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Summer Appetizers

Summer appetizers need to be quick and easy. Something you can make ahead of time or at the last minute with just a few ingredients. Spend your time with your guests and not in the kitchen. This fresh veggie roll up recipe and picture is from Pillsubry. It uses a creamy filling that gets a kick from taco seasoning. It's a great make-ahead appetizer.

INGREDIENTS

1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix (from 1-oz package)

1/2 cup fresh corn kernels or Green Giant® Valley Fresh

Steamers™ Niblets® frozen corn, thawed, drained

1/2 cup black beans (from 15-oz can), drained, rinsed

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

1 plum (Roma) tomato, seeded, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)

2 tablespoons Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa

3 garden spinach and vegetable, tomato or plain flour tortillas (10 inch)

DIRECTIONS

1.In small bowl, beat cream cheese, sour cream and taco seasoning mix until well blended. Stir in corn, beans, cilantro, tomato and salsa.

2.Spread cream cheese mixture over each tortilla to edges. Roll up each; cut off tapered ends. Wrap each tortilla roll in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour but no longer than 8 hours before serving. To serve, cut each roll into 1-inch slices.

Cold Appetizers

Living in Georgia, where the summers are hot we like to serve cold appetizers. I like being in the pool as much as anyone, and the last thing I want to do is to run in and out of the kitchen taking food out of a hot oven. Cold appetizers can be made a head of time so I can be outside enjoying my guests and the pool.

Some of our favorite and easy ideas are:

1. Good hard, cheeses and specialty crackers

2. Cream cheese topped with pepper jam and served with specialty crackers

3. Cut up vegetables and ranch dressing

4. Cut up fruit with dip - mix two 8 oz packages of cream cheese with 1 cup brown sugar and 2 tsp vanilla extract

Easy Taco Dip

I serve this Easy Taco Dip whenever we have a big crowd - like for our annual Fourth of July Pool Party.

Layer in an 9 x 13 pan in this order

2 16 oz Can of Refried Beans

1 8 oz Jar of Salsa

1 8 oz Container of Sour Cream

2 Cups of Shredded Cheese

Serve with Blue Corn and Flax seed Chips

Corn Salsa Recipe

This corn salsa recipe is one of our favorite summer appetizers. It helps to make it ahead of time so that the flavors blend.

If you like black beans and cilantro in your salsa it has these ingredients too - it's an easy make a head salsa, but it can also be made at the last minute.

We like to serve this cold appetizer with organic Blue Corn and Flax Seed chips from Target.

To get the recipe click here: Corn Salsa Recipe

Easy Hummus Recipe

We try to make and serve healthy cold appetizers when possible. One of my favorites is this easy hummus recipe. Using fresh garlic, lemon juice and good for you olive oil, these ingredients are easy to have on hand.

Our favorite pita chips are the multi-grain chips by Stacy's. Serve the chips in a brightly colored bucket and the hummus is served in this cute little sand toy. Easy Hummus Recipe

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