All good things must come to an end!

Well here we are on our last and final appetizer recipe for this little March madness fun!  Again hope everyone is enjoying the recipes. If you've come up with some variations, leave us a comment! We love to try out new recipes!
Today's recipe brings in some of the yummy produce that is Spring and Summer - Strawberries!

Mini Strawberry cheese cakes
1 carton strawberries - rinsed and tops removed
1 package cream cheese
1/2c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix cream cheese, sugar and vanilla.  After this you have 2 options:
1. The quick, easy, no fuss way - put cream cheese mixture in a bowl and use it as a dip for the fruit.
2. The "Ah Martha Stewart is coming to dinner, make it look really creative" place cream cheese mixture in a pastry back and swirl mixture on the top of the strawberries.  If you wanted to get really creative, add a couple of drops of green food coloring to make it look like the top of the strawberry :).

*hint: if you cut off a little of the bottom of the strawberry they stand a little easier for you.

Enjoy! And if you choose option 2, send us a picture!

Let the madness continue!

Well it's day 3 of our appetizer madness, hope you've had a chance to try some of the others.  Maybe even some new family fave's!  Today's recipe has quite the Italian flair, but still quite yummy!

Italian butter
1 loaf French bread (I usually get two, once we start on this we just can't stop!)
3-5 tbs. c. olive oil (depends on if you like more oil or less, we prefer more)
1 tbs. minced garlic
1 tbs. dried basil / or italian seasoning
salt & pepper to your liking

Over medium heat, heat the oil and garlic till the garlic just starts to brown.  Add the basil and heat thru.  Pour onto a small plate and start dippin' your french bread.

Day 2 of the madness!

Got tortilla chips? Then we've a got a super simple yet extremely yummy dip for you!

Mom's bean dip - this is how my kids refer to it, so that will be the name :)
1 can refried beans
1 package cream cheese
1 package shredded cheddar cheese, or the already mixed taco/mexican blend
tortilla chips

On a plate spread the cream cheese.  Top with the beans and add the cheese.  Bake at 250 until the cheese is melted.  (You can melt the cheese in the mircowave but sometimes the beans want to explode and then you just have a big ole mess so I say put it in the oven.)
Dip in your tortilla chips and enjoy!

Time for my own version of March Madness!

Okay so it's really not as exciting as all the basketball games BUT if you are into watching all the games you're probably going to want some munchies.  So for the next 4 days I will be posting 4 appetizer recipes with 4 ingredients or less! Why that's plain madness!  Yes I know, hence the March Madness!  So sit back, get a good basketball game on and start munchin'!

Celery & cream cheese sticks
1 stalk celery, washed and cut into 4" lengths
1 c. cream cheese
Lawry's seasoning

Spread the cream cheese on the celery and sprinkle on some Lawry's. If you want to get fancy put the cream cheese in a pasty bag to put some pretty designs on your celery, or a good ole fashioned table knife works just as well.
Enjoy!

Some yummy chocolate cookies

Here's a new quick, easy, kid friendly & summertime Phoenix friendly cookie recipe.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Grams

8 gram crackers
1 c. chocolate chips
3 tsp. shortenting
about 1/4 c. peanut butter

-Break gram crackers into quarters, spread peanut butter on quarters and put back together to make little sandwiches.
-In microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening together.  Be careful chocolate burns quickly! Microwave for 30 seconds at a time until melted.
- Stir chocolate until smooth.
- Dip peanut butter sandwiches in chocolate and put on wax paper.  Refridgerate until set. Yummy!

and if you have left over chocolate, or just prefer pretzels you can also dip pretzels in the chocolate and then sprinkle with sprinkles, refridgerate until set and watch them disappear!

Enjoy! Want recipe ideas? leave me a comment and I'll see what I can come up with! :)