Appetizers and Pineapple Pretzel Salad

I had such a wonderful night last night with my college friends. We had our annual Christmas party. Last year we had a book exchange, which started my obsession with Frank Peretti books. This year we exchanged kitchen and other random household items. I am the proud new owner of a spatula, a cheese grater thing with two grating lids and a plastic lid for storage, a set of metal bowls with lids, and some Tupperware containers identical to the ones I gave away earlier in the year (and no, these weren't the same ones that I had given!) I already put the Tupperware and spatula to good use tonight when I made chocolate chip cookies, which you can make following the recipe in this post.

For the party last night we decided to make appetizers instead of a big meal. My friend Tracey made a really good bruschetta and I am hoping she passes the recipe on soon and I Sarah made THE BEST caramel corn, but even though she animatedly told us the whole recipe (with motions and everything) I did not write it down. So I'll have to post those later. Here are the recipes I do have:

First is Philly Cheese Pizza Dip, from my good friend Jenny.

1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp each red and green peppers
1 tsp Italian seasoning

Spread cream cheese onto bottom of a microwaveable 9 inch pie plate. Cover with pizza sauce and top with remaining ingredients. Microwave on high for 2 minutes or until heated through. Serve with Ritz crackers. Makes 2 cups.

Next is a recipe that I grew up with. I call it Auntie Pat's Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs.
1 small bottle of yellow mustard
1 pound (2 cups) brown sugar
bacon
Ball Park Jumbo beef franks

Preheat oven to 350. Cut hot dogs into 3 or 4 equal pieces (depending on what hot dogs you use). Cut bacon in half lengthwise and width wise. Wrap each piece of hot dog in bacon and put in a baking dish seam side down. Mix together mustard and brown sugar. Pour over the top (I dumped it all on, even though it seemed like a lot of extra. It cooks down quite a bit). Bake for 1 hour at 350.

I halved the recipe and used regular hot dogs (sorry girls, it's all I had!) They were just as good as I remembered them being.

Finally I have a recipe from my mother in law. She served it last Christmas and I loved it. However, I am the only one in my family who liked it so I couldn't make it until last night when I had people coming over with tastes similar to mine.

Pineapple Pretzel Salad (could almost be a dessert)

8 oz. Cream Cheese

8 oz. Cool Whip

1/2 cup sugar

20 oz. Crushed Pineapple (juice too)

Mix together and refrigerate

2 cups crushed pretzels

1/2 cup melted/soft butter

1/2 cup sugar

Cream butter & sugar. Add pretzels and stir. Bake 7 minutes at 300 degrees. Cool and store

in ziplock/bowl until ready to serve, then add to other ingredients.

I would combine the cream cheese and whip cream first to make sure you get all the lumps out of the cream cheese. I did not do this and definitely ate a few cream cheese lumps. It was still good and I am excited to eat my leftovers tonight!