Favorite Make Ahead Appetizers

[Saphire]

I love finding new reicpes for appetizers that I can prepare ahead and freeze. It makes hosting a meal so much easier. Now with the holidays coming, I would love to try some new ones. I will post one of mine, please share yours!

TOASTED MUSHROOM ROLLS

1/2 lb. mushrooms (white, cremini, button, portabello or any combination)
1/4 c. butter
3 tbsp. flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1 c. half and half or light cream
2 tsp. minced chives
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 lg. loaf white bread, crusts removed (soft bread works best)

Clean and finely chop mushrooms. Saute for 5 minutes in butter. Blend in flour and salt. Stir in cream and cook until mixture thickens. Add chives and lemon juice. Cool.
Flatten bread slices with rolling pin. Spread each slice with mushroom mixture and roll up jelly roll style. Freeze in a freezer bag. When ready to cook, cut each (defrosted) roll in half. Place on ungreased baking sheet and brush lightly with butter. Toast on both sides in 400 degree oven until light brown, around 10 minutes.

Makes 3 1/2 dozen.

 

[djm99]

Salmon salad - made like luna except with Pink Salmon from a can.

 

[beckmrk04]

Buffalo Chicken Wontons- you can prepare them and freeze them uncooked. Then take them out of the freezer and deep fry them.

Now, I kind of made this recipe up (partly based on an appetizer they used to have at Ruby Tuesdays and partly based on a Buffalo Chicken dip recipe I liked).


Cook and shred 2-3 large chicken breasts (I boil them- it's easy). Mix them with 2 packages softened cream cheese and either your favorite hot wing sauce OR- I make my own with butter and Frank's Red Hot sauce. You will probably need about 1 1/2 cups of sauce (sorry- I just add it until it looks right).

Mix all of that and refigerate it for about 1/2 an hour. Drop small spoonfulls onto wonton wrappers. Moisten the edges with water, then press out the air and seal them. You can freeze them at this point or go ahead and fry them until golden brown. I serve them with ranch, blue cheese dressing, and more hot wing sauce for dipping.

 

[cruellababy]

subbing- I don't have any make ahead recipes for appetizers and I'd love to learn a few tricks! Thanks!

 

[gwcollins71]

Keep the appetizer ideas coming. I think I'm going to try both for the holidays. Mmmm.

Gretchen

 

[beckmrk04]

This isn't really a "make ahead" appetizer, but it is very quick and easy, and delicious, so I am going to throw it in.

Feta Bruschetta

Olive Oil

1 pkg (4 oz.) cumbled feta cheese

2-3 garlic cloves, minced (I just use the minced garlic in a jar)

1 tsp. dried basil

Sliced french bread (use a baguette for smaller appetizers, or a loaf for larger pieces to accompany a dinner)

1 large tomato or about 2-3 roma tomatoes, diced

Preheat the oven to 350. Brush bread on both sides with a small amount of olive oil. Toast the bread in the oven until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven. Mix the feta, garlic, and basil in a bowl. Sprinkle on top of toast. Top with tomatoes. Put back in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until cheese and tomato are heated through.

 

[#1hockeymom]

I love finding new reicpes for appetizers that I can prepare ahead and freeze. It makes hosting a meal so much easier. Now with the holidays coming, I would love to try some new ones. I will post one of mine, please share yours!

TOASTED MUSHROOM ROLLS

1/2 lb. mushrooms (white, cremini, button, portabello or any combination)
1/4 c. butter
3 tbsp. flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1 c. half and half or light cream
2 tsp. minced chives
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 lg. loaf white bread, crusts removed (soft bread works best)

Clean and finely chop mushrooms. Saute for 5 minutes in butter. Blend in flour and salt. Stir in cream and cook until mixture thickens. Add chives and lemon juice. Cool.
Flatten bread slices with rolling pin. Spread each slice with mushroom mixture and roll up jelly roll style. Freeze in a freezer bag. When ready to cook, cut each (defrosted) roll in half. Place on ungreased baking sheet and brush lightly with butter. Toast on both sides in 400 degree oven until light brown, around 10 minutes.

Makes 3 1/2 dozen.

My mom used to make these in the seventies! I'd make up jelly versions as she was doing these and I'd pop mine in the toaster oven. I never got the recipe for these and would like to thank you for the info!

 

[Saphire]

Happy to share, #1hockeymom! I found it in a cookbook with updated recipes from the 50's through the 70's called 'The New Elegant But Easy Cookbook'.
beckmrk04, I am copying your bruschetta recipe, my family loves it but I always serve at room temperature, I think I will try it your way.

Here is another favorite of mine:

Little Party Pizzas

1 Loaf party rye bread
6 slices cooked crumbled bacon
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 Tbspns. mayonnaise
1 Tbspn. prepared mustard (like grey poupon)
1 small onion, grated

Mix bacon, cheese, mayonnaise, mustard and onion. Refigerate or freeze until needed. Spread on bread slices and place under broiler until lightly golden.

 

[clarabelle]

OK
I have NOT frozen these -but they strike me as something that would freeze well. I have made them up in the AM and refrigerated them until ready to cook.

Update!!
I just noticed there is a side note in the cookbook that says to freeze them before you bake them in the trays the shells come in then bake them as directed -but add 2-3 minutes to the baking time!!!

Sausage and Cheese Tartlets
1 lb mild ground mild pork sausage
1 1/4 cups monetary Jack cheese
11/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 8 oz bottle ranch dressing
1 (4 1/4 oz) can chopped ripe olives drained
1 teaspoon ground red pepper
5 (2.1 oz) packages frozen mini phyllo shells

Brown sausage in a large skillet then combine sausage and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl.

Fill each Shell with a heaping teaspoonful of sausage miture and place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until cheese melts
Yield about 6 dozen

 

[clarabelle]

I wanted to add that the Athens phyllo shells are great
I have also made an appetizer where you put a piece of brie or gouda cheese along with a teaspoon of cranberry relish. Then baked in a 350 oven until cheese melts. Yummm

The website for the phyllo shells has tons of ideas:


http://www.athens.com/recipes/fillings.aspx

 

[Tarheel Tink]

Crabmeat Puffs - Appetizer (aka Crabbies)

1 can (7.5 oz) crabmeat, well drained
1 jar Kraft Old English Sharp Cheddar Cheese Spread
1/4 lb butter room temp
1 1/2 TSP mayonnaise
1/2 TSP garlic powder
1/2 TSP salt
6 english muffins, split

Mix all ingredients well, except muffins. Spread mixture on english muffims. Slightly freeze on a cookie sheet so that they will be easy to cut. Cut into quarters. Freeze until ready to serve. Bake frozen in a 450 oven for 15 minutes or until brown and bubbly.

I usually have these in a ziplock bag in the freezer. Sometimes I sprinkle a little Old Bay or Paprika over them for color. I think a single shrimp on each for garnish would be good also!

 

[beckmrk04]

I wanted to add that the Athens phyllo shells are great
I have also made an appetizer where you put a piece of brie or gouda cheese along with a teaspoon of cranberry relish. Then baked in a 350 oven until cheese melts. Yummm

The website for the phyllo shells has tons of ideas:


http://www.athens.com/recipes/fillings.aspx

I agree! Last year I made mini-cheesecakes with them!

I totally cheated, but they were so awesome. I bought the tub of Philadelphia Cheesecake filling and piped it (with a pretty tip) into the baked shells, and topped with cherry pie filling! I also added canned pumpkin and cinnamon, nutmeg, and a tiny bit of ginger to some of the cheesecake filling to make "Pumpkin Cheesecake."

I think the brie and cranberry relish sounds awesome!

 

[clarabelle]

pumpkin cheese cake -mmmmm

 

[beckmrk04]

The Party Pizzas and Sausage and Cheese Tartlets sound yummy.

I'm getting hungry!

 

[Jen_in_NH]

This isn't a freezing recipe, but you can definitely make it a few days ahead and keep it in the fridge.

Crabmeat and cheese dip:
3 bricks of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup or so of mayo
1 large onion, sauteed
3 cans of crabmeat
Italian seasoning to taste
Grated cheese - I don't know an amount or type. I usually use about a pound or so of cheese ends from the deli (swiss works great)

Mix that all together in a 13x9 pan. You can stop here, and store that for a few days in the fridge. When you're ready to cook it, cover with grated Parmesan, and bake for 30 min at 400.