THE LATE BOB BARKER'S MEXICAN CHILE CON QUESO

I have absolutely no way to know if this was really the late Bob Barker's recipe. But it sounds good. Click on picture to enlarge for easier reading.

from an old cookbook

 

OLD FASHION CARAMEL CORN

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water
1 1/2 tbsp vinegar
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp molasses
1/2 tsp salt
unsalted popcorn

Combine the sugar, water, and vinegar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil and boil to the soft ball stage. Add the butter, molasses, and salt and boil to the hard crack stage. Remove from heat and pour immediately over the unsalted popcorn in a large heat-proof bowl. Stir to coat all the popcorn.

file photo

HOLIDAY BRAUNSCHWEIGER BALL

This is another old recipe clipping from my late mom's shoe boxes of recipe clippings. I never enjoyed braunschweiger, but my favorite aunt, because she was only 14 months older than me, loved it. She passed away a couple of years ago. Finding this recipe clipping made me think of her.

 

HAM CHEESE BALL

My sister-in-law gave me this recipe many years ago.

1 (8-oz) brick cream cheese
3 pkgs thin pressed ham, chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
dash of garlic salt
dash of tabasco sauce
1/2 cup pecans, optional

Mix cream cheese, mayonnaise, salt, and tabasco.  Add ham.  After mixing all ingredients, form into a ball.  Let firm in refrigerator before serving.  Roll in nuts or ham pieces.

Double if a medium ball is desired.

file photo for reference

NEVER FAIL POPCORN BALLS

1 cup white syrup

1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup unpopped popcorn, popped

Pour popcorn into a large glass mixing bowl or other bowl that won't be ruined by the hot syrup. Bring syrup to a boil, add sugar to syrup and return to boil. Remove from heat and add baking powder and butter; stir until smooth. Add vanilla. Pour over popcorn, let stand a couple of minutes then shape into balls using your hands that have been lightly buttered.

Yield: approximately 18 popcorn balls

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MEXICALI DIP

Another recipe from my old tin recipe box.

Regular or nonfat plain yogurt may be substituted for the Dannon Instead.

PINEAPPLE CHEESE BALL

 pkgs (8-oz each) cream cheese, softened

1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
2 cups chopped pecans, divided
1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
2 tbsp finely chopped onion
dash of salt, optional

Stir crushed pineapple into the cream cheese. Gradually add in 1 cup of the pecans, bell pepper, onion, and salt, if using. When mixture is well blended, form into a ball. Roll the ball in the remaining cup of pecans. Chill until serving time. Serve with an assortment of crackers and celery sticks.

 This is a file photo from TOH used for reference only.

PLAIN AND SIMPLE OLD FASHION VEGGIE DIP

I've had this recipe so long I can't remember where it came from!

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
1 tsp dried minced onion
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp dillweed

In a small bowl blend the mayonnaise with the sour cream. Add the parsley flakes, minced onion, garlic salt, and dillweed. Stir to blend well. Chill for about an hour or more before serving. Serve with assorted fresh vegetables. Also good with party crackers or chips.

file photo

PIMENTO CHEESE SPREAD

3/4 to 1 lb sharp cheddar cheese

Small piece of onion

1 can pimentos

1 to 2 tsp sugar

2 to 3 hard boiled eggs

Mayonnaise to taste

1 tbsp vinegar

Pinch of dry mustard OR spoonful of yellow mustard

Put cheese, onion and eggs through food grinder. Drain and chop pimentos. Add to ground cheese mixture. Blend mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar and mustard with other ingredients into a good spreading consistency. Serve with crackers. Use to stuff celery or makes a good vegetable dip.

file photo for reference

CHEESY SOFT PRETZELS

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp sugar

3/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp cold butter

2/3 cup milk

1 egg, beaten

Coarse salt

In a bowl, combine flour, cheese, baking powder, sugar and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in milk just until moistened. Knead on a floured surface for 1 minute. Divide the dough in half. Roll each portion of dough into a 12" x 8" rectangle; cut each into 9, 8" long strips. Fold the strips in half, pinching the edges, and twist into pretzel shapes. 

Place on greased baking sheets. Brush pretzels with the egg and sprinkle with the course salt.

Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Best served immediately.

Yield: 18 pretzels

Recipe and photo from a 1999 TOH magazine.

BAKED OLIVE CHEESE BALLS

This is another old recipe from my childhood.

1 cup cheddar cheese
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
dash of black pepper
25 medium pitted olives, well drained

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Drain the olives then lay out on paper towels to further dry.

In a mixing bowl cream together the cheddar cheese and the butter. When creamy, add the flour and black pepper; stir to blend well. Wrap a teaspoon of the cheese dough around each of the olives. Place on a baking sheet and bake in the hot oven for 15 minutes.

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WALNUT CHICKEN SPREAD

1 3/4 cups finely chopped cooked chicken

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

2/3 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

1 celery rib, finely chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 tsp salt (I suggest omitting)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Assorted crackers for serving

In a bowl, combine all ingredients except crackers. Mix well. Serve with the crackers or may be used as a sandwich spread. if desired. 

file photo for reference only - not this exact recipe

DRIED BEEF CHEESE BALL

This recipe is from an old Indiana church.

2 (8-oz each) pkgs cream cheese, softened
2 small pkgs dried beef, chopped
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp onion flakes
dash garlic flakes
2 tbsp milk

Mix cream cheese, onion flakes, garlic flakes, Worcestershire sauce, milk and then 1 1/2 of the packages of beef. Mix everything together well and form into a ball. Roll the ball in the remaining beef.

Serve with an assortment of crackers.

file photo for reference

CROCKPOT CHILI CHEESE DIP

This recipe is from an old church in Southern Indiana.

1 lb hamburger
8-oz can green chilies
1 tsp chili powder
1 lb Velveeta cheese
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Cut cheese into small pieces. Brown hamburger in a skillet and drain well. Put all ingredients together in a crock-pot, stir to blend and cook for at least an hour. If dip seems too thin, make a paste of 2 tablespoons flour whisked into 3 tbsp water. Add to the dip and whisk to blend.

 My first crock-pot was like this except mine was orange.

My dad got my mom, my sister, and myself all one alike.

MICROWAVE RANCHERO CHEESE DIP

This recipe is from an old Midwestern church cookbook.

1 jar (16-oz) American cheese spread
1/4 cup milk
2/3 cup sour cream
2 tbsp tomatoes with green chilies
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

In a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish, combine the cheese, milk, and sour cream. Microwave mixture in a covered dish on high for about a minute, just until softened. Stir and add the Worcestershire sauce and the tomatoes with chilies. Microwave, covered, until heated through, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir before serving. Serve warm with corn chips, tortilla chips, or fresh vegetables.

clipart

DRIED BEEF ROLLS

8-oz pkg cream cheese, softened

1 tbsp grated onion
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 pkgs sliced dried beef

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, onion, garlic powder, milk, and mayonnaise. Blend mixture until it is of a thick spreading consistency. Separate the slices of dried beef and lay out. Spread the cream cheese mixture on the end of each beef slice; roll the beef up starting at the cheese end. Chill until serving time.

File Photo

HOMEMADE BUTTER CRUNCH POPCORN

This is an old recipe from my childhood.

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup corn syrup
3/4 cup sugar
4 cups popped corn
1 cup unsalted peanuts

In a 2-quart heavy-duty saucepan, combine butter, syrup, and sugar. Cook mixture, stirring occasionally, until it comes to a boil. Reduce the high slightly and continue cooking to 260 degrees on a candy thermometer. Put popcorn and nuts in a large glass bowl and stir to mix well. Pour candy mixture over popcorn and nuts; mix well. Butter hands and form mixture into small bite-sized balls.

 This is a file photo for reference.

DEVILED CRAB DIP

This is a recipe from the 1950s.

6 1/2-oz can crab meat
2 hard-cooked eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp. prepared mustard

Drain, bone, and flake crab meat. Finely chop the eggs and add to the crab meat. Blend the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and mustard together in a small bowl. Add the eggs and crab meat mixture to the mayonnaise mixture; mix together until blended. Serve as a dip with assorted crackers and/or fresh vegetables.

file photo for reference only

OLD ENGLISH/BLUE CHEESE BALL

This is an old recipe from my childhood.

2 pkgs (8-oz each) cream cheese
2 jars (5-oz each) Old English Cheese Spread
1 jar (5-oz) Blue Cheese
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/8 tsp garlic salt
chopped pecans for rolling the balls in

Let cheeses warm to room temperature for easier mixing.

Put all ingredients, except pecans, into a mixing bowl and blend with a fork until well blended. After mixing, refrigerate the mixture until it is stiff. Remove from refrigerator and divide into two equal parts. Roll each part into a ball. Roll each ball in the chopped pecans. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with an assortment of crackers and/or fresh vegetables.

 Kraft Foods Photo for reference

OLD-TIME POPCORN BALLS

 To me, this recipe brings back happy childhood memories. I remember my late uncle making these for family gatherings over 70 years ago.