Entertaining is always a fun way to show off your cooking skills and recipes. Whether it’s the holidays, a popular sporting event, birthday or just a day you feel like having friends over, there is no short supply of finger foods, dips, and other hors d'oeuvres. I like to try new and different kinds of recipes often to keep things interesting, but some old family favorites always make the cut.

I remember visiting relatives growing up and they always had new things to try at family gatherings and my mother would tell us we should at least try it before we decided whether or not we’d like it. I found that I loved many things I didn’t think I would! One of those things was blue cheese cake. Although this particular recipe isn’t new, I’ve not seen it at a gathering outside of my family. I don’t know exactly where the recipe came from originally, but I got it from my great aunt.

Ingredients:

2 T. butter
1 cup crushed cheese crackers
2 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
8 oz blue cheese
3 eggs
¼ cup flour
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup mild salsa
1 cup sour cream
½ cup chopped onions

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Butter an 8 inch springform pan. Press crushed crackers into the bottom of the pan.

Blend cheeses, eggs, flour, salt, picante sauce and sour cream. Fold in onions and pour into the pan. Bake 1 hour. Chill at least 2 hours, but overnight is better.

Serve with a variety of crackers and vegetables.

To change it up a bit, after cooking you can sprinkle diced tomatoes and parsley over the cake, or diced green chilies and cilantro. Try out different flavor combinations. It’s surprising how well the flavor of blue cheese goes with other flavors.


Another favorite is a crockpot cheesy bean dip.

Ingredients:

1 package Velveeta cheese
1 can refried beans
1 15 oz jar salsa (as hot as you want it to be)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can Campbell’s nacho cheese soup

Directions:

Cut Velveeta up into cubes for easier melting. Add all ingredients to a slow cooker, mix well and cook on low for 3-4 hours, or on high for about 2 hours.

Stir before serving and serve with a variety of tortilla chips, pita or bagel chips, and vegetables.