Recipe(tried): Some Easy and Yummy Appetizers for Judy...

Hi Judy, Congratulations on your daughter's marriage!!

Here are some easy and yummy appetizers that you can prepare and leave in the fridge for when you all come back. The Dates and Bacon are the best ones....

Pineapple Cheese Spread
This makes 5 cups.

2 8 oz. cream cheese
1 8 1/2 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
1 c. chopped pecans
1/2 c. chopped green bell pepper
2 T. chopped green onion
1 t. Lawrey's Seasoned Salt

Soften cream cheese and mix with pineapple, nuts, green pepper and onions. Blend in salt and mix well. Pack into a crock and refrigerate to set or roll into a ball covered with crushed pecans. Serve with crackers.

Spicy Sugared Pecans

1 egg white
1 T water
1/2 t. salt
1 1/4 t., cinnamon
1 c. sugar
1 lb. pecan halves

Beat egg white and water til foamy. Add salt, cinnamon and sugar and mix
well. Add pecans and stir til well coated. Spread on cookie sheet. Bake
at 200 for 45 mts. Stir every 15 mts. Let cool. Store in glass canning jar, when ready to serve tie a festive plaid ribbon around the neck and let the guests help themselves.

Spinach Dip in Hawaiian Round Bread
This is the one dip everyone asks for the recipe....
Makes 4 cups

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 container (16 oz.) sour cream
1 cup mayo
1 phg. KNORR Vegetable Soup and Recipe Mix
1 can (8 oz.) chestnuts, drained and chopped
3 scallions, chopped
1 Hawaiian Bread Round, scoop out middle to make a bowl and reserve

In a med. bowl, stir the spinach, sour cream, mayo, soup mix, water chestnuts and green onions until well mixed. Cover and chill 2 hours to blend flavors.

Stir before serving. Pour into a prepared round of Hawaiian Bread, serve with crackers and the scooped out bread pieces.

Cheese & Fruit Stand

On a pretty glass cake stand arrange the following:
Green Grape Cluster
Red Grape Cluster
Slices of Cantalope
Sliced strawberries
Kiwi Slices
Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Swiss Cheese
Brie with Wheat Thin Crackers

(The Brie can be served on a platter by itself surrounded with lavosh crackers and Wheat Thins... heat it in the oven with red raspberry preserves and crushed walnuts pieces over it til soft, transfer to a pretty glass dish and surround with the crackers.This pie you can leave in the fridge and then bake in the oven quick.

SPINACH-RICOTTA PIE

1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 large eggs
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups ricotta cheese
8 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated
Dash oregano
Dash nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
1 unbaked pie shell

Cook spinach according to package directions. Drain well and set aside.

Heat oil in a skillet and saute onion. At the last minute, throw in the garlic. Stir well.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs slightly, add the cheeses, mix well. Add the sauteed veggies and the spinach along with the spices, salt and pepper. Pour into the pie shell.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until set.

Also another yummy idea is this one:

Take ham slices, spread with softened cream cheese, lay an asparagus spear on it and roll up. Delicious.

And here's my last one, a real winner at my parties. These disappear very quick....you can make them the day before, just hope whoever is at home doesn't gobble them up...

Dates Wrapped in Bacon

2 boxes of pitted dates
2 packages of bacon

Cut bacon package in half, wrap a date in a bacon half and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, halfway thru baking turn them around so they bake completely. Drain, let them cool and arrange on a pretty dish with toothpicks.