What are you serving for appetizers over the holidays?

[dhcoffey]

For my work party next week I am making Caprese salad kabobs and Antipasto kabobs...both from Taste of Home.

Caprese-on a skewer, thread mozzarella balls/pearls, grape tomatos and basil, drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Antipasto- cook, drain and cool a bag of cheese tortellini, then marinate in italian dressing (4hours-overnight) along with large/jumbo ripe pitted olives and/or green stuffed olives then thread on skewers with mozzarella balls/pearls, grape tomatoes, hard salami and fresh parsley.

Easy and yummy (the Caprese are very festive looking too since its all red, green and white!)

I made the Caprese skewers for my daughter's graduation last May and everybody loved them!

 

[ENSOCK]

Soften a block of cream cheese and top with pepper jelly. Serve with crackers.

Block of cream cheese topped with pic-a-pepper sauce.

meat marindae with italian dressing and worchershire sauce. Slice 1 jalpeno pepper into sticks, slice the meat of choice into the same size sticks. Wrap the meat and pepper with 1/2 slice of bacon. Broil until cooked. I use deer meat, duck breast, or even just beef.

 

[tinatark]

These are DELICIOUS! My friend made them for our Bunco Christmas party - super yummy and SO simple!

4 sleeves unsalted top saltines
1 pack hidden valley ranch dry mix
1.5 cups canola oil
3 tbsp. red pepper flakes

Mix all together in a 2 gallon ziploc bag. Keep turning the bag so the crackers are coated.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

We always do appetizers for Christmas with my side of the family (DH's family is always the big ham dinner) We like not having to slave over a big dinner and then clean up. Plus, most of the crockpot appetizers we can leave out all day if people want to pick at stuff.


This year's menu
meatballs/BBQ sauce
buffalo chicken dip (with boiled chicken...never canned)
cheeseball
cauliflower overnight salad (not an appetizer, but a requested yearly staple)
shrimp cocktail
veggie tray/homemade dill dip
spinach dip
deviled eggs
Pioneer Woman cheddar puffs
Pionner Woman stuffed mushrooms

For dessert we set out cookie trays, a cheesecake and this cherry "flop" stuff that my mom loves.

I may do the Velveeta chili cheese dip stuff too. My kids love it, but it's such a pain in the behind to clean out of the crockpot.

Reynold's sells crockpot liners. I don't use them all the time, but they're great for particularly messy dishes--mine is white chili.

These are DELICIOUS! My friend made them for our Bunco Christmas party - super yummy and SO simple!

4 sleeves unsalted top saltines
1 pack hidden valley ranch dry mix
1.5 cups canola oil
3 tbsp. red pepper flakes

Mix all together in a 2 gallon ziploc bag. Keep turning the bag so the crackers are coated.

You could also do this with oyster crackers--they're smaller, easier to coat AND to eat.

One thing I'm trying this year is, instead of a regular dessert, I'm going to make up cheesecake-style fillings, and use them for dip. We'll use regular or chocolate graham crackers and ginger snaps for dipping into them. I'll have to let you guys know how that works out for me.

 

[Nancyg56]

Also, we've made these Sinful Bites of Joy before. Mmmmmmmmm. And different!

Oh YUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Li'l Smokies in grape jelly (I know it sounds a little odd, but you put a package of Li'l Smokies in a crock pot and pour a jar of grape jelly over it. Cook until jelly is melted and smokies are hot)
I'm sure we'll have more. I just don't know what yet. Keep the ideas coming.

I have never made them with just the grape jelly. How different is it from the grape jelly/chili sauce version? I always look for fun sauces for my nibbles.

Pioneer Woman's Holiday Bacon appetizers. Here's the link: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/12/flashback_1981_-_holiday_bacon_appetizers/

These are my favorites! No skill involved, and they taste so good! I've made them sweet and savory, and I'll do the same this year!

Geez Glynis!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My Holiday table generally is the Glynis fav recipe place!!!!!!!!!!!!! One more to add to the list!


This is the hamburger recipe I start with but I do Nanatize it

A tasty cream cheese and ground beef dip for chips. Scroll down to see more dip recipes.
Ingredients:

2 pounds lean ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced, optional
2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1 can (4 ounces) mild chile peppers, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 cans (8-ounces each) tomato sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon oregano
16 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut in cubes
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder, mild to medium heat
Preparation:

In skillet, brown ground beef with onion, and jalapeno pepper, if using. drain off fat. Pour browned meat mixture into crockpot. Add garlic, mild chile peppers, salt, tomato sauce, ketchup, oregano, sugar, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese and chili powder. Set crockpot on LOW for about 2 hours, until cream cheese has melted and is thoroughly blended. Stir, taste, and adjust seasoning if desired. Serve directly from the crockpot or move to a chafing dish, with tortilla chips for dipping.

I usually skip the jalapeno and tomato sauce, toss in a can of manwich and put it in a casserole to heat int he oven. that way I can pt it out on a table with Ritz crackers. I also use ground turkey instead of ground beef. it is good and if i make too much I use the extra for sloppy joes.

 

[mom0299]

Nancy, the grape jelly adds a nice combination of sweet and salty with the lil' smokies. I like it better than BBQ sauce which I think has too strong of a taste.

 

[Nancyg56]

Nancy, the grape jelly adds a nice combination of sweet and salty with the lil' smokies. I like it better than BBQ sauce which I think has too strong of a taste.

I think I am going to try it. We have a few gatherings that require appetizers or desserts and I am adding more and more every time I jump on one of the DIS food threads!

 

[Family Fun Mom]

Appetizers and finger foods are my favorite. I love this thread! More! more!!!

 

[jen0610]

I may do the Velveeta chili cheese dip stuff too. My kids love it, but it's such a pain in the behind to clean out of the crockpot.

Find these:

You will never hate washing your crock pot again. These are the greatest thing ever made for crock pots.

 

[Uptown Girl]

You MUST make these... you just must!!!

mini phyllo cups
gingersnap cookies, broken up into little pieces
Brie cheese, cut into chunks
hot pepper jelly

Layer the last 3 ingredients into the mini phyllo cups. Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes. People will go crazy for them. The jewel tone color of the pepper jelly looks so pretty. And they are totally addicting and delicious. Everyone will ask you for the recipe. They're spectacular.

These just went on my list!!!

 

[Glynis]

I am making these! Three ingredients?! That's my kind of recipe. And they look delicious. I think the kids would like to help me make these.

Thanks Glynis!

You are welcome!!! I hope you guys like them as much as we do! My kids beg for them year round, but I only make them on special occasions... don't want them to get too used to them, ya know!

 

[mjkacmom]

We do two variations of this.

On the 1st one, instead of a pickle, you spead the cream cheese on a slice of the dried beef, then lay a green onion along one edge and roll up. You want the green onion just long enough that it pokes out one end, you use it as a handle to pick them up. Chill to set the cream cheese.

For the 2nd one, you take the same dried beef slices that have the cream cheese spread on it - and just roll them up. You don't have to add anything else. Some of our firends do them, but add minced garlic, onion powder and
worcestershire sauce to the cream cheese before spreading it on. But DH's family just likes the beef and cheese the best.

No joking - I have to use 5-6 packages of the dried beef and 3 blocks of cream cheese, when I make these. They devour the things. And they like the plain - no onion - ones the best.

I live in a very heavily food dominated area, and have no idea what the heck dried beef is! We have tons of delis and meat stores with all kinds of dried sausages though.

 

[Uptown Girl]

You are welcome!!! I hope you guys like them as much as we do! My kids beg for them year round, but I only make them on special occasions... don't want them to get too used to them, ya know!

I think I am going to make these as well.

I live in a very heavily food dominated area, and have no idea what the heck dried beef is! We have tons of delis and meat stores with all kinds of dried sausages though.

I am guessing it is the packages of Corned Beef--Buddig is what we have in our area. I will probably be making these as well.

We have one Gluten free eater for Christmas so trying to have a few things that are different for her. She's a picky eater though so I don't know how much of this she will like. I know everyone else will though!

 

[antmaril]

Nancy, the grape jelly adds a nice combination of sweet and salty with the lil' smokies. I like it better than BBQ sauce which I think has too strong of a taste.

If you want to kick this recipe up a notch (as Emeril would say) add a couple of tablespoons of horseradish sauce to the grape jelly. Many, many years ago I took a cooking class and the recipe for the cocktail sausages called for horseradish sauce - I think it really makes a difference. I've been making these every Christmas Eve for more than 30 years. I use currant jelly, but grape jelly works, too.

 

[Minnesota!]

an easy dip -

1 tube frozen sausage - thawed and browned
1 can rotel tomatoes - most of the juice drained
1 block cream cheese, softened

Mix all together...warming them all in the microwave or in a small crockpot. Serve with crackers or tortilla chips.

 

[MIGrandma]

There are two things I make every year, the grandkids request them.

1) I cut hickory stick in small pieces, and cut Havarti cheese in small cubes, and cut small sweet gherkin pickles into chunks then take a toothpick and put one of each on it.

2) Mandarin orange segments, chunk pineapple and maraschino cherries, again putting one of each on a toothpick.

I make up a tray of each and everyone loves them.

 

[DWGal210]

To make them sweet, substitute brown sugar for the parmesan cheese. Oh, and don't get fancy and use shredded parmesan... use the powdery stuff. Seriously!

Distract yourself for the 2 hours. I promise the wait is totally worth it!

Oh I had these at a party a few weeks ago - AMAZING. I might have had 8-10 of them.

I love all the recipes!! Great ideas!!

 

[DWGal210]

Oh I made these last NYE! They're incredible!!!

You MUST make these... you just must!!!

mini phyllo cups
gingersnap cookies, broken up into little pieces
Brie cheese, cut into chunks
hot pepper jelly

Layer the last 3 ingredients into the mini phyllo cups. Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes. People will go crazy for them. The jewel tone color of the pepper jelly looks so pretty. And they are totally addicting and delicious. Everyone will ask you for the recipe. They're spectacular.

 

[cybrkitn]

Broccoli Ham Ring from Taste of Home. To see a picture of what it looks like, click on this link: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Broccoli-Ham-Ring (the recipie, which is below, is also there as well).

I've made this a few times and have had rave reviews every time.
Btw, you don't have to use swiss cheese. I used shredded cheddar or you can use whatever cheese you want.

I've also modified it and made it into a veggie version b/c we were going to a party where one the hosts is vegetarian. With that I substituted the ham with red, green, yellow and orange diced peppers. You can add mushrooms or whatever vegetables you want to it as well.


6-8 Servings
Prep: 20 min. Bake: 20 min.

Ingredients
2 tubes (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent roll dough
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
1/4 pound boneless fully cooked ham, cubed
2-1/4 cups chopped fresh broccoli
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions
Unroll crescent roll dough and place triangles on a 12-in. pizza pan, forming a ring with pointed ends facing outer edge of pan and wide ends overlapping. Lightly press wide ends together.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; spoon over wide ends of rolls. Fold points over filling and tuck under wide ends (filling will be visible).
Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Yield: 6-8 servings.


Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 slice) equals 225 calories, 13 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 26 mg cholesterol, 558 mg sodium, 15 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 11 g protein.

Originally published as Broccoli Ham Ring in Quick Cooking January/February 2001, p16

 

[jen0610]

I live in a very heavily food dominated area, and have no idea what the heck dried beef is! We have tons of delis and meat stores with all kinds of dried sausages though.

These are several different brands - often stores around here will have their name brand of packaged meats.

For the roll ups, we prefer the Armour brand or one of the store brands, as the meat slices are square, while budding is round. I have no clue why, my IL's just told me to make sure I don't get the round cut slices. It's their prefered snack and I had never had them before I met DH, so I just make them the way they like em.