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Other Books by Marg Ruttan
Grandma's Best Comfort Food
Grandma's Best Casseroles
Grandma's Best Soup Recipes
Grandma's Best Chocolate Recipes
Grandma's Best Cookie Recipes
Grandma's Best Cake Recipes
Grandma's Best Muffin Recipes
Grandma's Best Cupcake Recipes
Grandma's Best Christmas Recipes
Grandma's Best Holiday Candy and Fudge
Grandma's Best Recipes
Contents
Other Books by Marg Ruttan ...................................... 3
Introduction ......................................................................... 6
Salmon Remingtons ............................................................ 7
Quick and Easy Kabobs ...................................................... 9
Stuffed Cucumber ............................................................. 10
Stuffed Celery ................................................................... 11
Stuffed Tomatoes .............................................................. 13
Sausage Rolls .................................................................... 14
Cheddar Tarts .................................................................... 15
Tiny Quiche ...................................................................... 16
Pizza Quiche ..................................................................... 17
Shrimp Ball ....................................................................... 18
Onion Cheese Ball ............................................................ 19
Potato Skins ...................................................................... 20
Ham Roll ........................................................................... 21
Sweet and Sour Chicken Wings ........................................ 22
Spiced Nuts ....................................................................... 23
Mom’s Devilled Eggs ....................................................... 24
Snow Peas and Crab.......................................................... 25
Layered Crab Spread......................................................... 26
Shrimp Spread ................................................................... 27
Carrot Spread .................................................................... 28
Salmon Spread .................................................................. 29
Roast Beef Roll Ups.......................................................... 30
Bruschetta ......................................................................... 31
BLT Cucumbers ................................................................ 32
Berry Dip .......................................................................... 33
Introduction
As many of you know, I have a whole series of books,
“Grandma’s Best Recipes” that focus on recipes my own
grandmothers, my mother, I and my daughters all use.
These recipes, for the most part, are old-fashioned and
almost all the recipes are made from scratch.
That series of cookbooks has been well received and people
seem to like the idea of having food that is made from
scratch. However, so many women today are busy, busy,
busy. And many don’t have the time it takes to spend hours
in the kitchen. Now, many of the recipes in the Grandma’s
Best Recipes series don’t take forever, but they weren’t
written with speed in mind.
For that reason, I have decided to create a second series of
cookbooks, this one to be titled Grandma’s Quick & Easy
Recipes. This new series will use all kinds of newer recipes
that very well may include such things as cake mixes,
Pillsbury™ crescent rolls and other such conveniences.
I have come to realize that many of these products help us
create tasty and wholesome meals that don’t take as long to
make as some of the more traditional recipes.
So this new series of books will be written to accommodate
those recipes that are truly quick and easy and yet are
bursting with flavor.
I hope you enjoy the new series!
Salmon Remingtons
My Mom talked for years about Grandma making Salmon
Remingtons and how good they were. Unfortunately, Mom
didn’t have a recipe, but every time she talked about them,
my mouth watered. Finally, I convinced her to figure out
how they were made and she did. I’m glad I nagged her to
do so as these are a really delicious treat. Here’s her recipe,
which I’m sure you’ll like as much as we do.
12 large tart shells, baked
1 tbsp. butter
2 celery stalks, finely diced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp. flour
1 ⅓ cups milk
4 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. white pepper
½ tsp. dry mustard
2 cups cooked, flaked salmon (use fresh salmon if possible)
chopped green onion
Paprika
Method: I use Tenderflake frozen tart shells for this recipe.
In a frying pan, over medium heat, melt the butter and sauté
the celery and onions for about 6 – 7 minutes. Add the
flour, and stirring constantly, cook for a minute. Gradually
add the milk, stirring constantly. The milk will gradually
thicken to form a sauce. Add the seasonings and mustard.
Cook for 5 more minutes, stirring constantly. Add the
salmon and blend gently into the sauce. Spoon the filling
into the tart shells and sprinkle with chopped green onion
and paprika. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the
Remingtons are piping hot. Serve immediately.
Variations: Use tuna, crab, shrimp, scallops or lobster in
place of salmon. Add1/2 cup green or red pepper for a
totally different taste. Add 1 tsp. dillweed, basil or oregano.
Sprinkle the Remingtons with toasted sesame seeds.
Quick and Easy Kabobs
When my daughter, Stacy and I had our catering business
we used these often. They are easy to make and look great
and you can use such a wide variety of different food on
them.
You’ll need long toothpicks (about 3” ones) which you
should be able to buy at a grocery store. If not, try a party
store.
Then you need items to place on the toothpicks. You can
make any combination of items. We usually found that
three to four items on a toothpick were lots.
The quantities of each item you need will depend on the
number of people you are serving and how many additional
dishes you’ll be using.
So here are the things we used on the kabobs. Buy the
appropriate amount of each for the number of people to be
served.
Stuffed olives Ham cubes Cooked
sausage
Pineapple chunks Maraschino cherries Cheese cubes
Small shrimp Small piece celery Pickled onion
Cube of turkey Cube of roast beef Cube
cucumber
Use these in any combination and you’ll have kabobs fit for
a king!
Stuffed Cucumber
Here’s another quick and easy way to make some great
appetizers. These little bite-sized pieces of cucumber are
really yummy and you can make them in just a few
minutes. They can be made a few hours ahead and stored in
the fridge as well.
1 straight cucumber
4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
½ tsp. dry onion flakes, crushed
½ tsp. dried dill
Paprika
Score the cucumber all around by scraping from top to
bottom with fork tines. Cut ends off and cut cucumber in
half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds from the center. A small
spoon works well for this. Mash cream cheese and stir in
onion flakes and dill. Stuff cucumber. Wrap and chill. Cut
into bite-sized pieces when ready to serve and sprinkle with
paprika.
Variations: Stuff with peanut butter and tiny pieces of
banana. Stuff with chopped tomato and 1 tsp. dried basil.
Stuff with green onion and salsa.
Stuffed Celery
Here’s another really quick and easy way to make all kinds
of appetizers. There are as many ways to stuff celery as
there are celery stalks. You can use some of these stuffing
recipes for cucumbers as well.
For these recipes you will probably need 6 stalks of celery.
Shrimp Stuffing:
1 – 4 oz. can broken shrimp, drained
4 oz. cream cheese
¼ tsp. lemon juice
¼ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. finely chopped green onion
3 tbsp. mayonnaise
½ tsp. dried parsley flakes
¼ tsp. onion salt
Mix together well. Stuff celery stalks. Chill.
Olive Stuffing:
4 oz. cream cheese
2 tbsp. ketchup
2 tbsp. very finely chopped pecans
7 stuffed green olives, finely chopped
Mix all ingredients. Stuff celery stalks. Chill.
Green Onion Stuffing:
6 green onions finely chopped
4 oz. cream cheese
2 tbsp. finely chopped red pepper
½ tsp. oregano
Paprika
Mix all ingredients except paprika. Stuff celery stalks.
Sprinkle with paprika. Chill.
Stuffed Tomatoes
I first made this recipe a while back and fell in love with it.
It only takes about 15 minutes from start to finish and you
can make it ahead and just add the filling to the tomatoes
when you are ready to serve it. It is awesome!
10 Roma tomatoes
1 – 6 oz. can crabmeat
½ cup finely chopped celery
⅓ cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp. minced green onion
2 tbsp. finely chopped red pepper
½ tsp. lemon juice
¼ tsp. salt
⅛ tsp. pepper
2 tbsp. finely chopped green onion
Method: Remove shell and cartilage from crabmeat. Drain.
Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out
centers of tomatoes. Discard pulp. Invert on paper towels.
Combine all remaining ingredients except second amount
of green onion. Mix well. Fill tomato halves with crab
mixture. Refrigerate 2 hours. Sprinkle with second amount
of green onion.
Sausage Rolls
Doesn’t everyone love sausage rolls? They are quick and
easy to make and I use Pillsbury® Crescent rolls to make
mine.
1 tube of Pillsbury® crescent rolls
16 sausage links, cooked
½ tsp. ground sage
Method: Preheat oven to 400ºF. Lay crescent rolls out and
cut into triangles. Place a sausage on each crescent roll
triangle and sprinkle with just a hint of sage. Roll up from
the wide side of the triangle with the sausage in the middle.
Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for about 20
minutes until crescent rolls are browned. Cool. Store in
refrigerator.
To serve: Arrange sausage rolls on a cookie sheet. Preheat
oven to 400ºF. Heat rolls for about 10 minutes or until hot.
Serve immediately.
Cheddar Tarts
These are so easy to make and they are also yummy to eat.
They take just a few minutes to make and then while they
are cooking you can be busy doing something else. Best
served warm.
24 tart shells (I use Tenderflake ones)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 egg
½ cup milk
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. onion salt
Method: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Divide cheese evenly
among tart shells. Beat egg until frothy. Mix in milk, salt
and onion salt. Spoon into shells. Bake for about 25
minutes or until filling is set.
Makes 24 tarts
Tiny Quiche
I love quiche in all kinds of formats but I especially love
this particular recipe. It is quick and easy to make and the
taste is awesome.
24 tart shells (I use frozen Tenderflake ones)
8 slices bacon cut in bite-sized pieces
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
3 eggs
1 ½ cups half and half cream
¼ cup finely chopped green onion
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
Method: Place unbaked tart shells on cookie sheet. Preheat
oven to 350ºF. In a frying pan cook bacon until crisp.
Remove and place on paper towel to drain off excess fat. In
a medium-sized bowl combine bacon, cheese, eggs, half
and half, onion and salt and pepper. Pour evenly into tart
shells. Bake for about 35 – 45 minutes or until eggs are set
and crust is golden brown.
Makes 24 tarts.
Variations: Add ½ cup finely chopped shrimp to the
filling. Add ½ cup finely chopped tomatoes with seeds
removed to the filling.
Pizza Quiche
These are so good and everyone loves them. We like to
have lots when I make them because they disappear so fast.
24 frozen tart shells (I use Tenderflake)
½ cup pizza sauce
1 cup finely diced ham or pepperoni or other deli meat
½ cup finely diced green pepper
½ cup finely diced mushrooms (optional)
½ cup grated Cheddar cheese
3 eggs
1 cup milk
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
¼ tsp. oregano
¼ tsp. garlic powder
½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
Method: Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a medium-sized bowl
combine pizza sauce, meat, green pepper, mushrooms, and
Cheddar cheese. In a small bowl combine eggs, milk, salt,
pepper, oregano and garlic powder. Stir well. Pour over
veggie mixture. Spoon evenly into tart shells. Bake for
about 35 – 45 minutes or until eggs are set and crusts are
golden brown.
Makes 24 tarts.
Shrimp Ball
The first time I made this recipe I couldn’t believe how
good it was. We made it many, many times while we were
catering and it always disappeared in a hurry. Serve with a
variety of crackers and you’ve got a real treat.
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup softened butter (not margarine)
2 – 4 oz. cans broken shrimp
2 tbsp. minced green onion
⅛ tsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. lemon juice
Parsley, chopped
Paprika
Method: Cream mayonnaise and butter. Add shrimp,
onion, garlic powder and lemon juice. Mix and form into a
ball. The butter firms up once you chill the ball. Gently roll
the ball in the fresh chopped parsley and some paprika.
Chill thoroughly before serving.
Onion Cheese Ball
We used to serve a lot of cheese balls when we were doing
the catering and this one was a favorite with everyone.
You’ll find the flavor is really appealing. Just serve with a
variety of crackers and you’ve got it made.
2 – 8 oz. tubs cream cheese at room temperature
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
½ cup finely diced green onion
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. onion flakes
1 tsp. lemon juice
⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper
⅛ tsp. salt
Finely chopped pecans or parsley
Method: Mix all ingredients except pecans or parsley.
Form into a ball. Roll ball in the chopped pecans or parsley.
Chill well before serving.
You can also form this into individual tiny cheese balls if
you would like something a bit different.
Potato Skins
Doesn’t everyone like potato skins? I don’t know one
person who doesn’t like them. They are a really welcome
appetizer at most gatherings. And these are really easy to
make too!
6 medium potatoes, baked and cooled
6 tbsp. butter, melted
¾ cup grated Cheddar cheese
½ cup bacon bits
¾ cup sour cream
Method: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Cut each potato into 4
lengthwise sections. Scoop out pulp, leaving a shell about
¼” thick. Don’t leave shell too thick or it won’t be crisp
enough. Brush shells on both sides with melted butter.
Arrange on ungreased baking sheet. Bake for about 12
minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with cheese and
bacon bits. Return to oven for 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese
melts. Put a dollop of sour cream on each piece to serve.
Ham Roll
This is another of those awesome recipes we used to make
when we were catering. We have also made it often for our
own family. I’ve also included a couple of variations for
you.
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp. onion salt
6 cooked ham slices
Method: Mash first four ingredients. Mix well. Spread on
ham slices. Roll as for a jelly roll. Chill. Cut into slices
when chilled. These can either be placed on a plate or
directly on a cracker.
Variations: Roll a thin slice of dill pickle up inside the
ham and cheese. Chill and slice. Wrap the spread ham
around a thin round of pepperoni. Chill and slice.
Sweet and Sour Chicken Wings
If you like chicken wings you’ll love this recipe. It’s easy
to make and the flavor is exceptional. We use this recipe
often.
3 lbs. chicken wings
Sprinkle of salt and pepper
1 cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup water
¼ cup vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tbsp. ketchup
Method: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Place chicken wings on a
foil-lined baking sheet with sides. Sprinkle with salt and
pepper and bake for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, put
sugar and flour into a small pot. Stir thoroughly. Add
water, vinegar, soy sauce and ketchup. Stir and cook over
medium heat until mixture boils and thickens slightly.
Remove from heat. When wings have cooked for 30
minutes, brush liberally with sauce. Bake 10 minutes more.
Brush with sauce again and bake for another 10 minutes.
Brush with sauce when chicken is finished cooking.
Makes about 36 pieces.
Spiced Nuts
This is a recipe that is really easy to make and it is always
yummy. So long as there is no one around who is allergic
to nuts it’s a winner.
1 egg white, slightly beaten
2 cups mixed nuts
6 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 tbsp. cinnamon
⅛ tsp. nutmeg
⅛ tsp. cloves
1 cup raisins
½ tsp. salt
Method: Preheat oven to 325ºF. Beat egg white until
smooth consistency. Add nuts. Stir to coat each nut. Mix
sugar and spices together. Stir into nut mixture. Spread on
baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, stirring 2 or 3
times. Remove from oven. Stir in raisins and salt right
away. Allow to cool. Store in an air tight container.
Makes 3 cups
Mom’s Devilled Eggs
I can’t begin to think of the number of times I have made
this recipe. It is easy to make and always delicious. You’ll
want to make more eggs if you are feeding more people.
This recipe will provide you with 12 pieces.
6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. mustard
½ tsp. salt
⅛ tsp. pepper
¼ cup finely shredded carrot
1 tbsp. finely chopped green onion
Paprika
Method: Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks to a
medium-sized bowl. Mash thoroughly. Add all ingredients
except paprika to the yolks. Mix well. Spoon into egg
whites and sprinkle with paprika.
Snow Peas and Crab
These are a little bit fiddly to make, but they are so good
that they are worth the effort. They are really tasty and they
disappear in a hurry.
1 small pack fresh snow peas
6 oz. can crabmeat with cartilage removed
1 hard-boiled egg, mashed
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
2 tbsp. finely chopped celery
2 tbsp. finely chopped green onion
¼ tsp. Dijon mustard
Method: Pour boiling water over pea pods and let stand for
10 seconds. Drain. Rinse with cold water until cold. Slit
peas open on top side, which is the least curved side. Set
aside. In a small bowl mix crabmeat, egg, mayonnaise,
celery, onion and mustard. Stuff each pea pod until it looks
like it is overflowing.
Makes about 2 ½ dozen.
Layered Crab Spread
This is awesome served with crackers or tiny slices of
bread. It is easy to make and the flavor is absolutely
fabulous. People will come back for more of this recipe
every time.
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. dry onion flakes
¾ cup chili sauce
2 – 4 ¾ oz. cans crabmeat, membrane removed
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Paprika
Fresh chopped parsley
Method: Mix first 5 ingredients. Spread over a 12” pizza
pan. Spread chili sauce over cream cheese mixture. Layer
crab then cheese evenly over top. Sprinkle with paprika.
Garnish with parsley. Cover and chill.
Shrimp Spread
This has become an all time family favorite at our house
and we also used it many, many times when we were
catering. The recipe has a little bit to it and the flavor
combinations are just amazing.
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup mayonnaise
3 – 4 oz. cans small shrimp, drained and rinsed
1 cup seafood cocktail sauce
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1 green pepper, finely chopped
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 large tomato, seeds removed, finely diced
Method: Mix first three ingredients together. Spread over a
12” pizza pan. Scatter shrimp over cheese mixture. Add
layers of seafood sauce, mozzarella, green pepper, onions
and tomato. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Serve with
a variety of crackers or small bite-sized pieces of bread.
Carrot Spread
Here’s another one of those recipes that people seem to
love no matter when you serve it. It’s simple to make and
can be used with crackers or bread cubes or could also be
used to stuff cucumber or celery.
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
¼ tsp. cinnamon
1 cup finely grated carrots
¼ cup raisins
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Place pecans on a shallow baking
dish. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly toasted,
stirring occasionally. Cool slightly and chop finely.
Meanwhile, combine cream cheese, juice and cinnamon in
a bowl until well blended. Stir in carrots, pecans and
raisins. Serve spread on crackers.
Salmon Spread
This is absolutely delicious and it will disappear quickly
once your guests try it out. We use this recipe often and just
love it. It’s also really attractive with the pink salmon
coloring.
1 – 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
½ lb. cooked, flaked salmon
2 tbsp. minced green onion
1 tbsp. chopped celery
1 tsp. lemon juice
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
Paprika
Method: Beat cream cheese in a medium bowl with
electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add salmon,
green onion, celery, lemon juice, salt and pepper and mix
gently with a spoon. Refrigerate until ready to use. When
ready to use, sprinkle with paprika This is great served in a
bread bowl with chunks of bread surrounding it.
Roast Beef Roll Ups
These are so quick and easy to make and they are attractive
on a plate. And to top it all off, they have great flavor too!
6 tbsp. mayonnaise
3 tsp. horseradish
3/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
6 thin slices red onion, quartered
6 thin slices dill pickle
6 slices deli roast beef
Method: In a small bowl combine mayonnaise,
horseradish, and mozzarella. Mix well. Spread evenly over
the 6 slices of beef. Top with the onion and dill pickle.
Wrap beef up around the pickle. Secure with a toothpick if
necessary.
These can be cut into slices to make more bite-sized pieces
if desired.
Bruschetta
I love bruschetta and this is one of my favorite recipes for
it. It is quick to make and tastes delicious. These little two-
bite-sized appetizers are a real winner.
2 large tomatoes, pulp and seeds removed, finely chopped
½ cup finely chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil OR 1 tsp. dried basil
½ cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
8 small slices French bread
Method: In a small frying pan sauté onion over medium
heat for about 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in tomato. Cook for
about 3 minutes more. Preheat broiler. Combine garlic,
olive oil and basil with tomato mixture. Heap onto bread
slices. Sprinkle with cheese. Broil for about 3 minutes or
until cheese melts.
BLT Cucumbers
These little bite-sized snacks are really tasty and it seems
people can never get enough of them. You’ll want to make
them often.
3 slices crisp-cooked bacon, crumbled
½ cup finely chopped lettuce
½ cup finely diced tomato (seeds removed)
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
⅛ tsp. salt
⅛ tsp. pepper
1 large straight cucumber
Minced fresh parsley or green onion
Method: Combine first six ingredients in a small bowl.
Mix well. Slice cucumber lengthwise and remove center
pulp and seeds. Divide bacon mixture between the two
cucumber halves, mounding in the hollowed out area.
Garnish with parsley or green onion. Cut into bite-sized
pieces. Chill.
Berry Dip
This dip is fabulous and so easy to make. It has an
awesome flavor and is colorful as well. Serve it with
chunks of pineapple, apple, cantaloupe, honeydew,
strawberries, grapes or other fruit. It’s a great way to add a
sweet element to appetizers.
1 cup chopped fresh or frozen strawberries
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
¼ cup sour cream
1 tbsp. sugar
Orange peel, optional
Method: Place strawberries in blender. Process until
smooth. Beat cream cheese in a small bowl until smooth.
Stir in sour cream, strawberry purée and sugar. Cover. Chill
until ready to serve. When ready to serve garnish with
orange peel.
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