Cheesy Spider Recipes

Steps:

• In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, Cheddar, Monterey Jack cheese, butter, salsa and some salt and pepper and beat until smooth. Alternatively, mix all the ingredients in a large bowl with a spoon. Reserve 1/3 cup of the dip and wrap in plastic wrap.
• Make 2 balls with the remaining dip, one twice as big as the other, wrap in plastic, and shape into balls. Refrigerate all three portions of the cheese until hardened and cold, 2 to 3 hours.
• Unwrap the two balls and coat in the crushed tortilla chips. Place on a platter directly next to each other and make eyes in the smaller ball with 2 olives. To make the legs, arrange 8 green beans to stick out of the "spider's" side, then place a small ball made out of the reserved 1/3 cup dip on the end of each bean and connect another bean to each ball to make long legs.
• Serve with vegetables, crackers or tortilla chips.

Steps:

• In a deep saucepan or deep-fat fryer, heat the oil to 350°F.
• With a sharp knife, sever and discard the abdomens from the two tarantulas. Singe off any of the spider's body hairs with a crème brûlée torch or butane cigarette lighter.
• Dip each spider into the tempura batter to thoroughly coat. Use a slotted spoon or your hands to make sure each spider is spread-eagled (so to speak) and not clumped together before dropping it into the hot oil.
• Deep-fry the spiders, one at a time, until the batter is lightly browned, about 1 minute. Remove each spider from the oil and place it on paper towels to drain.
• Use a sharp knife to cut each spider in two lengthwise. Sprinkle with the paprika and serve. Encourage your guests to try the legs first and, if still hungry, to nibble on the meat-filled mesothorax, avoiding the spider's paired fangs, which are tucked away in the head region.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, pesto and egg; mix lightly. Shape into 12 meatballs; place on a greased rack in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake until browned and a thermometer reads 160°, about 35 minutes. Toss meatballs with sauce; set aside., Meanwhile, without separating rolls, cut horizontally in half; arrange bottom halves in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Place half of cheese slices over roll bottoms; sprinkle with oregano. Add meatballs and sauce. Top with remaining cheese slices and bun tops., Combine butter, olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes; brush over buns. Bake, covered, for 20 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with Parmesan and shredded mozzarella., Bake, uncovered, until cheese is melted, 10-15 minutes longer. Sprinkle with basil before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Using small pieces of foil, make forty 1/2-in. foil balls for shaping spider legs; coat lightly with cooking spray., For filling, mix first 4 ingredients. On greased baking sheets, pat 5 biscuits into 3-1/2-in. circles. For legs, cut each of 10 breadsticks crosswise in half; cut each piece lengthwise in half. (Reserve remaining breadsticks for another use.) Attach 8 legs to each biscuit, twisting and pressing onto pan to adhere. Tuck a foil ball under the center of each leg., Spoon filling over biscuits. Fold cheese slices into quarters; place over top. Pat remaining biscuits into 4-in. circles; place over cheese, pressing edges to seal. , Whisk together egg yolk and water; brush over tops. Attach olives for eyes; fill centers with pimientos. Sprinkle with poppy seeds., Bake until golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
• Slice attached rolls in half widthwise with a serrated knife, keeping rolls connected, into a bottom and top 'slab.' Place bottom slab in the prepared pan.
• Layer about half the ham evenly over the bottom slab of rolls. Layer Swiss cheese evenly on top, and arrange remaining ham over the cheese. Cover with the top slab.
• Place butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave until melted, about 1 minute. Add mustard, poppy seeds, Worcestershire sauce, onion, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine.
• Pour butter mixture evenly and slowly over the rolls. Spread over the tops using a spatula; some of the mixture will pool at the base of the rolls. Cover with aluminum foil and let stand at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese has melted, about 20 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until browned as desired, 3 to 5 minutes more. Slice into individual sliders.

Steps:

• Combine cream cheese& cheddar cheese.
• Shape half the mixture into a ball to make the spider body.
• Shape remaining mixture into legs and join to body.
• Sprinkle with poppy seeds and decorate with olives to make a face.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve with crackers and grapes.

Steps:

• Combine cream cheese, Italian seasoning and 1/2 cup shredded cheese.
• Shape into 24 balls, using 2 Tbsp. cheese mixture for each. Roll in remaining shredded cheese.
• Top crackers with cheese balls. Decorate each cheese ball to resemble spider, using noodles for legs and currants for eyes.