Serve with crackers or baguette slices. Refrigerated, this will keep for three weeks. Serve with sliced baguettes. In this variation on a classic appetizer, two bricks of cream cheese are transformed into a slightly sweet spread for crackers by the addition of pineapple, green pepper and spices.
Diced pumpkin is pickled overnight in vinegar with sugar, cinnamon and cloves.
Use 1 cup of water along with the vinegar for a milder flavor. The longer the pickled pumpkin is stored before serving, the better it tastes. These can be made ahead, and popped into the oven after your guests arrive. In this dip, canned artichoke hearts are mixed with green onions, pimento, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese and whipped cream and baked in a casserole. Serve fresh from the oven with baguette slices or crackers.