Appetizers? Help Me Oot Please.....

[BBQ Engineer]

I'd bring the heat on some Redneck Bar Firecrackers and maybe some Gator Sliders!

[L20A]

I am partial to the bacon wrapped jalapeno cheddar sausage balls!!! just me though.. if you need the link let me know... I think you have it!!

Can't disagree with this one. They are almost the perfect food.

[frog1369]

Living in the Frozen Tundra the requirements are some sort of cheese dish, a meat dish, and something unique.
We like to do a good cheese dip that usually involves Fontina cheese, add some sharp cheeses for a unique flavor.
Usually brat balls or MH wings, or both!
We like ABTs with raspberry preserves and cream cheese. Can you say sweet-hot?
And one of our all time favorites (and everyone else's) .....
PINEAPPLE CHIPOTLE MANGO GUACAMOLE

http://www.californiaavocado.com/rec...ango-guacamole

GO PACK!

[Richtee]

We like to do a good cheese dip that usually involves Fontina cheese, add some sharp cheeses for a unique flavor.

Hmm I love Fontina! I'd be interested in the recipe sir!

[frog1369]

Hmm I love Fontina! I'd be interested in the recipe sir!

Rich,
It's nothing fancy, it's an old Martha Stewart Recipe for an Artichoke Dip that we modify to our liking:

Recipe as is works and tastes good.
Sometimes we omit the artichokes and add Chipotles with Adobo Sauce and Chorizo - my favorite ... you can also do the same with Asadero or Chihuahua cheese instead of Fontina
You can mix in Half and Half in place of the cream cheese if you like - 1/4 - 1/2 cup
Of course you can just omit the artichokes altogether (When I do this I like to use roasted garlic, lots of roasted garlic, yum) I've played with it plain like this and added some blue cheese crumbles, interesting but the jury is still out on this one for me

So, after all that, here is Martha's recipe to start with. Enjoy!

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced small
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 cans (14 ounces each) whole artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 4 ounces Neufchatel cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 1/4 cups cubed fontina cheese (about 3/4 pound)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 8 pitas, each cut into 6 wedges

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add artichokes and wine; cook until liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes.
2. Remove skillet from heat and stir in Neufchatel until blended. Fold in 1 1/4 cups fontina and parsley. Transfer mixture to a 2-quart baking dish; sprinkle with 1 cup fontina. Bake until golden and bubbling, 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss pitas with 1 tablespoon oil; spread on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm dip with pita chips.

[PitRow]

My wife made philly cheesesteak dip in the crockpot for our last get-together and it was a huge hit. Not smoked, but I suppose you could smoke the steak beforehand and make it even better.


1½ cups GRILLED and small chopped thin cut shoulder steak
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced green pepper
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ cup mayo
4 oz. shredded or chopped provolone cheese

We used tritip steaks and seared 'em real good in the CI skillet so they had nice color on the outside but still rare on the inside, then diced 'em up real small (I couldn't resist eating a couple slices while cutting ) and back into the skillet with some johnny's seasoning salt to finish cooking. Remove the steak from the skillet, and saute the pepper and onion in the pan drippings with a little olive oil until tender. Then mix up the rest of the stuff in a bowl until well combined, add the steak and vege's and into the crockpot on low for a couple hours, stirring occasionally, until warmed through and the cheese is all melty and good. Serve with chips or toasted baguette slices.

You won't be able to stop eating it. We made a double batch and our small 6 person party pretty much demolished it all.

Pic from the interwebs:

[curious aardvark]

you could always smoke the cream cheese

[PitRow]

you could always smoke the cream cheese

Well if you really wanted to you could probably do the whole thing in the smoker. The original recipe called for cooking it in the oven, but we found for taking it to a party that the crockpot was easier. But no reason you couldn't sub the smoker for the oven and smoke the whole thing. 350 for 20-25 minutes is what the recipe called for.

Or you could smoke the individual ingredients, well except the mayo , and then combine.

[Richtee]

thanks... Wife does and artichoke dip that's not bad a'tall but I'd like this better I believe...

[Abelman]

Here's another idea that is very good. It's best to cook the bacon half way before wrapping them so you don't over grill or smoke the shrimp.

As for the jalapenos, you can have the heat or just core them and they are very mild.

[HawgHeaven]

Pork-a-bobs or Acorn Squash Fondue

I haven't tried these yet, butt they look fantastic... Meatball Bomb

[Bearcarver]

Scott----Funny you should mention that!!!

As soon as I saw "Appetizers", I thought "SQWIB".

Looks like you got a lot of other help too.


Bear

[Slanted88]

I knowed you knowed this hasta be on the gig!

[sweet_magnolia]

These would be good with a little heat added and smoked. Bacon Cheeseburger Balls

[jwbtulsa]

Bacon wrapped scallops. Smoke, seared. Top with diced Serrano and shredded havarti. Go light on the cheese. Stuffed mushrooms. Smoked tomato roasted soup. Three bottles of Tito's vodka and a bottle of buffalo trace bourbon. Game over? Order pizza and wings. Ibuprofen and ice water the next morning. Just sayin'.....