Appetizers- One elegant, one not so much

Last week I learned from a post by Louise on Months of Edible Celebrations that May 8th was Military Spouse Appreciation Day. Today I was looking at a book I had pulled out of one of my boxes a few weeks ago and remembered the author was a military spouse. Food With A Flair Special Recipes for Special People by Doone Lewis is a collections of recipes that she gathered from many different Naval duty stations here in the US and overseas. The book was published in 1979. Doone must have had to host quite a lot of cocktail parties as there is a large section on appetizers and starters.
This recipe seems like it would make a fancy presentation. I remember my Mom had a copper chafing dish she would use for hot appetizers at her cocktail parties. My Dad was a career Naval officer so my parents did a lot of entertaining.

Saganaki-" Simple, attractive, and delicious"

1 pound raw shrimp, deveined (frozen are fine)
1 package frozen artichoke hearts
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound small whole mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced fine
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Freshly ground pepper or Lawry's seasoned pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Blanch artichoke hearts in boiling salted water for 2 minutes and drain. Heat olive oil in a frying pan, add shrimp and mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until shrimp turns pink. Add artichoke hearts, garlic, salt, pepper and oregano. Heat thoroughly and sprinkle with lemon juice and parsley. Serve hot in a chafing dish or casserole on a burner, with toothpicks. Makes about three dozen appetizers.

This one isn't elegant but I know I would like it as I like all the ingredients. Yes, I am a cream of mushroom soup fan, I admit it. I am sure the amount of margarine could be cut way down or even eliminated.

Hot Clam Dip-" This different dip takes only a few minutes to whip up."

1/2 cup margarine, melted
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese
Dash of Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup chopped clams, drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Put all ingredients into the melted margarine and heat slowly while stirring; do not boil. Serve hot with dip chips or crackers.

Foil Cooking- Big Boy Barbecue Book

These recipes are from the classic Big Boy Barbecue Book copyright 1957. I remember my parents had a copy of this when I was a kid.

This first recipe is a quick way to cook shrimp. I guess if you are barbecuing steaks you could use this to turn it into surf n turf.

Barbecued Shrimp

2 pounds raw shrimp

1/2 cup butter

1 large garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon coarse, freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup minced parsley

Peel and devein shrimp. Cream butter; add remaining ingredients and stir to mix well. Tear off six 9" strips of heavy duty aluminum foil. Fold each in half to make a 9" square. Divide shrimp equally on pieces of foil. Top each with 1/6 of butter mixture. Bring foil up around shrimp and twist tightly to seal. Knock the gray ash off the briquets. Place shrimp on briquets; barbecue 5 minutes. Makes 6 serving

Stuffed Green Peppers

Cut a slice from the stem end of 8 green peppers; remove white ribs and seeds. Place each on a double thickness of heavy duty aluminum foil. Fill with canned chili beans. Top each with 1 tablespoon ketchup. Wrap securely in foil. Barbecue on briquet's about 15 minutes or on grill about 30 minutes. Turn once during barbecuing.

Barbecued Party Apples

Core large baking apples. Pare a third of the way down from stem end. Place each on a double thickness of heavy duty aluminum foil. Fill centers with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon. Brush peeled surfaced with pink-tinted light corn syrup and put about 1/2 tablespoon butter on each. Wrap very securely in foil. Barbecue 1 hour on grill or 25 to 30 minutes on briquets. Apples are done if they feel soft when gently pressed with a potholder.