Knottie Recipes

April's Father-in-Law's Cheese Dip

Nestie Luckystar2 said her father-in-law makes this fantastic cheese dip and they've had it quite a few times over the holidays. She's absolutely addicted to it and apparently everybody asks him to make it for any get-together. She doesn't have the exact recipe, but this one she found online sounds pretty similar.

8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1.5 c. or 6 oz. shredded natural Swiss cheese
1/3 c. Miracle Whip
2 T. chopped onions
1/8 t. pepper
1/3 c. toasted sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix everything but almonds together well. Spread into a Pyrex pie dish. Bake 8 minutes, stir, and bake another 7 minutes. Garnish with almonds.

Her family serves with crackers, and April's father-in-law tops with the almonds before baking rather than after.

hot cheesy carrot dip

Nestie carabean posted this on the Nest in response to a post about New Year's Eve snacks. She said she hadn't tasted it yet but that the person who'd given it to her had said that she'd brought it to a party once and from then on had been asked to bring it all the time, so it must be good.

1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. cheese, cheddar works best (I assume shredded)
1 c. shredded carrots

Bake until it's bubbly and melty, then spread on crackers.

Shrimp Spread

This is a recipe stolen from the mom of my brothers best friend in grade school.  Serve it with crackers or crusty bread.

• 2 Cans small shrimp drained.
• 8 oz. Cream cheese, softened
• 1 T. mayo
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 C. celery, finely chopped
• 2 hard boiled eggs, mashed
• 1 T. Lemon juice
• salt & pepper

Cream all together.  That's it!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

This recipe is so easy & always a hit with everyone! 

Just a side note-you can leave the celery out if you'd like (I normally do) and you can use low-fat or non-fat ingredients (cream cheese, ranch dressing, etc...) and it tastes just as good!

BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP

• 5 Cups Cubed Chicken (canned chicken is OK) 
• 12 0z. Frank's Hot Sauce 
• (2) 8 0z. containers of cream cheese 
• 1 Cup Ranch Dressing 
• 1 Cup chopped celery 
• 3/4 Cup Monterey Jack Cheese

    Sautee chicken and hot sauce together. Microwave cream cheese and ranch dressing. Add celery to above ingred. Cook in skillet uncovered 10 minutes. Add Monterey Jack cheese and melt uncovered.

Put all in baking dish and bake in oven at 350 uncovered for 30 minutes. 

salsa-baked cheese

I made these for some cooking lessons I taught at the Shadyside Williams-Sonoma a few years back when I needed to feature a particular brand of salsa they were selling. Takes about 45 minutes to make, but most of it is inactive time, and it was a huge hit :) Would make a great Superbowl Sunday dish for four to six.

1/4 c. pine nuts or coarsely chopped walnut or pecans
4-oz. lot goat cheese
3-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 c. jarred salsa
1 T. or so chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
lots of tortilla chips, crackers, bread, or croutons for serving

Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread out the nuts on a baking sheet. Set them in the oven and let toast until lightly browned and very fragrant, seven or eight minutes (I actually just toss mine in a little fry pan so I can watch them, because pine nuts especially go from just right to burnt in a flash). Remove and slide off into a medium-sized bowl.
Add the cheeses to the bowl and combine thoroughly with the nuts. Scoop into the center of an ovenproof baking dish and form it into a five-inch-diameter disk. Spoon the salsa over and around the cheese, place in the oven, and bake until heated through, 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with the cilantro and set out to enjoy as a dip or spread.

Source: Salsas That Cook by Rick Bayless with JeanMarie Brownson nd Deann Groen Bayless

RED PEPPER HUMMUS

Another one from my mom (origina unknown but may be Cooking Light?)

2 (15 OUNCE) CANS CHICKPEAS, RINSED AND DRAINED
3 GARLIC CLOVES
½ CUP JARRED ROASTED RED BELL PEPPERS, DRAINED
½ CUP TAHINI (STIR THE TAHINI THOROUGHLY BEFORE MEASURING IT.)
¼ CUP WATER
2 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL
1 ½ TSP. SALT
½ TSP. GROUND CUMIN
¼ TSP GROUND RED PEPPER
1/3 TO ½ CUP FRESH LIME JUICE
GARNISH:FRESH FLAT-LEAF PARSLEY SPRIGS

PROCESS: FIRST 9 INGREDIENTS AND 1/3 CUP LIME JUICE IN A FOOD PROCESSOR OR BLENDER UNTIL SMOOTH, STOPPING TO SCRAPE DOWN SIDES; ADD ADDITIONAL LIME JUICE, IF NECESSARY, UNTIL DESIRED CONSISTENCY.  COVER AND CHILL UNTIL READY TO SERVE. GARNISH IF DESIRED.