Appetizers, sauces etc

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Appetizers

ALL-AMERICAN SNACK

3 cups thin pretzel sticks

4 cups Wheat Chex

4 cups Cheerios

13 ounces can salted peanuts

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon celery salt

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup melted butter

In large mixing bowl or slow-cooking pot, mix together pretzels, cereals, and

peanuts. Sprinkle with garlic salt, celery salt, seasoned salt, and cheese. Pour

melted butter over all; toss until well mixed. Cover and cook in slow-cooking

pot on low 3 to 4 hours. Uncover the last 30 to 40 minutes. Serve as appetizer

or snack.

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CHEESE FONDUE

2 cans Campbell's cheese soup

Cauliflower, cut up

1 handful dried or fresh chives

1 tbs Worcestershire sauce

2 c Grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 tsp Lemon juice

Celery sticks

Corn chips, French or Italian bread

Combine condensed soup, grated cheese, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and

chives. Cover and heat on low in crock-pot for 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Stir until

smooth and well blended. Keep hot in the pot. Use celery, chips or bread chunks

for dipping.

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CHEX MIX

2 cups Cheerios

3 cups Rice Chex

2 cups Shredded Wheat

1 cup peanuts, pecans, or cashews

1 cup thin pretzel sticks

1/2 cup butter -- melted

4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 Dash Tabasco sauce

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon onion salt

Combine cereals, nuts, and pretzels in Crock-Pot. Mix melted butter with all

remaining ingredients; pour over cereal mixture in Crock-Pot and toss lightly to

coat. DO NOT COVER CROCK-POT. Cook on High setting for 2 hours, stirring well

every 30 minutes; then turn to Low setting for 2 to 6 hours. Store in airtight

container.

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CREAMY SPINACH DIP (from Rival)

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, cubed

1/4 cup whipping cream

1/2 of a 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons diced pimento

2 teaspoons finely chopped onion

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Combine cream cheese and milk in greased crockette. Cover and heat until cheese

is melted, 30-60 minutes. (The crockette has only one temperature setting.) Add

remaining ingredients. Cover and heat 30 minutes. Serve with raw vegetables,

crackers or bread pieces.

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GRANOLA

5 c. rolled oats (NOT instant)

1/2 c. honey

1/4 c. salad oil

(Optional: raisins, coconut, nuts, seeds, etc.)

Place oats, honey and oil in the crockpot, mix well. Cook on low, stirring every

half-hour or so until dry and golden, about 3 hours or so. Keep lid propped open

while crocking; I use a chopstick. When cool, mix in raisins, nuts, etc. Store

in air-tight canister.

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HOT ARTICHOKE DIP

From Sunset Cookery Cookbook

1 jar (6 oz) marinated artichoke hearts

2 tablespoons canned diced green chiles

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

Drain artichokes, reserving marinade; chop artichokes coarsely. In a 2- or 4-cup

electric slow cooker, combine artichokes, chiles, mayonnaise, and cheese. Cover

and heat until cheese is melted (45 minutes to 1 hour). Stir gently to mix

ingredients, then blend in 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of the reserved artichoke

marinade to give mixture a good dipping consistency. Serve hot. Makes about 1.5

cups (4 to 6 servings).

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MEXICAN " REFRIED " BEANS

*2 pounds dried pinto beans Night before: pick over beans, rinse well in

colander. Toss in crock (or other container) with water to cover. Let soak

overnight. Early in the morning: Rinse beans well, put in crockpot. Add to the

beans: 2 cans (15 oz) tomato sauce water to about 2 " over the beans (this will

make the finished product fairly thick, you can add more water, as you like.)

Some onion and garlic powder Cook on medium or high. The beans are generally

done enough to eat in 3-4 hours, but will taste better if given time to flavor

through, 12 hours is best. At about 10 hours, add salt. When beans look right

(thickened and mushy) just smash them with back of large spoon or potato masher.

Then stir in: 1 16 oz. container salsa a slosh or two of apple cider vinegar.

Makes about 12 cups. I freeze them in pint freezer containers, and use one at a

time. These make great meatless tacos!

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PARTY MIX

from: Quick Cooking

4 cups wheat chex®

4 cups cherrios cereal

4 cups pretzel sticks

1 12 oz can salted peanuts

1/4 cup butter or margarine -- melted

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese -- up to 3 tbsp

1 teaspoon celery salt

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt -- up to 3/4 tsp

In a 5 quart slow cooker, combine cereals, pretzels, and peanuts. Combine

butter, parmesan cheese, celery salt, and seasoned salt; drizzle over cereal

mixture and mix well. Cover and cook on low for up to 3 hours, stirring every 30

minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Yield: 3 quarts.

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SALSA

10 plum tomatoes (Italian/Roma)

2 jalapeno peppers

1 small onion

2 cloves of garlic

Core the tomatoes and make a slice in the side of two of them, push a peeled

clove of garlic inside and toss them all whole in crockpot. You can use the

peppers without removing the seeds just cut off stems, or if you don't like

salsa really hot, cut them in two and remove seeds...toss them in crockpot. Cut

the onion into quarters and toss it in too. Cook on high setting 2 1/2 to 3

hours or until veg are tender...some may brown a bit but that's ok...gives a

roasted flavor. When veg are tender ladle the hot mix into a blender, add 1/2

teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves. Blend, chill and enjoy! (this

makes a smooth salsa...if you like it chunkier...just blend half of the veg.

with the cilantro and salt. Then pulse the rest a couple times just till chopped

a bit...mix all together.) Makes about 4 cups.

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SPAGHETTI SAUCE

1 eggplant (1 lb.), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. dried parsley

1 16 oz. can Italian-style tomatoes

1 6 oz. can tomato paste

1 4 oz. can mushrooms, undrained

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. sugar (or Succanat)

Combine all ingredients in crock pot and stir well. Cover and cook on low for 10

to 12 hours or on high 2 to 4 hours. Makes 6 cups

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TACO DIP

2- 8 oz. cream cheese

4 cans chili (with or without beans)

Place cream cheese and chili in crock pot. Heat on low for 3-4 hours, stirring

frequently to blend ingredients. Serve warm with tortilla chips.

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TACO SAUCE

10 large tomatoes, peeled (or 2 28 oz. cans whole tomatoes)

5 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tsp. salt

2 large onions, chopped

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 Tbsp. sugar (or Succanat)

1 Tbsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce

2 to 3 jalapeno peppers (optional)

1 Tbsp. flour

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 Tbsp. wine vinegar

Place all ingredients except flour, oil, and vinegar in crock pot and stir well.

Cover and cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours. Remove cover and turn to high

setting for last hour to reduce excess moisture. Before removing sauce from

crock pot, stir in flour, oil, and vinegar. Allow to cool. Pour 3 cups of sauce

at a time into blender container and blend until smooth. Makes 8 cups.