Fix-It and Forget-It Christmas Cookbook (5 page)

Bacon Cheese Dip

Genelle Taylor

Perrysburg, OH

Makes 6 cups

Prep. Time: 10-20 minutes

Cooking Time: 2 hours or less

Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.

2 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese, cubed

4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup half-and-half

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. dried minced onion

1 tsp. prepared mustard

16 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

tortilla chips and/or French bread slices

1. Combine first six ingredients in slow cooker.

2. Cover. Cook on Low 2 hours, or until cheeses are melted. Stir occasionally if you’re home and able to do so.

3. Just before serving, stir in bacon.

4. Serve warm with tortilla chips and/or French bread.

Cheesy Spinach and Bacon Dip

Amy Bauer

New Ulm, MN

Makes 3½ cups

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 1 hour

Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.

10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 lb. Velveeta,
or
your choice of soft cheese, cut into ½” cubes

3-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

14½-oz. can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained

8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

crackers and/or chips

1. Combine all ingredients except bacon, crackers and chips in slow cooker.

2. Cover. Heat on Low 1 hour, or until cheeses have melted and Dip is heated through. Stir occasionally if you’re around to do so.

3. Just before serving, stir in crumbled bacon.

4. Serve warm with crackers and/or chips.

Variation:

This is also tasty with half a package of spinach.

Creamy Pizza Dip

Rosalie Buckwalter

Narvon, PA

Makes 4½ cups

Prep. Time: 15-20 minutes

Cooking Time: 2-4 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.

8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, cubed and softened

¾ cup salad dressing,
or
mayonnaise (regular
or
light)

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

8 oz. sliced pepperoni, chopped

2 ripe plum tomatoes, chopped

10 large, black olives, chopped

4 crusty Italian rolls, toasted if you wish, and then cut into ½” cubes and/or crackers

1. Mix all ingredients, except rolls and crackers for dipping, in slow cooker.

2. Cover. Cook on High 2-4 hours, or until cheese is melted and Dip is heated through.

3. Turn on Low to keep warm while serving.

4. Remove cover. Allow to cool slightly before serving with rolls and/or crackers for dipping.

Cheese Pizza Fondue

Annie C. Boshart

Lebanon, PA

Makes 6-7 cups

Prep. Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 1¼ hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 2-qt.

1 lb. ground beef

½ cup chopped onions

3 8-oz. cans pizza sauce with cheese

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

¾ tsp. oregano

¼ tsp. garlic powder

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

cubed French bread, tortilla chips, crackers

1. Brown ground beef and onion in skillet. Stir frequently with wooden spoon, breaking up clumps of meat. When brown, drain off drippings. Spoon meat and onion into slow cooker.

2. Add pizza sauce, cornstarch, oregano, and garlic powder to slow cooker. Stir into meat mixture.

3. Cover. Cook on Low 1 hour, or until mixtures bubbles and thickens. Stir occasionally if you’re able to.

4. Add cheese gradually, stirring well until it melts.

5. Serve hot with bread cubes, chips, and/or crackers for dipping.

Tester’s Idea:

I served this to my family as a main dish for supper. I made angel-hair pasta and we put the fondue over it as a sauce. We loved it! I also offered breadsticks for dipping into the sauce.

I like to set up an appetizer table so that I don’t feel as pressured if I’m running a little late with my meal. I try to make appetizers that can be prepared ahead and quickly set out.

Kristine Martin, Newmanstown, PA

Meatless Pizza Fondue

Virginia Graybill

Hershey, PA

Makes 4 cups

Prep. Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 3 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.

29-oz. jar meatless spaghetti sauce

2 cups (8 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese

¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried minced onion

¼ tsp. garlic powder

1 lb. unsliced loaf Italian bread, cut into cubes

1. Combine spaghetti sauce, cheeses, oregano, onion, and garlic powder in slow cooker.

2. Cover. Cook on Low 3 hours, or until cheese is melted and sauce is hot.

3. Serve with bread cubes.

Note:

Each Christmas season, we have an evening set aside for a fondue meal. This recipe is always a hit.

Note from Tester:

I had some leftover sauce that I served as a topping for steamed cauliflower. My family loved it!