Party Foods

I have always loved the Ivy Bake Shoppe cookbook for its desserts (most of which feature sweetened condensed milk...) and breakfast foods. It has some yummy dinners too. But I've never tried any of its appetizers or party foods.

A couple weeks ago, when it was my turn to provide snacks for our choir practice with the Bay Choral Guild, I tried these two recipes for the first time. Both were scrumptious! Enjoy.

Becky's Spinach Artichoke Phyllo

This was my first time baking with phyllo dough. I'd tried to make my own once. Wouldn't recommend it. Trying to roll my own paper-thin dough with a rolling pin just gave me really sore wrists. But it was super fun to work with pre-made dough I bought frozen at Safeway!



Ingredients:

3 oz. fresh spinach, pulsed in food processor 5 pulses
1 cup artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. onion salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
Melted butter (I think I needed a good 3/4 cup or more...)
1 pkg. phyllo, thawed in refrigerator

Directions:

Mix the first seven ingredients together to combine. Generously butter one sheet of phyllo, top with another sheet of phyllo and butter it also. Keep a damp cloth on top of remaining phyllo so it doesn't dry out. Cut the buttered phyllo into 8 strips. Place 1 teaspoon spinach mixture on each piece at the bottom and then fold as if folding a flag. Freeze until ready to use. To serve right from freezer, bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes about 4 dozen.


Adrian's Delight

I've never had a sweet chip dip before--this is yummy! Lemony, cranberry-y goodness.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 (8-oz) pkg cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 pkg. unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup Craisins
1 cup toasted sliced almonds
Zest of 2 lemons

Directions:

Cream the first three ingredients together until combined and then add sugar. Soften gelatin in cold water by stirring over hot water. Add gelatin mixture to the cream cheese mixture. Add the remaining ingredients. Pour into a 4-cup mold or plastic container lined with plastic wrap. Refrigerate and turn out onto a serving platter; remove plastic wrap. Serve with saltine crackers (or other plain crackers). Freezes well. Makes 24 appetizers.