Joyce's Cheese Dip

This recipe came from the sweet wife of one of Dad's coworkers. It is so good. Although the recipe calls for 8 oz of Velveeta, I typically use a whole pound. Sometimes, if I really want to crank up the heat, I'll use Mexican Velveeta. I've also combined half sausage and half ground beef, because it was what I had on hand. Either way, you can't go wrong. It makes a lot, but can be transferred to a 3-qt Crock-Pot pretty easily if you need to transport it.

Joyce's Cheese Dip

1 1/2 lb. sausage
1/2 onion, chopped
3/4 stick butter
4 tbsp flour
3/4 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp ketchup
2 c milk
1 -oz can Ro-Tel
8-16 oz. Velveeta, cubed

In a large skillet, brown sausage and onion. Drain and set aside. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour until smooth. Add paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and ketchup. Stir until smooth. Slowly pour in milk, stirring constantly. Add Ro-Tel and sausage/onion mixture. Stirring constantly, heat through. Add cheese and stir until melted. Serve with tortilla chips or Fritos.

Sausage Balls

Hooray for this old classic! Just in case you actually didn't have a recipe, here's our version - quick and easy. Can't beat that. Oh, and you can make these ahead of time and freeze them, too.

Sausage Balls

1 lb. sausage (hot or mild)
3 c. Bisquick
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Allow sausage to warm to room temperature. Mix all ingredients together and shape into one-inch balls. (It is a good idea to wear gloves, since this is pretty messy.) Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 10 minutes.

Meredyth's Mexican Dip

Several years ago, Mom helped me write out recipes on 4x6 cards. We laminated them, and even made dividers. Over time, the box holding the cards fell apart, and I wound up with a disorganized mess. I finally bought a new box for them (this time, one that latches!) and in the process of sorting, realized that I had not posted a single appetizer recipe to the blog.

It is well past time to remedy that, methinks. :)

Up first: a delicious Mexican dip that came from my Aunt Meredyth. Since it needs a little time to sit before serving, it's wonderful for parties - just pop it in the fridge the night before and you're ready to go! Note: although you could get away with low-fat or fat-free cheese, don't try it with the sour cream. It will separate and get funky and ruin the dip.

Meredyth's Mexican Dip

1 15-oz can refried beans
8 oz sour cream
8 oz guacamole
1 4-oz can chopped green chilies, drained
1 4-oz can sliced black olives
1/2 pkg. taco seasoning
1/2 c. chopped green onions
1/2 - 1 c. chopped tomatoes
1 c. monterey jack cheese

Layer ingredients in order in a dish. (We use a #3 10-cup square Rubbermaid container.) Refrigerate at least two hours. Serve with tortilla chips or Fritos.

Lemonade Cake

I've had this recipe sitting in a file for ten years or more, and finally decided I would make it. Oh. My. YUM! It was sooo moist and light and summery - couldn't be better for a hot weather dessert. I am going to experiment with using other kinds of fruit concentrate and cake mixes - like maybe a strawberry daiquiri frozen mix with strawberry cake. Mmmm...

Lemonade Cake

1 lemon cake mix (I used Duncan Hines Super Moist Lemon)
6 oz. frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
3/4 c. powdered sugar
8 oz. Cool Whip, thawed

Prepare cake according to directions. Allow to cool 15 minutes. Poke holes in cake with a knife or fork. In a medium bowl, whisk together lemonade concentrate and powdered sugar. Pour evenly over cake. Refrigerate until completely cool, then spread Cool Whip over top.