oh Mary sounds like fun! When is the season opener? I've only seen the show a couple of times but have enjoyed it. I like that you will get together to watch it. :-)

Here are a couple of my favorites for simple.

Stacy

White Bean Dip with Pita Chips -Lorijean

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons
1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 pitas
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the beans, garlic, lemon juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, and parsley in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the bean puree to a small bowl. (Note: The dip will turn green in a relatively short time due to the fresh parsley.)
Cut each pita in half and then into 8 wedges. Arrange the pita wedges on a large baking sheet. Pour the remaining oil over the pitas. Toss and spread out the wedges evenly. Sprinkle with the oregano, salt, and pepper. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until toasted and golden in color.
Serve the pita toasts warm or at room temperature alongside the bean puree.

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Stacked Pizza - Sharon (Chase)
7 sheets phyllo pastry
1/2 cup butter melted
7 TBSP freshly grated parmesan
1 1/2 cups grated mozarella
1 sweet onion sliced thinly
5-6 roma tomatoes, sliced
1 tsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste ( I don't use any I find the parm salty enough and I
forget about the pepper!!!)
fresh herbs sprigs thyme, oregano or rosemary
Preheat oven to 375. Follow package instructions to thaw phyllo. Place 1 sheet of phyllo on baking sheet, brush with butter and sprinkle with 1 TBSP of the parmesan cheese. Repeat until all layers are used. Press down firmly so layers stick together. Sprinkle top sheet with mozerella. Place onions on top then place tomatoes on top. Season with oregano. Bake for 20-25 minutes until edges are golden, and the bottom is cooked. Decorate with fresh herbs and cut into squares (squares can be cut in half to make two bite trinagles)
Notes: I slice the onions and then cut the circles in half to arrange on top. I also try and line the tomatoes up in a diagonal pattern, I don't place them randomly, and then when I cut it I cut the squares so each piece has 1 roma slice. I also don't measure anything anymore I just sprinkle the cheese. I use rosemary but I cut the leaves off the stems. I've often cooked it with the rosemary on it. I also line my baking sheet with parchment paper.

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Sausage Flowers
Wonton cups are filled with a flavorful cheese and sausage mixture, then baked. Topped with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of green onions, these lovely appetizers will be the first to disappear! Impressive, yet easy to make!
Prep Time: approx. 25 Minutes. Cook Time: approx. 10 Minutes. Ready in: approx. 35 Minutes. Makes 24
canapes (24 servings).
Printed from Allrecipes, Submitted by Teresa
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1 pound ground Italian sausage
1/2 cup shredded Monterey
Jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded Colby cheese
1 cup salsa
24 (3.5 inch square) wonton wrappers
3/4 (16 ounce) container sour cream
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly
grease a miniature muffin pan.
2 Place ground Italian sausage in a large, deep skillet.
Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain and
remove from heat.
3 Stir Monterey Jack cheese and Colby cheese into the
warm sausage to melt. Stir in salsa.
4 Gently press wonton wrappers into the prepared
miniature muffin pan so that the edges are extending. Place a
heaping tablespoon of the sausage mixture into each wonton wrapper.
5 Bake 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until wonton
edges begin to brown.
6 Transfer baked filled wontons to a serving platter.
Dollop each with approximately 1 tablespoon sour cream.
Sprinkle with green onions.
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PESTO CHEESECAKE
CRUST
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesean cheese
1/2 cup melted butter
Mix all together and press into 9" springform pan. Bake 10 minutes.
FILLING
4 (8 oz packages) cream cheese
4 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups pesto (from the refrigerator section of your grocer)
Beat with electric mixer. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350* for 1 hour. Chill several hours or overnight. Remove from pan and decorate with a little chopped tomato or chopped sundried tomatoes. Slice into very thin slices and serve on small individual plates - or Cut into thirds and place 1/3 on serving plate and use to spread on crackers or baguettes. Be sure to decorate with a little chopped "red" tomato accent and maybe some green basil too. Looks beautiful! (If you cut into thirds, you can serve 1/3 and freeze the remaining for another time.)
Posted by: KatieC (My Page) on Mon, Dec 9, 02 at 17:24

FRENCH BREAD SPREAD (serves 8-10)
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup grated Cheddar
1/4 cup chopped chives
1 small can sliced black olives, drained
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 loaf French bread, about 18" long

In a mixing bowl, combine the butter & mayo & stir with a wooden spoon until well combined. Stir in the grated cheese, chives, olives, garlic salt & pepper.
Preheat the broiler. Slice the bread 1" thick & spread one side of each slice thickly w/the butter mixture. Lay the slices spread side up on a cookie sheet. Slide under the broiler only until the edges are brown. Serve warm.~~ The Wild, Wild West

BRIE CRISPS
4 oz rie, rind removed, at room temperature
1 stick butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup flour
2 generous dashe cayenne or to taste
1/8 tsp salt
Paprika

combine the cheese & butter ina processor & mix until creamy. Add the flour, cayenne & salt & blend until the dough almost forms a ball in the processor. Shape into a 2" thick cylinder & wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight. Slice the dough into 1/4" rounds, place 2" apart on a cookie sheet & bake in a preheated 400 oven for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are brown. Cool on a rack. Sprinkle w/paprika.~~Beyond Parsley

TEXAS CRABGRASS (serves 8)
1 stick buter, melted
1/2 cup chopped onion
10 oz pkg frozen chopped spinach
1/2 lb fresh crabmeat or 7 oz can crab, drained & picked over
3/4 cup grated Parmesan

In a small skillet, melt the butter & saute the onions for 4-5 minutes. In a saucepan, bring the spinach to a boil; cook 1 minute, drain well & add to the butter mixture. Add the crabmeat & cheese. Heat & serve in a chafing dish w/crackers or melba toast rounds.~~Company's Coming

BACON FILLED CHERRY TOMATOES (makes 24)
1 lb bacon, fired & crumbled
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
2 TBL parsley, chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
24 cherry tomatoes

Combine ingredients except tomatoes. Cut a thin slice off top of each tomato. With a small spoon or melon baller, hollow out tomato. Fill tomatoes w/bacon mixture.~~Country Classics

Artichoke Balls
1 garlic clove -- minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 8 oz can artichoke hearts -- mashed
1 egg -- beaten
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

Saute garlic in oil. Add egg and artichokes. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add Parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup bread crumbs. With a teaspoon, form into balls. Roll in remaining bread crumbs. Chill 2 hours or until ready to serve.

Stilton And Tomato Puffs

Yield: 4 servings.

13 ounces frozen puff pastry
(see note)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup basil pesto (purchased or homemade), divided
9 ounces grape tomatoes, halved
If large
5 ounces Stilton cheese, crumbled
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Thaw pastry according to package directions. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Unroll pastry; with a cutter, cut out 8 (4-inch) circles. Lightly brush circles with beaten egg; arrange on a baking sheet. Set aside remaining beaten egg.

Bake pastry circles for 10 minutes; remove from oven. Turn over each circle of pastry. Brush the edges with egg; spread the centers with pesto, using 1 tablespoon for each circle. Arrange tomatoes over pesto; scatter the crumbled Stilton over the top. Return to the oven; bake for 20 minutes, until well-risen and golden brown. Serve warm, garnished with basil leaves.

Note: Leftover pastry can be cut into strips, brushed lightly with beaten egg, sprinkled with savory or sweet toppings (such as cinnamon-sugar), and baked.

Oh these sound DELICIOUS! Thank you so much, exactly what I was looking for.

Mary

Here are some of my favorites.

Artichoke Bruschetta

INGREDIENTS:
1 (6.5 ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
5 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 French baguette, cut into 1/3 inch thick slices
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DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the broiler.
In a medium bowl, mix marinated artichoke hearts, Romano cheese, red onion and mayonnaise. Top French baguette slices with equal amounts of the artichoke heart mixture. Arrange slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
Broil in the preheated oven 2 minutes, or until toppings are bubbly and lightly browned.

Note: I sometimes add some chopped roma tomato and/or shrimp.

Vegetable Pizza (Lee B) 2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls 11oz cream cheese 3/4c mayonnaise 1/3 pkg dry ranch dressing mix 1tsp dill weed 1 tsp garlic powder Chopped fresh vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, cucumber, mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, green onions, tomatoes, etc.) Bacon bits (optional) Sunflower seeds (optional) 1c grated cheese (cheddar, american or swiss) Press crescent roll dough into bottom and up sides of jelly roll pan. Bake according to package directions. Cool. Mix together cream cheese, Mayo, Ranch Dressing, Dill and Garlic until smooth. Spread over cooled crust. Chop vegetables into small pieces and sprinkle over pizza. Top with bacon bits, seeds and cheese. Refrigerate for several hours, then cut into squares and serve. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SPINACH BROWNIES (Sheshebop) 1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed 16 0z. cheddar cheese, shredded 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking powder 1 cup flour 2 eggs, beaten 4 Tb. butter, melted 1 cup milk Preheat oven to 350. Spray an 8 x 12 pan with cooking spray. Drain spinach in colander and squeeze out moisture. Combine cheese, spinach and onion in large bowl. Mix. Stir salt and baking powder into flour and mix with spinach. Mix eggs, butter, milk, and stir into the other ingredients. Pour into pan. Bake 30\-35 minutes. You can also make these in mini muffin tins as hors doeuvres. Makes about 42. Bake for 18\-20 minutes. My notes: Come out a bit greasy, drain on paper towels before serving. Very Good! Linda

Whatever you make, I would also have some plain, air popped popcorn for guilt free munching.