Peggy Lampman | Contributor

Recipes like this are diamonds in the rough. They are simple to make, every grocer in town carries the ingredients, and guests gobble them down like hot cakes, rather, "hot ryes". I went to a small dinner party and this was the first item to disappear from the platter.

Karen was kind enough to share her recipe with the rest of us. It occurred to me that, with a few minor changes, this would make a great appetizer for Halloween. Leave the ingredients the same but switch out the rye bread for black pumpernickel. A little "Trick or Treat" orange garnish of blanched julienned carrot wouldn't compromise the yummy flavors of bacon and melted cheese.

Just keep the name--"Hot Pumps" sounds more like a DSW shoe brand than an appetizer.

Yield: apx. 30-36 party ryes Cost: apx. $8.00 Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese 4 ounces pitted good quality black olives, chopped 1/4 cup fried bacon, crumbled 1/4 cup minced green onions 1/4 cup Hellman's mayonnaise 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 30-36 party rye bread slices

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375Ëš. 2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine cheese, olives, bacon and green onions. Mix well. Stir in mayonnaise and Worcestershire sauce. 3. Arrange bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Spread the cheese mixture over the slices. Bake for 10-15 minutes until lightly brown and bubbly. Serve immediately.