Karen's Kitchen
Monthly Column by Karen Miller

Don’t save your delicious appetizer recipes for parties only, have them for your family movie night or have several for supper one night!

Party Ham Sandwiches (a.k.a. Ham-It-Ups in the Miller home!)

1 stick butter
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
1 pound cooked ham (deli or leftovers thinly sliced)
1 pound Swiss cheese slices
2 packages Pepperidge Farm-type party rolls (They come in a metal toss-away cooking pan and are with the rolls in the grocery store.)

Preheat oven to 350 if you are going to bake now.

Melt the butter in a sauce pan and stir in mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and poppy seeds.

Open the rolls. Take the rolls out of the pan and cut them so that you have a huge sandwich of connected rolls. Put the bottom half of the rolls back in the pan and wait for the top half. Take the ham and cheese slices and layer those on the bottom part of the rolls. The amount is very flexible; use what you have. Take the top part of the rolls and put them back on top like a sandwich. Pour the butter sauce evenly on top of the party rolls. Cover with foil. *At this point you can refrigerate for later or bake. If baking from cold state, it will take longer for the cheese to melt, maybe 25 minutes. If baking freshly make, bake for 15 minutes.

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Sausage Rolls

1 pound spicy breakfast sausage
1 package (8 oz.) light cream cheese, softened
1 tube low fat crescent rolls
1 egg white, beaten
1 tablespoons poppy seeds

Preheat your oven according to the crescent roll package. In a skillet, brown the sausage and drain thoroughly. In a mixing bowl, combine your softened cream cheese with the sausage. Open and unroll the crescent rolls –- breaking into 2 large pieces at perforation. Place half of the cream cheese/sausage mixture on each large square and spread, keeping 1 inch plain on each side. Roll up the crescent roll into a small "loaf".

Brush the top of the roll with the egg white. Sprinkle with the poppy seeds. Bake according to directions on the crescent roll package, or until browned. Cool slightly and slice into bite sized pieces.

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Shrimp Squares

1 tube crescent rolls
1/4 cup sour cream
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
3/4 cup cocktail sauce
1/4 cup onions, chopped
1/4 cup green peppers, chopped
2 small cans tiny shrimp, drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat your oven according to crescent roll package. Unroll crescent rolls and bake flat in a 9x13-inch pan until golden brown. While this is cooling, mix sour cream, cream cheese, salt and dill together. Spread over cooled crust. Top with cocktail sauce. Then sprinkle with the onions, peppers, shrimp and cheese. Cut into squares.

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Dried Beef Cheese Ball

I’m sure most of you are familiar with the dried beef cheese balls, but this has a different and delicious twist!

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 jar dried beef, finely chopped
1 small 4-oz. can green chilies (or 1/2 cup)
1 small 4-oz. can chopped black olives (or 1/2 cup)

*Optional – roll completed cheese ball in chopped nuts

In a mixing bowl, mix all ingredients and shape into a ball with your hands. (I find you can easily roll this on waxed paper.) If you desire, roll the cheese ball in chopped nuts. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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What’s your favorite appetizer? Send in your favorites or send a request for a recipe to millersburgthree@embarqmail.com.

Blessings from my kitchen to yours! 
~Karen Miller

Bless this kitchen, Lord, and those who gather here each day. Let it be a place where we can meet to love and laugh and pray.

Send recipe requests, comments, suggestions to me at millersburgthree@embarqmail.com.

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