Hot Cheese Appetizer/Chili Artichokes Dip

I had a friend over for drinks and wanted to make a delicious hot appetizer that would be quick.  You can also prepare this ahead and pop in the oven before your guests arrive.  I saw the Hot Cheese Appetizer (page 36) and Chili Artichokes (page 37) in our Tidewater on the Halfshell, so I decided to combine them together and it was delicious.

Hot Cheese Appetizer

1 cup diced onion
11/2 cups (6 ounces) grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup Duke's mayonnaise

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Mix all ingredients together; place in a small casserole dish.
• Bake at 450 degrees for 5 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
• Serve with crackers.

Chili Artichokes

1 14-ounce can artichokes (drained and chopped)  I buy the quarters and cut them in half, I like a big     pieces of artichoke.
2 4-ounce can green chilies, drained and chopped.
2 cups Duke's mayonnaise
11/2 cups (6 ounces) fresh grated Parmesan cheese

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Mix first 3 ingredients and pour into 9-inch Pyrex or quiche dish.  Sprinkle cheese over top and dust with paprika.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
• Serve with crackers

I combined the two and used 2 cups of mayonnaise and mixed all the ingredients together with the cheese; poured into a 9-inch quiche dish and baked at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes and served with Blue Corn Chips.  It was delicious.
Serves 6

New Year's Day Bean Soup

Happy New Year.  How did you celebrate?  Were you in NY at Times Square, over to a friends house for a party or at home in your favorite pj's contemplating what you New Years Resolution would be?  However you celebrated, I hope that you had a wonderful and safe time. 
In the South, it is a tradition to have black eye peas and collards to bring luck and money for the new year.  This year, I thought I would have a little more luck since I made the New Year's Bean Soup that has more than black eye peas'.  This recipe is found in our Tidewater on the Halfshell, page 100.

1/4 cup dried black eyed peas
1/4 cup dried great northern beans
1/4 cup dried kidney beans
1/4 cup dried lentils
1/4 cup dried lima beans
1/4 cup dried navy beans
1/4 cup pinto beans
1/4 cup split green peas
2 Tsp salt
1 Ham hock with ham shreds
1 28-ounce can tomatoes, undrained
2 medium onions quartered
2 Tsp lemon juice
11/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp black pepper

• Wash and drain dried beans.  Place in a large pot, cover with water.  Add salt and soak overnight. 
• In the morning, drain beans.  Add 2 quarts of water and ham hock with ham shreds.  Bring to a boil, lower heat; cover and simmer slowly for 3 hours.
• Cut ham off bone and return meat to pot.  Add remaining ingredients.  Simmer 30 minutes more.

Serves 6-8

Beans after soaking overnight