Celebrating with the Men

Gourmet Girls was last week and as usual we were awesome! We invited our Dad's or brothers or male friends to come along and taste the goodness. I think they enjoyed themselves. My dad and Kathryn's dad talked the whole time like a couple of teenage girls. Even had to shoosh them up at one point, lol. They both declared that the dad's should come every month to help us vote for the favorites. They are a funny two they are. Our theme was Sweet & Savory (appetizers). We each had to bring a sweet and savory appetizer and recipe cards for everyone. It was quite the event. I got home with some wingdingers though. I've already made one of the recipes. (Sweet Pretzel Nuggets) Of course I need to share some recipes with you, here are a few...

KATHRYN

PEPPERMINT BARK POPCORN
16-20 cups popped popcorn
1 lb. white almond bark
1-2 tsp. peppermint extract
1 box candy canes, crushed
3/4 cups semisweet choclolate chips, melted

Pop popcorn, remove any unpopped kernels. Melt almond bark, add candy canes and extract. Pour over popcorn and toss to coat. Spread out on tin foil to dry. Drizzle with semisweet chocolate, set sit until dry.

JEN

SAVORY PARMESAN BITES
1-8oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup parmesan cheese, grate and divided
2-8oz. cans refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 red pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Heat oven to 350. Beat cream cheese and 3/4 cup of the parmesan with mixer until well blended. Separate the dough into 8 rectangles; seal seams. Spread cream cheese mixture onto dough and top with peppers and parsley. Fold each rectangle lengthwise into thirds to enclose filling. Cut into 4 squares. Place seam side down on a baking sheet. Top with remaining parmesan. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown.

JILL

PUMPKIN DIP
1-6oz. container whipped cream cheese
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. maple syrup

Mix cream cheese, sugar, pumpkin, syrup and cinnamon with mixer until smooth. Cover and chill for 30 minutes. Serve with apples and ginger cookies.

VANESSA

LAVA FLOW
3 pints strawberries
1-1/2 cups lime juice
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup pineapple juice
2oz. coconut cream (not milk)
1 banana

Combine the strawberries, lime juice and sugar in a blender and puree. Put the mixture into the freezer until very slushy. Blend the pineapple juice, coconut cream and banana in a blender until smooth. Spoon the smemi-frozen strawberry lava into the bottom of a glass until 1/3 full. Pour the pineapple mixture on top of the strawberry lava. Top with more strawberry lava. Garnish with a straw and a slice of pineapple or lime.

**Can add alcohol if desired; vodka, rum or tequila.

VANESSA

TANGY CANNELLINI BEAN DIP
2 cups cannellini beans (canned)
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup e-v olive oil
3/4 tsp. salt
fresh herbs (optional)

Drain and rinse beans. Puree all of the ingredients together in a food processor. Mix in fresh chopped herbs such as parsley, rosemary or thyme if desired. Serve with toasted pita triangles or pita chips.

MICHELE

SOY SESAME CHEESE SPREAD
1-8oz. bar cream cheese
soy sauce
sesame seeds
crackers

In a dish soak the bar of cream cheese in soy sauce for 8-12 hours. Press bar of cream cheese into sesame seeds completely covering the cheese. Place on a platter and serve with crackers.

CHRISTY

CLAM DIP
2-8oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened
2 cans chopped clams

Drain clams, reserving liquid. Stir cream cheese until smooth; add in clams and mix until combined. Add reserved liquid fromt he clams until consistency is smooth and "dippable." Let sit in fridge overnight. Serve with chips.

AMY

SWEET PRETZEL NUGGETS
1-16oz. bag Pretzel Nuggets
2/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

Place pretzels in a microwave safe bowl. In a small bowl combine the remaining ingredients. Pour mixture over pretzels. Toss to coat. Microwave uncovered on high for 1-2 minutes. Stir. Microwave 2-3 minutes longer, stirring after each minute. Cook until oil is absorbed. Cool to room temperature. Store in airtight container.

**I added a sprinkle of nutmeg, ginger and clove for the holidays. It was very tasty.