Appetizers for Holiday gatherings

With the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's holidays comes invites to parties, gatherings and family reunions.  Usually you are requested to bring and appetizer or finger food to share with others.  We have had several such invites this year and have found a few new recipes for just such occasions.  Bacon-Cheese Crescents from "Spread a Little Joy" cookbook by Philadelphia Cream Cheese and Cake Balls.

Bacon-Cheese Crescents

1 pkg. (8 oz.) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
8 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp. milk
2 cans (8 oz. each) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Mix all ingredients except crescent dough.
Separate each can of dough into 8 triangles; cut each triangle lengthwise in half. Spread each dough triangle with a generous tsp. of cream cheese mixture.  Roll up, starting at the short side and roll up to the point.  Place, point side down on baking sheet.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.

We have started to bake the bacon instead of frying it.  Place a rack in a shallow sheet pan.  Place bacon on the rack and bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.  The grease drips into the sheet pan and the bacon becomes crispy.  Be careful not to over bake the bacon.

The second time we made these, we tried a different method we like better.  We took the crescents rolls and cut each pair of rolls into 6 equal pieces as shown too the right.  We then put the crescent pieces into a mini muffin pan and put a spoonfull of the cream cheese minture in each cup.  Bake as directed and remove from muffin pan to cool.

Cake Balls

1 standard cake mix
1 can of frosting
1 package of Almond Bark

Prepare cake mix as directed on box and allow to cool slightly.  In a LARGE bowl stir frosting to soften.  Crumble cake into the frosting and mix well.  Form cake and frosting mixture into 1 inch balls.  Placed formed balls in freezer for 15 to 30 minutes to firm them.  While balls are in freezer, melt almond bark in double boiler.  Coat cake balls with almond bark and allow to set.

We hope these new recipes will be the hit of your next gathering, or just share them with your own family.

We hope you have a Blessed Christmas and a New Year filled with Joy!