Cooking Quick and Easy Appetizers & Snacks

[malibuconlee]

This was a big hit at a dinner we had recently.

Pesto Pie
1 15oz. pkg refrigerated pie crust
4 oz. Parmasean cheese
1/2 cup pesto (I used the store bought)
a couple of roma tomatoes sliced thin

Bake 1 pie crust at 400 for 8-10 minutes. Mix cheese and pesto together, spread over hot crust. Top with tomatoes. Place other crust on top. Seal edges with brush dipped in milk. Bake at 400 for 16-18 minutes or until golen brown. Cut into slices and serve.



Little smokies wrapped in small canned biscuits is always good and easy.

Chicken Enchilada dip goes over well too, although I leave out the jalapeno and put it in a crockpot to melt together:

* 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
* 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
* 1 (8 ounce) jar mayonnaise
* 1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese
* 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chile peppers
* 1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place chicken breast halves on a medium baking sheet.
2. Bake in the preheated oven 20 minutes, or until no longer pink. Remove from heat, cool and shred.
3. Place shredded chicken in a medium bowl, and mix in cream cheese, mayonnaise, Cheddar cheese, green chile peppers and jalapeno pepper. Transfer the chicken mixture to a medium baking dish.
4. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.

 

[HaleyB]

Asperagus wraps

Steam asparagus lightly, should still have 'snap' to it.
Cut off the ends until it is all tender
Spread end with cream cheese leave the tip showing
Wrap with that rich Italian meat (name is gone, the expensive one) or salami over the cream cheese.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Prosciutto?

 

[ButterflyJen]

Wrap with that rich Italian meat (name is gone, the expensive one)

Prosciutto?

 

[MayMom]

I have two favorites that we love at Christmas.

Chili cheese dip

1lb. ground beef browned and crumbled
2 cans Armor beanless chili
1 1lb. block of Velveeta (cut into small pieces to speed cooking).

Put all ingredients in crock pot on high heat, stirring often. Serve with tortilla chips. This is addictive !


CC Dip

Spread a package of softened cream cheese evenly on the bottom of a pretty plate. Spread several large tablespoons of cocktail sauce over the cream cheese. Drain a can of crabmeat and sprinkle over the cocktail/ cream cheese mixture. Serve with Ritz crackers. Soooo good!

 

[branv]

Definition: "prosciutto is an Italian-style raw ham, a specialty of Parma, cured by dry-salting for one month, followed by air-drying in cool curing sheds for half a year or longer. It is usually cut into tissue-thin slices that highlight its intense flavor and deep pink color. The slices are enjoyed on their own or are heated or cooked as part of a recipe. Prosciutto di Parma, imported from Italy, is regarded as the best quality."

Whenever DH and I want to drink wine and watch movies, we will get french bread, slice into rounds, and schmear on some Boursin/chèvre (spreadable goat cheese) and lay on a piece of prosciutto. Mmmmmmm...scrumptious.

But I also tried this one recipe where you take the same french bread rounds, put on the same type of Goat cheese, but top it with a small slice of quality salami, a thin slice of seeded roma tomato (or for smaller pieces of bread, cherry tomato), and a chiffonade (thin slivers) of fresh basil. I also cracked some black pepper on it. It was SO good.

I can't give you firm directions, b/c it's always been by taste, but easy as sin is to get a can of salmon and whip it with cream cheese and a little mayo. Salt and pepper to taste. Really good on mini bagel/toasted bagel rounds.

When in doubt, and when I really have to serve people but don't have time to cook, it's always good to go buy a selection of artisanal cheeses, from various regions, put them on a prety platter with labels, along with some sliced fruit (apples/pears), a dish of seasoned nuts (just not peanuts ), a bowl of greek olives and some really amazing slices of bread and a variety of crackers. I could spend all day noshing on something like that. And if you have a soft cheese, depending on it's flavor, you can always mold it into a round log and roll it into cracked pepper, or fresh herbs. It looks lovely but is just so easy. (and if you're serving all that with red wine, I always have to have some pieces of super dark chocolate put out )

 

[barbeml]

Use a box or two of Athenos phyllo shells (I usually stock up when they are on sale for $1.50 per box...they keep in the freeser forever).
Fill with a bit of olive tapenade topped with crumbled feta cheese.
Put on a baking sheet and warm for about 8 minutes in a 350-degree oven.

Delicious.

You can fill those little shells with any combo you like. Chicken salad or salmon spread works well too.

 

[CinRell]

Some budget board! I just wrote down my fav of these recipes you guys suggested and went shopping during lunch and spent $130 on ingredients

 

[wdwaholic]

I've got a favorite standby-i usually keep the ingredients on hand for emergencies-a little messy in the prep but sooo worth it

2-3 cans whole water chestnuts-drained
soy sauce
bacon-
sweet/sour or "Duck" sauce-large jar

Soak water chestnuts in soy sauce-at least 30 minutes or more;drain and wrap 1/2 slice of bacon around them and secure with toothpick.Broil until bacon crisps up and then put in a bowl and cover with Duck sauce-can be re-heated in the microwave
MMMMM salty and sweet-n-sour
maybe it's time to make a batch now
Trish

 

[jiminyC_fan]

Mmmmmm, I'm loving it!

 

[mrsboz]

Scallops in bacon is wicked easy. Just wrap the scallops in bacon and cook in 350 for about ten minutes.

Seven layer dip. This is always a huge hit. I am always asked to bring this to parties now.

soft cream cheese
sour cream
shredded cheddar cheese
salsa
lettuce
tomatoes
purple onion
black olives
taco seasoning package

Mix soft cream cheese and sour cream with taco seasoning package. Drain salsa and then add on top. Then add all of the other ingredients putting the cheese on the top and the olives for last. You can add jalapenos to the very top if you like. Serve with nacho chips. People go crazy for this.


Stuffed Mushrooms


1 lb mushrooms (15 - 20)
1/2 cup of butter
1/4 cup green onions
1/4 cup sauterine wine
1 cup of herb seasoned croutons crushed.

Clean mushrooms. Remove stems. Dip caps in melted butter. In small skillet saute chopped mushroom stems and onion in remaining butter. Remove from heat; add wine and croutons.

Bake at 350 for 10 - 15 minutes.

This is also a real crowd pleaser.

 

[SherriW]

CC Dip

Spread a package of softened cream cheese evenly on the bottom of a pretty plate. Spread several large tablespoons of cocktail sauce over the cream cheese. Drain a can of crabmeat and sprinkle over the cocktail/ cream cheese mixture. Serve with Ritz crackers. Soooo good!

I do this but put those little salad shimp on mine!!

 

[HeatherinVT]

My mom just made this simple appetizer for Thanksgiving. It was SO delicious and SO easy!!

1 pkg. of hotdogs (cut each dog into thirds)
1 pkg. of bacon (wrap each hotdog piece with half slice of bacon and secure with toothpick)

Place pieces in a 9x13 baking pan and cover with 3/4 c. brown sugar. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes, shaking pan occasionally to keep them from sticking.

I make this similar dish, only i wrap the hotdogs in bacon
put on cookie sheet
sprinkle with brown sugar then drizzle maple syrup over them
then bake.
After stirring them i do this again ........yummy!

 

[mickeyholic]

Candied Pecans:
4 Cups Pecans
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Egg white (whipped until stiff)
Combine the egg white and sugar, coat the pecans and pour on wax paper spray with Pam. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 250'

Easy & Delicious

 

[krcit]

This is a super easy clam dip-tastes like stuffed baked clams...

1 can of minced clams(I think it's a 6 oz can)
1 sleeve(minus 3 crackers, weird I know, but that's the recipe!)of Ritz crackers
1/2 stick melted butter
1/4 cup parmesan cheese(grated)I use Locatelli pecorino-romano
1 small onion chopped
dash oregano
dash garlic powder

Crush up the Ritz and mix everything together.Bake at 350 for about 1/2 hour...serve with Ritz

 

[Mom 2 Two]

I have 3 recipes to share. They all are super easy.
Bacon-cheese Triscuits
Mix together shredded cheese, bacon bits (the real ones) and mayo. I don't have measurements, I just usually put enough mayo to make it sticky. Then spoon mixture on top of Triscuits that you have laid out on a pan. Bake on 325 until mixture is melted. These are always a huge hit with a unique flavor.

Ranch dip
1 package Hidden valley ranch dip mix with 16 oz sour cream.
Add 1/2 cup shredded cheese and 1/4 cup bacon bits (real ones again)
Refrigerate for about 1-2 hours before serving with crackers or chips.

OP mentioned meat balls and grape jelly. That is good, but I put meat balls in my crock pot and pour a can of pizza sauce on top. Odd combination, but very tasty!

 

[KLAIT]

Also a good dip is take a can of Cheddar Cheese soup, browned burger and a package of taco seasoning...

Brown burger, drain grease/

Add cheese and taco sesaoning heat to melt.
YUMMY!

 

[CinRell]

This is my FAVORITE recipe my ex fiance's mom made it ... from Paula Dean on cooking network. I've been making it ever since and it's SO SO easy.. takes a second to make.. and everytime I've made it people can't guess what it is and RAVE over it! I substitue finely chopped carrots for tomato because i hate tomatoes...

1 sleeve saltine crackers
1 large tomato, finely chopped
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1 hard boiled egg, finely chopped
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

In a medium size bowl, coarsely crush the crackers with your hands - you should have big cracker pieces. Add the remaining ingredients, mix well, and serve immediately. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

IT"S SO GOOD! I don't use exact measurements because I don't like mine quite as "wet" as paula's.. but it's a sure hit!

 

[zippeedee]

I do this but put those little salad shimp on mine!!

I mix one of those little jars of shrimp cocktail with softened cream cheese, then add more cocktail sauce and shrimp on top. It goes really fast at parties.

 

[CBoysMomLovesDisney]

boy, these great receipes are making me hungry..