Phillip's Hot Crackers

Ingredients:
1 box of mini crackers or oyster crackers
1 cup of canola oil
1 package of ranch mix
2 Tbsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp red pepper flacks
2 tsp onion powder

Directions:
Whisk together ingredients then dump crackers in last.  Shack or stir to coat crackers.  Keep in a sealed container or ziplock bag.

Recipe from Phillip LaCaze

Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

50 medium size fresh mushrooms
1/2 lb. country style sausage
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese
3 Tbsp. fresh parsley
3/4 tsp. garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Wash mushrooms and remove stems.  Mix ingredients, roll into small balls, fill mushroom caps, cover, and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Cowboy Caviar

Combine and chill.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Salad:
1 (15 oz) can corn or fresh corn
1 can black beans
2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and diced
2/3 cup cilantro, chopped
8 green onions, chopped
6 tomatoes, diced

Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon cumin

Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:
Hard boiled eggs
Mayo
Mustard
Dill pickle relish
Paprika

Directions:
Peel and cut hard boiled eggs in half the long way.  Take out the yolks and mash them up.  Then combine them with mayo, mustard, and dill pickle relish a little at a time to taste.  Take a spoon full and scoop back into hard boiled egg whites.  Sprinkle with paprika and chill.

Recipe from my mom, Margie Lanclos.

California Salsa

Ingredients:
1/2 medium onion, peeled
1 jalapeño pepper, seeds and membranes removed
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp salt (optional)
6 ripe Roma tomatoes, quartered
(I add garlic powder to mine)

Directions:
Place the first 4 ingredients and six of the tomato quarters into the Vitamix blender in order listed.  Select variable 1.  Turn on and increase to variable 5.  Blend 15-20 seconds using the tamper.  Reduce to variable 3 and add in the rest of the tomatoes.  Blend 10 seconds using the tamper.  Do not over mix; leave chunky.

Recipe from Vitamix Whole Food Recipes.

Bean Dip

Ingredients:
1 (15 oz) refried beans
5 slices of bottled jalapeños
1 Tbsp of brine from bottled jalapeños
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1/4 onion powder
1/4 paprika
1/8 garlic powder
1/8 cayenne pepper

Directions:
Combine refried beans with the other ingredients.  (You can use a food processor on high speed until smooth.)  Cover and chill for an hour before serving.

Recipe from www.food.com.

Mexican Platter Dip

Ingredients:
3 ripe avocados
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. garlic salt
3 drops Tabasco
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 package of taco seasoning mix
1 (30 oz) can refried beans
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 (2 1/2 oz) can sliced black olives
4 oz sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
Corn or tortilla chips

Directions:
Peel, pit, and mash avocados; add lemon juice, garlic salt, and Tabasco.  Cover and chill.  Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, and taco seasoning mix.  Cover and chill.

To assemble dip:  on a large round platter or serving dish, spread beans in an even layer, leaving 1 inch space all around the edge.  Top with avocado mixture.  Spread leaving bean layer exposed all around.  Top with sour cream mixture leaving avocado mixture exposed all around.  Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese, tomatoes, black olives, and green onion.  Chill until ready to serve with corn or tortilla chips.

Recipe from Heather Rowley.

Cheese Ball

Ingredients:
1 pound Velveeta cheese
3 oz cream cheese with chives
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Chili powder

Directions:
Cream in food processor.  Roll into ball then into a log.  Use plastic wrap to roll into a log.  Then roll log in chili powder.

Recipe from my sister, Janet Brooks.

Shrimp Fondue

Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese
1 can Campbell's cream of shrimp soup*
1 Tbsp sour cream
1 tsp horseradish sauce
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 loaf of French bread, cut into bite size pieces

Directions:
Mix all the ingredients and warm in a fondue pot or on the stove top.  Dip french bread into shrimp fondu and eat.

Recipe from my sister, Phyllis Lacaze  (*Campbell's usually sells this soup around Christmas time)

Cranberry Relish

Ingredients:
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped green onion
2 Tbsp graded fresh ginger
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
One bag of fresh cranberries, chopped

Directions:
Combine ingredients in a bowl and cover. Refrigerate overnight.  Serve with crackers or tortilla chips.

Recipe from Sue Stevens

Shrimp Cocktail Appetizer

Ingredients:
1 can broken shrimp
1 cup ketchup
1 tsp to 1 Tbs horseradish
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 to 1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tsp garlic salt

Direction:
Mix together 1 or 2 days before serving.  Serve with crackers.

Recipe from Work Christmas Potluck.

Tortilla Pinwheels

Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese
1 tsp horseradish or to taste
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce or to taste
Ham slices
Flour tortillas
Salsa

Directions:
Cream first 3 ingredients with a fork.  Spread on flour tortilla.  Place thin slices of ham to cover tortilla.  Roll up and cut into bit size pieces.  Pin with a tooth pick to hold and dip into salsa.

Recipe from my sister, Janet Brooks