Get your party food ready

Last year, I wrote a column about "Little Black Dresses," those simple recipes for holiday party appetizers that you can always depend on. Some of you were kind enough to send me yours, as well.

This year, I'd love to get even like to run more of them. If you send me an appetizer recipe with no more than 6 ingredients, I'll enter you in a drawing for the cookbook “The Happy Table of Eugene Walter: Southern Spirits in Food and Drink” (UNC Press, $30). The deadline is Dec. 2; send your recipes to kpurvis@charlotteobserver.com.

Photo: Little Black Dress magazine

More really simple party appetizers

The holidays are over, but I'm still getting suggestions for quick and simple party appetizers. Good thing - we still have Super Bowl parties, tailgates and potlucks ahead. Here are few more to add to your list (the recipes are at the end). Look down the list for the rest that people sent in:

• Sharon Berry sent two, Baked Fruit and Black Bean Salsa Dip that she had just taken in a neighborhood party when she saw my column.
• Eileen Woodward sent a copy of the classic Ro-Tel tomato and sausage dip, this one made with cream cheese instead of Velveeta.
• Kathy Clarke sent three: Cranberry Cheese Ball, Hot Artichoke Dip and Fruit Pizza.
• Linda Burcham sent an appetizer made with one of my favorite ingredients, canned hearts of palm.

Thanks to you all.


Hearts of Palm Dip
1 (14.25-ounce) can hearts of palm, drained and chopped
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 small clove garlic, pressed
PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees. Grease a glass or Pyrex pie pan or Corning round or oval dish.
MIX all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Spread in chosen dish or pan. Bake 20 minutes or until light brown and bubbly. Serve with crackers, Melba toast round or flatbread crackers.


Cranberry Cheese Ball
1 1/2 (8-ounce) blocks cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup dried cranberries
Chopped pecans (no amount specified; I'd try 1/2 cup plus about 1/2 cup for coating the ball)
COMBINE cream cheese, powdered sugar, cranberries and chopped pecans. Roll into a ball or log shape. Roll in more chopped pecans. Serve with crackers, preferably Wheat Thins.

Hot Artichoke Dip
2 to 3 jars artichoke hearts, drained well
1 to 2 blocks cream cheese or goat cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Garlic salt, lemon pepper or other favorite spices.
MASH drained artichokes with a potato masher. Add other ingredients and mix well. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until just beginning to brown on top. Serve with hot, crusty bread.

Fruit Pizza
2 packages sugar cookie dough
1/2 to 3/4 cup powdered sugar
Colorful fresh fruit, cut into bite-size pieces
About 1/2 cup flaked coconut
SPREAD cookie dough on a pizza pan or cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool about 10 minutes. Mix cream cheese with powdered sugar and spread over baked crust. DECORATE with fruit, such as kiwi, raspberries, Mandarin orange slices, strawberries, pineapple tidbits and grapes. Sprinkle with flaked coconut and chill several hours before serving.

Ro-Tel Sausage Dip
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese
1 pound bulk sausage, browned and drained
1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes
COMBINE and heat together, then serve with scoop-shaped tortilla chips.

Black Bean Salsa Dip
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
12 ounces chunky salsa
4 ounces grated Mexican cheese
COMBINE beans and salsa in a serving bowl. Microwave at 50% power for 5 minutes. Stir and microwave again until warm. Top with cheese and microwave on low power until cheese melts. Serve with tortilla chips or Fritos Scoops.

Baked Fruit
1 can each peaches, pears, pineapple and apricots, cut in similar-size pieces, drained (reserve 1/2 cup juice)
1 can cherry pie filling
Cinnamon if desired
COMBINE fruits, pie filling and reserved juice in a rectangular baking dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon for the holidays. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve warm or cold.