Caprese Skewers

16 oz fresh mozzarella pearls or balls

3/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp salt

1 pkg fresh basil leaves

8 oz grape tomatoes

balsamic glaze

In a bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, basil, oregano, red pepper, and salt. Separate the mozzarella pearls and add to the oil mixture. Allow to marinate in the fridge for several hours.

To assemble skewers, place mozzarella balls, fresh basil leaves, and tomatoes on each skewer as desired. Cut basil leaves in half if they are too large. For smaller pearls, I prefer 2 mozzarella pearls, 1 basil leaf, 1 tomato, 1 basil leaf, and 2 more mozzarella pearls.

Before serving, drizzle balsamic glaze over the skewers.

Favorite Cheese Fondue

1 cup chicken broth
1 clove garlic, cut in half
1 Tbs. lemon juice
2 tablespoons flour
8 oz. Gruyere cheese
10-12 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese

Shred the cheese. Place the cheese and the flour in a Ziploc bag and shake to coat. Set aside. Vigorously rub the inside of a saucepan with the cut sides of the garlic, discard the garlic. Add the chicken broth and lemon juice to the pan and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the cheese a little at a time, stirring constantly. Stir just until cheese has melted and mixture is creamy. Remove from heat to pre-heated fondue pot on low-med temp. Serves about 6.

Dippers: Cubed Bread (French, Sourdough, Rye, etc.), Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots, Green Apples

Green Onion Cheese Ball

16 oz. (2 pkg's) cream cheese (softened)
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 medium clove garlic, minced or pressed
1/8 tsp. onion powder
sliced almonds

Combine cream cheese, onions, garlic, and onion powder. Form into a ball and coat with sliced almonds. Refrigerate until firm.

Clubhouse Chicken Squares

2 pkg.’s (8 oz. ea.) refrigerated crescent rolls
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 Tbs. mayonnaise
1 small garlic clove, pressed
1 tsp. dill
1 can (10 oz.) chunk white chicken, drained and flaked
½ small cucumber, seeded, sliced, and quartered
1-2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
½ cup (2 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon, crisply cooked, drained, and crumbled

Preheat oven to 375°. Unroll one pkg. of crescent rolls across one end of cookie sheet with longest sides of dough across short width of pan. Repeat with other pkg. of dough to fill the pan. Roll dough to seal perforations (or press with fingers) and press up sides to form crust. Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven; cool completely.

Combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, garlic, and dill. Mix well. Spread evenly over crust. Top with chicken.

Thinly slice cucumber and quarter. Dice tomatoes. Grate cheese. Sprinkle cucumber, tomatoes, cheese, and bacon over chicken. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Cut into squares and serve! Yum!

Mexican Black Bean Dip

1 can whole black beans
1 can corn
1 cup fresh cilantro - chopped thick to maintain flavor
1 cubed avocado
1 tomato diced a bit thick
1 lemon or lime
2 cups salsa

Salt and pepper to taste and if you wish you can add a little bit of taco seasoning. Rinse and drain the black beans and corn. Carefully mix all the ingredients together. Squeeze the lemon juice into the mix, making sure that you cover the avocado in the lemon juice to prevent it from browning. Add salt and pepper. If you are going to keep it in the refrigerator for a few days, don't add the salt until you are ready to serve it.