Looking for appetizers

[cougars_catnip]

I am hosting a Christmas party and need appetizers and bite size desserts.  Does anyone have a great recipe to share?

CC

Comments

[acelightning]

Cream-cheese pastry is a good starting point.

1 3-oz. package cream cheese
4 tablespooons (1/2 stick) butter
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten

Soften the cream cheese and butter and blend them together in a mixer. Add the flour and salt and mix thoroughly, then mix in the egg. Add a bit more flour if necessary, but this should be a soft dough. Chill for 30 minutes, then roll out to about 1/8" thick, cut, fill, and bake at 425° F. on an ungreased baking sheet until just lightly browned - time will depend on size of pieces and type of filling. (This is an incredibly forgiving dough.)

Tiny little turnovers are the easiest. You can fill them with almost anything savory, even just "Grated Four Cheese Blend" from the supermarket. Cooked seasoned ground meat is good, or chopped mushrooms sauteed in butter with a bit of nutmeg - thicken the pan juices so the pastries don't leak too much. (If using the same pastry for more than one filling, I make squares-folded-into-triangles for one kind and circles-folded-into-semicircles for the other. Use your imagination!)

This pastry works just as well with sweets as with savories. You can make tiny little turnovers with any kind of jam, jelly, or fruit curd, or pastry cream. Or you can bake the pastry into little shells, then fill those.

[marence]

The new family favorite is "sandwich bread", aka filled rolled bread, like a savory cinnamon roll. Fairly quick and easy.

Start with 1 recipe bread dough, homemade or frozen. Let rise as usuual, then roll or shape into a thin rectangle. Spread the bottom 2/3 with mustard, bbq sauce, or your favorite condiment. Layer sliced or chopped meat on the bottom 1/2, then sliced, cubed or shredded cheese over that. Roll up as a cinnamon roll, srtarting with the bottom edge. Pinch together at the seam and ends, position on a baking sheet with the seam side down, and let rise again, til nearly doubled in size. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes, or according to the bread recipe.
After cooling, slice into pinwheels. Serve warm or cold.

Ham, colby and honey-mustard is a standard filling around here, but you can use any meat-cheese-condiment combo you like, or sub out the meat for roasted veggies if you're vegetarian.

[cougars_catnip]

mmm what a versatile dough. :) Thank you very much.

CC

[cougars_catnip]

what a clever idea. :) Thank you. ham and cheese! Yum! that sounds really good.

CC

[zarhooie]

Baked brie is stupidly easy.

Take a wheel of brie and score the top and bottom. Place in small ovensafe ceramic dish which has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Empty one jar of preserves onto the brie. I like various types of chutney, but I've also used apple butter and orange maramalade when nothing else was available. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 or until melty. Serve with crackers.

My dad makes these little crab cups. Get those little mini filo cups at the store, and fill with a mixture of tinned crab meat, mayo, old bay seasoning (or salt, pepper, and cayanne), and finely-chopped green and red peppers. Top with shredded cheese and bake for a while until cheese is melty and bubbly. I used to eat my weight in these and skip dinner.

[realpestilence]

I have two appetizers I usually take to parties. No cooking, ftw!

Ham slices, patted dry, and spread with cream cheese, and wrapped around a whole pickle (also patted as dry as you can). Cut into slices and put in a pick for serving.

Also, cut some raw jalapeno peppers in half and scrape out the seeds and as much of the veins as you can-you'll still get some heat, but not too much. Stuff with cream cheese and sprinkle with grated sharp cheddar. Warning: make sure you wear gloves when you handle the peppers!

An easy desert that my brother showed me is to take a can of sugar free cherry pie filling and mix in chunks of fresh peaches, mangoes and berries. Various assorted fruits would work, though. He puts a layer of chocolate or vanilla pudding on top, and then sprinkles crushed chocolate cookies on it. I've had it without the pudding, too, and it's very good either way.

[jesse_the_k]

When you're putting out a dip, hummus or sucklike, you can make any celiacs in the group very happy. Peel and slice a cucumber on the bias to make cracker-substitutes.

Another ham presentation that's surprisingly good: cut ham into long matchsticks 8mm x 8mm x30mm. Wrap each ham piece in one thinly sliced salami.

[cougars_catnip]

I love baked brie. We usually put a brown sugar pecan topping on it.but Jam or chutney would be good too.

Any suggestions for a substitution for the bell peppers in the crab cups? I am deathly allergic to them.

[cougars_catnip]

My husband will love the jalapenos.

Thanks for the ideas. :)

CC

[cougars_catnip]

that is a great idea for a cracker substitute. Thanks.

[acelightning]

It's damn near foolproof, and it bakes up with a lovely tender/flaky texture. You can even make a pie crust out of it. Enjoy!

[zarhooie]

I use them for a little crunch and color. Maybe zucchini or jicama?

[zarhooie]

Another thing you can pipe into filo cups:

1 cup each mayo and the crumbly low-fat or fat free Kraft parmesean cheese, and one can artichoke hearts, chopped medium fine. Mix together pipe with large tip into cups, bake until crunchy. Can also make it as a dip.

Some of my favs

[aquinasprime]

Blanch some green beans, quickly dip the warm beans in some good balsamic vinegar and tie into bundles of three with some prosciutto.

I also like to make caprese skewers - a cherry or grape tomato, small mozarella ball and a piece of basil.

I'm a big baked brie fan, but I go savory - wrap it in puff pastry, brush with egg and bake. I put it in a rimmed dish with a sauce around it. To make the sauce I melt butter, honey and garlic together on the stovetop. Once it's poured over/around the brie I sprinkle in some fresh chopped parsley (if I remember).

Several years ago, my chorus put together a cookbook and this is one of my favorite apps from it: feta custard in phyllo cups

30 phyllo cups
4 oz feta
4 oz cream cheese
1 egg
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp flour
1/3 c pitted and chopped Kalamata olives
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
black pepper

heat oven to 325 F, put phyllo shells on baking sheet. Combine feta, cream cheese, egg, lemon juice and flour and beat with electric mixer on medium speed until almost smooth. Spoon evenly into cups and bake for 15-17 minutes (until crisp).

Stir the olives, oregano, vinegar, garlic and black pepper together. Sprinkle over the baked custard and serve immediately.

[pineapplechild]

For whatever reason, deviled eggs always seem to impress people I know, and they're dead easy. Also, protein! Rare on the snacky sideboard of the holiday party.

Take some eggs, say about 12. Remember, each egg will become two halves, so plan accordingly, and then add some more because they will break, so 15 total for us. Hardboil them. I like to add a dash of vinegar so the shells come off easy. Let cool.

Peel the eggs and cut them in half long-ways. Reserve the yolks to a bowl. Place the halves hollow up on a tray. Any eggs that didn't peel nicely can also be added to the yolk bowl, if you manage to not eat them.

Blend the yolks with about two tablespoons of mustard, 1/3 cup mayo, some salt and pepper, a dash of hot sauce, a dash of vinegar, and about a tablespoon of minced shallot or onion. Depending on your tolerance for the breath of death, adding some powdered garlic works too. You want the consistantcy to be nice and paste like, not soupy and not flaky. (I tend to experiment with this a bit, and you may or may not like the vinegar flavor.)

Spoon into the eggy hollows until evenly split and nicely mounded, and sprinkle with paprika. There are special plates for serving deviled eggs, but I find a pie plate or baking dish works well too.

Re: Some of my favs

[cougars_catnip]

oo that sounds lovely. :) Thank you.

CC

[cougars_catnip]

Oh yes, jicama would give a lovely crunch to this and so would water chestnuts. Maybe a little carrot and celery too. Thanks. :) I will experiment and see which I like best. :)

CC

[cougars_catnip]

mm love artichokes. :)

[cougars_catnip]

:) Having grown up in the deep south I think deviled eggs are a staple for any party, picnic or barbeque! :) We always make ours with sweet pickles and ranch dressing. I'll have to try your recipe too. :)

[ex_bibbinut154]

How about a Veggie dip? :)
It too is very popular at parties. ;)

Veggie Dip:

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together till combined well. Cover and let chill in refrigerator at least 3 hours (overnight is best). Serve with fresh cut vegetables or potato chips.

[cougars_catnip]

mmm that sounds lovely.

CC