Best party Appetizer/Dessert Recipe

[TwingleMum]

I'm having an 80th Birthday Party for DM (Dear Mom) she refuses to have a big party or go to a restaurant. So my 6 siblings and I are doing a party at home. About 40 people. Any really good appys or desserts?? Thanks soo much.

 

[Brit17]

I always like to put out a cold fresh shrimp tray (with lemon wedges and cocktail sauce) as an appetizer ... I will admit, I do cheat a bit and order it from Costco, but my guests always enjoy it ... I also like to prepare a fresh vegetable platter with different dips to choose from ...

As far as dessert, Cheesecake is always a nice choice ... and I always like to have fresh fruit or whipped cream to add to it if someone wants it ...

 

[powellrj]

this is one I love, but always forget about. We served it last years at my parents 50th anniversary party.
Garden Ranch Pizza

2 packages (10 ounces each) refrigerated pizza crust
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 package (1 ounce) ranch seasoning and salad dressing mix (2 tablespoons)
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup chopped broccoli
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1 medium carrot
1/2 cup pitted ripe olives, sliced
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425°F. Unroll both packages of pizza dough and arrange side by side on a large round pizza stone, shaping into a circle. Using lightly floured roller, roll dough to edge of baking stone, pressing seams to seal.

In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, ranch seasoning mix and garlic; mix well. Spread mixture evenly over crust to within 1/2 inch of edge.

Top with half of the mozzarella cheese.

Chop broccoli. Dice bell pepper using Crinkle cut carrot. Slice olives using.

Sprinkle broccoli, bell pepper, carrot and olives over pizza; top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Grate Parmesan cheese over pizza.

Bake 18-22 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes. Cut into wedges using a pizza cutter; serve.

Yield: 16 servings or 24 sample servings

Nutrients per serving: Calories 200, Total Fat 10 g, Saturated Fat 2.5 g, Cholesterol 15 mg, Carbohydrate 19 g, Protein 8 g, Sodium 480 mg, Fiber less than 1 g

 

[Kae]

The old stand by Artichoke dip

1 can articoke hearts drained & chopped
1 cup Real Mayo & Parm cheese
1/2 t garlic salt

Mix spread in a- i use a purex quiche pan or a glass 9 x9 bake 350 till brown on top. you top with chopped tomatoes if you wish.

Serve with tortilla chips

Kae

 

[Disney Ron]

8 English muffins
8 oz. Cheez Whiz
1 stick butter, melted
1 1/2 tsp. mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 can crabmeat, or shrimp

Toast muffins on 1 side. Cool. Combine all ingredients and spread on muffins. Freeze slightly. Cut in 8ths. Freeze hard until ready for use. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

 

[TwingleMum]

Awesome. We have a bunch of kids in the family so I always have to make plenty of pigs in a blanket. We get a big pkg of hot dogs from BJ's and also from BJ's the 4 pack of cresent rolls and make our own pigs in a blanket. Its pretty cheap and you can make tons of them. 1 crescent roll wraps 1 1/2 hot dogs. Sometimes the kids ask that we don't cut them up they like them whole. At Halloween I crisscross the crescent roll so it looks like a mummy. I'm at work so I'll post a good easy cheese ball with pineapple, red peppers,onions and cream cheese.

 

[lovetoscrap]

1 pkg Lil Smokies
1 pkg Bacon
1 pound brown sugar


cut the bacon slices in half and wrap one piece around each Lil Smokie and secure with a toothpick. Place in a 9x13 pan. Cover with the entire pound of sugar and cover with foil. Can be placed in the Refrigerator over night (or even 2 nights). Bake at 350 for one hour.

Sticky, not heart or diet friendly, but OH SO YUMMY!

 

[Tinijocaro]

I'm having an 80th Birthday Party for DM (Dear Mom) she refuses to have a big party or go to a restaurant. So my 6 siblings and I are doing a party at home. About 40 people. Any really good appys or desserts?? Thanks soo much.

Guacamole is usually a hit. You can even buy avocados and just add a guacamole mix that you find in a supermarket if you want, although guac isn't hard to make in the first place.

Pumpernickel bread and dill dip is another good one.

Veggie Platter always goes.

Fruit platter with a fruit dip.

 

[lovesmurfs]

Trifle is easy to do and presents well -- There's a lot of fruit/cake combinations.

My favorite is chocolate: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chocolate-Trifle/Detail.aspx. I've used FF cool whip, brownies and sugar free pudding with good success.

I've had great luck at Sam's with their mini quiches. Their frozen eclairs and cream puffs are good and easy as well.

 

[TwingleMum]

Thanks, I'm getting lots of ideas!!

 

[antmaril]

Two packages of smoky links
One Jar of Currant Jelly (Grape jelly works too)
Two generous tablespoons (or more) of horseradish sauce

Cut the smoky links into thirds. Combine the jelly and the horseradish sauce and heat in a saucepan. Add the smoky links and heat thoroughly. Serve with toothpicks. These are quite tasty and very popular at parties (not to mention easy!)

Have fun!

 

[dare2dream]

These are similar to the Garden Ranch Pizza but a hit at all our family functions

Veggie Bars

2 tubes crescent rolls (8 count each)
2 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 pkg dry ranch salad dressing mix
1 C mayonnaise
¾ c grated cheddar cheese
¾ c chopped broccoli
¾ c chopped cauliflower
¾ c chopped carrots
¾ c chopped tomatoes
½ c chopped green pepper

Spray 17 ½ x 11 ½ x 1 inch pan with cooking spray. Spread flat crescent squares in pan making sure edges touch. Bake at 350º for 8-10 minutes or until lightly brown. Mix together cream cheese, mayonnaise and dry salad dressing mix. Spread on cooled crescent crust. Sprinkle vegetables on crust (any or all of above or any others you would like). Top with grated cheese. Chill. Cut into squares.

Cook’s notes: 1) To make a healthy version use reduced fat, fat free, low fat, etc ingredients. 2) Before baking flat crescent rolls pinch the seams together to help them bake as one flat crust. 3) Cream cheese mixture is too thick for me using 2 cans of crescent rolls. I prefer using 3 cans and baking one crust in an additional pan. 4) After adding vegetables press them into the cream cheese mixture to help them to “stick”.

 

[TwingleMum]

The pizzas sound addictive!

 

[daisyduck123]

Tastefully Simple's Beer Bread & Spinach/Herb dip....I bring that as an appetizer every time!