Your go-to appetizer?

There’s no real recipe to bringing along fresh shrimp and shrimp cocktail sauce.

Just make sure that the shirmp is already removed from the shell, so your friends don’t have to mess with removing it themselves.

Everyone applauds me when I bring that to a party, but they applaud even louder, when I leave the party, for some reason…

friut pizza

slice n bake sugar cookie dough…roll out in circle @ bake as directed on pizza pan

cream cheese & powdered sugar as topping…i use 3 softened cream cheee packs and add sugar till it tastes good!

fruit can be your choice…i use: kiwi, blueberries, strawberries, grapes.

This is what I usually do

@deaddolly that sounds delicious. Like jack said, shrimp is always great. Meatballs are good too.

Deviled eggs. I’m sure there are plenty of recipes out there but I always wing it with mayo, mustard, pickles, and paprika on top.

Calamari. The problem is I have no idea how to cook it. My wife does all the cooking.

I just had Sushi Pizza tonight HOLY SHIT yummmmmmmmmmmm
Thin crispy crust bottom (kinda like a panko or phyllo dough) then some seaweed salad, avocados and then toped with salmon,tuna, and yellow tail with a spicy sauce drizzled on top . mmmmmm

The easiest and loved by many….spinach dip! It’s always the first to go at every party. Veggie soup mix, sour cream, mayo and spinach. Serve it in a scooped out pretty bread and you’re a star.

I agree with SuperMouse, people LOVE deviled eggs. Try adding a tiny bit of soy sauce, sesame oil and wasabi powder. Garnish with thin sliced scallion and black sesame seeds. My go to appetizer is Pastry wrapped Brie. This is perfect for Fall.
Carmelize I large julienned onion adding a pinch of sugar and a splash of brandy. Remove from pan and saute about one cup of diced portabello(or any) mushrooms. Mix onions and mushrooms together. Season with salt and pepper, cool.
Top a small wheel of Brie or Camembert with mushroom mixture and wrap with a sheet of purchased puff pastry, pinching together at the bottom to seal. Cut some slits decorativley on top. Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with poppyseeds and chill well before baking at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with good crackers or bread.
For years I made this for an annual wine walk in our town. One year I stupidly thought I would do something different. There was practically an uprising.

Jack Adams, by “fresh shrimp” I seriously hope you mean fresh steamed shimp, and not the kind that came up with i google for ‘fresh shrimp’ because if not, I’m going to be really grossed out again today. ;-)

Mmmmm…
Make garlic naan. It’s soooo good. I helped some people make it for the UCD ECE BBQ (shit, that was a lot of acronyms).

@Supermouse and SoapChef – You have my heart. I once went cool hand luke on a bet at a party and ate 24 of them. So 12 full. I love them.

Dammit, now it’s 10 pm my time, I can’t cook (don’t start telling me I can or how easy it is) and I NEED THEM!

Good Lord Bri L, I hope there weren’t any smokers at the party!

Hehe. For some reason I don’t have that problem with eggs.

Artichoke spread is my favorite appetizer to bring along:

Combine one 14-oz can of artichoke hearts (drain the water or oil first – and don’t get the marinated ones!) with 1 cup of shredded parmesan cheese, and blend them in the food processor until they’re pretty smooth. Put the spread in a microwave-safe dish, and when you get to the party, zap it for about 45 seconds, so the cheese gets a little melty. Serve with toasted pumpernickel bread.

It’s so easy, I always feel like I should be bringing something that takes a little more effort – but then people are sad that I haven’t brought the artichoke spread…

It’s nothing like artichoke spread but it’s always a hit. My special queso, and I’ll have you know I don’t usually give my recipe.

-One box of velveta
-One can of spicy rotel (spicy is optional)
-One lb of groud beef
-I don’t know the proper term but a small thing of spicy,ground sausage. (spicy part is optional)
-One can of cream of chicken soup

Cut cheese up into squares and put in crock pot on high heat. Add cream of chicken and rotel. Cook both meats together and put in with other ingredients. (I recommend you drain the meat…that’s just me though.) Turn the heat down to med low until all cheese melts. And you’re finished!! Simple and delicious. I’d watch it though because it burns easily.

Or you could always just do a tasty 7 layer dip. (In order from bottom up.) Beans, ground beef, guacomole, sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions are usually the 7th layer, but I cut that one out. Yuck. Good luck.

Regarding the deviled eggs, we had them last Easter, sprinkled with Smoked Paprika…best I’ve ever had! It was a subtle, yet definite improvement.

take a piece of prosciutto or ham spread with cream cheese. Wrap around a stem of home pickled asparagus or dilly bean. Has always been a hit. Quick simple and I always have pickled asparagus or beans around.

I like artichoke stuffed bread. It’s not terribly quick or simple, but it is so delicious. (I’ll dig up the recipe later if I have time.)

Another good one is homemade Hummus. Can of chickpeas, jar of roasted red peppers, Tbs. of tahini or peanutbutter, Tbs of cummin, juice of on lemon, salt and pepper to taste. Whiz it all up in a food processor and add olive oil till creamy. Serve with tortilla chips, pita chips, veggies, or use all three.

Ooo Ooo… What about stuffed jalepenos? You cut them in half, spread some cream cheese on them. (To your taste) wrap them in bacon, then put them in the oven at 350 until bacon is coooked and cheese is slightly brown. Mmmm… (or grill them.)

Of course neither of these are very healthy

pepperoni dip is always a hit. heat 8oz block of cream cheese, one can of condensed cream of whatever soup (i use mushroom), and whatever pepperoni is left in the fridge. often i crock pot the whole thing, but it can be baked in a casserole dish. i also like to throw in red pepper flake and oregano. serve with little toasts/bagels or tortilla chips.

numaki is more work, but i never have leftovers. wrap canned water chestnuts with slice of bacon and fix with a toothpick. cover with 2 parts ketchup/1 part brown sugar or bbq sauce. bake until bacon is cooked.

or what about taco dip, buffalo wing dip, or stuffed mushrooms?

@soapchef, I love your recipe for baked brie and I’m going to try it! Another delicious variation is to substiture the onion and mushroom mixture for fresh fruit (pear is my favorite), a little brown sugar and some sliced toasted almonds.

@trudacia That sound awesome, I am going to try that! I love the combination of pears and cheese.

1. shrimp or scallops wrapped in bacon
2. poblano peppers stuffed with rice and chorizo
3. grilled steak and zucchini with dipping sauce
4. olives, mozzarella, roasted red peppers
5. beef or chicken kebabs with peppers

Back to the deviled eggs, try a platter with a variety. I have gotten great responses from such a thing. Try a little Old Bay seasoning, topped with a cocktail shrimp or crab. Bacon, everyone lurves bacon! Mince some, add to the yolks and garnish the tops as well. Season with smoked salt (just a titch) and top with smoked almonds. I have also almost ground the almonds and added them to the yolk mixture for this one. I love Augustians suggestion of smoked paprika and don’t forget the wasabi one, that one is for sure a winner. Use black olives as garnish, it is a great color contrast. Always, always garnish, even if it is just chopped parsley. It sets your food apart from the average. Its like putting lipstick on a pig!

Sausage Pinwheels

1 pound sausage, browned and drained
2 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 pkg. crescent rolls

Combine sausage with cream cheese. Open crescent rolls and lay flat in 2 rectangles. Divide mixture between rectangles then spread to cover. Roll up dough long ways then seal. Slice into circles then bake at 375 degrees for approximately 20 minutes or until dough is golden brown.

These are so yummy that I often have to double the recipe. If your dough is sticky, put the rolled up dough in the freezer for about 15 minutes before you slice them. It’s also easy to make up a day early then just slice and bake right before the party.

Another super easy one I love is to wrap whole water chestnuts in small pieces of bacon and attach with a toothpick. You then broil a few minutes until the bacon is cooked. Serve with barbecue sauce for dipping.

Talk about wrapping things in bacon. I once went to a wedding where they had pitted dates wrapped in bacon and baked till the bacon was crispy. Those things were awesome!

OK, sorry I have another one. Try wrapping chunks of jicama in bacon, marinating in teriyaki sauce and rolling in raw sugar before you broil or bake them. Waaaaay better than water chestnuts, no tin can taste.

LOL! At this rate you’ll have so many recipes and ideas you could cater the party yourself. Man some of these ideas just sound so yummy!

@ cooks Well it helps that I catered for ten years! Still do occasionally on a small scale. Just enough to keep me from doing it again full time!

Chickpea SaladRecipe courtesy Rachael Ray, 2008

Show: 30 Minute MealsEpisode: Vegetable Feast

6 servings

Ingredients
2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 small red onion finely chopped
1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
A few ribs celery and leafy tops, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced or grated then grinded into a paste with salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons rosemary, finely chopped, a few sprigs
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Combine chick peas with onions, peppers, celery, garlic, red pepper flakes and rosemary in a medium bowl. Dress salad with vinegar and oil, salt and pepper.
*********************************************************
pretty yummy and different.

I know this will be off topic but tonight at my husbands award dinner we has this awesome dinner. I hate to say it but the mashed potatoes were the best part. They were a perfect creamy consistency, covered with some melty cheese and panko crumbs of all things. You could tell they were put in the oven to melt the cheese, and crisp the panko, since the bottoms got crispy. They were just perfect. I wish I knew exactly what they did, but I will have to experiment. I do have lots of potatoes from this years harvest so I guess it won’t cost too much to experiment.

I love the water chestnuts wrapped in bacon. I serve them with soy sauce to dip them in. You guys are making me hungry!

BOUDIN BALLS

Ingredients :

Boudin (If you need a boudin recipe let me know)
crushed crackers whatever kind you like
2 egg s (optional)
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk (optional)
salt, cayenne, black pepper, to taste
Oil for frying

Directions :

Make your boudin. If using the store purchased variety, remove the meat mixture from the casing. (Some cooks have been known to cut the boudin and leave the casing on). Roll the mixture into balls a little smaller than an egg; actually any size….small, medium or large.

Crush your crackers to a fine meal consistency, season to taste. Or you can buy any variety flavored cracker. Take the boudin balls and roll them in the cracker meal. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.

Heat the cooking oil until spot of flour dances on top of the oil. Drop the boudin ball and fry until golden brown. Place on paper towels to drain. Serve preferably warm but the taste is great either hot or cold.

Frozen meat balls @ cost-co (crock pot cook)
buy a chuck of cheese square it
put toothpicks in balls
put toothpicks in cheese

Little quiches
potatoe skins with the works
hot crab dip
brie with fruit

A great thing to do is make a nice cheese plate. Especially if you are short on prep time, as there is no cooking involved.

The key to a great cheese plate is variety. You want to get cheeses of different textures (hard, soft, creamy, blue), and different milks (goat, cow, sheep). Add to this a few types of crackers, or crusty bread and fresh berries and/or grapes to complement and contrast. I love salty or pungent cheese with some tangy and sweet fruit. Take it a step further by adding some olives, nuts, or fig spread. Arrange on a large cutting board or platter and you’ll be a star!

Just avoid processed cheeses at all costs. If it says Kraft or Velveeta you shouldnt be buying it. Go to a cheese shop and ask for recommendations. They can also help you pair a fantastic wine or beer to go with your cheeses.

Some of my current favorite cheeses are Piave (an aged italian hard cheese), Manchego (cave aged in Spain), St Andre ( a French Brie relative), Humbolt Fog ( a young American creamy tangy cheese, Roquefort (a great pungent bleu), and Morbier (a semi soft cow’s milk cheese with a layer of veggie ash in the middle).

Try putting out a platter of Strawberries and Roquefort with a bottle of decent champagne and your guests will think you are a classy genius.

@MarcIsMyHero Great idea. I never think to do this.

Hero, I am definitely coming to your next party!

This is a little late for your party but it’s a big hit whenever I make it.

Buffalo Wing dip

2 (10 ounce) cans chunk chicken, drained
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup Ranch dressing
3/4 cup pepper sauce, such as Franks® Red Hot®
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1 bunch celery, cleaned and cut into 4 inch pieces
1 (8 ounce) box chicken-flavored crackers

DIRECTIONS
Heat chicken and hot sauce in a skillet over medium heat, until heated through. Stir in cream cheese and ranch dressing. Cook, stirring until well blended and warm. Mix in half of the shredded cheese, and transfer the mixture to a slow cooker. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, cover, and cook on Low setting until hot and bubbly. Serve with celery sticks and crackers.

Here’s a few really easy ones.

Bacon-wrapped Cherries
– One package of bacon, cut in half, raw
– One can of maraschino cherries
– One pack of toothpicks
Wrap cherry in bacon slice, skewer with toothpick, put on a baking sheet. Not sure what time or temp to bake it at, try 350 for 15 minutes, take em out if the bacon starts to burn.

Gherkin Rolls
– One container of gherkin sweet tiny pickles
– Two loaves of bread, order it the day before from a baker and have it cut horizontally instead of vertically.
– A package of cream cheese, room temperature
Take one long bread slice. Spread cream cheese on it. Make a line of pickles at one end (two pickles tip to tip is usually enough), and starting at the pickle end, roll it up into a log. Cut this log with a sharp knife into approximately 3/4 inch slices, and position on your serving tray. Try using different fillings, such as a cheese. You can also dye the cream cheese to make it more interesting.

Thai spring rolls – they are actually really easy to make, and they look so impressive!
You can buy the round rice-paper wrappers at an asian food store or some well-stocked general grocery stores. They are the size of an appetizer plate – and they are brittle and hard.

All you have to do is slice some carrot strips and cucumber strips, cut up some tofu, and take the leaves off of fresh basil.

Pour some warm water into a pan or pot. put one of the rice paper wrappers in and wait 30 seconds for it to soften. Remove the wrapper and put it on a plate. Put a piece or two of tofu, carrot, cucumber, and fresh basil. Tuck the ends in and roll it up like a burrito. Repeat till you have 10–20 fresh Thai spring rolls. So easy!

* this is even better if you buy or make thai peanut sauce to put inside the roll or as a dip. You can try making it yourself by mixing coconut milk, peanut butter, and red chili paste, but I’ve never been able to make it taste quite the same as what you get in the restaurant, so I usually buy it.

Very simple dip to go with veggies or crackers: 8oz bar cream cheese, mixed with a can of sliced olives and a few tbsp of the olive juice, mix it all and let chill.
Fruity dip: 8oz cream cheese softened, mixed with ½ jar of marshmallow fluff, serve with sliced fruits (strawberries, grapes, apples)
Stuffed cherry tomatoes: 4 oz cream cheese, mixed with chopped chives, 1 tbs thyme. Hollow out the tomatoes and fill with mixture, chill and serve.

A bit late now, but you cant deny a few slices of perfectly ripe and sweet canteloupe melon served with wafer thin shavings of prosciutto crudo!

xx

This one is a favorite at New year’s eve parties where I grew up. Just open some windows.
And for 30 you might want to double or triple the recipe.

bagna cauda

I love my Spinach Dip best, but needs to be baked at least long enough to get hot throughout.

1 box chopped frozen spinach (reg size)
Miracle Whip Salad Dressing (I guess you could use Mayo, I’m just a Miracle Whip person)
Parmasean Cheese (for quickness and price I use the grated in a can)

Thaw spinach and drain, press out all excess water
Mix with 1 cup (more or less) of Miracle Whip and about 1 cup cheese.

Should stir easy, You want nice mix of flavors; spinach should be too too much.

I usually add a little onion powder, garlic powder for a little extra tastiness.

Note: I don’t measure anymore. You can play around with this and taste before baking to adjust flavor as needed. If you use 2 boxes spinach, of course more cheese and miracle whip.

Mix well and bake in nice serving bowl. Something that can go in the oven AND look nice as serving bowl.

Place on larger platte with pita chips, (garlic) around the bowl.

You can make ahead and keep in fridge. I just take out small servings and throw in oven for a few or heat in microwave for easy snack.

Sea food plate:
Can of Salmon pate and crackers spread on a plate/bowl
Can of Salmon ( or other fish..Tuna) (bowl or plate)
Mussels and oysters on a plate
Sardines
large Shrimp ( canned)..spread on a plate
Provide spreaders and variety of cheese and crackers plus grapes to snack on
Blue cheese and swiss and marbeled chedder favorites

I’ve got my family spoiled. They like brandy-soaked scallops wrapped in bacon.