The Holiday season is a time for parties and entertaining; Thanksgiving, Christmas, and football parties. Spicy dips and appetizers are all the rage these days. Here's an eclectic collection of recipes sure to be a hit at your party!

Hot Taco Bean Dip
Southern Living Online

• 2 (16-ounce) cans refried beans
• 1 (1.25-ounce) envelope taco seasoning mix
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 cups (8 ounces) Mexican-style shredded cheese, divided

STIR together first 4 ingredients and 1 cup cheese; spoon into an 8-inch square baking dish. Top with remaining cheese.
BAKE at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and mixture is thoroughly heated. Yield: 4 1/2 cups.

Creamy Mexican Dip
Southern Living Online

• 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
• 1 (8-ounce) package Mexican blend shredded cheese
• 1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, undrained

STIR together all ingredients in a 1-quart baking dish.
BAKE at 375° for 15 minutes. Serve hot with tortilla chips. Yield: about 3 cups.

Chicken and Shrimp Dumplings with Soy Dipping Sauce

Soy Dipping Sauce

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sweet hot chili sauce
• 2 slices fresh ginger root

Filling

• 1/4 pound ground chicken
• 6 shrimp , peeled and minced
• 2 teaspoons chopped ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons chopped basil
• 1 tablespoon sweet hot chili sauce
• soy sauce to taste
• 24 wonton wrappers
• 1/2 cup chicken stock

To make the sauce, place all the ingredients in a small sauce pan and bring up to a boil. Remove from the heat then allow to cool before serving. In a small bowl combine chicken and shrimp and mix well. Add ginger, garlic, onion, basil and chili sauce and mix well. Season with soy sauce. In the middle of a fresh wonton wrapper place a heaping teaspoon of the shrimp mixture. Bring the sides up around the filling pleating the sides. Continue with the rest of the filling. In a large sauté pan heat oil until very hot. Gently place the dumplings in the sauté pan and brown. When the dumplings are brown, add stock and steam about 2 minutes or until tender. Remove and serve hot with soy dipping sauce.

Cheese Ring

• 1 (8 oz.) block Monterey jack cheese
• 1 (8 oz.) block Colby cheese
• 1 (8 oz.) block Jalapeño cheese
• 1/4 onion, grated
• 1/2 c. sour cream
• 1/2 c. mayonnaise
• Cayenne pepper to taste
• Raspberry seeded preserves

Grate cheeses and mix with sour cream and mayonnaise. Add cayenne pepper to taste. Spray mold, ring-shaped, with a non stick cooking spray and mold into ring. This is better if done a couple of days ahead of time. To serve, turn mold over onto serving platter and place seeded raspberry preserves in center. Garnish and serve with crackers.

Spicy Stuffed Mushrooms with Bacon

• 4 slices bacon
• 24 medium mushrooms (about 1 1/2 lbs)
• 1 tbs butter
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper
• 1-2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or 1 tbs dried

1. Cook bacon until crisp. Remove from skillet, chop, and drain fat from skillet.
2. Remove stems from mushrooms. Reserve and finely chop 2/3 of stems. Discard remaining stems.
3. Cook mushroom caps in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain on paper towel.
4. Heat butter and add mushroom stems, onion, and garlic. Cook five minutes. Add peppers and cook three minutes longer. Cool and then stir in bacon, cheese and parsley.
5. Spoon into caps. Bake on baking sheet at 350o for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Chile Roll Log Appetizer
Yield: 12 Servings

• 1/2 lb. American Cheese
• 1 lb. Smoked Cheese
• 1/2 lb. grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 1 (8 oz) Pkg. Philadelphia Cream Cheese
• 1 small onion chopped Fine
• 2 cloves garlic chopped Fine
• 1/4 Tsp. seasoned salt
• 2 Tbs. Lea & Perrin's Worcestershire Sauce
• Chile Powder (medium to hot)

1. Mix all of the above except Chile powder in a large mixing bowl and then form into logs. Roll in Chile powder.
2. Wrap in saran wrap and place in refrigerator, chill at least 1 hour before serving.
3. Serve with a variety of crackers.

Meatballs In Chipotle Sauce

Meatballs

• 1pound ground pork
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 cloves garlic -- chopped
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• salt and pepper -- to taste

Chipotle Sauce

• 6 chipotle chiles -- pickled or en adobo
• 6 medium tomatoes -- roasted & peeled
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons lard
• salt and pepper -- to taste

Combine the pork, beef, ground cumin, garlic, eggs, bread crumbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. shape the mixture into medium-size meatballs. Cook the meatballs in the Chipotle Sauce for about 25 minutes. To make the Chipotle Sauce, puree the chiles, tomatoes, broth, garlic, cumin seeds, and oregano. Strain. Saute' the puree in light lard and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring sauce to a boil.

NOTES : From: Frida's Fiestas, Recipes and Reminiscences of Life with Frida Kahlo by Guadalupe Rivera and Marie-Pierre Colle.