Shortcut Shredded Caesar Salad on Toast

Another appetizer on the menu at this year's cookie swap was this great way to serve salad.  As you probably know, salads are rather cumbersome to eat in a buffet-style party so this was a great way to serve salad that can be eaten with one hand!

This is the shortcut way to make this based on the recipe I saw in Food & Wine.

INGREDIENTS
2 romaine lettuce hearts, finely chopped
1 bottle of your favorite Caesar salad dressing
Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 baguette
Olive oil
Garlic powder

Chop lettuce and toss with Caesar salad dressing in large bowl (don't put too much dressing in, but just enough to coat the lettuce evenly).

Slice baguette, brush each side with olive oil, and broil the slices 6 inches from the heat for about 3 minutes, turning once, until crisp and golden on the outside but still slightly soft in the center.  Sprinkle one side with garlic powder.

Pile salad on toast and sprinkle with cheese on top!

Baked Ham and Cheese Sliders

This weekend we had another successful cookie swap!  Check out the new recipes on our Christmas cookie recipe blog here: Baked for the Holidays

I did want to highlight one of the most popular appetizers that I actually found on Pinterest!  Not only were these a crowd-pleaser, but I also got to use our new electric chaffing dish to keep it toasty warm (thanks Bill and Pat!!!).  It worked great and I got several compliments on how professional it looked!

This will be a new go-to party recipe!

INGREDIENTS
24 good white dinner rolls
24 pieces good honey ham
24 small slices Swiss cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup miracle whip

Poppy seed sauce
1 Tablespoon poppyseeds
1 1/2 Tablespoons yellow mustard
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 Tablespoon minced onion
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise and miracle whip. Spread onto both sides of the center of each roll. Place a slice of ham and a slice of Swiss inside of each roll. Close rolls and place them into a large baking dish or heavy cookie sheet. Place very close together.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the poppy seed sauce ingredients. Pour evenly over all of the sandwiches. You do not have to use all of the sauce! Just use enough to cover the tops. Let sit 10 minutes or until butter sets slightly. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Uncover and cook for 2 additional minutes or until tops are slightly brown and crispy. Serve warm.

Note: Sandwiches can be assembled a day ahead and kept in the fridge ready to bake.