use a regular size dinner plate, I spread out to about an inch from the edge of the plate) Top with a layer of cocktail sauce followed by a layer of the shrimp. Serve with crackers.

The last dip I wanted to share is very reminiscent of something from childhood for me. I have 3 brothers and all used to play baseball at the baseball park in town. Some evenings we were there for hours waiting for each to play their games. It was a treat to go to the concession stand and get one of my favs - a "Chili Boat". Chili and Fritos chips on top. Not complicated, but the flavor of the two really go good together!

Ingredients:

2 blocks of cream cheese

1 can of Hormel chili with NO beans (a small can is fine)

salsa (optional)

Fritos corn chips (again, there isn't a substitute good enough!)

In a bowl, place the 2 blocks of cream cheese and the whole can of chili. Melt in the microwave just to the point that you can stir it all together without large cream cheese chunks. Serve with chips - It's best served warm. If you want a little kick to it, add 1/2 cup to a cup of salsa!