Wrightfully Simple
APPETIZERS:
Do you host parties, do you have movie or game night? Well...having the right appetizer might help. We do game night at my house and I have some wonderful app recipes for you to try. Have fun!
BLACK BEAN DIP
Ingredients:
1 (15oz.) can black beans
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14oz.) can black olives, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup fresh cilantro

Directions:
in large bowl: drain black beans, add onions, garlic, oil, vinegar & spices. Stir well until combined. Cover & chill until needed. When ready to serve, sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese & chopped cilantro. Serve with Tortilla chips.
ROTEL DIP WITH SAUSAGE
Ingredients
1 small block velveeta, diced up
1 can rotel diced tomatoes
1 small roll of Jimmy Dean sausage
1/4 tsp. cayenne
Directions
1. In a medium sized frying pan, brown the sausage until all is done. Drain and put aside.
2. In a medium sized sauce pan, add rotel and velveeta, cook until all is melted and then add the cayenne.
3. Add sausage to velveeta mixture and stir until all is incorporated.
Serve with chips or whatever side item you like.
CHICKEN WING DIP
Ingredients
1 large can chicken or 2 cups shredded chicken
1 (8oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 cup mozzarella cheese
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup FRANK'S RedHot® Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce or FRANK'S RedHot® Buffalo Wings Sauce
1/2 cup Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Dressing
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In large bowl mozzarella cheese, franks hot sauce, ranch and seasonings, then add chicken and mix all together.
3. In a 9x13 pan spread the softened cream cheese on the bottom of pan. Then add the chicken mixture on top and spread the cheddar cheese on top.
4. Place in oven and cook until cheese has melted or has a little brown on top...around 30 minutes.
Serve with tortilla chips or bagel bites.
TACO PIZZA
Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning
2 (8 oz.) cans Pillsbury crescent rolls
1 (16 oz.) can refried beans
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese or mexican blend
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 small can sliced black olives
4 green onions, chopped
Directions
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Brown ground beef and drain. Add taco seasoning to the ground beef as directed.
3. Unroll crescent rolls into rectangles. Place in ungreased 11 1/2 inch x 16 1/2 inch jelly roll pan or cookie sheet. Press dough over the bottom and 1/2 inch up sides to form crust. Bake at 375 for 11 to 13 min. or just until golden brown.
4 Microwave beans for 1 minute. Carefully spread beans over warm crust creating a thin layer. Top with cooked beef mixture, sprinkle with cheese followed by tomatoes, black olives and green onion.
5. Return to oven for 3-5 more min. until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.
Serves 12 main dishes or 48 appetizers.
WARM ARTICHOKE CRAB DIP
Ingredients
1 slice White bread, minced
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup heavy cream
5 oz. sour cream
4 oz. mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. old bay seasoning
6 oz. artichoke hearts, drained and cut into pieces
1/2 lb. crabcake mix
1/4 lb. crab meat
2 tsp buttered bread crumbs
6 oz. crab and artichoke mix
1/2 tsp. parsley, chopped
Directions
1. Place the minced bread and cream cheese into a mixing bowl. Pour the heavy cream into the bowl and mix ingredients together.
2. Add the sour cream, mayo, cayenne, salt, pepper, and old bay seasoning into the mixing bowl. Stir all ingredients together.
3. Add the artichoke hearts, crabcake mix and crab meat into the bowl. Gently fold into the other ingredients being careful not to break up the large pieces of crab meat.
4. Transfer to a clean storage container, cover and refrigerate.
5. Heat crab and artichoke mixture in a saute pan over medium heat, stirring frequently until it is warm throughout.
6. Place into a serving bowl and sprinkle with buttered bread crumbs, and parsley.
Serve with chips, or warm baquette.
PESTO TORTILLA PINWHEELS
Ingredients
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup pesto
2/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
3 large flour tortillas (12")
1 lb. thinly sliced turkey or ham deli meat
Directions
1. In a bowl, beat together cream cheese, pesto and cheese until smooth. Spread 1/3 of mixture on top of tortilla. Top mixture with with turkey or ham. Roll up tortilla tightly and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours.
2. Remove from refrigerator, unwrap and slice into rounds or you can halve it.
You can always add diced black olives to this and add some flavor.
Variations:
- cream cheese, black olives and turkey.
- pesto, turkey, romano cheese
- cream cheese, turkey, cheddar cheese
You can do whatever you want to these...it's all good!
GUACAMOLE
Ingredients
2 ripe Hass Avocados
2 tsp. lime juice
2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/2 jalapeno, including seeds, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
Directions
1. Choosing your avocado...should feel squishy, yet firm and be nice dark green color on the inside.
2. Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit carefully.
3. Scoop the avocado and place in bowl.
4. Toss with lime juice
5. Add salt and using a fork, mash until smooth.
6. Fold in the remaining ingredients and mix well.
7. Taste the guacamole and see if it needs anything to your liking.
CHORIZO BEAN DIP
Ingredients
8 oz. uncooked chorizo sausage, casings removed if it has it.
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 tsp. chopped canned chipoltel pepper in adobo sauce
1 (15oz.) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
lime wedges
Directions
1. In a medium skillet cook sausage, onion and garlic over medium heat until sausage is brown, break down the sausage as it cooks.
2. Remove from skillet, drain on paper towels. In a medium bowl, combine sausage mixture, black beans, tomatoes, cilantro and chipotle peppers.
3. In a slow cooker mash pinto beans onto bottom of pan, top with tomato mixture and sprinkle with cheese.
4. Cover and cook on low heat setting for at least 4 hours or on high setting for 2 hours until bubbly.
Serve with lime wedges and tortilla chips.
CHEDDAR BACON LOAF
Ingredients
1 (16oz) loaf baquette style french bread
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup cooked bacon pieces
2 med. green onions, sliced 1/4 cup
2 tsp. yellow mustard
1 tsp. lemon juice
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Use a serrated knife to cut bread crosswise into 1-inch slices, cutting but not through the bottom crust.
3. In a small bowl, stir together cheese, butter, bacon, green onions, mustard and lemon juice. Spread misture between slices of bread. Wrap loaf in foil
4. Bake for 10-15 min. or until bread is heated though and cheese is melted.
SALAMI CHIPS WITH GRAINY MUSTARD DIP
Ingredients
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayo
2 tbsp. dijon-style mustard
2 tbsp. grainy mustard
8 oz. thinly sliced salami
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. For the grainy mustard dip, in a small bowl, stir together sour cream, mayo, dijon and grainy mustard. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate about 2 hours.
3. Line a jelly roll pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper. Lay salami slices out in a single layer on the pans. Bake until they are evenly browned and rigid...about 15 minutes. Transfer to paper towels and cool.
Arrange on plate and serve with mustard sauce.
ASIAGO ARTICHOKE DIP
Ingredients
1 (14oz.) can artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained
2 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto or 2 slices bacon
1 cup arugula or fresh spinach, chopped
1 (8oz.) carton sour cream
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup bottle roasted red sweet peppers, drained and finely chopped
3/4 cup finely shredded asiago cheese or parmesan cheese approx. 3 ounces
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place artichoke hearts in a bowl and chop...set aside.
3. Brown prosciutto or bacon in a frying pan, until brown and crispy, drain and set aside.
4. Add arugula to bacon grease and cook for 1 minute; set aside afterwards.
5. In a large bowl stir together sour cream and flour until combined. Stir in mayo and roasted red peppers. Stir in 1/2 cup of cheese, green onions, artichokes and arugula mixture. Transfer to an ungreased 9 inch pie plate.
6. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese, but set aside a tsp. of cheese to sprinkle on top.
7. Bake uncovered approx. 30 min. or until edges are getting brown.
Serve with chips and sprinkle on cheese or extra bacon!
BUFFALO CHICKEN TURNOVER
Ingredients
1 (8oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 cup chopped chicken
3-4 tbsp. Franks Buffalo sauce
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, or more if you like
1 box thawed puff pastry
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine cream cheese, chicken, sauce and cheddar cheese in a small mixing bowl. Unfold both pastry doughs and cut each into nine squares. Place 1-2 tsp of chicken mixture onto each square and fold two opposite corners of the dough over to make a triangle. Seal the sides with a fork or with your thumb.
3. Place on a sprayed cookie sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
Wrightfully Simple Spicy Salsa
Ingredients:
1 (15oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15oz.) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14oz.) can black olives, chopped
4-5 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
2 jalapenos, seeded
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup balsamic
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 cup fresh cilantro

Directions:
1. In large bowl: drain black and garbanzo beans, add onions, garlic, oil, vinegar & spices. Stir well until combined. Cover & chill until needed. When ready to serve, sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Serve with Tortilla chips.
