spicy spinach dip

1 cup of water
1 medium sized diced red pepper
1 8oz package cream cheese
2 tbsp milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
pack of frozen spinach about 1/2 to 3/4 of it
crushed red pepper flakes
salt & pepper to taste
hot sauce

-boil water in a saucepan add red pepper & spinach bring the water back to a boil lower heat and simmer for about 10 minutes
-drain and squeeze out as much liquid as possible
-combine cream cheese & milk in the saucepan over medium heat until the cheese is hot and melty. stir in red peppers & spinach add Parmesan cheese and salt & pepper. Red pepper flakes the recipes called for 1/2 tsp I used more I don't exactly know how much probably at the very least 1 1/2 tbsp and a dash of hot sauce. The folks around my house tend to like things spicy and with a bit of a kick but you can doctor the spicing to your own tastes. Combine all of this and heat then serve.
-this sort of dip always looks great in a bread bowl

tortellini & pesto thingy

quick & easy appetizer I have added to my repertoire

1 10 oz package tortellini I used the green spinach kind personally
1 cup mayo
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 to 1/2 cup prepared pesto (according to taste I did not measure precisely)
garlic powder, kosher salt & pepper to taste
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
toothpicks

-in a bowl combine mayo, pesto, cheese, garlic powder, salt & pepper then refrigerate for about an hour
-cook tortellini according to package directions, rinse in cold water, then toss with about 1 tbsp olive oil
-on toothpicks place 1 totellini & 1 tomato then put on a platter with dip in the middle

super yummy, super easy and it proved to be a huge hit at the New Years Eve party

now that is a spicy meatball

normally as far as appetizer meat type things I usually prefer mini-hotdogs but for some reason this New Year's Eve is was drawn to the meatballs. I'd love to say I made them from scratch like my mother but after working all day and trying to make a quick run to the grocery before fetching the kid & going home to clean & prepare for the evening's festivities I bought the frozen meatballs. I am a convenience cook so shoot me....

Using the standard grape jelly & bbq sauce mixture I was looking for something interesting in the bbq sauce department. And interesting I found! The most excellent habanero bbq sauce from Sticky Fingers! I can also recommend the restaurant having eaten at one in Chattanooga many many moons ago. It gave the meatballs a nice spicy bite and had me back at the grocery store the next day picking up a couple of bottles of bbq sauce. I look forward to using it in my jerk chicken later this week.

cucumber dip

found this in a junior league cookbook I picked up at a used bookstore it's yummy and easy and was given the 4 star rating by my husband. you do need to start prep a day in advance

2 large unpeeled cucumbers
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
16 oz cream cheese at room temperature
3/4 cup mayo
dill to taste
pepper to taste

-grate cucumber and mix with vinegar, salt & garlic powder refrigerate overnight
-drain off the liquid and put cucumbers in a sieve press out as much liquid as possible
-mix together cream cheese, mayo, pepper & dill to taste
-add cucumbers
-serve with fresh vegetables or crackers appetizer