Most Requested Hot Appetizers, Delicious Desserts and Classic Cocktails

Take the Time to Pick the Right Party Recipes

I am not a "throw-a-can-of-peanuts-on-the-table" kind of gal! When I am planning a party, it is important to me that I choose thoughtful, satisfying recipes that:

• Are simple to make
• Have few ingredients
• Hold up well over time
• Are pleasing to look at and of course,
• Taste great!

The idea of sharing the recipes for my "Top Most Requested Hot Appetizers, Delicious Desserts and Summer Drinks" came after years and years of hosting parties and ALWAYS being asked for certain recipes. I figured if my friends and family loved them, you would to. Check them out below. (in no particular order).

Serve Hearty, Hot Appetizers at Your Next Party

Top 3 Hot Appetizers

Number One Most Requested Hot Appetizer--Warm Chipotle Cheddar Dip

• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1-8 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained (3/4 cup)
• 1-4 oz. can chopped green chili peppers, drained
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped canned chipotle chili peppers in adobo sauce (or to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped (3/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup sliced green onion
• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro
• Vegetables, crackers or chips

I found this dip when I was on a low carb diet and was looking for a party appetizer that would work well with vegetables. Something with a robust flavor that would perk up the veggies.

Well this one definitely fit the bill. This appetizer has become a favorite among my friends. It's served multiple times throughout the year at various parties that I either host or attend.

You can make it as smokey and spicy as you want by adjusting the amount of chipotle peppers (smoked jalepenos) but watch out. You can easily go from mildly spicy to blow-your-face-off hot by adding too much!

Steps to Make Cheddar Chipotle Dip

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Stir together cheeses, mayonnaise, corn, green chili peppers, chipotle chili peppers and garlic powder in a large mixing bowl. Spread mixture into a 1 quart, covered dish.

Bake for 30 minutes until bubbly. Top with tomato, green onion and cilantro. I like to make a pattern out of the toppings so I put the tomatoes all in the middle, make a ring around them with the green onion then sprinkle the cilantro over all.

Serve with vegetables, like red, green and yellow peppers. Tostido and Frito Scoops work well too.

Number Two Most Requested Hot Appetizer--Boneless Buffalo Wings

• 1 large bag of popcorn chicken, thawed (I buy mine at Sam's Club)
• 1 package dry Good Seasons italian dressing mix
• 1 bottle Frank's Red Hot Sauce (or to taste)
• 1 stick margarine (butter will separate)
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• Pinch dried basil

In a saucepan, combine dressing mix, hot sauce, margarine, lemon juice and basil and cook until margarine melts, stirring constantly.

Place chicken in a large bowl and pour sauce over it. Stir until well combined, then pour all into a Crock Pot. Cook on low 4 hours. Crack the lid to keep down the steam and prevent wings from getting soggy.

Serve with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing (do not use the reduced fat variety).

Number Three Most Requested Hot Appetizer--Warm Green Chili Dip

• 8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 8 oz. shredded mild cheddar cheese
• 2 cups mayonnaise
• 1 small sweet onion, minced
• 1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilis, drained
• 1-1/2 oz. chopped pepperoni
• 1/2 cup sliced ripe olives
• Tostidos or Fritos Scoops

In a shallow baking dish, combine the first five ingredients. Top mixture with the pepperoni and olives.

Bake at 325 degrees about 25 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with Scoops, crackers or assorted fresh vegetables.

Note: I do not recommend using reduced fat mayonnaise.

Speaking from personal experience, these three hot appetizers are guaranteed to be a hit at any get together.

For more of my favorite Hot Appetizers, click here.

WARNING: Get ready to hand out the recipes!

Homemade Desserts to Satisfy your Soul!

Top 3 Delicious Desserts

Number One Most Requested Delicious Dessert--Raspberry White Chocolate Dream Bars

• 1 box white cake mix
• 1/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1-1/2 sticks melted butter
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
• 12 oz. white chocolate chips

Combine cake mix, milk, butter and nuts. Makes a very gooey dough. Spray a 9 x 13 pan and spread half of the dough into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Melt the jam in the microwave (about a minute) and spread on top of hot crust. Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over jam. Crumble remaining dough on top and bake an additional 20-25 minutes. Cool completely before cutting.

For bigger parties, this recipe easily doubles and can be made in a 15 x 10 pan.

Once you get the hang of this technique, you can think of all sorts of combinations. How about using chocolate cake with mint chips? Or lemon cake with white chocolate?

Number Two Most Requested Delicious Dessert--Chocolate Amaretto Bundt Cake

• 1 pkg. chocolate devil's food cake mix
• 1 small pkg. instant chocolate pudding mix
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1-1/2 oz. Amaretto liqueur
• 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup fresh raspberries (optional)
• 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam (optional)
• Whipped cream (optional)

Glaze

• 1 stick butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup Amaretto

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine first 6 ingredients and blend well. Stir in chips. Grease and flour a bundt pan. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

Melt glaze ingredients in a saucepan or microwave. Pour 2/3 of glaze over top of cake while cake is hot from oven and still in pan. Allow cake to remain in pan for 25 minutes. Remove cake from pan and drizzle with remaining glaze.

When I make this cake dessert, I fill the middle with fresh raspberries and present it on my grandmother's crystal pedestal cake stand which is very dramatic.

Just before serving, I make a raspberry sauce by melting the jam in the microwave.

Each lucky guest gets a plate with some of the sauce, a slice of cake, a few berries and some whipped cream. Yum!

Number Three Most Requested Delicious Dessert--Mystic Mint Cookies

These are melt-in-your-mouth heaven!

Dough

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg
• 2 squares (1 oz. each) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix sugar, butter, vanilla, egg and unsweetened chocolate. Stir in flour and salt.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten each cookie with fingertips. Bake until set, about 8 minutes. Remove to cooling racks and cool completely.

Peppermint Frosting

• 2-1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

Mix all frosting ingredients until smooth and of spreading consistency.

Chocolate Drizzle

• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 1-6 oz. package semisweet chocolate chips

Simmer all drizzle ingredients over low heat. Stir constantly until butter and chocolate are melted.

Spread peppermint frosting over cooled cookies then drizzle each with chocolate mixture. Leave on counter for 2-3 hours until frosting is set.

If you serve any of these homemade desserts, you can count on your guests being very happy. And I will bet that you will be handing out recipes, just like I do at my house.

For more of my favorite Delicious Desserts, click here.

Drinks, Drinks and more Summer Drinks!

Top 5 Summer Drinks

When most people host parties, they usually have the basic alcoholic beverages, like beer and wine, but rarely do you see a host offer a selection of really special summer drinks.

I have perfected my list of offerings over the years and now I share my Top 5 with you.

Number One Most Requested Summer Cocktail--Limoncello Mint Lemonade

• 1/2 cup lemonade concentrate
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• Ice cubes
• 1/4 cup Limoncello (lemon liqueur)
• 1/2 cup club soda
• Lemon and Mint for garnish

In a small pitcher, "muddle" mint leaves together with lemonade concentrate and lemon juice. Muddle means to bruise the leaves so they release their flavor. I use the end of a wooden spoon.

Stir in ice cubes, Limoncello and club soda and pour into 4 glasses. Top them off with a lemon slice, a sprig of fresh mint and an umbrella.

Makes 4-10 oz. drinks.

Number Two Most Requested Summer Cocktail--Pomegranate Blueberry Martini

Made with 1/2 juice so not as strong as most martinis.

• 1/2 part vodka
• 1 part pomegranate mix (I use "Stirrings" or "Rose" brand)
• 1 part pomegranate blueberry juice (I use "Tropicana" brand)
• Orange slices for garnish

Shake ingredients with ice for 1 minute in a martini shaker. Pour into some martini glasses and garnish with an orange slice. Crisp and refreshing!

Number Three Most Requested Summer Cocktail--Pineapple Bleu

• 2-oz. Hypnotic Liqueur
• 1-oz. Grey Goose Vodka
• Splash of pineapple juice
• Lemon twist for garnish

Shake together Hypnotic, vodka and ice until chilled. Pour into a martini glass, top with pineapple juice and garnish with a lemon twist and an umbrella.

Number Four Most Requested Summer Cocktail--Sangria Punch

This one is great for summer barbeques because you can easily make it a pitcher at a time or can serve it from a punch bowl.

• 1 lemon
• 1 lime
• 1 orange
• 1-1/2 cups rum (spiced rum works well too)
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 (750 milliliter) bottle dry red wine
• 1 cup orange juice

Chill the fruit, rum, orange juice and wine. If desired, make ice cubes out of the orange juice. This is a good way to keep drinks icey cold without diluting them.

Slice the lemon, lime and orange into thin rounds and place in a large glass pitcher. Pour in the rum and sugar. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours to develop the flavors.

When ready to serve, crush the fruit lightly with a wooden spoon and stir in the wine and orange juice (cubes if you made them). Adjust sweetness to taste.

Number Five Most Requested Summer Cocktail--Fruited Brandy Punch

This one has become a favorite at my home and a lot of the parties I attend, most likely because everyone loves it and you can make a huge amount and serve it in a punch bowl.

1/2 part brandy (I use Christian Brothers brand)

1 part lemon-lime soda

2 parts fruit juice (Cranberry-Peach blend is my favorite)

1/2 bag frozen fruit (Blueberries and strawberries look great)

1 fruited ice ring (see recipe below)

Slices of lemons, limes and oranges, if desired

Mix fruit juice and frozen fruit together in a nice punch bowl or container.

Pour in lemon-lime soda, gently stir and then float an ice ring on top (see recipe below). Rather than spike the punch, I serve the brandy on the side so my guests who prefer non-alcoholic punch can drink it too.

To make ice ring

Pour 1-2 cups of the juice mixture from above into a Bundt pan or another mold. Add some of the fruit and/or fresh citrus slices. Freeze overnight.

Just before serving, set the pan into some hot water to loosen the ice ring and then turn it into the punch bowl. It makes a really beautiful presentation, cools the punch and since it's made with juice, it will not water down the punch. Perfect!

This recipe can easily be altered so you can serve it from a Drink Fountain which is really gaining popularity lately. Just leave out the fruit and the ice ring.

If you went to a summer party and somebody handed you any of these summer drinks, wouldn't you think that the hosts went out of their way to make things special? That they really took time to get it right? Everybody loves a special summer drink on a warm sunny day.

For more of my favorite Summer Drinks, click here.

Plan a Party Soon!

So, now you have the recipes for my "Top Most Requested Hot Appetizers, Delicious Desserts and Summer Drinks" to WOW your guests with. I am certain that over time, several of these recipes will become your favorites just as they are mine.

For more of my favorite party recipes, click here.