This is a Pampered Chef recipe that's always a hit here.

Becky
Lompoc, CA

* Exported from MasterCook *

Hot Pizza Dip

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Hot Appetizers Tested and Approved

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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8 ounces cream cheese -- softened
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 cup mozzarella cheese -- shredded
3/4 cup parmesan cheese -- shredded
8 ounces pizza sauce
2 tablespoons green pepper -- chopped
2 tablespoons scallion -- chopped

Preheat oven to 350F. In bowl, combine cream cheese and Italian seasoning. Mix well and spread over bottom of an 8 or 9 inch shallow dish. Lightly toss mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses to mix and sprinkle half of grated cheeses over cream cheese. Spread pizza sauce over cheeses. Top with remaining grating cheeses, peppers and scallions. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until cheeses are melted and pizza dip is bubbling around the edges. Serve hot, with warm bread sticks or sliced french bread.

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NOTES : May also be heated in the microwave oven. Microwave on 100 percent power for 2 minutes. Rotate and microwave 2 to 3 minutes longer, or until mixture is bubbly around edges.

Simple and appealing is to pipe gougere into different shapes (i.e., rounds, crescents, triangles, etc.) and pair a different filling with each shape. F'rinstance, you could put chicken salad in one shape, tuna in another, ham spread in a third, and so forth.

Here's a great recipe for gougere:

In a saucepan bring to a boil 1 cup cold water, 1 stick butter, cut in small pieces, 1 tsp salt and a dash pepper. Add 1 cup sifted flour all at once and cook the paste over low heat, beating it well, until it forms a ball and leaves the sides of the pan.

Remove the paste from the heat and add 4 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add 1/4 pound grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese and a heavy dash of dry mustard. Let the mixture cool.

Put the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large tube and pipe it into shapes on a cookie sheet. Brush the gougeres with milk and bake them in a hot oven (425F) for 10 minutes. Lower the heat to moderately hot (375) and bake the gougeres for 20-25 minutes, or until they are puffed and golden. Let them cool on a wire rack, slit them, and fill just before serving.

For something on the sweet side, alternate pineapple chunks and marischino cherries on long toothpicks or skewers. Cut a thick slice from the stem-end of an orange to create a flat surface. Stand the orange cut side down, then stick these kababs into the orange for a terrific presentation.

BTW, I may be dating myself, but what about English Muffin pizzas? Simple to make (in fact, the girls can assemble their own) and they used to be a big hit with kids.

Pretoast split English muffins. Top each half with tomato sauce, grated Mozzarella, and toppings of choice. Pop under the broiler until cheese melts and is bubbly.

I still love celery stuffed with peanut butter (and topped with raisins!). Can be made the previous day.

Pita bread also works for a quick pizza base.

Quesadillas are easy (flour tortilla with grated Monterey Jack cheese - fold over, wrap in foil and heat in oven OR watch cheese melt under a broiler before folding). Can be cut in slices to serve.

Popcorn balls, fudge, chex mix, m & m cookies, quesadilla wedges, chips and salsa, ice cream sundaes, brownies, sweet & sour meatballs, nacho dip (melted velveeta with canned chili) with chips...

This is a tasty treat that most kids love.

The Utmost Grilled Cheese - (Courtesy Of The Best Of Bridge)

1 loaf of french bread sliced lengthwise
2 Tbl prepared mustard
1 Cup cheddar grated
1 Cup jack cheese grated
1/4 Cup butter
1/2 Tsp "Wouster" sauce aka Worcestershire Sauce
1 egg
6 Slices bacon cooked crisp and crumbled
2 green onions chopped

Spread each side of the loaf with mustard. Mix the remaining ingredients until well combined. Spread the mixture on the bread and broil unitl lightly browned and puffed. Cut into strips and serve immediately. ~