Chocolate Covered Pretzels

20 ounces pretzels
1 Tbs heavy cream
2 C semisweet chocolate chips

Melt chips and cream in double boiler over low heat, stirring constantly.
Dip pretzels one at a time quickly to coat while mixture is still very warm.
Place pretzels on wax paper to set and cool.

Hot Spiced Cider

2 qts apple juice
1 C orange juice concentrate
1 C pineapple juice
juice from 1 lemon or 2-3 Tbs
1/8 tsp salt
6 sticks of cinnamon
6 whole cloves

or substitute
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cloves
½ tsp allspice
½ tsp ginger
Simmer ½ to 1 hour. Serve Hot!

Cinnamon Apple Scented Ornaments

1 C Cinnamon
1 C applesauce
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp nutmeg

Mix and knead until smooth. Roll ¼ inch thick. Using cookie cutters cut shapes and make small hole at top for hook. Dry on rack or sheet turning 2-3 times daily or bake at 150 F for 3-4 hours until centers are dry. Decorate with ribbons or bows glued or tied on, string to hang, etc. Wax paper may be useful when rolling out.

Candied Yams

6 medium yams, steamed and diced 
1/4 cup orange juice concentrate
½ can of pineapple tidbits + all of juice
1/3 cup brown sugar
6-8 Tbs butter
2 Tbs cornstarch
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
*1/4 cup water to thin sauce as needed
1/2 bag mini marshmallows

To steam yams on the stove: Peel and dice into bite sized pieces, steam or boil for 13 minutes or until fork tender.

In the instant pot:Peel and dice yams into 1 inch pieces, Put in the trivet, add 1 cup water, place a piece of foil shaped like a bowl to hold the cubes of potatoes on the trivet, set pressure cooker for 3 minutes. If you cut them bigger than 1" it may take another minute. It will take 2 batches to do all 6 yams this way.

Release instantly. Let yams cool. Arrange in a 9x13 baking dish. 

For sauce: Melt butter in small saucepan. Add orange juice, pineapple juice and tidbits, In small bowl mix brown sugar with cornstarch and spices. Boil on medium heat for 1 minute. If the sauce is too thick to pour add a tablespoon of water at a time to thin.  Pour sauce over yams, stirring lightly. Save marshmallows for later.

If preparing ahead of time, cover with foil and place in fridge. 

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350. Bake for 20 minutes. Add marshmallows for last 3-5 minutes until browned. Watch carefully. 

Cheesy Artichoke Dip

1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (6 ounce) can marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers, drained
1 cup mayonnaise
1 (4 ounce) package grated Parmesan cheese
1 (8 ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. In a medium bowl, mix artichoke hearts, marinated artichoke hearts,
green chile peppers, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.

3. Spread the mixture in a small baking dish. Bake in the preheated
oven 30 minutes, until lightly browned and bubbly.

Fruit Dip

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 small jar marshmallow crème
Flavoring- lemon extract or orange rind,
or 1 ½ Tbs orange juice, etc.

Whip cream cheese and marshmallow crème until fluffy. Add flavoring.
Serve with fruit such as apples, oranges, bananas, grapes, cherries.

Nacho Dip

1 2 lb block Velveeta Cheese
1 small can of chili with no beans
1 small bottle of salsa

Melt in crockpot for 2 hours and serve with tortilla chips.

Pumpkin Dip

8 oz. Cream cheese
13 oz. Marshmallow crème
1 C canned pumpkin
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp orange peel
¼ tsp cloves
¼ tsp nutmeg

Combine all ingredients. Serve with cinnamon covered flour tortillas wedges.
Cut tortillas in 8 pie shaped pieces. Spray with butter spray and sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar. Bake at 375 for 8 minutes. Let cool. Dip!

Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 bunch fresh spinach, washed and chopped finely
¼ C butter
1 T minced fresh garlic
2 T minced fresh onion
¼ C flour
1 pint heavy cream

¼ C chicken stock
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
½ tsp hot sauce
½ tsp salt
2/3 C grated fresh Romano cheese
¼ C sour cream
12 oz. Jar artichoke hearts –drained, coarsely chopped


In heavy saucepan over medium heat, sauté garlic and
onions in butter until golden, about 3-5 minutes.
Add flour and cook for one minute, stirring constantly.
Combine remaining ingredients, bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
Serve hot with Melba Toast or tortilla chips.
Best eaten hot and not reheated.

Carmel Apple Dip

8 oz. Cream Cheese
¾ C Brown sugar
½ C Powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
7 Granny Smith apples
Toffee Bits
Pineapple Juice

Combine first four ingredients with a beater. Cut up apples and store in
pineapple juice to keep from turning brown. Add toffee bits to carmel
mixture just prior to serving.

Mexican Bean Dip

Spread 2 cans refried beans on a dish.

Mix the following:
1 pint sour cream
1 cup mayonaise
1 package taco seasoning

Spread this on top of the refried beans.
Garnish with chopped olives, green onions, tomatoes and shredded cheese.
Serve with tortilla chips.

Spinach Dip

1 Knorr’s cream of spinach soup mix
16 oz. Sour cream
1 small can water chestnuts
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ C. Fresh grated Parmesan or Assiago cheese (optional)

Mix first 4 ingredients together (not cheese) and serve in bread bowl.
OR
Mix all ingredients including cheese and heat through.
Serve with chips, bread or veggies.

Yummy Cranberry Dip

1 pkg cranberries, whole/fresh
2 tart apples – green or jonathan
1 small jar orange marmalade (use about ¾)
1 C sugar
1 small box frozen raspberries, frozen (4x4 square)

Place cranberries and apples in food processor and mix until
very small pieces. Add marmalade, sugar and raspberries;
mix until a puree consistency.
Serves well with your turkey and fixin’s or terrific
with cream cheese and Ritz crackers!