Appetizers/Breads

Finalists

New Year’s Twist Bread

Amy Conrad - Risingsun

Yeast Dough

½ cup milk

2 eggs

¼ cup butter, cut up

3 tablespoons water

3 cups bread flour

3 tablespoons sugar

½ tsp. salt

1 package active dry yeast or 2 ½ teaspoons bread machine yeast

3 tablespoons butter, melted

To be used after dough is shaped into a circle.

Dough

Add milk, eggs, butter, water, bread flour, sugar, salt and yeast to 1 ½ to 2 pound bread machine. Select dough cycle. When cycle is complete, remove dough from the machine. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Line a large cookie sheet with foil; grease foil. Place dough on foil and roll into a 12-inch circle. Brush with melted butter. Cut through the dough to make 12 wedges, cutting within 2 inches of the center.

Raisin-pecan filling

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup raisins

1/3 cup pecans

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine all ingredients.

Buttery Vanilla Glaze

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

1 tablespoon milk

1 ½ tsp. butter, melted

½ tsp. vanilla

Stir together all ingredients until smooth. Stir additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired drizzle consistency.

Filling

Mix all ingredients together. Sprinkle with raisin-pecan filling. Roll each wedge towards the center of the bread. Turn sideways so that all the wedges are pointing in the same direction.

Transfer the dough and foil to a round baking pan. Cover; let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled, about 20 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to wire rack; cool slightly. Drizzle with buttery vanilla glaze.

Easy Savory Pizzas

Sarah Brandeberry - Findlay

4 pita bread or tortillas (6-inch)

½ cup Kraft savory mayonnaise

Roasted garlic mayonnaise dressing

1 1/3 c. Kraft shredded mozzarella cheese

1 small, red onion, thinly sliced

1 green or red pepper, thinly sliced

Spread pitas or tortillas with mayonnaise. Top with cheese and vegetables. Place on cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes or until cheese is melted. Makes 16 appetizer servings.

Zucchini Appetizer

Jean Perryman - Fostoria

1 cup Bisquick

3 cups shredded zucchini

½ c. finely chopped onion

½ c. grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. dried oregano

Dash of pepper

1 clove garlic, chopped

½ c. vegetable oil

4 eggs, slightly beaten

Mix all ingredients very well. Put in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Cut into 1-inch squares. Serve warm or at room temperature. May be frozen and heated in the microwave.

Chicken Quesadilla

Kyle Sherer

Fostoria

1 pound chicken breast, cubed

1 can (10 ¾-ounce) Campbell’s condensed cheddar cheese soup

½ c. picante sauce

1 medium onion, chopped

10 floured tortillas (8-inch)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cook chicken and onion in a non-stick skillet until done and juice evaporates, stirring often. Add soup and salsa and heat through. Place on two cookie sheets. Bake five minutes or until hot and then serve.

Pumpkin Cheese Ball

Jerry Perryman

Fostoria

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

½ cup pumpkin

1 can (8-ounces) crushed pineapple,

well drained

2 cups (8-ounces) shredded sharp

cheddar cheese

1 package (2 ½ -ounces) dried beef,

finely chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped onion

Celery leaves

Crackers and or raw vegetables

In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, pumpkin and pineapple. Stir in cheddar cheese, beef and onion. Shape into a ball.

Place on serving platter. Score sides with a knife to resemble a pumpkin and add celery leaves for stem. Serve with crackers and/or vegetables. Yield: 3 cups.

Mushroom Bruschetta

Kyle Sherer

Fostoria

1 loaf Italian bread, cut in half,

lengthwise

1 (10 ¾ -ounce) can Campbell’s

mushroom soup

1 (6-ounce) can of sliced mushrooms,

drained

¼ tsp. garlic powder

¼ tsp. Italian seasoning, crushed

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

1 small red pepper, chopped

2 green onions, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat bread on baking sheet for five minutes or until lightly toasted.

Mix soup, mushrooms, garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Stir in mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, pepper and onions. Spread soup mixture over bread within ¼ of an inch of edge.

Bake five minutes or until hot. Cut each half into eight pieces. Serves 16.

Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms

Therese Clouse

Fostoria

1 pound mushrooms, cleaned

½ cup margarine, melted

¼ cup chopped green onion

¼ cup Sauterne wine

1 cup herb-seasoned croutons, crushed to make 1 cup

1 cup crab meat or imitation crab

1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese

Remove stems from mushrooms and chop fine. In a skillet, melt the margarine and sauté the mushroom pieces and green onion until tender. Add wine, croutons and crab meat. Cook until hot.

Arrange mushrooms in a 9x13-inch pan sprayed with cooking spray. Depending on the size of the mushrooms, you can either stuff them individually or place the stuffing over the top of all the mushrooms, casserole style.

Sprinkle cheese all over and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until cheese melts and is slightly bubbly. Serve immediately.

Pepperoni Pizza Dip

Dee Mathias

Fostoria

1 package (8-ounce) cream cheese, softened

½ cup sour cream

⅛ tsp. died oregano

⅛ tsp. garlic powder

⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper

½ cup pizza sauce

¾ cup chopped green peppers

10 pepperoni slices, quartered

¼ cup sliced green onions

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Toasted bread rounds or breadsticks

In a mixing bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Spread into an ungreased 9-inch pie plate or serving plate. Cover with pizza sauce; top with green pepper, pepperoni and onions.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5 to 8 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Serve with bread rounds or breadsticks.

Spicy Black Bean Mini Tarts

Amy Conrad - Risingsun

Tarts

1 ¼ c. all-purpose flour

¾ c. yellow cornmeal

½ c. (2-ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. ground red pepper

½ c. cold butter, cut into pieces

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons ice water

Black bean salsa

Garnish with sour cream and fresh cilantro

Combine the first eight ingredients in a food processor; pulse until blended. Add butter; pulse until mixture is crumbly. Add egg and ice water; process just until the mixture forms a ball. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into 16 1-inch balls. Press balls into lightly greased miniature muffin pans; pressing evenly into the bottom and up the sides. Bake tartlet shells at 450 degrees for eight minutes or until brown. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove shells to rack to cool completely. Spoon 1 tablespoon of black bean salsa into each tartlet shell. Garnish with sour cream and cilantro. Serve at room temperature. Makes 32 appetizers.

Black bean salsa

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained

2 canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, minced

3 green onions, chopped

½ c. finely chopped sweet yellow pepper

1 plum tomato, finely chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, tossing well. Cover and chill at least one hour. Yield: 2 ¼ cups.

Information courtesy of Kathy Cline