Artichoke Nibbles

This makes for an amazingly delicious, vegetarian appetizer. It's a big crowd-pleaser and goes very fast!

2 small (6-oz) or one large jar of marinated artichoke hearts
1 small yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup pre-cooked Polenta (dry-ish)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 Tbs pesto
1/8 teaspoon Tobasco sauce
2 cups extra-sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 9x13x2 glass baking pan; set aside. Drain marinade from artichokes and pour half of it into a saucepan or large skillet. (Use marinade from second jar for salad dressing). Coarsely chop artichoke hearts and set aside. Heat marinade in skillet. Add onion and garlic, set over moderate heat, and stir-fry until glassy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add polenta and stir until lumps are mostly gone. Then add salt, pepper, pesto, hot pepper sauce, cheese, and chopped artichokes, and mix well. Add the eggs at the end and mix again. Pour into the greased baking pan and bake uncovered about 45 minutes, until well set (like custard or quiche). Cool slightly, cut into inch squares, and serve warm or at room temperature. (These can be cooked a day or more ahead and reheated, if desired.)

Cranberry Cheese Louise!

Brought to you by request...this is what I made for Friends Thanksgiving. It is easy...kinda quick...and very delicious!
I'm not much of a recipe guru, so this is how I make them...more or less.

Ingredients:
-1 Package of dried cranberries
-1-2 Jalapenos (depending on your tolerance for pain)
-1 large container of cream cheese (you can use the reduced fat kind if you want...it won't ruin the recipe...even though my grandma would disagree)
-1 roll of Pillsbury dough boy croissants

How to:
• Let the cream cheese sit at room temperature...or heat it slightly in the microwave.
• Mix cream cheese together with dried cranberries, and diced jalapenos (seeds removed).
• Unroll the pastry dough and ignore perforated lines that the dough boy has so kindly cut for you. You can even smoosh them out if you like.
• Cut the dough into 1.5 inch squares.
• Scoop a small amount of cream cheese mixture onto the square of dough.
• Pull the four corners to meet at the top of the dumpling and pinch together so the cheese is fully enclosed.
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes...but keep an eye on them because, depending on your oven, they may take more or less time.
I usually like them to be a little bit crispy, so I take them out when they are brownish.

If you want to prepare them ahead of time, you can make them and refrigerate them until you are ready to serve them...they aren't that great cold.