What are your favorite (and easiest to make) appetizers and/or finger foods?

[C.Ann]

Looks like I "may" be having a gathering here on Christmas Eve and I would like to keep it real simple.. Appetizers/finger foods; snack-type items; and of course, my Christmas cookies..

Any suggestions? My kitchen (heck - the whole living area of the house) is VERY small so I can't really be cooking in the kitchen while the guests are here because that's where half of them will be sitting..

Any ideas?

Thanks!

 

[glo]

can't get easier than this, and it always goes quick trust me...


Buy three kilbasa's, cut them up into little 1/2 inch wheels. Get brown sugar and layer on the bottom of a crock pot. Brown sugar and a layer of kilbasa, keep doing it to the top.

Turn on low heat 2.5 hours before needed....serve with tooth picks. Or as I do, just a serving spoon, as people take a bunch.

 

[Boots]

I like this, but if you don't like onions you won't. You take a rectangular piec of I think Dak sliced ham. It is kind of thin and in a rectangle. Spread it with cream cheese. Then lay a green onion on it lenght wise and roll in up. Stick about 6 toothpicks in the roll to hold it together. Then slice between toothpicks. Very easy and gets eaten quite well.

 

[Judy from Boise]

very easy........pour a bottle of mango chutney ( I like the major's ) over a block of cream cheese. Top with some crumbled bacon and serve with a water cracker. Yummy !!!!!!

 

[Bunchkin]

We do the sliced ham (sliced on the thick side) with the cream cheese and diced green onion too. But sometimes we omit the diced green onion and add instead a kosher dill pickle and then roll up and slice into pieces. These always go over well.

This is really good too, artichoke dip. One can of artichoke hearts chopped, 1 cup of mayo/miracle whip, 1 cup of shredded swiss, pepper, garlic powder, 1 cup of sour cream. Mix and bake at 350 for 25-30 mins. Serve on crackers or garlic toast rounds.

 

[debster812]

C. Ann,

Here's a link to a thread of mine on the recipes board. I just had an appetizers/cocktail party for my mom.

These were all 'big sellers'

Deb's recipes Thread

Give a shout if you need any clarification on these.

Debbie

 

[SonjaB]

This is my absolute, bar-none, favorite little finger food. It tastes like a little bite-sized BLT, SOOOO YUMMY!!!!


Bacon Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes
I just love the new pre-cooked bacon on the market. Just warm it in your microwave to crisp and it's ready to use! No mess, no fuss and no clean-up. In fact, double the recipe and you still won't have any left over.

2 pints cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 bunch green onions, finely chopped
1 16-oz. pkg. bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled


Cut the top off each cherry tomato, and using a melon baller, carefully scoop out the seeds and pulp. Place each tomato upside down on paper towel to drain. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl. Stuff each cherry tomato with the bacon mixture. Chill in fridge for at least 2 hours to blend flavors. To serve, I like to line the serving tray with parsley to keep the little tomatoes from rolling around. It's very pretty too.

 

[Disney Doll]

Take a wrap, spread some horseradish sauce on it, some roast beef, and some cheese(I like American, but you use whatever you like). Roll it up, stick toothpicks into it about every 1/2"-1", and then slice it between the toothpicks. Makes mini roll ups, requires no cooking, can be made ahead. I do the same thing with the wrap, mayonnaise,cranberry sauce, turkey, and cheese, or the wrap, ricotta chesse and roasted red peppers(for a vegetarian type roll up).

 

[Serena]

This is simple and easy. Some of my family loves meatballs in a crock pot with BBQ sauce.

 

[AR]

two favorites: 1 1/2 bl shredded mozzarella cheese
1l2 lb hard salami diced
3 beaten eggs
3 heaping TB parmesan
Make a crust with crescent rolls flatten in the bottom of a 9X12 pan and pour the above mixture over it. Looks bad (before cooking)- tastes great when baked at 325-350 for about 45-60 min. Cut in squares. You can put it together in about 7 min and toss it in the oven. I cut the squares with kitchen shears.

1 pt sour cream
1 10oz box chopped spinach thawed (I use the microwave)
1 pkg original hidden valley salad dressing mix
about 1/4 cup or so of mayo
Mix it all together and serve with crackers.

 

[BethR]

Here is another easy one. Take a can of whole water chestnuts. Take some of the precooked bacon and cut the strips in half. Wrap the water chestnuts with 1/2 a strip of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Put in microwavable dish. Warm in microwave. Heat a jar of sweet and sour sauce and pour over bacon-wrapped water chestnuts.
Yum, yum!

 

[Chattyaholic]

Two of my kids' favorite "appetizers" that I've made for years are:
Fruit Kabobs: Chunk pineapple, mandarin oranges, and maraschino cherries are the ingredients. I usually buy two cans/jars of each, sometimes three. Drain all of the fruit well. I use party toothpicks. Take a maraschino cherry and put a tooth pick through it, then a mandarin orange segment, then on the bottom (to be used as the "base") goes a pineapple chunk. Make lots of these and put them on a tray.

The second one is made with chunked summer sausage, chunked havarti cheese and pieces of sweet pickle. I usually put the cheese on the bottom, for the base, then cheese, then pickle on top, skewer with a toothpick. Make another full tray of these.

These are very easy to do (the meat/cheese/pickle ones can be made the day before, but the fruit ones should be made as close to serving time as possible because the maraschino cherries do "bleed" somewhat). My kids have loved these for years, and always request me to make them for a special get-together or holiday. They are both grown and married, and still want them!

 

[goofyrn13]

We like buddig beef rolled around cream cheese.
1.seperate the buddig beef slices
2.spread with cream cheese
3.place sweet pickle in the middle
4.roll up and cut in 1-2 inch sections
5.place toothpick in the middle where the pickle is
6.enjoy!

You can also get 2 packs of "little weenies" and mix with one bottle of BBQ sauce,One small jar grape jelly a dash of ketchup and worchester and simmer in crock pot on low all morning.{you

may need to add a small amount of water as they cook}


Happy eats!

 

[Jenzebelle]

I have an easy to make crab dip that's so good that I'm not allowed in my parents' house during any gathering without it

It's very simple:
1 bag of imitation crab meat( either 8 or 16oz is ok- depending on how crabby you want it)
16oz of fat free cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp dill

chop up the crab meat, mix it all up and put in a baking dish. Bake at 375 for approx 20 min (until bubbling). Serve with crackers - keebler onion crackers seem to get the biggest raves.

 

[Lars624]

Meatballs (I make them myself, but you can buy frozen ones) in a crockpot with equal parts chili sauce (Heinz or store brand) and grape jelly. It sounds yucky but is delicious!!!!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

C. Ann our classic easy Christmas finger foods are of course the Veggie Tray with Dill Dip. This also goes well with the Rye Round.

Dill Dip
1/3 c sour cream
1/3 c kraft mayo
2 tbsp minced parsley
2 tbsp grated then minced onion (if onion is strong, reduce amount)
2 tsp Beau Monde
2 tsp Dill Weed

Then you have the tray of shrimp with the cocktail sauce, I prefer Heinz.

Relish tray, with pickles, black olives, broccoli, grape tomatoes and other things you like.

Cheese Ball with favorite crackers.
1 Grated brick of Cracker Barrel cheese (sharp)
1 Roka Blue
1 Old English
1 cream cheese
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Mix, refridgerate, shape into 2 balls, roll in favorite chopped nuts or put into container as a spread.

Lots of yummy desserts, wine.

Of course I might be tempted to cook up a Ham (have rye bread & Lorraine Swiss & mustard on hand) or a Standing Rib Roast at Christmas. Depends on what is going on.

Now you know what our Christmas is like! Good Luck


I may have to try the other recipes as I LOVE finger foods!!!

 

[BethR]

Similar to what Judy in Boise's recipe was, but this is something a little different. And easy. And always goes.
Take 1 block of cream cheese. (anyone see a pattern here? )
Pour over it some cocktail sauce - homemade or purchased.
On top of that distribute a well-drained can of crab or the tiny shrimp.

Serve with Crackers.