Cost efficient appetizers- PLEASE HELP??

[abjcooking]

Here are some recipes that I find are usually gone by the end of the pary.

Gouda with grape jam and grapes as decoration is always simple and popular. Serve with wheat thins and assorted crackers

Cucumber spread
2 cucumbers, unpeeled and grated
1 small onion, grated
1 8oz. cream cheese
2 T. salad dressing
1/2 t. seasones salt
1/4 t. lemon juice

Place cucumber and onion on paper towel and squeeze out moisture. Beat cream cheese until smooth and stir in vegetables, salad dressing, and salt. Add lemon juice. Serve spread with fresh vegetables and diced bread cubes. This one is very light

Tex Mex Dip
1st layer
2 cans Frito Lay bean dip (white label)
-once I couldn't find this so I used a jared black bean dip and it worked wonderfully

2nd layer
3 ripe avocados
2 T. lemon juice
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

3rd layer
1 8oz. sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 package taco seasoning mix

Remaining layers
1 bunch green scallions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 can black olives, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
Longhorn Cheese, grated
Fritos or Doritos

Layer ingredients in order given. Serve

Custom Mixed Salad
You can substitute whatever you like in this

1 green pepper, chopped
1 red onion, chopped (soak in ice water to sweeten flavor)
3 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 can artichokes, chopped
1 can hearts of palm, chopped
Selection of cheeses, chopped, I use 8oz sharp cheddar and 8oz mild white cheese
green olives

Add whatever else sounds good, pepperchinies, peas, celery, feta cheese.
Put in large bowl and toss with Italian Robusto salad dressing.

 

[QSis]

JrsTexdeb,

The Mississippi Sin recipe you posted is AWESOME!! I've made it several times, and found that you really need TWO loaves of bread - one to fill and one to use as dippers. Or you can use a variety of flavored fresh bagels, cut in "coins", as dippers. This stuff is GREAT!

A quick, easy, but impressive idea is to set a large wedge of Brie on a glass pie plate. Pat some sliced almonds around the cheese and pour 2 T of dry white wine in over it. Nuke just until the cheese begins to melt (watch it closely). Serve with sliced French bagette or, again, bagel slices.

Lee

 

[SierraCook]

Bourbon Cocktail Sausages

2 lb. cocktail sausages
3/4 c. Bourbon (Jim Beam)
1 1/2 c. Catsup
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 small onion, chopped

Mix bourbon, catsup, brown sugar and onion. Pour over hot dogs in an electric skillet, and simmer 45 minutes. Serve with toothpicks.


Layered Athenian Cheese Spread

2 (8 oz., each) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
2 (4 oz., each) crumbled feta cheese
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
1 (7 oz.) jar sweet roasted red or cherry peppers, drained and patted dry
1/3 cup almonds, chopped
Assorted crackers

Combine cream cheese and feta cheese in medium bowl. Stir in pressed garlic and drained spinach. Chop peppers. Line mold with plastic wrap. Divide cheese mixture in half. Press half of the cheese mixture into mold; top with peppers. Spread remaining cheese over red peppers. Cover and refrigerate several hours to allow flavors to blend. To serve, invert onto serving plate. Remove plastic wrap. Press almonds onto top of molded cheese. Serve with assorted crackers or breadsticks. Makes 20 servings.

 

[jkath]

anyone have a cheese idea that isn't sweet or tex-mex without any beer or alcohol?
(need new year's game-night appetizers)

 

[abjcooking]

I'm not sure exactly what you looking for, but here is what I have. Maybe some of these will give you ideas.

Cheese Log

1 lb. draft old english cheese
2 small cream cheese
2 cloves garlic
1 cup pecans
chili powder
ritz crackers

Have cheeses at room temperature. Mix first 5 ingredients well. Make log like rolls and roll in chili powder. Serve with crackers. Can be frozen.
Makes 3 rolls.

Chili Cheese Dip

2 cans chili no beans
1 lb. velveeta cheese
doritos or fritos

Mix chili and cheese. Heat until melted. Serve hot as dip.

Cream Cheese and Pepper Jelly

1 8ox. cream cheese
1 jar red or green pepper jelly
ritz crackers

Top cream cheese with pepper jelly and serve with crackers

Cheese Straws

1 1/2 sticks butter
1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 h3eaping cups flour, sifted
1 T. paprika
1 t. salt
1/2 t. red pepper
4 T. water

Allow butter and cheese to soften at room temp. Mix in rest of ingredients with electric mixer. Make strips with a cookie press on a cookie sheet. Bake at 300 for 40-60 minutes.

Triotrigona-From Creative Cookery
3 eggs
8 oz. cottge cheese
1/2 lb. feta cheese
1/2 lb. butter, melted and strained
filo dough

For filling: Mix crumbled feta and cottage cheese thoroughly. Add eggs one at a time and mix well.

Keep filo dough covered at all times. Drys out fast. Place one piece of filo on smooth surface and spray with butter Pam or brush with clear melted butter. Place 3/4 to 1 t. of filling on one end of filo dough and fold corner over to make a triangle. Continue folding side to side in a trigangle form. (similar to folding a flag). Place triangles in buttered baking pan side by side and brish tops generously with melted butter. Bake in moderate oven, 350 until golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Tomato Cheese Pinwheels
4-4.5 cups all purpose flour
2 T. sugar
1 package 1/4 oz. active dry yeast
1-1/4 t. salt
3/4 cup warm tomato juice (120-130)
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup butter
1 egg
2 cups finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 T. minced chives

In a mixing bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add tomato juice, water and butter; beat for 2 minutes on med. speed. Add egg and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Place in greased bowl; turn once to grease top. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until doubles.

Punch down. Divinde in 1/2. Roll each 1/2 into a 15"x12" rectangle appx 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 3" squares. Place 2" apart on greades baking sheet. Make 1" slits in each corner of each square. Bring every other corner up to center, overlapping slightly to form a pinwheel; press firmly. Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes. Cool

Cheese and Spinach Puffs

1 (10oz.) package frozen chopped spinach
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 eggs. slightly beaten
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup blue cheese salsad dressing
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/8 t. garlic powder
1 (8.5 oz.) package corn muffin mix

In saucepan, combine spinach and onion and cook according to spinach package directions. Drain well, pressing out excess liquid. Combine eggs, cheeses, salad dressing, butter and garlic powder. Add spincah mixture and muffin mix. Shape dough into one inch balls and place on baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until litghtly browned. Serve warm. Makes about 60

These can be fr ozen, and when coming from the freezer, the baking time should be 12-15 minutes.

Pesto Cheese Blossoms by Paula Deen
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_26192,00.html

 

[QSis]

Well, JKath, the simplest, but most expensive, thing to do is to get a variety of hard, soft and semi-soft cheeses and just make a board of them, served with a variety of crackers and maybe some different types of smoked and fresh-cooked sausages.

Alternately, an inexpensive but pain-in-the-neck idea is to make crab rangoon. People LOVE them, and you can form them in advance, but you have to man the deep fryer at the last minute. Maybe you can delegate the cooking to some guy who can watch the game at the same time and be happy. I make them with cream cheese, crabmeat and wonton wrappers. I think there is minced green onion and a little Worcestershire in there, too.

Lee

 

[luvs]

Chicken Puffs

-1 c. water
-1/2 c. butter
-1 c. flour
-4 eggs
-chicken salad

Bring water and better to hard boil.Add in flour over low flame and beat till ball forms. (1 minute)beat in eggs individually.
Drop tsps. onto ungreased sheets. bake at 400 25 min. until dry and golden brown. cool and cut in half and fill with chicken salad.

spinach dip is an idea. i don't have a recipe at hand but i'm sure you could find one in just a few minutes.

 

[Lifter]

Old-Style, JKath, but very easy, try dicing fresh crispy dill pickle (discarding the seeds) and mixing with slightly warmed Cheese Whiz or equivalent, serve on fresh crusty roll halves...

Lifter

 

[jkath]

You guys rock!

(PS - the "game" isn't on TV - it's where couples play board games all night on New Year's Eve...it's a safe alternative! ...and all of our kids look forward to it all year - they get to watch their favorite movies in another room)

Thanks all - the recipes sound amazing (as usual!!!)

 

[Lifter]

JKath, if you are still following, I did a pretty good "spinach dip" recipe on this thread somewhere between 25 October and 5 November...if you like, PM me and I'll dig it out and pass it on...perennial favourite here, with pumpernikel bread and waterchestnut slices...

Lifter

 

[Lifter]

Looked and didn't see it! Here we go again!

Spinach Dip

1 large tub sour cream (500 ml)
1 pkg dried Knorr vegetable soup mix
1 cup Miracle Whip
1 pkg frozen chopped spinach
1 can waterchestnuts, drained and chopped finely
1 onion chopped finely
1 loaf pumpernickel bread

Mix all ingredients, except bread, chill overnight. Hollow out the bread loaf, pour in the dip. Fashion the evacuated bread pieces to use for dipping.

While I'm here with a cookbook, a couple more...

Salmon Ball

16 oz canned red salmon (using red will give better colour than pink!)
8 oz cream cheese bar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tspn grated onion
1 tsp prepared horseradish
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
3 Tbsp snipped fresh parsley

Drain and flake salmon, remove skin and bones. With cream cheese at room temperature, combine with salmon, lemon juice, onion, horseradish and salt, mixing thoroughly. Chill. Combine pecans and parsley. Shape salmon mixture into a ball, roll in the parsley/nut mixture.

This can be used as a dip, and the recipe is simply and easily halved for a smaller quantity...

Or...

Stuffed Mushrooms

1 large package of cream cheese
2 Tbsp paprika
2 tbsp fine bread crumbs
2 tbsp finely chopped onion

Soften cream cheese, and combine all ingredients. Remove stems from mushrooms, and stuff with filler mixture, place "head down" on a baking sheet. Broil for 5 minutes.

or...

Fruit Dip
1 small pkg Philly cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1/4 orange juice
2 tbsp honey

Blend ingredients, adding OJ last, as too much may make dip too thin...Chill before serving, works well with grapes, melons and berries...

I'm sure you'll get some "hits" with a couple of these!

Lifter

 

[letscook]

ham rolls

Ham rolls
package of sliced ham
one 8oz pkg of cream cheese
horseradish ( not sauce)
parsley

mix together soften creamcheese with a heeping tbl. of horseradish more if you like. add a little bit of parsley for color. Then take a slice of ham and pat it with a paper towel to remove any moisture on the ham(helps to spread the cream cheese) then spread a thin layer of the mixture on the ham and roll itupfrom the long side. set aside and keep ding tillyou run out of ham. place them in the refridge and let them get cool again (1hr) and then slice them approx a Inch. and place on a platter. I usually put a toothpick in them with a green olive . I never have any left.

 

[letscook]

another simple one

block of creamcheese
bottle of chili sauce
can of baby shrimp
trisket crackers.(works good for this)

place the block of cream cheese on a plate, mix together the chili cauce and shrimp pour over the
the cheese and place the crackers around it. Simple and never last long enough to worry about spoiling.

 

[jkath]

copy/paste........copy/paste........copy/paste.......

Thanks so very much!!!!

Pumpkernickle is one of my favorites....and that ham sounds awesome!

 

[Bangbang]

Yep.......Cheese Balls.....get three different ones to sample....or make your own.

 

[SierraCook]

Bumping this thread up because it is that appetizer time of the year. I was just looking through the appetizer threads and thought some of the new folks would enjoy reading these recipes. In fact, I am making the Bourbon Cocktail Sausages on Christmas day for my dad. They are his favorite.

 

[StirBlue]

Black Eyed Susans

medium black olives (whole & pitted) (drained)
soft cheese (whatever kind you like with black olives)
pepperoni slices (or another colorful sliced hard sausage you like)
green bell pepper (cored, seeded) cut in long strips
toothpicks or small wooden skewers

Fill the black olives with soft cheese. I use my finger tips to push a little cheese in each one.

Using a toothpick or small wooden skewers, Push a green bell pepper onto the pointed end of the stick. Place a pepperoni slice next to the pepper (the green bell pepper should extend beyond the edges of the pepperoni to give it a leaf look). Place the black olive cheese side up over the pepperoni slice. Now you have a flower.

I have a steamer insert in a microwave dish and I used it to display my flowers by putting the toothpicks/skewers through the holes far enough to secure.

You can also use a shallow cardboard box, cover it with pretty paper and make tiny holes in a pattern of circles.

I took a batch to a social and didn't have any to bring home. The ones I left at home were gone when I got back.

 

[Michelemarie]

Here is a quick easy appy and I usually have all ingredients on hand:

Sunset Dip
1 block cream cheese-softened
1 jar salsa
1 package cheddar cheese

Spread cream cheese on plattter, pour jar of salsa over top. Empty cheese on top and spread. Microwave 2-3 minutes - serve with chips.

Brie with crackers is good and my new favorite, asparagus spears wrapped in turkey or proscuitto drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and cracked pepper -roasted in 400 degree oven for 12 minutes - yum. All quick and easy.

 

[jabbur]

Here are 3 favorites. All can be made ahead of time. The meatballs can be kept in a slow cooker during the event.

Meatballs

1/2c. catsup
1/4c. maple syrup
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4c. soy sauce
1 tsp. ground allspice
frozen meatballs
mix first 5 ingredients, add meatballs and heat to boiling
Reduce heat and keep warm

Fruit ball
4 oz cream cheese
2/3 c. crushed pineapple
6 oz. coconut
1/2 c. sour cream
4 oz. chopped cherries
2 c. chopped pecans divided
Mix all ingredients savinf 1 c. chopped nuts
form into ball and roll in remaining nuts
serve with vanilla wafers

Cheese biscuits

1 lb extra sharp cheddar cheese shredded
1 lb butter
4 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp. cayenne pepper

Blend cheese and butter into flour and spices until smooth. roll onto floured surface to 1/4" thick. cut with small sized cookie cutter. Place 1/8" apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 mins.

With the biscuits, I use all sorts of differnt shapes depending on the occasion. I've used hearts for weddings, crosses for Easter, christmas trees and stars for christmas. You can get really creative and people tend to be "wow"ed.

 

[JGDean]

Cheese idea

anyone have a cheese idea that isn't sweet or tex-mex without any beer or alcohol?
(need new year's game-night appetizers)

I melt velveeta with a little milk or half-n-half, a bit of butter, cooked diced ham or ground beef or chicken or sausage, and a little prepared horseradish or mustard horseradish to taste. I serve in a small crockpot as a dip with bread, chips, veggies. It can also be used to make a good mac w/ cheese w/ cooked macaroni.