appetizer

Delicious Dill Dip

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Junkie Favorites: Delicious Dill Dip! “Remember to eat your veggies.”  We’ve all ignored that inner voice that tends to remind us not to reach for a second cookie. So today we’re going to make eating vegetables FUN! This dip is so yummy, you can scoop it up with cucumber spears, celery sticks, baby carrots, snow peas, cherry tomatoes, or cauliflower. But don’t stop there. The fresh dill even complements a toasted bagel, which you’ll see later on. 

DELICIOUS DILL DIP

Ingredients:

1 cup Greek yogurt 

1 cup mayonnaise 

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1 tablespoon celery flakes

1 tablespoon onion, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh dill

Instructions:

Mix thoroughly yogurt and mayonnaise. Add sea salt, celery seed, onion powder, celery flakes, and chopped onion; blend well. Fold in fresh dill. Refrigerate one hour before serving. 

Vampire Dip

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Grocery List Ideas: Vampire Dip. If you appreciate the deep savory aroma of roasted garlic, better add these ingredients to your shopping cart. There’s a reason restaurants use this form of “scent marketing”. Not only does it stimulate your appetite, it creates a pleasant atmosphere for dining outside the home. Our brains register this welcome aroma to build excitement and anticipation of what comes next. Before you know it, roasted garlic triggers our internal reward center that basically gives us permission to order foods that bring us comfort, relaxation, and joy. 

VAMPIRE DIP 

Ingredients: 

2 heads garlic 

1 teaspoon olive oil, divided 

1/2 cup butter, room temperature 

8-ounces cream cheese, softened 

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon black pepper 

Pinch sea salt 

Instructions: 

Preheat the oven to 375°. Cut the tops off the two heads of garlic. Wrap each base in a piece of foil. Drizzle the olive oil between both packets. Bake 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Gently squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from the skins into a mixing bowl. Add the room temperature butter, softened creamed cheese, dried thyme, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and pinch of sea salt. Beat with an electric mixer until the consistency is smooth and creamy. Transfer vampire dip to a decorative bowl and serve with assorted crackers. 

Jelly Cocktail Meatballs

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Grocery List Ideas: Jelly Cocktail Meatballs. This is one of those appetizers that has become popular by word-of-mouth. Perhaps it’s because the ingredient list is only three items long. You may want to tweak it by switching out grape jelly for cranberry sauce. Or by adding a kick of spice with red pepper flakes. Hoisin and soy sauce can turn it into an Asian delight, as well. My advice? Try this version first to read your guests’ reaction. If they end up devouring the entire batch and suspect you’re holding out more in the kitchen, you might want to stick to this tried-and-true recipe. Simplicity wins every time. 

JELLY COCKTAIL MEATBALLS 

Ingredients: 

10-ounce jar grape jelly 

12 ounces chili sauce 

32-ounce bag frozen fully cooked meatballs 

Instructions: 

In a mixing bowl, combine grape jelly and cocktail sauce. Stir well until thoroughly incorporated. Place meatballs into a slow cooker. Pour the sauce over all, being sure to completely coat the meatballs. Cook on High setting for 2-3 hours or Low for 3-4 hours. The sauce will thicken. Gently stir. Turn the slow cooker on Warm setting until ready to serve. Transfer to a serving dish, if desired. Offer toothpicks for the perfect finger food. 

Flamingo Flock Fruit Bites

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Grocery List Ideas: Flamingo Flock Fruit Bites! Picnic ideas are always welcome for al fresco dining. If they happen to be finger food, even better. Living in Florida, I’m always “tickled pink” to come across a flamingo novelty. They simply bring a smile to my face. These party picks not only add color and character to a dish, they practically quack “Pick me up and Eat me!” You heard the bird, come and get it. 

FLAMINGO FLOCK FRUIT BITES 

Ingredients: 

20 decorative skewers

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 medium green apple, core removed, cut into wedges

5 mini mozzarella balls, halved and quartered 

20 large blackberries 

Micro Greens, for garnish 

Instructions: 

In a shallow bowl, add fresh lemon juice. Dip each apple wedge into the lemon juice, coating both sides. Transfer to a plate; repeat until all the apple wedges have been dipped. To each skewer, pierce one green apple wedge, one mozzarella section, and one ripe blackberry. Transfer skewer to a serving platter. Repeat until all ingredients are used. Cover lightly with plastic wrap. Chill until ready to serve. Before serving, garnish with micro greens. 

Dried Beef Cheeseball

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Grocery List Ideas: Dried Beef Cheeseball! This is one of those all-time favorite appetizers that are crowd-pleasers. Some refer to it as “chipped” beef; others call it “dried” beef. I guess it depends on where you lived the first time you sampled it at a family friendly gathering. Either way, the umami salty savory concoction tickled your taste buds while tempting you for more. Just one more. In my experience, the firm texture of the spreadable cheeseball will last long after all the crackers and pretzels have vanished. Then there’s no other option but to “sigh” and reach for the celery sticks to finish it up. 

DRIED BEEF CHEESEBALL 

Ingredients: 

16 ounces cream cheese, softened 

4.5 ounces dried beef, chopped and divided 

5 green onions, chopped and divided 

8 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 

Instructions: 

In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and chopped dried beef (reserving about 1/4 cup chopped beef), 3 green chopped onions, shredded cheddar cheese, seasoned salt, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder. Mix well. Roll into a ball and place in plastic wrap. Chill for one hour, or until firm. Unroll the cheese ball from the plastic wrap. Roll in the reserved chopped beef and remaining chopped onions. Serve with crackers. 

Artichoke Spinach Dip

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Grocery List Ideas: Artichoke Spinach Dip! Some say retro appetizers are making a comeback, while others argue they never really went out of style.  I can see both sides of this coin. And no matter how you flip it, everyone wins. This particular party-perfect 1970’s dip includes a jar of marinated artichoke hearts, which gained popularity in the 1990’s. Before long, this tangy, savory, zesty taste became the star attraction making it a “must have” at every fellowship gathering. WYKYK. 

ARTICHOKE SPINACH DIP

Ingredients: 

1 sweet onion, cut into quarters 

8 cloves garlic 

14-ounce jar artichoke hearts, drained and chopped 

10-ounce frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

8-ounce parmesan cheese, shredded

1.4 ounce package dry vegetable soup mix

8-ounce cream cheese, room temperature 

1 cup mayonnaise 

8-ounces sour cream

Instructions: 

In a food processor, combine chopped onion and garlic cloves. Pulse until finely chopped. Add artichoke hearts; continue chopping. Add spinach, parmesan cheese, and vegetable soup mix. Process until well blended. Transfer mixture to a glass bowl. Combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream until smooth. Fold into the artichoke mixture. Cover and refrigerate one hour, or overnight. Serve in a hollowed out pumpernickel bread bowl. Cut the extra bread into chunks for dipping. Enjoy! 

Xenial Spinach Dip

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Take a Seat at the Table: Xenial Spinach Dip! Take a trip down Memory Lane with this hip 1970s all-star party staple. “I called it!”, shouted my best friend when asked to bring an appetizer to share. Maybe it was the presentation of carrying an artisan bread bowl into the room, or perhaps it was the “healthy” alternative to potato chips and onion dip, or it could have been the standing ovation it got from everyone who tasted it. Think about it….how fun is that to tear off a piece of crusty bread and slather it in creamy spinach mingled with a spicy crunch of water chestnuts. “I called it!”

XENIAL SPINACH DIP

Ingredients:

1 pound artisan bread bowl

1 pint Greek yogurt

3 ounces Neufchâtel cheese

10 ounces mayonnaise 

8 ounce can of water chestnuts, drained and chopped

1 package Swiss vegetable dry soup mix

10 ounce package of frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and chopped

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, mix Greek yogurt, Neufchâtel cheese, and mayonnaise. Chill one hour. Add water chestnuts, package of Swiss vegetable dry soup mix, and uncooked spinach. Mix well. Chill one hour longer. Hollow out center of bread bowl. Fill with spinach dip. Serve with raw vegetables. 

Melon and Prosciutto

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Stir. Spread. Flip. Repeat: Melon and Prosciutto! If you are a fan of fresh fruit and cured meats, think of this little gem as a party accompaniment. It satisfies the inner carnivore with its dry-cured flavor, appearance of ham or bacon, and its slightly salty texture. Pair it with a tender, juicy cube of cantaloupe for a distinctive sweet bite of deliciousness. Party On. 

MELON AND PROSCIUTTO 

Ingredients:

12 2-inch cantaloupe cubes

4 ounces deli prosciutto, sliced

Decorative party picks 

Instructions:

Using a kitchen shears, cut each slice of prosciutto horizontally into two equal strips. Repeat until 12 portions are allotted. Fan a prosciutto strip like an accordion. Then pierce each piece of prosciutto with a party pick and stick into the center of a cantaloupe cube. Transfer to a serving platter. Repeat until all ingredients are used. Serve chilled. 

Lime Watermelon Sticks

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Stir. Spread. Flip. Repeat: Lime Watermelon Sticks! Watermelon can be a finger food that commands attention at the next social gathering. Won’t that be impressive? Notice how the watermelon rind serves as a natural handle for picking it up. It certainly makes it easier for dipping into a creamy sauce. Now that I’ve caught your attention, add watermelon to your shopping list. 

LIME WATERMELON STICKS

Ingredients:

1/2 small watermelon, cut into sticks

1/2 teaspoon chili-lime seasoning

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon lime juice

2 teaspoons natural raw honey

1/8 teaspoon tajin seasoning

Zest of lime, for garnish

Instructions:

Arrange water melon sticks on a plate. Sprinkle with chili-lime seasoning. To make a dipping sauce, combine Greek yogurt, lime juice, raw honey, and tajin seasoning. Mix well. Spoon into a small dish. Sprinkle with lime zest. Serve watermelon sticks with the yogurt sauce on the side for dipping.