Deviled Crackers
 Mix 1-teaspoon each of prepared mustard and curry powder to a paste by adding a little Worcestershire sauce and a few drops of Tabasco sauce. Stir the paste into 4-tablespoons of softened butter. Spread mixture on the upper side of thin crackers and place in hot oven 400° 3 to 4-minutes. Be careful that the crackers do not become too brown, as this detracts from their appearance. Before serving, sprinkle lightly with paprika.
Holiday Feta Cheese Ball
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
16 ounces feta cheese, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup finely chopped red pepper
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped Parsley (optional)
Mix cream cheese and feta cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Cover. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.
Shape into ball. Roll in chopped fresh parsley, if desired. Serve with assorted crackers. (Makes 32 servings)
Imperial Sticks in Rings
Cut day-old bread in 1/3-inch slices; remove crusts, spread thinly with butter. Cut slices in 1/3-inch strips and rings about 2 1/2-inches in diameter; put on cookie sheet and place in hot oven 425° or under broiler flame until delicately browned. Arrange three strips in each ring. Attractive to use in center of plate of soup accompaniments.
Italian Cheese Ball
1 8-ounce tub cream cheese spread, softened
1 8-ounce package shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup sliced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon each Italian seasoning and garlic powder
1/2 cup pecan pieces, toasted, finely chopped
Mix cream cheese and Cheddar cheese in medium bowl until well blended. Stir in cherries and pumpkin pie spice. Shape into ball; cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2-hours.
Roll in pecans just before serving. (Makes 24 servings)
Mock Almonds
Cut stale bread into 1/3-inch slices. Cut slices with round cutter 2-inches in diameter, then cut in almond-shaped pieces. Brush with melted butter, put on cooky sheet; place in hot oven 425° or under broiler until lightly browned.
Parmesan Cheese Sticks
Use day-old bread and slice 1/3-inch thick. Cut slices into strips about 1 1/2-inches wide and 3-inches long. Have ready 1/2-cup melted butter, into which to dip the strips. Pick them up with a fork, dip in butter; drain and hold until butter ceases to drip, then drop into a dish of grated Parmesan cheese; coat entirely with cheese and place on a cooky sheet. Put in hot oven 425° and brown lightly. Turn with spatula and brown on other side. Drain on absorbent paper. These sticks may be prepared 2 or 3-hours in advance, if desired. Serve as an accompaniment with soup or salad.
Parsley Crescents
Cut day-old bread in 1/4-inch slices and cut with a crescent cutter. Place on cooky sheet. Put in hot oven 425° and brown lightly. Brush upper side with melted butter and then dip in parsley that has been chopped fine. Parsley should be dry when chopped. Serve as soup accompaniment.
Party Cheese Ball
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 8-ounce package shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped red bell pepper
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoons lemon juice Dash ground red pepper
Dash salt
7 cup chopped pecans
Beat cream cheese and Cheddar cheese in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Mix in all remaining ingredients except pecans; cover. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.
Shape into ball; roll in pecans. Serve with assorted crackers. (Makes 24 servings)
Party Cheese Wreath
2 package (8 ounces each) Cream Cheese, softened
1 package (8 ounces) Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 tablespoon each chopped red bell pepper and finely chopped onion
2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Dash ground red pepper
Mix cream cheese and cheddar cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Blend in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.
Place drinking glass in center of serving platter. Drop round tablespoonfuls of cheese mixture around glass, just touching outer edge of glass to form ring; smooth with spatula. Remove glass. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and additional chopped red bell pepper. Serve with crackers and breadsticks. (Makes 12 servings)
Perfect Cheese Ball
1 8-ounce tub cream cheese spread
2 cups. shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons Port wine
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup maple syrup
Mix cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, cranberries and wine until well blended; cover. Refrigerate 1-hour. Shape into ball or other desired shape; coat with pecans. Place on serving plate; drizzle with syrup.
Serve with an assortment of cut-up fresh vegetables, such as carrot and celery sticks, and crackers. (Makes 16 servings)
Smokey Cheese Ball
2 cups shredded smoked Gouda cheese
16 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
2 1/2 tablespoons milk
2 1/2 teaspoons steak sauce
1 cup chopped nuts
Bring cheeses and butter to room temperature. Cream cheeses and butter; add milk and steak sauce and beat until completely blended. Chill overnight.
The next morning, form mixture into a ball. Roll in chopped nuts. Serve with crackers.
Snowman Cheese Ball
1 8-ounce tub cream cheese spread
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives or green onions
1/4 cup slivered almonds toasted
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne), or to taste
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Whole black peppercorns
1 baby carrot, or the tip of a regular carrot
Rosemary branches, stripped of leaves
Mix cream cheese spread, Cheddar cheese, chives, almonds and red pepper until well blended; cover. Refrigerate for 1-hour.
Divide mixture into 3-different-sized balls (1-small, 1-medium and 1-large). Coat with Parmesan cheese. Arrange on serving platter in a line to resemble a snowman lying down. (Largest ball should be at bottom of serving plate for base of snowman. Smallest ball should be at the top for head of snowman.) Decorate with peppercorns for the eyes, mouth and buttons. Add carrot for the nose and rosemary branches for arms.
Serve with crackers and cut-up fresh vegetable dippers, such as carrot sticks and celery sticks. (Makes 16 servings)
Spiced Cherry Cheese Ball
1 8-ounce tub cream cheese spread, softened
10 ounces sharp white Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup pecan pieces, toasted, finely chopped
Mix cream cheese and Cheddar cheese in medium bowl until well blended. Stir in cherries and pumpkin pie spice. Shape into ball; cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2-hours.
Roll in pecans just before serving. (Makes 24 servings)
Teriyaki Cheese Ball
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1 green onion, minced 1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
Thoroughly combine first 5-ingredients in medium bowl. Chill until beginning to firm, about 30-minutes. Using spatula as aid, shape mixture into ball in bowl. Place sesame seeds in shallow dish.
Place cheese ball on seeds and roll around to coat completely. Can be prepared a day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving. (Makes about 1 cup)
Toasted Croutons
Cut stale bread into 1/2-inch cubes or cubes of any desired size. Toast in slow oven 300° until crisp and delicately browned. Sauté cubes in a small amount of butter and garlic. Serve as a soup accompaniment or in salads.
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