Two of My Favorite Appetizers

At happy hour last night, one of my friends ask that I share the recipe of the corn dip that I had taken.  It's from one of our dear friends who we met while living in Jax.  The Meeks are some of the sweetest people in the world.  Matt is in the Navy, currently on deployment while Lori is home working and taking care of their three beautiful children.  We are selfishly hoping that their new orders will send them Cali so we can have a better chance of seeing them again, but we'll see what the Navy decides for them.

This is Lori's Corn Dip recipe...It's so simple, easy and delicious...just not very healthy.

1 large bag of frozen shoepeg corn

2 blocks of cream cheese - I choose to use the neufchatel because it's a tad healthier

1 stick of butter

1-2 tsp. cumin

1/2 jar of jalapeno juice plus 1/2 jar of chopped jalapenos

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a medium sized baking dish - I split mine into two dishes so I had one to take and could leave one home for Andy.  Allow corn to thaw or defrost in microwave.  Combine cream cheese and butter and cook for 30 sec. in microwave or until soft.  Mix well (I use my hand mixer) and then add cumin, jalapenos and juice.  Mix with corn and pour into baking dish.  Bake until bubbly on the outside edges and hot in the middle - unfortunately I can't remember how long this took and Lori's directions do not say.  You can also microwave this recipe.  Make sure not to over cook or the dip will not be creamy.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Another good appetizer that I enjoy taking to parties is one from my dear cousin Jon's wife.  Laura brought this to our house for a New Year's Eve party back when we lived in the 'Ville and she was kind enough to share it with me.  There is a similar one in the Taste of Home cookbook, but I like hers so much that I've never tried any others.  She calls it Texas Cavier.

6 roma tomatoes, chopped fine

1 green pepper, chopped fine

2 jalapeno peppers, chopped fine

1 can shoepeg corn

1 can black eyed peas

small can chopped black olives

8 oz. conatiner feta cheese, crumbled

1 bunch green onions, chopped fine

garlic salt (sprinkled once, lightly, over all ingredients)

8 oz. Italian dressing

Mix together and enjoy with Frito's Scoops.  

This is so delicious and has lots of veggies and color!

I love sharing recipes with friends and family.  That way when I make the dish, it helps me to stay connected with them.  With our lifestyle or should I say, Andy's job, we move around so much that it can become rather difficult to develop strong, lasting friendships.  As soon as you are starting to develop a relationship to that point, we up and move.  I am so thankful for all the friends I've made along this journey.  Some will remain close to my heart and others were great company for that chapter of our lives.  It does make sending out Christmas cards more expensive and overwhelming, but we are thankful for everyone we've met and the impact they've had on our lives.

If any of you have a favorite recipe you'd like to share with me, please feel free to email it to me.  Click here  to send me a recipe.  I love trying new things!  I'm planning on creating a family and friends recipe book (and idea I got from MOPS this year) and that way I can look through it and get some yummy ideas as well as take a walk down memory lane.

Enjoy!