Appetizers

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Cut artichoke hearts into small pieces.

3. In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, artichoke hearts and shredded cheese. Stir until well combined. Set aside.
   

4. Cut each biscuit in half. Roll each biscuit half into a ball, using the palm of your hands, and place along the edge of the skillet. Spoon the dip into the center and spread out with a spatula so that it touches the edge of the biscuits.

5. Brush the biscuits with melted butter or oil and sprinkle with oregano or any seasoning of your liking. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Serve warm.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. With a mixer blend the cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and brown sugar and blend well. Add the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice until combined.

2. Spoon mixture onto plastic wrap in a ball shape. The mixture is wet so it won't quite be a ball but do your best to make a ball or pumpkin shape. It won't be perfect. Wrap mixture tightly with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 4 hours or until firm. I like to tie a rubber band at the top to hold the plastic wrap tight but it's not necessary.

3. While the ball is freezing make the gingersnap crumbs. Use a food processor to crumble the gingersnaps or if you don't have a food processor put the gingersnaps in a gallon size bag and roll over with a rolling pin.
   

4. Remove the ball from the freezer and unwrap the ball. Let it sit out for about 5 minutes. It will not look perfect but will look fine once the crumbs are on it. This will allow the gingersnap crumbs to stick better to the ball. Place gingersnap crumbs on a large plate or platter. Roll the ball in the crumbs, pressing the crumbs into the ball. Wrap ball in clean piece of plastic wrap and store in the freezer until serving.
   

5. To serve: Remove from the freezer about a half hour before serving. The ball can also be stored in the refrigerator for a day or two and will be in a softer state. Any longer than that, it should be stored in the freezer.

6. Cut into wedges and serve with graham crackers, apple slices, or gingersnap cookies. 

1. Hard boil the eggs (see recipe notes) and peel. Cut the eggs lengthwise. Remove the yolks and place in a medium size bowl. Place the egg whites on a serving platter.

2. Add the mayonnaise, dry mustard, pepper and salt to taste to the bowl with the yolks.

3. Beat all ingredients together until smooth. 

4. Evenly disperse heaping teaspoons of the yolk mixture into the egg whites. Or use a piping bag with a star tip to fill each egg white half with the yolk mixture. Sprinkle with paprika and serve.

1. Whisk the yeast into 1 and 1/2 cups warm water. Allow to sit for 1 minute. Some clusters of yeast may remain. Add salt, brown sugar, and melted butter. Whisk until fairly combined. Slowly add 3 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time. Mix with a wooden spoon (or dough hook attached to stand mixer) until dough is thick. Add 3/4 cup more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. If it is still sticky, add up to 1/4 cup more. Poke the dough with your finger - if it bounces back, it is ready to knead.
2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for about 3 minutes, then shape into a ball. Place in a large greased mixing bowl. I usually use nonstick spray to grease it, but olive oil works too. Cover and let the dough rest in a warm area for about 10 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
4. With a sharp knife, cut ball of dough into 6 sections. Roll the dough into six 20-inch long ropes. Cut the rope into 1.5 inch pieces to make bites.
5. Combine 9 cups of water and the baking soda in a large pot and bring to a rapid boil. Drop 8-10 pretzel bites into water and let sit for 20 seconds. Remove with a spatula and place onto the prepared baking sheet. Make sure the bites aren't touching.
6. Brush beaten egg over each pretzel bite. Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake batches for 15 minutes each, or until golden brown.
7. Remove from oven and serve with cheese sauce, mustard, ranch or any condiment you enjoy. Pretzel bites remain fresh for up to 3 days in an airtight container, though they will lose some softness.

Cheese Sauce

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the top, stirring constantly until a thick paste forms, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Slowly add the milk to the flour/butter paste in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Continue cooking, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. It should be thick but still pourable. Add the cheese, whisking constantly until it is melted. Add the hot sauce and red chili flakes. Taste, then add salt and pepper to taste. Add more cayenne and/or hot sauce if preferred.
3. The sauce will thicken upon cooling. Store leftovers covered tightly in the refrigerator. Heat over stovetop or in the microwave before serving again.