Mini appetizers

[elaine l]

This weekend a group of friends are heading to the Cape for a fun filled weekend. The theme for one of the happy hours is mini appetizers. Anyone have any really great ideas?

 

[Andy M.]

How small does it have to be to be a mini?

 

[elaine l]

One person is bringing mini burgers. Just something you can pick up and eat. I should add that we are camping. I was thinking of something that perhaps I could stuff in either a mini pita or "scoops" brand chips. But would love something totally different. There is a competitive edge to it (all in fun)

 

[DaveSoMD]

Just a few ideas off the top of my head:

Chicken salad and slices almonds wrapped in a lettuce leaf

lil' smokies wrapped in a cressant roll ( cut the triangle in half lenthwise to make them fit betther)

Top one of those premade pizza shells with cheese and grilled vegggies and slice into small bite-sized slices

How about filling scoops with either a taco-beef mix topped with cheese or maybe refried beans topped with cheese.

 

[Maverick2272]

We used to do those little rye bread squares (the come in a loaf and are 1" by 1") topped with a hamburger/kethcup/mustard/cheddar cheese mix. Kinda like a mini burger of sorts done on the bread then toasted.
I like the lil smokies idea, we do that as well. Mini pizzas made on English muffins are always good. Melba toast topped with solid white tuna and cream cheese, a little salt and pepper and sugar for taste. I don't know about where you are at, but here we can buy the mini taco shells in the supermarket so you could make mini tacos. Pinwheels are one of my favorites.

 

[larry_stewart]

MY wife occasionally makes these mini knish/blintz-like appetizers. She boils up some rigatoni. Then stuffs them with mashed potatoes. Brushed with a little oil then baked to make a little crispy. Usually we eat dipping in mustard or sour cream. Simple, quich, cheap and very good. But kinda have to be made on the spot, or else they lose their crispness.

 

[jkath]

I have the perfect mini appetizer! Stuffed black olives. Mix together cream cheese & your favorite fresh herb & perhaps some pepper, then pipe it into the olives (so it's pretty) then garnish it with one of these ideas: tiny slice of red/yellow bell pepper, or tiny basil leaf, or pinenut...etc
they're really cute.

Another good tiny stuffer are grape tomatoes. It is time consuming, but worth it in taste. With those, I stuff it with a mix of garlic, green onion & gorgonzola

 

[GotGarlic]

Rachael Ray has this great recipe for grilled shrimp brushed with sauce made of hoisin sauce and Thai chili sauce, then wrapped in a bibb lettuce leaf to serve.

Or, I posted a recipe for crostini with goat cheese and roasted red peppers a while back: http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f7/tnt-rec-crostini-roasted-peppers-goat-cheese-44439.html

 

[suziquzie]

At Christmas I found a package of pre-baked mini-muffin sized phyllo cups. I was planning on making spanikopita but when I saw those I gained an hour in prep time.... I made the regular filling and put it in those shells, sprinkled a little parmesan and baked 20 min or so.
Oh boy I need to find some more of those now I think!!!

 

[merstar]

Check these out:

CHICKEN SALAD PUFFS
Chicken Salad Puffs - Allrecipes

TORTILLA - BASIL PINWHEELS
Tortilla-Basil Pinwheels

CHERRY TOMATO APPETIZERS
Cherry Tomato Appetizers Recipe | Recipezaar

 

[Mama]

Mini Stromboli. Use frozen bread dough. Stuff with mixture of spinach, chicken, bacon, onions, parmesan cheese, mozarella cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Bake until a nice golden brown. Bring some marinera sauce for dipping.

 

[QSis]

Here are a couple from my recipe file (that I INTEND to make, but haven't yet)Crustless Carrot Mini-Quiches

and

Recipes : Bacon Wrapped Bread Sticks : Food Network

Sounds like fun, Elaine!

Lee

 

[elaine l]

Thanks for all the great ideas. I am sure one or two of these will work out great. I am leaning towards nothing baked since we are camping and won't be using my oven (no electricity where I will be.

 

[GotGarlic]

Thanks for all the great ideas. I am sure one or two of these will work out great. I am leaning towards nothing baked since we are camping and won't be using my oven (no electricity where I will be.

Hi, Elaine. If you're thinking about doing the crostini, they can be toasted in advance, or grilled at the campground. HTH.

 

[letscook]

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

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 it up from the long side. set aside and keep doing till you run out of ham or filling. place them in the refridge and let them get cool again (1hr) and then slice them approx a Inch. and place on a platter. put a toothpick in them with a green olive . I never have any left.
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[DaveSoMD]

What about mini-shish kebabs? Use small chunks if beef and grape tomatoes skewered on toothpicks? Or maybe a shimp and a piece of canned chunked pineapple? Soak the toothpick in water and skewer and grill like a regular kebab.

 

[Maverick2272]

I really like the stuffed grape tomatoes and stuffed olives, they sound really good and something even I could probably manage, LOL.

 

[GotGarlic]

What about mini-shish kebabs? Use small chunks if beef and grape tomatoes skewered on toothpicks? Or maybe a shimp and a piece of canned chunked pineapple? Soak the toothpick in water and skewer and grill like a regular kebab.

This reminds me of something else I have done: Skewered cheese and fruit. Cube some cheese - cheddar, Monterey jack, whatever you like - and fruit like cantaloupe and pineapple, and add some grapes. Skewer them on cocktail toothpicks and serve with a dipping sauce of vanilla yogurt with orange zest, orange juice, and some grated fresh ginger.

 

[SHAMALICIOUS]

Mini kebabs? Or roll ups? (Tortillas with fillings and then rolled up)