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Quick and easy New Year's Eve munchies from Jr League cookbooks.

CHILI CHEESE PIE / make a dip sans crust
CRUST Press combined cup crushed tortilla chips/3 tbl melted butter over 9" springform bottom; bake 325 deg 15 min. (Can eliminate crust to make a dip.)
FILLING Beat 16 oz cream/cheese, 2 eggs. Mix in 4 oz can chp green chilis, 2 chp jalapenos, 4 oz ea shredded
colby/jack cheeses. Bake in crust 325 deg 30 min. Cool 5 min. Place on server, remove sides. Spread w/ 1/4 c sour cream.

GARNISHES Get fancy: mound center w/ chopped tomatoes, circle of sliced black olives; chopped scallions.
SERVE w/ circle of chips at edges. Maybe a few red tortilla chips scattered festively around plate.

Grilled Peppers Stuffed with Goat Cheese

Boil yellow/red bell pepper halves w/ water 2 min. Drain cut side down on p/towels. Fill w/ 2 tbl combined
2 oz ea soft goat cheese (chevre), shredded Jack, 2 tb snipped fresh chives/ snipped fresh basil. Wrap in dbled foil.
grill tender-crisp 5-6 min (cheese melts). CHEF'S TIP Cut each half in 2 wedges to make finger food. SERVE warm.

Ridiculously easy pie w/ 5-star taste. Nice change from all the spicy holiday baked goods.

Caramel Cream Cheese Pie

CRUST Cut 1/2 c chilled Crisco into combined 1 1/3 c flour/1/2 tsp salt. Stir in 4 tb ice water til dough holds together. Saran/chill 30 min (up to 48 hours). Roll out into circle 2" larger than pie plate. Bake golden 425 deg 10-12 min. Cool completely on counter.

FILLING beat 8 oz cr/cheese, 1/2 cup dulce de leche, 1/4 c conf. Set aside. In 2nd clean/COLD bowl, beat stiff 2 1/2 c h/cream, 1/4 c granulated sugar. Hold 1/2 cup for garnish. To remainder, fold in, fully blend, caramel cream cheese.

ASSEMBLY Spread 1/2 c dulce de leche on cooled pie crust bottom. Top w/ caramel cream, then garnish w/ reserved whipped cream. Drizzle w/ 2 tb dulce de leche. Frige 4-24 hrs. SERVE.

NOTE: I use Hershey's Caramel topping.